1-Bedroom Availability at 7 Months

[ontheuptick]

I've been renting points, but getting closer and closer to purchasing DVC resale. My question is:

For those renting 1-bedrooms, what is your experience with availability at 7 months? I'll try to break it down to some of the rooms I'm interested in, curious your experiences on availability... Am I highly likely, about 50/50, or not very likely to get these rooms? Or, classify it another way if you choose.

During DVC PEAK Seasons:
Boardwalk STANDARD View 1-Bedroom
Boardwalk Pool/Boardwalk/etc View 1-Bedroom
Beach Club 1-Bedroom
AKV Savannah 1-Bedroom
AKV Standard 1-Bedroom
VGF Standard 1-Bedroom

During DVC Off-Peak Season:
Boardwalk STANDARD View 1-Bedroom
Boardwalk Pool/Boardwalk/etc View 1-Bedroom
Beach Club 1-Bedroom
AKV Savannah 1-Bedroom
AKV Standard 1-Bedroom
VGF Standard 1-Bedroom


Thanks for your help!

 

[disneynutz]

I'll make it easy, buy BWV unless you plan to stay more at BCV.

Bill

 

[crisi]

During DVC PEAK Seasons:
Boardwalk STANDARD View 1-Bedroom HIGHLY UNLIKELY
Boardwalk Pool/Boardwalk/etc View 1-Bedroom UNLIKELY
Beach Club 1-Bedroom UNLIKEY
AKV Savannah 1-Bedroom HIGHLY LIKELY
AKV Standard 1-Bedroom HIGHLY LIKELY
VGF Standard 1-Bedroom HIGHLY UNLIKELY

During DVC Off-Peak Season:
Boardwalk STANDARD View 1-Bedroom UNLIKELY TO HIGHLY UNLIKELY
Boardwalk Pool/Boardwalk/etc View 1-Bedroom LIKELY to HIGHLY LIKELY
Beach Club 1-Bedroom LIKELY
AKV Savannah 1-Bedroom HIGHLY LIKELY
AKV Standard 1-Bedroom HIGHLY LIKELY
VGF Standard 1-Bedroom UNLIKELY TO HIGHLY UNLIKELY


Thanks for your help!

 

[MommyMK]

We've been members for 6 years and we almost always book I bedrooms. I've never had an issue getting what I wanted when I wanted, but have had to wait list sometimes. That includes BWI standard view in October during food and wine, BCV the first week of December and AKV value view in March. We own at AKV and love it there so I have no issue staying there if we can't move to where we want at 7 months.

 

[stormer]

We usually stay in a 1 bedroom in August. We have never had a problem getting either view at AKL and standard view at BWV. We haven't tried the others you mentioned. The one we can never get at 7 months out is the standard view at Bay Lake, but that isn't on your list.

 

[ontheuptick]

So, crisi (or others who want to chime in), are you saying that BWV is harder to get at 7 months than BCV? I would have guessed the other way around...

 

[Brian Noble]

are you saying that BWV is harder to get at 7 months than BCV? I would have guessed the other way around...

BWV Standard View includes very few rooms, and the points requirements are similar to OKW. They go very vast. BCV also goes fast, but not quite that fast.

 

[n2mm]

BWV Standard View includes very few rooms, and the points requirements are similar to OKW. They go very vast. BCV also goes fast, but not quite that fast.

I agree. Standard rooms at bwv is 20% of availability however garden view is 60%. Though studios do go first. Where bcv only has one category. I did manage to get a bwv 1 bedroom for August after the 7 month window opened. But as a bwv owner I'm right on my computer at the 11 month window at 8am for my October or early December reservations

 

[Sandisw]

As others have said, nothing is ever impossible and getting what you want may happen.

The fact that 1 bedrooms tend to book up last---more points for studios but similar occupancy--is in your favor.

Of course, now they are adding things to the studios to make them sleep 5 which may change things around in terms of point structures (IMO) and therefore, could have an impact on availability down the road.

I am a believer that you should buy where you are okay staying if where you want to trade to a 7 months is not available. This way, when the trades happen, its great, but if not, at least you are happy where you will be.

Good luck!

 

[jillgunter]

Dates really depend. If u plan to visit Epcot resorts during food and wine you must own there. Standard views are long gone for sure by 7 months. Buy were you want to stay for sure.

AKL will probably be best bet for 7 months, not sure on views. GFV may be tough depending on dates since they sold fixed weeks and it's small.

 

[ontheuptick]

Thanks all!

I'm somewhat encouraged that I'll be able to stay in many of the resorts I'd like to stay at. Granted, I'm not saying we're going to buy where we want to stay - but we like to stay different places. We want to buy BWV, but also stay some at AKV, GFV (once if possible), BCV, etc..

 

[Judique]

Thanks all!

I'm somewhat encouraged that I'll be able to stay in many of the resorts I'd like to stay at. Granted, I'm not saying we're going to buy where we want to stay - but we like to stay different places. We want to buy BWV, but also stay some at AKV, GFV (once if possible), BCV, etc..

I own at BWV, and usually want to stay there for most of my trip. (I like to do split stays to try out the other options.)

Several times recently in the last 15 years I've had to cancel and rebook in the less than 7 month window. In non peak times I've been able to stay at BWV standard view, and anywhere else I wanted to stay, in a mix of studios and 1 bedrooms. In peak times, I'm rarely able to get BWV, just random nights.

So unless you are predominantly traveling non peak, buy where you want to stay.

 

[DebbieB]

I own at BWV and have never not gotten what I wanted at 11 months for BWV or 7 months elsewhere. Have done 1 bedrooms at BWV, OKW, VGC, VWL. Studios at BCV, VGF, BLT, BWV, VGC. I was able to get a pool/garden studio at BWV close to the date in November 2013.

 

[drusba]

You do not define peak and off-peak season. DVC's actual peak season is late Sep through marathon weekend in Jan. Its off-peak season is the rest of the year. Even for holiday times during that mid-Jan to late Sep period, it is far easier to get rooms at 7 months out than at any time during that peak quarter.

1BRs are generally open beyond the time by which studios and 2BRs book full. A partial exception is VGF where the very high point cost 2BRs and GVs last well beyond the 1BRs. Based on reservation patterns in the last few years, your chances for 1BRs at 7 months out at the resorts you mention are:

A. Off-Peak Season:

AKV Kidani standard and savanna view 1BRs are open at 7 months out for the entire off-peak period; Jambo is usually open with some risk otherwise holiday times and the Princess half marathon weekend in the latter part of Feb (which is actually the highest demand time during that off-peak season). BWV pool/garden view 1BRs are also open that entire off-peak season. BWV standard and boardwalk view 1BRs and BCV 1BRs are usually open with some risk otherwise holiday times, Princess half-marathon weekend and Stars Wars weekends in May and June. VGF is still developing patterns but currently it looks like 1BRs will usually be open during off-peak season with some risk otherwise holiday times and Princess half-marathon weekend.

B. Peak Season:

AKV Kidani standard and savanna view 1BRs are usually open during much of the peak season at 7 months out except a real risk that some nights may be missing during the extremely high DVC demand periods of the year which are: first two weeks of Dec, Christmas week, the Tues through Fri of Thanksgiving week, the Thurs to Mon of Columbus Day weekend, the Thurs to Sun of the weekend in October after Columbus Day weekend, the Thurs to Sun of the weekend in Nov when Food & Wine ends (usually the weekend that includes or comes just before Veterans Day), and the Thurs to Sun of marathon weekend in Jan (although for that one AKV should be open). BWV standard and boardwalk view 1BRs and BCV 1BRs, have a significant risk of having several nights gone during the extremely high DVC demand times and two to three nights per week gone during the other times. BWV pool/garden view is likely to be missing nights during the extremely high DVC demand times and also a risk of missing a night or two per week at other times. Best chance to possibly get BWV or BCV during that peak season is late Sep/early Oct, the Monday after Food and Wine ends in November to the Sat before Thanksgiving, the third week of Dec, and Jan 3 to the Wednesday before marathon weekend. In 2014, VGF 1BRs were often open at 7 months out for times during peak season with a real risk otherwise during the extremely high DVC demand times. However, that was really the first year where VGF had a 7 month out reservation period for non-owners and was during a time when VGF was only partially sold. I suspect availability for 1BRs will decrease for peak season in 2015 but that is still to be seen.

 

[Simba's Mom]

For a BCV 1 BR during the F&W, we had to go on the wait list at 7 months. And we waited a LONG time-the wait list did come through, but at exactly 31 days, just before the dreaded "holding points" period.