Any trouble booking at non home resort?

[Shelly]

Has anyone had any trouble booking at a dvc that was not your home resort?
I'm not talking christmas. Just an average summer week? Trying to decide if I want to go ahead and purchase at SSR or do a resale.

 

[browniemtb]

Has anyone had any trouble booking at a dvc that was not your home resort?
I'm not talking christmas. Just an average summer week? Trying to decide if I want to go ahead and purchase at SSR or do a resale.

I can't answer that since we never booked a summer vacation but I would like to through in my 2 cents. There is a quote or statement that travels the DVC boards...."Buy where you want to stay". This is a very true statement. When you buy you may see yourself booking summer vacations so where you own may not matter but in a few years things could change. So consider picking a resort you like the best and purchase there either via resale or through Disney. Disney will and does have points available for the sold out resorts. Good luck on your decision..............

 

[drusba]

Problem time in summer would be July 4 and the three to four days on either side of it and Labor Day weekend (although less for that one). Otherwise, with certain exceptions, summer can be fairly easy time to get at 7 months because summer is actually one of DVC's slower times. Ones that could be difficult (although not necessarily impossible) almost any time during summer are BCV and VWL (smaller resorts and thus less availability at 7 months), BWV standard and BWV preferred boardwalk view (both because BWV owners often gobble those up before 7 month window), AKV concierge (there are only five 2BR lock-offs--possibility of ten rooms--in that category) and AKV value point cost (low point cost for small number of rooms).

As to buy where you want to stay, I no longer agree with that rule. You should reserve your home resort with 11 month window and then try to switch 7 months, and should be satisifed with home resort if at times you cannot switch. Moreover, buying at SSR will sometimes mean you cannot get something elsewhere. However, the end date for the contract is something I now believe is becoming an overriding issue. Particularly if you are a fairly young family, having an expiration date of 2054 (SSR) or 2057 (AKV) rather than 2042 (for BWV, VWL or BCV -- and OKW depending on whether contract was extended) should be considered a very important factor for where you buy.

 

[gortman65]

We own at SSR. In April we had to reschedule our October trip to August 4-12. I called MS and was able to get a room at SSR and put our name on the waitlist for AKV or VWL. A couple of weeks ago the waitlist came through for AKV. That's pretty good considering I made the reservation only four months out.

 

[crisi]

As to buy where you want to stay, I no longer agree with that rule. You should reserve your home resort with 11 month window and then try to switch 7 months, and should be satisifed with home resort if at times you cannot switch. Moreover, buying at SSR will sometimes mean you cannot get something elsewhere.

Buy where you wouldn't be disappointed to stay. If your heart is set on BCV and your buy SSR, there will be years you can't get all nights at BCVs. Is the savings worth that? If you have a vague preference for a different resort, but have the "hey, as long as I'm at Disney" attitude, your home resort isn't that important. If staying at Disney means you MUST stay at a certain resort, you want to own that resort.

 

[JimMIA]

I agree with the "Buy where you wouldn't be disappointed to stay" strategy.

You have to also understand that home resort only applies to ressies made more than 7 months in advance of arrival.

If you don't usually (or can't) book that far ahead, it doesn't matter where your home resort is, because you won't be using your home resort booking advantage. At seven months, "points is points," and everybody has the same rights and opportunities.

Other than booking rights, the only other difference home resort makes is in maintenance fees. Some resort's operating expenses are higher, so their dues are higher...but you're talking a few cents on the dollar, not big differences.

 

[katied]

My home is BWV. Last trip started over Memorial Day weekend. I wanted to try BCV, but booked frip at 11 months at BWV. I then called day by day at the 7 month window to switch. I was able to switch all but the 1st night (the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend). I waitlisted, but it did not come through. So, we did a split stay and switched rooms.

I'm looking to add points, and was planning to do this a BCV because I'd like to option of booking there at 11 months, but now with the potential for BLT, I'm going to wait and see what that looks like before I make a final decision on adding points.

I stick with the buy where you'll stay, because to date, I've only been willing to stay at BWV or BCV, and would not be happy staying anywhere else.

 

[mrdiscranky]

I called about a week after the 7-month deadline for an "average" summer week this year. BCV was already sold out.

EDIT - I should say this is the one and only one time I've ever had a problem. And I just booked at BWV, which I actually like better.

 

[Starr W.]

We've been pretty lucky doing this switch MLK weekend(Thurs-Mon).

MLK 2008 BCV 2br(wasn't quick enough to get the 2queens)

MLK 2009 BWV/BW view 2br. Also had the option of the BCV 2queens and VWL.

Both made with one phone call, right at 9am at the 7month mark.

Did get VWL 2br in early May.

We don't do WDW in the summer, so I don't know how that would go.

 

[disgal1]

we own at SSR and have never stayed there. I go in Sept. with my sisters, we always stay at BCV and have never had a problem.( We go for opening Food and Wine)

October we go usually with friends, and again BCV, for food and wine and mickey party. This year we were waitlisted, and it came thru as a split stay, BWV first 2 nights, BCV last 2 nights. This is the first time we didn't get all at BCV. Took us off waitlist, because group thought they would like to try BWV.

We book at SSR on our 11 month window, then call at the 7 mo and switch. It is easy for us to plan, we go just about the same weeks every year.( Just the 2 of us now, easy flight from Richmond, so not too costly our AP is our Christmas present

Also have had no problem in Feb, or may for flower/garden. No problem early Dec either,,we go week before Christmas, leave around the 21st.

I would love to add on at BCV , but DH wants to buy Mariott points for next purchase. We really Love the Mariott at Hilton Head. We went to the DVC at HHI, and ended up spending a lot of time at the Mariott.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

"Buy where you wouldn't be disappointed to stay"

I like that advice. It is especially true because our tastes change as the vacations pass by. Our family finds that we discover a new 'favourite' thing to do/see each time we go. Stayed at OKW first and loved it. We bought SSR. Then tried BWV's and loved that. Tried BCV's and liked it but not as much as BWV's. Love Vero. Then tried SSR and loved that. This winter we tried VWL and loved that too. Next up AKV !

Although it's likely that one resort will maintain that feeling of coming 'home' more than the others....we make our reservation at SSR as soon as we can within the 11 month window. Then we try to switch, if we want and take what we can get. So far waitlists have come through and vacations have been wonderful.

 

[SLM]

The only resort we could not book for a summer stay was Hilton Head-we needed a 2BR late August-but could book a 1BR for mid September with no problem.