I think it depends on the season Dee. My ILs went in Sep and booked a couple of months ahead. At the time there were huge specials on and they saved a heap of money. To get the special they had to stay 3 extra nights from their original plan, but even after paying for the extra accommodation and hire car, it was still a lot cheaper than coming back on the day they had originally planned. It would be worth checking out the web every couple of days and it might also be worth speaking to a travel agent to see when the specials are usually announced. I hope you have a great time, it sounds so exciting for you.