? about traveling with non-DVC friends

[daraweb]

We are currently in the ROFR waiting period but are thinking about traveling with friends the first week in January.

This may be a ridiculous question...so please be kind and remember I am a complete NEWBIE

If they are non-DVCers and we are travleing on points, can our rooms be near each other (or connecting). I know it will depend on room type, view, etc...but assuming all that works out, are DVC units and Disney-rented units intermingled?

thx

[chalee94]

the rooms cannot be connecting unless you book a 2BR and they take the studio side and compensate you for your pts.

but if you book a 1BR with pts and they book a studio through CRO or renting from another DVC member, the rooms won't be connecting.

(studios never ever connect to other studios, BTW.)

if you are staying at the same resort, you can request to be near each other - that cannot be guaranteed naturally.

if you are staying at the BWV and they are staying at the boardwalk inn, you might be a very long walk from each other...

what resorts are you talking about?

[dzorn]

If they are in a DVC villa or resort then it is possible to be very close. If they are just at the same resort but in a regular room no. For example WL there are two buildings: the main lodge building and the DVC building.

Also note two studios do not connect for DVC accomidations so that will not be possible.


Denise in MI

[daraweb]

Ah...yes, I now see that lleft out some key info...

We will both be staying in villas. Either BLT or VWL...they will either be in a 1BR or 2BR and we will likely be in a studio...I know that some 1BR's connect to Studios at VWL since we have done that before AND I realize that if they get a 2BR our studio couldn't connect.

My main question is the location of the 2 inventories (DVC and CRO)...can a room from each be near each other OR connecting if applicable.

Finding it hard to express myself clearly this monday morning...

I also know that availability willl be a BIG issue...we will rent points if need be.
thx

[dzorn]

Originally Posted by daraweb

Ah...yes, I now see that lleft out some key info...

We will both be staying in villas. Either BLT or VWL...they will either be in a 1BR or 2BR and we will likely be in a studio...I know that some 1BR's connect to Studios at VWL since we have done that before AND I realize that if they get a 2BR our studio couldn't connect.

My main question is the location of the 2 inventories (DVC and CRO)...can a room from each be near each other OR connecting if applicable.

Finding it hard to express myself clearly this monday morning...

I also know that availability willl be a BIG issue...we will rent points if need be.
thx

I do not think the CRO and DVC invenory are separated by location as long as the are both DVC villas.

Denise in MI

[Chuck S]

The cash/DVC inventories are not separated by location. As others noted, you can request to be nearby, but that depends upon what is available, and if the rooms are in the same view classification.

[Lynne M]

Getting a connecting 1-bedroom and studio when one's on cash and one's on points would be very, very unlikely. I don't think cash and points reservations can be linked - different reservation systems - and even if they could, it would require that the previous occupants of those villas both happened to be checking out on the same day that you're arriving, or that there was one group in there that happened to be using it as a two-bedroom lock off.

To get your villas near each other, I'd suggest that you both check in at the resort (not online), and go to the check-in desk together. If your villas aren't close, and the resort isn't particularly full, they MAY be able to adjust your room assignments to be closer to each other. Or they may not be able to.

If you and your friends are willing to share, and it's very important that you be near each other, I'd just book a two bedroom villa. It's essentially the same thing as a connecting 1-bedroom and studio.

Keep in mind that BLT and VWL are both 1-building resorts, so even if you're not right next door, you'll only be a few minutes walk to each others' room, at most.

[Deb & Bill]

The first week of January (maybe Marathon time) will be difficult at BLT. And maybe as difficult at VWL.

[mjc2003]

If they are going to do cash for a 1BR and you are doing points for a studio, you are not very likely to end up next to each other. I would look into renting additional points and combining with your points for a 2 BR lock-off all on points. Then they could pay for the extra rented points, and it would probably be cheaper than their CRO anyway.

[kendzee94]

Make sure you call MS and ask for a "travel with" number. Then you and your "friend" will add the "travel with" number to both of your reservations and you may be able to be close(r) to each other. We are trying with with our friends next month so we will see how close we will get.

[Figment2]

We used the travel with number last October so it will be interesting to see what happens next month. Out of five rooms, three were on the same floor (all 1BR) kind of close to each othee. The other two (1 BR and 1 studio) were on a separate floor and they were on opposite sides of BWV. When you got off the elevators, one had to go right (all the way down the hall) to get to one room. The other room you went right and it was at the end of the hallway.

We made it work but no one could explain why they weren't closer especially when we were told at check-in that they couldn't offer us room ready because there were rooms blocked off for us. So a few of us had to wait for our rooms.

Cyn

[k3chantal]

I don't know how many points you have to work with but you could make a reservation for a two bedroom villa and stay all together in one larger space. Then you could have your friends pay their 'half' to you while you use your points to pay Disney.

At the end of this month we are sharing a two bedroom savanna view villa at AKL with our friends and their two children. We will be a total of 9. They will get the room with the two queen sized beds, we will get the Master, and three of the children (there are five total) will stay in the 'living room' with the sofa and chair bed. Because we want this to be a gift for this specific family, we are not asking them to compensate us for the accommodations. But I could see working that out in the future with a other friends.

[chalee94]

Originally Posted by mjc2003

I would look into renting additional points and combining with your points for a 2 BR lock-off all on points. Then they could pay for the extra rented points, and it would probably be cheaper than their CRO anyway.

Originally Posted by k3chantal

I don't know how many points you have to work with but you could make a reservation for a two bedroom villa and stay all together in one larger space. Then you could have your friends pay their 'half' to you while you use your points to pay Disney.

the risk here is that if they don't have any "skin in the game", they may be more likely to decide that disney doesn't fit the budget this year or whatever and you wind up with lots of room to spread out in a 2BR that you don't really need.

(if you have booked a 2BR, you cannot cancel just the 1BR and keep the studio. you would have to either keep a 2BR that you don't need or else cancel the 2BR and hope a studio is still available.)

if they are booked through CRO, they also have more options if they do need to cancel for whatever reason...

anyway, just balance any desires to offer accommodations to friends and family with the risks that nontimeshare people may not understand the different booking issues that DVCers deal with. things have happened in the past with other similar situations.