Can we talk 1br availability at 11mo on the monorail?

[Kwaschitz]

We own at VGF and stay in studios. A friend is planning to buy and was going to go to the Poly because they found out VGF sold out. She has been a member through her parents ownership, but she and her husband are buying their own. She wants to be on the monorail. She prefers the condo feel of a 1br so that makes her contemplate VGF or BLT (where her parents own and have a tile on the fountain).

I know that this year I struggled to get a res in early December at exactly 11 months for a studio at VGF. What is the availability in those time periods typically like for 1BRs at VGF and/or BLT?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

1BRs tend to be one of the easiest categories to get, because so many are part of lock-offs.

If she really wants 1BRs, tell her to look into resale -- NOT Poly. At Poly, she'll pay premium for points that get her 11-month priority for studios. BLT in resale is $50/point less, and has lower dues besides.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That first week in December is the most difficult week to book for DVC. It didn't seem like you were saying that she definitely went only at that time though. If she did then BLT will offer her the most reliability for a one bedroom. Standard views, the lowest point option there, may not always be available but booking right at 11 months there should be no issue getting Lakeview and probably theme park view and if the timing is right standard view now and then. If she goes at other times then she will should usually have all 3 options, but definitely lakeview. VGF is a small resort but one-bedrooms are easier to book there than studios. However because it's a smaller resort then BLT if she's looking to be certain of availability I'd recommend buying at BLT. The value is better there as well when buying resale. I'd skip PVB. It makes no sense for someone who wants a 1 bedroom nor for someone who wouldn't use it to stay there the majority of the time.

 

[Kwaschitz]

That first week in December is the most difficult week to book for DVC. It didn't seem like you were saying that she definitely went only at that time though. If she did then BLT will offer her the most reliability for a one bedroom. Standard views, the lowest point option there, may not always be available but booking right at 11 months there should be no issue getting Lakeview and probably theme park view and if the timing is right standard view now and then. If she goes at other times then she will should usually have all 3 options, but definitely lakeview. VGF is a small resort but one-bedrooms are easier to book there than studios. However because it's a smaller resort then BLT if she's looking to be certain of availability I'd recommend buying at BLT. The value is better there as well when buying resale. I'd skip PVB. It makes no sense for someone who wants a 1 bedroom nor for someone who wouldn't use it to stay there the majority of the time.

I picked the early December time period because that's the only time we've had trouble getting a studio at VGF and I know how difficult that is kind of across the board then. She's still debating whether she could be happy with the studio situation at Poly.

Thanks for all the input so far

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I picked the early December time period because that's the only time we've had trouble getting a studio at VGF and I know how difficult that is kind of across the board then. She's still debating whether she could be happy with the studio situation at Poly.

Thanks for all the input so far

At a $50+/point savings buying resale, it's easier to buy the points needed for a 1BR.

Also, not on monorail, but don't count out VWL as a near-MK option with 1BRs. The boat is neat. Can be a tough get early December because of its legendary Christmas decor, but other times it can be more available -- studios certainly are more easy most of the year, and there are only 65. But 45 of them are within lock-off units, so the greater availability of studios naturally suggests 1BR availability in the same times.

 

[Minniesgal]

We own at VGF and have never had a problem booking 1 bedrooms at 11 months they are a lot easier than studios. However, we don't travel in December.

BLT has reasonable 1 bedroom lake view availability at 7 months so BLT would be even easier to book.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I picked the early December time period because that's the only time we've had trouble getting a studio at VGF and I know how difficult that is kind of across the board then. She's still debating whether she could be happy with the studio situation at Poly.

Thanks for all the input so far

If you look online right now you'll see that BLT still has LV 1BR's open for all of Dec so that says something about availability. But I think she'd probably be ok for VGF athough BLT is more guaranteed as I mentioned because of it's size. Either of you can go online right now and see how things are looking for both of those resorts at the end of the year as we're within the 11 month mark.

One things - that LV BLT 1BR is 227 points for a week in early Dec while VGF is 247 for standard view and 296 for a VGF lakeview. So VGF will require more points, has higher dues and will cost more per point for the initial purchase.

 

[RachaelA]

Standard view 1 bedroom at BLT in early December will be the only view I think that will be an issue.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I picked the early December time period because that's the only time we've had trouble getting a studio at VGF and I know how difficult that is kind of across the board then. She's still debating whether she could be happy with the studio situation at Poly.

Thanks for all the input so far

If she doesn't want studios, don't buy Polynesian. Buy resale at BLT or GFV, but GFV will be hard to buy.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If she doesn't want studios, don't buy Polynesian. Buy resale at BLT or GFV, but GFV will be hard to buy.

I'm seeing an okay number of contracts out there right now, including a fixed Week 46 for a 1BR. I know 46 isn't quite December, but.

You don't save much in resale, but there are contracts for 1BR-type points.

 

[drusba]

If looking at the 7 month window for a 1BR at BLT or VGF, then in 2015, and now through first part of Sep 2016, you would have found VGF 1BRs and BLT lake view 1BRs, and for much of the time BLT Theme Park view 1BRs, open from mid-Jan through Sep. BLT standard view usually had nights missing every week during that period. After Sep 2015 there were problems, with usually at least two and often 4 nights per week missing every week for OCT 2015 to marathon weekend in Jan 2016 for both VGF (both standard and lake view) and BLT (both theme park and lake view) 1BRs except for BLT lake view which were open for the first 7 days of Oct 2015; BLT standard view 1BRs were seldom open during that last quarter except for a day or two here and there.