12/21/16 WDW Wishes Wedding - Looking for DVC advice for family!!!

[debbie_marie]

Hello everyone! This is my first post! My wedding is scheduled for 12/21/16 at Seabreeze Point and Epcot. We decided on Disney after discovering that they actually do weddings and I feel so behind in my knowledge compared to all you ladies. I appreciate any and all help!

I want my family (none of which have ever been to Disney) to stay in a DVC villa ideally so that they can be together for the whole trip and can wander around Disney, even if they don't have tickets to the parks every day. Sooo expensive!!!

I am thinking they could stay at a DVC 12/18-12/23 (to immerse themselves in all things Disney) and then perhaps get a rental home in the Orlando area for 12/23-12/28 or so (since it will be much cheaper then staying all at a DVC). My sister and her family are flying in from Okinawa for my wedding and it is very important that everyone stay close to maximize family time! Besides us, there will be 20 people. (10) adults, (8) 4-12 year olds, (2) kids who will have just turned 3 in October...could they pass for 2?, and 1 infant. I am thinking a villa and a 2-bedroom. Is it too late to get a DVC rental for this uber busy time of year? Do you have any tips/advice??? Was this post coherent??? Thanks for any help!

This turned into quite a rambling post...sorry

 

[marsh0013]

Check on the DVC rent/trade board or check with a broker. You're going to need multiple rooms. You could probably do 3 x 2-bedrooms, or multiple studios, or some other combo, depending the family groups. The 3 year olds cannot be listed as 2, especially if you're renting, don't mess with that.

I don't know if it's too late, but I would say get moving if you want to go this direction. You're still outside of the 7 month window, so that's a plus. You're just going to have to find someone with enough points willing to book multiple rooms for you, if they are available through DVC. You may not find availability at Boardwalk or Beach Club (most convenient for Sea Breeze Point), so just be prepared.

Also know that renting is a final transaction and you will not be able to change your plans.

 

[lurkyloo]

You might also want to post this question on the DIS' DVC Resorts forum—lots of owners and renters hang out there: http://www.disboards.com/forums/dvc-resorts.187/

 

[debbie_marie]

Check on the DVC rent/trade board or check with a broker. You're going to need multiple rooms. You could probably do 3 x 2-bedrooms, or multiple studios, or some other combo, depending the family groups. The 3 year olds cannot be listed as 2, especially if you're renting, don't mess with that.

I don't know if it's too late, but I would say get moving if you want to go this direction. You're still outside of the 7 month window, so that's a plus. You're just going to have to find someone with enough points willing to book multiple rooms for you, if they are available through DVC. You may not find availability at Boardwalk or Beach Club (most convenient for Sea Breeze Point), so just be prepared.

Also know that renting is a final transaction and you will not be able to change your plans.

Thanks marsh0013! I do have a sense of urgency about this and am just trying to gather some info. Do you think what I need is too much to ask for? I would love to go through an individual owner but with the size of the group, I may need a broker. I would love to stay at Boardwalk or Beach Club but I am certainly willing to provide transportation for them if we need to stay at a different resort.

You might also want to post this question on the DIS' DVC Resorts forum—lots of owners and renters hang out there: http://www.disboards.com/forums/dvc-resorts.187/

Thanks lurkyloo! Would this be the best/only forum to post my question?

 

[Disney_Alli]

It's definitely the best forum to try HOWEVER you must read the rules of the forum first - you are not allowed to request reservations I believe. Quite honestly - and as a DVC owner myself - I think your best bet would be to go through David's Rentals or a similar service. You're looking at some of the biggest rooms during some of the higher point value times - there just aren't that many individual owners who will have enough points to do this for you. HTH

 

[debbie_marie]

It's definitely the best forum to try HOWEVER you must read the rules of the forum first - you are not allowed to request reservations I believe. Quite honestly - and as a DVC owner myself - I think your best bet would be to go through David's Rentals or a similar service. You're looking at some of the biggest rooms during some of the higher point value times - there just aren't that many individual owners who will have enough points to do this for you. HTH

Thanks Disney_Alli, I appreciate the advice. I suppose my next step is to nail my family down on some firm dates and get the DVC rented.

(Love your Avatar!)

 

[epcotcenter1982]

It's definitely the best forum to try HOWEVER you must read the rules of the forum first - you are not allowed to request reservations I believe. Quite honestly - and as a DVC owner myself - I think your best bet would be to go through David's Rentals or a similar service. You're looking at some of the biggest rooms during some of the higher point value times - there just aren't that many individual owners who will have enough points to do this for you. HTH

Definitely ....everything she said....
You'll probably get Saratoga Springs but you're bang on peak season so even that isn't going to be "easy"

Good luck!

 

[debbie_marie]

Definitely ....everything she said....
You'll probably get Saratoga Springs but you're bang on peak season so even that isn't going to be "easy"

Good luck!

Thanks!

I am also working on my room block right now and maybe you ladies have some insight. Because of my wedding being in peak season, I am concerned about how many rooms I set up. I don't want to underestimate it and then try to increase it later when all the rooms are already booked. But if I overestimate and I need to drop rooms, am I correct in thinking I can only drop 25 room nights? (Picking numbers out of thin air...) So if I submitted 60 room nights today, the lowest I can adjust that to is 35 room nights 60 days before the event?

(I have a call set up with my sales consultant for this afternoon to get ask this and more questions...just wanted to see what others have to say)

 

[TeamSy]

I would also recommend going through dvcrequest. We've used them a bunch of times and have always had a positive experience. We were even able to snag GFV right when they opened!

 

[marsh0013]

Thanks!

I am also working on my room block right now and maybe you ladies have some insight. Because of my wedding being in peak season, I am concerned about how many rooms I set up. I don't want to underestimate it and then try to increase it later when all the rooms are already booked. But if I overestimate and I need to drop rooms, am I correct in thinking I can only drop 25 room nights? (Picking numbers out of thin air...) So if I submitted 60 room nights today, the lowest I can adjust that to is 35 room nights 60 days before the event?

(I have a call set up with my sales consultant for this afternoon to get ask this and more questions...just wanted to see what others have to say)

You are correct on the room block calculations. I think I read that after dropping the max of 25, you need to meet 80% of what's left. So you can go a bit higher if you'd like. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on the 80% thing.

Also, if you do rent rooms through DVC, those will count toward the number you need to guarantee. We have 72 total in our block. No one has booked anything through our block yet. But we have 27 nights booked using DVC, plus 10 others booked through a travel agent (who had a lower price than our block provides). So if you're booking multiple rooms through DVC, you can actually give yourself a little cushion in your block. We weren't sure who would want to book where, so everyone has plenty of availability in the 3 options we gave. And did I mention NO ONE has booked yet? Wedding is 6 months from yesterday. But at least I don't have to worry about meeting the guarantee because of DVC.

One thing about overblocking - if you're not already a member of the Disney brides groups on Facebook, join. If you end up not being able to meet your guaranteed number of nights, there will likely be some group members going at the time who would be happy to share their reservation details with you so you meet your requirement . Just don't go crazy overboard!