The summer vacation season will be coming to a close soon, and while my cure for the post-vacation blues is always to plan another trip to look forward to, there are a lot of other great reasons to book next year's vacation now rather than waiting.
Availability
Popular destinations often book well in advance, and popular options for accommodations such as frequently sell out. If you have a large family looking for a suite or for adjoining staterooms, if you want a hotel room with a particular view, or if you want to stay somewhere right next to your favorite theme park, booking early is the best way to guarantee that you get exactly what you want.
Pricing
Booking early is a great way to get some of the best pricing on a vacation, especially cruises - the initial release of itineraries or hotel availability often has the best pricing, as it tends to go up as staterooms or hotel rooms sell out. It's true that there are sometimes last-minute special offers, but waiting until the last minute isn't always a good way to save. Options are often limited, have extra restrictions, and are often still not a better price than what you can get by booking early. For the best pricing, especially for cruises and theme park vacations, booking early is often the best savings you can get.
Changes
If 2020 seems too far away to nail down your dates or the specifics of your vacation, you don't have to worry - you can go ahead and reserve the option that works best for now, and changes can be made later if you need to change dates or other options. Most of the destinations we work with do not charge change fees until after final payment is made for your vacation, so you can make changes without penalty. Just keep in mind that there may be a difference in price, depending on what changes are made.
Make Payments
Booking well ahead of time also allows you to make intermittent payments towards your vacation over time. Most of our destinations allow partial payments up until final payment is due, so you can make monthly payments towards your vacation and spread out the cost.
Be Ready for Reservations
Many destinations offer advance reservations for high-demand experiences, such as character dining at Walt Disney World, shore excursions and dining reservations for your cruise, and activity reservations at some resorts. Some of these reservations open as early as six months in advance, and can quickly sell out. Booking ahead of time allows you to be ready for these so you have access to the best availability.