0 availibility at 7 months (Studios)

[_auroraborealis_]

FWIW these dates also run into jersey week

 

[McCrae]

"Fall" season, late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan, is overall a very high DVC demand time at WDW. Demand during that time makes Easter and summer time look like slow off-seasons. Often during that time, the only things open for multiple day trips at 7-months out are SSR, OKW, and Kidani savanna view, but even those can disappear before 7-months out during the several extremely high demand times in the Fall season, one of which is the Wine & Dine race weekend, which will be October 22-26, 2025, i.e., the main issue you are seeing now is not Halloween time , which is usually not among those extremely high demand times, but that race weekend, which, until this year, was usually in Nov.

Note, you cannot modify any reservation to move just part of the days in a reservation to another resort/room while keeping the rest at the original resort/room , e.g., you cannot modify a 6-night reservation at AKV to 4 nights at SSR while keeping 2 nights at AKV. You would need to modify the entire 6-night reservation to just a 4-night one at SSR and thereafter make an attempt to do a new reservation to get back those first two nights at AKV, which could then be unavailable by going to someone's waitlist when you released those nights.

Otherwise, if you have two separate, but sequential, reservations at one resort in the same room category, MS can merge them into one as long as they are both made with the same membership (all the contracts in a single membership would have the same use year, which I assume is your situation).

I have been able to modify an existing reservation, reducing days and switching to other resorts several times. I called member services and they did it without any issue.

 

[Sandisw]

I have been able to modify an existing reservation, reducing days and switching to other resorts several times. I called member services and they did it without any issue.

I think the point was that you need to modify and drop the days and then rebook them in the new reservation.

You can not modify just some of the days while keeping the rest in one transaction.


There is always a risk that you could lose them in the process.

But, calling MS at least allows you to know the risk because if they think there is one, they will tell you that upfront.

I lost a room years ago trying this via MS.

 

[McCrae]

I think the point was that you need to modify and drop the days and then rebook them in the new reservation.

You can not modify just some of the days while keeping the rest in one transaction.


There is always a risk that you could lose them in the process.

But, calling MS at least allows you to know the risk because if they think there is one, they will tell you that upfront.

I lost a room years ago trying this via MS.

Interesting.

When I have asked MS to do this, (as recently as 7 months ago) they told me they we putting a hold on the available rooms whilst they complete the changes. No mention of any risk that you could lose your original booking.

 

[drusba]

Interesting.

When I have asked MS to do this, (as recently as 7 months ago) they told me they we putting a hold on the available rooms whilst they complete the changes. No mention of any risk that you could lose your original booking.

If you go through MS and want to change only part of a reservation to another resort or room, e.g., change a six night AKV reservation to one for four nights at SSR while keeping two nights at AKV, it can possibly do that by putting those two nights at AKV on hold while getting the four nights at SSR, but, as I have been told, MS can do that only if those two nights are still separately available to any member. If they are not separately available, MS has the same issue as the member does if trying to make a change online, e.g. , it can get those two nights at AKV back only if they are still available after changing the entire reservation to one for four nights at SSR.

 

[Sandisw]

Interesting.

When I have asked MS to do this, (as recently as 7 months ago) they told me they we putting a hold on the available rooms whilst they complete the changes. No mention of any risk that you could lose your original booking.

That’s good….but not always something they say they can do….but that was the part being commented on that it is still a two step process, even for MS!

 

[sndral]

Interesting.

When I have asked MS to do this, (as recently as 7 months ago) they told me they we putting a hold on the available rooms whilst they complete the changes. No mention of any risk that you could lose your original booking.

Interesting, the only time I tried to do this MS refused to ‘hold’ the days I wanted to keep & warned me that I could lose them, maybe things have changed or in my case inventory was already low?

 

[Sandisw]

Interesting, the only time I tried to do this MS refused to ‘hold’ the days I wanted to keep & warned me that I could lose them, maybe things have changed or in my case inventory was already low?

That’s what happened to me..they warned, I gambled, and lost. But ended up getting back a few weeks later!

 

[Tatebeck]

That's one of the benefits of having more points and more home resorts. I have booked an extra room just in case while waiting on the 7 month window to see what options were available.

I've also let it borrow a few points from the following year to book a room that I knew wouldn't last long. Then bank some other points from the same or a different contract to make up for it so I don't have fewer points for next year. That really only works if you go every year and aren't banking/borrowing to use 2 or 3 years of points up at once though

 

[Girlstar30]

I was so scared to have MS combine my reservations today even though they said I wouldn't be at risk of losing it, the fact that they said it could take 7-10 business days and I would be receiving a cancellation email freaked me out, but i went ahead with it. Happy to report it was combined same day with no issue!

 

[intamin]

That's one of the benefits of having more points and more home resorts. I have booked an extra room just in case while waiting on the 7 month window to see what options were available.

I've also let it borrow a few points from the following year to book a room that I knew wouldn't last long. Then bank some other points from the same or a different contract to make up for it so I don't have fewer points for next year. That really only works if you go every year and aren't banking/borrowing to use 2 or 3 years of points up at once though

IMO this really doesn't get talked about enough. A lot of us on here are fortunate enough to have a healthy amount of points where we can hold 2 rooms without banking/borrowing and then simply cancel until we finally decide what we want. Compare this to someone with a 150 point contract who might have to just stick with their home resort at 7 months because they're not able to hold a couple nights without dropping their current reservation.

I've pieced together some really nice split stays at Beach Club and Boardwalk simply because I could hold the rooms in addition to my current reservation. Last year I had booked my RIV standard studio for a week but then I saw Beach Club available on nights 4 and 6 at 7 months. If I was strapped for points, there's no way I would've gambled trying to get those nights and also the fact that it would've made me switch resorts multiple times would've made it a definite no go. But since I do have the points, I held those 2 nights and ended up having a waitlist come through for the night in the middle a couple weeks later. Then I just simply modified down my Riviera reservation and ta da 3 nights in a Beach Club studio booked with my Animal Kingdom resale points.

I know we're a bunch of enablers but it really does help to have more points past just being able to simply book more nights, there's a good chance as demonstrated above that the nights you do get might be better.

 

[pks_domer]

Just take the Polynesian Resort View Studio for instance. It is sold out the 23rd and 24th, but then on the 25th availability goes back up to around 100 rooms of inventory. The 27th it is up to around 170 rooms and thats pretty steady the rest of the month. Just adjust after the race weekend and you will be fine.

I should probably know this by now, but don't-- how does one check the number of rooms available? Thanks!

 

[RichVIII]

IMO this really doesn't get talked about enough. A lot of us on here are fortunate enough to have a healthy amount of points where we can hold 2 rooms without banking/borrowing and then simply cancel until we finally decide what we want. Compare this to someone with a 150 point contract who might have to just stick with their home resort at 7 months because they're not able to hold a couple nights without dropping their current reservation.

I've pieced together some really nice split stays at Beach Club and Boardwalk simply because I could hold the rooms in addition to my current reservation. Last year I had booked my RIV standard studio for a week but then I saw Beach Club available on nights 4 and 6 at 7 months. If I was strapped for points, there's no way I would've gambled trying to get those nights and also the fact that it would've made me switch resorts multiple times would've made it a definite no go. But since I do have the points, I held those 2 nights and ended up having a waitlist come through for the night in the middle a couple weeks later. Then I just simply modified down my Riviera reservation and ta da 3 nights in a Beach Club studio booked with my Animal Kingdom resale points.

I know we're a bunch of enablers but it really does help to have more points past just being able to simply book more nights, there's a good chance as demonstrated above that the nights you do get might be better.

Agree with this. You can get more creative with more points. I feel like my DW has no idea when I say, well good news, I have us booked at least booked at X. I am working on X resort or X resort. Meanwhile I have two nights here. A mismatched room type here with one night. Two wait lists and stalking. But I am only gambling with what COULD be.

 

[Philsfan77]

I should probably know this by now, but don't-- how does one check the number of rooms available? Thanks!

I am not sure if we are allowed to post those exact details honestly...but if you use the DevTools in chrome, while searching availability on the DVC website, you can see availability. Theres a few more steps involved, but thats the general gist of it.

 

[pks_domer]

I am not sure if we are allowed to post those exact details honestly...but if you use the DevTools in chrome, while searching availability on the DVC website, you can see availability. Theres a few more steps involved, but thats the general gist of it.

Fair enough-- thank you!

 

[Girlstar30]

I am not sure if we are allowed to post those exact details honestly...but if you use the DevTools in chrome, while searching availability on the DVC website, you can see availability. Theres a few more steps involved, but thats the general gist of it.

What devtools?

 

[atthebeachclub]

IMO this really doesn't get talked about enough. A lot of us on here are fortunate enough to have a healthy amount of points where we can hold 2 rooms without banking/borrowing and then simply cancel until we finally decide what we want. Compare this to someone with a 150 point contract who might have to just stick with their home resort at 7 months because they're not able to hold a couple nights without dropping their current reservation.

I've pieced together some really nice split stays at Beach Club and Boardwalk simply because I could hold the rooms in addition to my current reservation. Last year I had booked my RIV standard studio for a week but then I saw Beach Club available on nights 4 and 6 at 7 months. If I was strapped for points, there's no way I would've gambled trying to get those nights and also the fact that it would've made me switch resorts multiple times would've made it a definite no go. But since I do have the points, I held those 2 nights and ended up having a waitlist come through for the night in the middle a couple weeks later. Then I just simply modified down my Riviera reservation and ta da 3 nights in a Beach Club studio booked with my Animal Kingdom resale points.

I know we're a bunch of enablers but it really does help to have more points past just being able to simply book more nights, there's a good chance as demonstrated above that the nights you do get might be better.

This is one of the reasons I don’t necessarily want to change over to direct. I have options right now with my current number of points. Selling some to go direct would mean putting more money into DVC, or reducing how many points I have. I like my number of points at my resorts I have! And I don’t know that I want to put even more money into DVC to maintain that point number. Plus if I switched to Poly as my main “SAP+” contract I would need about 50 more points to obtain the same number of days there in my preferred room type at my home resort….tough choice but it makes me happy to keep BLT. It’s quite a conundrum but at least I guess I will be happy either way!

 

[Girlstar30]

This is one of the reasons I don’t necessarily want to change over to direct. I have options right now with my current number of points. Selling some to go direct would mean putting more money into DVC, or reducing how many points I have. I like my number of points at my resorts I have! And I don’t know that I want to put even more money into DVC to maintain that point number. Plus if I switched to Poly as my main “SAP+” contract I would need about 50 more points to obtain the same number of days there in my preferred room type at my home resort….tough choice but it makes me happy to keep BLT. It’s quite a conundrum but at least I guess I will be happy either way!

That's how I see it overall. Do I want more chances of getting where I want to stay every year and more points for better accommodations or do I want perks that can be taken away at any time.

The only benefit worth it (staying at new resorts) can be worked around by renting points. And yes they will be taxable but you can subtract maintenance fees and i love split stays and don't stay at any one resort more than 4 nights so I won't have to sell them all.

And sure disney can try to block us from renting points with their wordings but they can also literally pull a resort from the dvc resort exchange and operate it as a standalone resort at any time with no legal repercussions. Soooo the only thing ever guaranteed is our home resort whether direct or resale.

 

[tx911]

IMO this really doesn't get talked about enough. A lot of us on here are fortunate enough to have a healthy amount of points where we can hold 2 rooms without banking/borrowing and then simply cancel until we finally decide what we want. Compare this to someone with a 150 point contract who might have to just stick with their home resort at 7 months because they're not able to hold a couple nights without dropping their current reservation.

I've pieced together some really nice split stays at Beach Club and Boardwalk simply because I could hold the rooms in addition to my current reservation. Last year I had booked my RIV standard studio for a week but then I saw Beach Club available on nights 4 and 6 at 7 months. If I was strapped for points, there's no way I would've gambled trying to get those nights and also the fact that it would've made me switch resorts multiple times would've made it a definite no go. But since I do have the points, I held those 2 nights and ended up having a waitlist come through for the night in the middle a couple weeks later. Then I just simply modified down my Riviera reservation and ta da 3 nights in a Beach Club studio booked with my Animal Kingdom resale points.

I know we're a bunch of enablers but it really does help to have more points past just being able to simply book more nights, there's a good chance as demonstrated above that the nights you do get might be better.

Perhaps unfortunate, but true. It’s a very different product when you hold a large number of points.

 

[atthebeachclub]

Perhaps unfortunate, but true. It’s a very different product when you hold a large number of points.

I told my spouse the same thing the other day. The more points you hold at a given resort in your use year, the better the product is and the more flexible.