Advice needed for January 2023 WDW stay!

[Pommau]

Hi everyone!



I haven't been to WDW since 2014 but I was invited by my boyfriend's family on a trip in January 2023. I have been scouting out room rates, but I am extremely shocked to see little to no availability for our dates. For background there are five of us, we are staying for 4 nights 01/11/2023 to 01/15/2023, and plan to be in the parks 01/12-01/14. They typically stay at BC/YC but I noticed very little availability at YC and BC is extremely expensive. We have for now booked a one-bedroom villa at AKL just so we can start the process. This is a backup for now, as we originally intended to rent two rooms/ two-bedroom villa.



Now, what I would love to find out is, will there be more rooms opening between now and January, will there be a possibility of discounts for our dates popping up, should we consider keeping the reservation at AKL, or should we consider maybe a different deluxe resort if they come available? They specifically are hoping to get better rates at BC or YC. I was curious to see if instead of staying at AKL or BC/YC it might be better to get two rooms at WL. That’s where my family always stayed years ago. Would saving time on travel to the parks at WL vs AKL be a better investment if BC/YC either are unavailable? Or should we hold out for BC/YC? Thanks in advanced!

 

[GBRforWDW]

So the weekend before is marathon weekend and the weekend that you'll be there is MLK Jr weekend which both are busy weekends for resorts, so I wouldn't think much would open if they're already sold out.

You could always check the DVC rental sites and see if anything has already been reserved and is available or if not, put in a request.

I personally like AKL, it's a fun and unique resort. Its the same distance to Hollywood Studios as Wilderness Lodge. And both AKL and WL have a park nearby, so the only real advantage is a slightly shorter trip to Epcot from WL vs AKL. So really, just comes down to preference, but if you've never stayed at AKL, might be worth checking out.

 

[Pommau]

So the weekend before is marathon weekend and the weekend that you'll be there is MLK Jr weekend which both are busy weekends for resorts, so I wouldn't think much would open if they're already sold out.

You could always check the DVC rental sites and see if anything has already been reserved and is available or if not, put in a request.

I personally like AKL, it's a fun and unique resort. Its the same distance to Hollywood Studios as Wilderness Lodge. And both AKL and WL have a park nearby, so the only real advantage is a slightly shorter trip to Epcot from WL vs AKL. So really, just comes down to preference, but if you've never stayed at AKL, might be worth checking out.

We already explored the DVC option unfortunately nothing was available. They have a preference for the Epcot resort area that's why I was comparing WL to AKL for Epcot travel times. Boyfriend "warned" me that his mom loves to run a tight schedule to ensure we get the most out of a stay, and she is still holding out for BC/YC. I have a very large soft spot for WL as its the only place I stay with my family (and I hate change lol)!

 

[SheSingsAlong]

Are your dates firm? If not, it may be worth it to look for confirmed DVC rentals at the resorts you have mentioned. Four months out is really "short notice" by Disney standards I doubt more availability will open up. As far as discounts, nobody can say for sure. Discounts used to be pretty reliable and run on a predictable schedule in the Before Times, but not post-COVID. Good Luck! You can have an awesome vacation no matter where you stay - all resorts have pros and cons.

 

[kanerf]

You can also look for availability at Swan & Dolphin which are in the Epcot resorts area. They are connected by boat to Epcot and HS.

 

[Pommau]

Are your dates firm? If not, it may be worth it to look for confirmed DVC rentals at the resorts you have mentioned. Four months out is really "short notice" by Disney standards I doubt more availability will open up. As far as discounts, nobody can say for sure. Discounts used to be pretty reliable and run on a predictable schedule in the Before Times, but not post-COVID. Good Luck! You can have an awesome vacation no matter where you stay - all resorts have pros and cons.

Yeah those are firm dates, I work at a quarry and his dad is a doctor so we have to plan our vacation many months in advanced and those are the dates we both can do! Still super surprised how much has changed between 2014 and 2023 even before COVID I don't think it was this crazy! They are very seasoned Disney travelers, so they are a bit blindsided by the lack of availability. We are praying we can get some discounts!

 

[Pommau]

You can also look for availability at Swan & Dolphin which are in the Epcot resorts area. They are connected by boat to Epcot and HS.

That is one of our backup plans too!

 

[GBRforWDW]

Haha, I hear ya. I'd like to stay in Epcot/crescent lake area, but definitely expensive for us. I'm always surprised by how busy MLK Jr weekend is since most k-12 schools would be back in session by then, but here we are. Haha. I hope something opens up! Always good to stay in a place you're comfortable with, not just settled on.

 

[Mousetopia]

That is one of our backup plans too!

They have a good AAA rate at the Swan. No there will not be more inventory unless there is a canellation..and you keep watch for it. Id get moving on Swan if avail. I would not hold out for discount of any significance..there have to be rooms avail for it to matter..it is a weird time. I know just how they feel! I am staying at 3 resorts for a 12 day vacay in Dec. because I could not find 1!

 

[Pommau]

They have a good AAA rate at the Swan. No there will not be more inventory unless there is a canellation..and you keep watch for it. Id get moving on Swan if avail. I would not hold out for discount of any significance..there have to be rooms avail for it to matter..it is a weird time. I know just how they feel! I am staying at 3 resorts for a 12 day vacay in Dec. because I could not find 1!

We’ve got a villa booked at AKL so we are keeping that as our resort unless we find a cancellation. It looks to me like there’s a huge cheer competition during our stay which might be why there’s so little room.

 

[jwhtewolfd]

Have you checked the Riviera? Skyliner access to EP and HS might make them happy. Not sure how the price compares to YC and BC though.

 

[Pommau]

Have you checked the Riviera? Skyliner access to EP and HS might make them happy. Not sure how the price compares to YC and BC though.

Another fully booked resort during our stay!