7-Month Experiences

[starbox]

There are so many posts about the chances of booking at 7 months, thought a poll might be helpful.

Feel free to add details about reservations you could not get - it seems like the following would be helpful to others that are planning:
1. When in the booking window did you try to make reservations?
2. What size unit and property did you want?
3. What time of the year were you traveling?

Thanks! Hopefully, we'll get enough information to provide a reference for others!
BTW - multiple answers are allowed in the poll, so feel free to mark all that apply.


(This might belong on the planning board - I was not sure!)

 

[OneMoreTry]

sometimes I've had to waitlist and sometimes not. I voted waitlist, though. But always got what I wanted.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I just switched right

At the 7 month mark
to BCV studio
1st week of June

Everything was avail but standard BWV view.

 

[tjkraz]

I would guess the poll is largely going to show a great deal of success. But, the problem is you're over-simplifying the nuances of booking DVC rooms to the point that it really won't get us much closer to communicating the reality of the situation.

There just is no simple answer. The poll is giving equal weight to someone trying to get a Standard View BWV room at 7 months in December as it does someone trying to get a One Bedroom at OKW in September. Those are radically different scenarios.

This poll may well show upward of 95% success booking outside of one's home, but that's akin to a DVC Guide saying "oh, you can ALWAYS book another resort at 7 months."

 

[starbox]

There just is no simple answer. The poll is giving equal weight to someone trying to get a Standard View BWV room at 7 months in December as it does someone trying to get a One Bedroom at OKW in September. Those are radically different scenarios.

Hopefully, people will add comments about times they were unable to get a reservation and that sort of pattern will start to show up and we'll get a real, personal experience-based picture of what can't be booked at 7 months, even with the waitlist.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I just booked at VB for a checkout date of May 16, no problem.

 

[conciergekelly]

I have never had any problem getting 7 month reservations. I got WLV between 6 and 7 months for 3rd week in December, BWV at 5 months for July, BCV at 6 months for July, OKW in October 1 or 2 months out all with no wait lists. None were major holidays so that might be why it was so easy. Next time I am going to try for BWV or Beach Club for Thanksgiving. We will have to see about that one! I think I will do day by day reservations on that one. Good luck.

 

[mom2rb]

I have had great luck at the 7-month mark. We have stayed at OKW in April and September. BWV's in a BW view one bedroom in September and in June, I have a studio and VWL and BCVs.

 

[jakenjess]

I've always gotten what I wanted at less than the 7-month mark, but we've never tried to book a particularly busy time of year, either.

 

[AlwaysGoofy]

I called at about the four month mark for the following:

2 nights Boardwalk Standard View 1-bedroom
3 nights at Villas at Wilderness Lodge 1-bedroom

This was for the first week of September 2006. When I called they had studios and 1-bedrooms available at all the resorts.

 

[Northeast Rose]

We've only stayed outside of our home resort once but for that reservation, I booked a 2br at VWL at the 11 month mark and 'changed' the reservation to the BCV at the 7 month mark.

 

[sue0911]

I booked three studios at BWV all with boardwalk view the day the 7 month window opened for 5/19 to 5/26 with no wait list.

 

[lovinthemouse]

The only trouble I have had was with HHI and that is at the 60 day mark. At the 7 month window we got our 2 bdrm for New Year's week this year. We wanted to add on a studio and I am now waitlisted for it. Like I said though, that was at the 60 day window. I am trying to use some holding points. We will see if it comes through. Really no problems here.

 

[lisareniff]

We have only stayed outside our home resort once:

VB Pres. Week (Feb.). Was able to get 2 OVIR at the 7 month window day-by-day at 9-10am.



We are currently trying to switch our current BCV reservation for Pres. Week '07:

We wanted to stay at VWL for Thurs -Monday nights in a 2 bedroom villa. Called day-by-day at 9am and got 4 of the 5 nights and waitlisted for the last. It still has not come through at 3 months out. We also wanted to switch to BWV for Tues-Thurs nights of that week. I decide not to waitlist day-by-day, but all at onece, since we would be changing resorts one time and did not want to change twice. Called the morning of the last day at 7 months for the 2 bedroom. We are still on the waitlist at 3 months out.

So this time around the switch is not working as easily. I really want that last night at VWL, but if the BWV does not come through that is OK we will be at BCV. We just wanted to try it out.

 

[n2mm]

I recently tried to get the BWV-standard studio room for the first week of May 2007. I called 7 months out, day by day and ended up waitlisted 3 of the 7 days. I am still waitlisted for one night (May 7th) and have been waitlisted since the beginning of the 7 month window @ 9:00AM, so bascially there were no rooms the morning I called. I know this happens, especially BWV standard, but early May is pretty much a slow time of year, but this shows that there was no availability in the standard studios 7 months out. I am a BWV owner too, but was saving my BWV points for my October reservation 11 month window, which October is a much harder time to get than early May. I do have a back up reservation for May at the BCV which either way, I'll be happy.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I've never called day by day 7 months out, and I've always gotten what I wanted. Usually, I'm adding a room for friends with points from another resort than the one we are staying at. However, I had been on a waitlist (for myself) for BWV SV studio at 10 1/2 months out for October for this past year. It came through, but it seems that SV could be sold out long before the 7 month window.

Once I wanted a SV 2 bedroom for the next to the last week in August. I called in March and had to waitlist, but it did come through.

I'm assuming that this would happen only on a waitlist, so I hope someone can tell me specifically...have you successfully gotten one of the dedicated 2 bedrooms with 2 Q beds at BCV without owning BCV points?

Bobbi

 

[klaubaugh]

We've had success usually.

Week before Christmas - Has ressie to SSR, tried to switch to BCV about 4 months out, waitlisted and got it in OCtober.

One night in early-April, tried to switch to BCV right at 7 mo, had to waitlist, got it within a month.

LAte May, booked BWV-view studio at about 4 mo out, got it right away.

Mid-August, booked HHI studio at 9:00 a.m. day-by-day at 7 mo, got it.

Mid-November, tried to book BCV or BWV studio during F&W, Super SOap, Jersey weekend at 2 months out. Got SSR, waitlisted others and never got it.

So generally, good success - only the busiest times and very short notice have been a problem.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Several years ago, I called one day before Labor Day, and was able to add Labor Day to my reservation.

 

[starbox]

This afternoon, I added to an existing reservation that I made at 9 am - a weekend at BWV , followed by 4 nights in a OVIR at VB. I was past the 7 month mark, but I still did not have to wait list.

I was very happy to get an OVIR at VB. That's probably my most coveted room request in the DVC system.

 

[cobbler]

I did for the first time recently. I called day by day (probably didn't have to) at the 7 month window for a guaranteed BW view in a 1 bdrm. This was for the end of January and I didn't have to waitlist. I knew I probably didn't have to call day by day but I just wanted to make sure I could get all my days. My son chose this resort for his 6th bday.