What is the Reservation process

[goofydad621]

Hi All

I believe that my wife and I will be sending in our down payment by the end of the week, I was wondering what the reservation process is like for the DVC. Any info or advice would be apprecciated.

Thanks in advance

Dave Goofydad Dionne

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

The process is simple but you just have to pay attention to timelines. For example you will be able to make a reservation at your home resort 11 months from the date you check out. At other DVC resorts you will be able to make it 7 months in advance of your check-out date. At busy time of the year it is suggested that you call day-by-day and not wait until 11 or 7 months before the check-out date to reserve a room.

A big difference between calling DVC and using CRO is that with DVC you have to call between set times, normally 9-5 Eastern Time (or e-mail a reservation request but it's not "real-time"). With CRO the hours are longer and you can reserve on line.

HBC

 

[goofydad621]

Thanks HBC

What can I expect for the off season, is having rooms available for non DVC folk a good indicator that rooms are still available to members?

Thanks all

Dave

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

What can I expect for the off season, is having rooms available for non DVC folk a good indicator that rooms are still available to members?

Not always. Often you will hear people on the Dis-Boards complain that rooms were available through CRO for cash but not through DVC for points.

"Off season" is different for DVC. For example early December is a VERY popular time for DVC due to low point requirements, holiday decorations and annual meetings. You will find a hotel room but probably not a DVC room that you can get for points right now for that time of year.

HBC

 

[goofydad621]

Sorry to keep bugging you how about after holidays? week after New Years etc

 

[dianeschlicht]

Sorry to keep bugging you how about after holidays? week after New Years etc

January is an easy time to get reservations, but if you know ahead that's when you want to go, you still want to reserve as early as possible, especially if it is your home resort. If you are trying to reserve a resort other than your home resort, you will want to try and do that as close to the 7 month window as possible. We really like January, because crowds are very low in the parks and points are low at DVC. Makes for a good combination!

 

[Suzylynne]

Hi - just reading some of the posts and was wondering what CRO stands for? I'm new and have not made any reservations yet.
Thanks for your help.

 

[beezerdave]

Following up on OP question. If I want to be certain of getting a particular date at my home resort, I understand I should call at the 11-month window. However, should I call once a day for five days (if I am planning on a 5-day stay) or wait until the last day of the 11-month window to book all five days or can I call on the first day of the 11-month window to book for all five days? (ok, my minds if offically boggled)

 

[CarolMN]

Hi - just reading some of the posts and was wondering what CRO stands for? I'm new and have not made any reservations yet.
Thanks for your help.

CRO = Central Reservations Office. That's where people (who don't use Travel Agents) call to make a WDW resort reservation.

DVC members who want to pay with points call MS - Member Services.

Best wishes -

 

[CarolMN]

Following up on OP question. If I want to be certain of getting a particular date at my home resort, I understand I should call at the 11-month window. However, should I call once a day for five days (if I am planning on a 5-day stay) or wait until the last day of the 11-month window to book all five days or can I call on the first day of the 11-month window to book for all five days? (ok, my minds if offically boggled)

Depends on how difficult it is to book for the dates you want.

For example, if I wanted to stay at the BWV in the summertime in a Pool/Garden view room, I'd make one call - 11 months / 7 months from the check out day. But if I wanted to stay in a guaranteed Boardwalk view room or a standard view room during early December, I call day by day as soon as MS opened.

Another option - for those who aren't sure, is to call the for the first night as soon as the 11 month / 7 month window opens. Then ask MS how it looks. THe CM will tell yo if he/she thinks it necessary to call day by day for the rest of yor stay of if you can just wait for the last day.

Best wishes-

 

[WebmasterDoc]

What can I expect for the off season, is having rooms available for non DVC folk a good indicator that rooms are still available to members?

Availability at DVC resorts comes from three different sources- Member inventory, non-Member inventory and Developer Inventory. At the sold-out resorts (OKW, VB, HH, BWV, VWL and BCV) the member's own most of the villas- Disney retains 2-4% at each resort to maintain inventory for renovation and maintenance issues. When those rooms are not needed for repair, they are made available (thru CRO) for cash reservations to the general public. In addition, when members choose to use their points for non-DVC options (Disney Cruise, other WDW resorts, DL resorts, DLP resorts, Concierge Collection, Adventurer Collection), the points used for those options are turned over to CRO for cash reservations for the general public. 60 days before any date, any unreserved Member Inventory is also turned over to CRO for cash reservations.

Developer Inventory consists of the units not yet declared into Member Inventory for DVC sales. At SSR, there are villas available currently for cash reservations that would not be available to members for point reservations.

Thus, there is opportunity for cash reservations to be available even though DVC Members could not make a point reservation for the same room.

As HBC noted, the times when DVC is busy do not always coincide with busy times at WDW in general. Early December is a prime example.

 

[Suzylynne]

Thanks so much for your help - all these abbreviations to learn.