7 month window question

[KandiB47]

Hi. It's my first post. I became a member in Dec 2005.

I wanted to try to reserve VB or HHI at the 7 month mark Aug 13-19th. I checked Expedia and noticed 2 bedrooms are already all booked for the whole month of Aug. Does Disney just allow Expedia to book a certain number of rooms or are they really all booked already?

From reading other posts, it sounds like HHI has mostly 2 bedrooms available so I was suprised. I have to use atleast 160 points in the Aug 2006. I will have a two month old baby so I wanted to do something relaxing. Any other suggestions if HHI and VB are booked? I live in Wisconsin.

Thanks!

 

[CarolMN]

Welcome to the DVC Forums!

And Congratulations and welcome home!

You can't check availability for points reservation by looking at any online system. Those show the availability for CASH reservations.

The inventory of rooms available for points reservaitons is completely separate from the onventory availoable to rent for cash. It is not at all uncommon for one to have rooms available while the other does not.

Summer is a more difficult time to get HH at 7 months, but it's not impossible and as you already know, HH has mostly 2 bedroom units.

I doubt all the 2 bedrooms available for points are already booked at either resort.

Hope it works out for you.

Best wishes -

 

[KandiB47]

Thanks for the info. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
It makes me think of one more question. The seventh month window falls on a Saturday and Sunday. I read somewhere that you can call the resorts directly on the weekends to make reservations. Has anybody tried this? Will it give me an advantage over calling MS on Monday?

Thanks again!

 

[CarolMN]

Thanks for the info. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
It makes me think of one more question. The seventh month window falls on a Saturday and Sunday. I read somewhere that you can call the resorts directly on the weekends to make reservations. Has anybody tried this? Will it give me an advantage over calling MS on Monday?

Thanks again!

You'll have to wait until Monday and call MS. The resorts can only help for last minute changes when MS isn't open. They can't help with reservations months away. Good try, though!

Call day by day to have the best chance.

Best wishes -

 

[KandiB47]

Thank you for all the info!

 

[byoung]

I booked a studio at VWL at the 7 month with no problem for second week in May.

 

[KandiB47]

I decided to change the reservations to Aug 6-11th and I got a 2 bedroom at HHI for the first three days today (the 7 month mark) I called right when MS opened today and didn't wait on hold at all. I was wondering if that's unusual for Monday mornings?

 

[bobbiwoz]

Good for you! I'm glad it worked out, I was under the impression that it wasn't easy for non-owners to book HHI during the summer. And you had pixie dust covering you because it is unusual to get through to MS on Mondays with no waiting!

Bobbi

 

[gppnj]

I decided to change the reservations to Aug 6-11th and I got a 2 bedroom at HHI for the first three days today (the 7 month mark) I called right when MS opened today and didn't wait on hold at all. I was wondering if that's unusual for Monday mornings?

I'm glad it's working out so far. Good luck with booking the other part.

 

[Missus Toad]

You'll have to wait until Monday and call MS. The resorts can only help for last minute changes when MS isn't open. They can't help with reservations months away. Good try, though!

Call day by day to have the best chance.

Best wishes -

When you say "Call day by day", do you mean call each day 7 months out from each day of your trip? I've never done this before-- is it a common thing that MS handles? I'm interested because I'm looking at doing a 7 month out booking and am trying to maximize my chances of getting it. Just want to be sure I'm understanding you, and not annoying MS. Thanks.

 

[CarolMN]

When you say "Call day by day", do you mean call each day 7 months out from each day of your trip? I've never done this before-- is it a common thing that MS handles? I'm interested because I'm looking at doing a 7 month out booking and am trying to maximize my chances of getting it. Just want to be sure I'm understanding you, and not annoying MS. Thanks.

Yes - you call each day 7 months prior to each day of your trp. It is commonly done and MS CMs often recommend it for certain popular times and unit sizes/types.

Don't be afraid to do it if you think it will give you a better chance of getting what you want. I do it every year to get a standard view at BWV at the 11 month mark (early December). Never had a CM who acted annoyed.

Just tell the CM waht you plan to do after you reserve the first night. He/She will make a note of your final check out date and arrange to hold the confirmation letter until you've reserved the last day of your trip. Each day you call, the CM just adds to the existing reservation.

Best wishes -

 

[Laurabearz]

We love HHI and we call every day to book at the 7 month window.

KandiB47 Welcome to the DIS. Just wanted to let you know that you might want to start looking into airfare now. We are in Chicago, and it costs us an arm and a leg to fly to HHI (In fact we are driving down in July due to airfare costs) When we did fly we flew into SAV (Savannah/HHI airport, 45 minutes from the resort) and last year flew into Jacksonville (3 hour drive, but cheap! LOL)

Also, it is wicked hot and humid down there in the summer. You may want to bring a small battery operated fan for the baby's stroller.....

HHI is our favorite DVC resort. You will love it. Very relaxing, great paths to walk with the baby, peaceful. Is it July yet??

 

[KandiB47]

We love HHI and we call every day to book at the 7 month window.

KandiB47 Welcome to the DIS. Just wanted to let you know that you might want to start looking into airfare now. We are in Chicago, and it costs us an arm and a leg to fly to HHI (In fact we are driving down in July due to airfare costs) When we did fly we flew into SAV (Savannah/HHI airport, 45 minutes from the resort) and last year flew into Jacksonville (3 hour drive, but cheap! LOL)

Also, it is wicked hot and humid down there in the summer. You may want to bring a small battery operated fan for the baby's stroller.....

HHI is our favorite DVC resort. You will love it. Very relaxing, great paths to walk with the baby, peaceful. Is it July yet??

Thanks Laura,

I have been looking into airfair. It's interesting that it's (from what I could find) cheaper to fly from Madison, WI to SAV than from Chicago to SAV. I only live about ten minutes from the Madison airport and the tickets I've seen through Delta and United are $277 That's the cheapest I saw. Any other ideas?


Also, I didn't wait on hold for MS this morning either (Tuesday). I got right through. I think I'm calling a couple of minutes before they open but by the time I push 3 then push 3 and it rings, they're open.

 

[Laurabearz]

Thanks Laura,

I have been looking into airfair. It's interesting that it's (from what I could find) cheaper to fly from Madison, WI to SAV than from Chicago to SAV. I only live about ten minutes from the Madison airport and the tickets I've seen through Delta and United are $277 That's the cheapest I saw. Any other ideas?

I have been looking at AIRTRAN for my DH's golf trip this March, or bitting the bullet and paying 303 pp RT for good times on United. AIRTRAN would run around 290 LOL United is THE only airline around here that flies NON STOP to SAV, so that helps them keep the prices up.

Now you see why we are giving driving a shot. But if this road trip proves too much with our 7, 5, and 3 year olds (we will just book SWA (the nanosecond fares open up) into Jacksonville and drive the 3 hours from there..... It is hard on the way back to drive the 3 hours back to the airport before the flight, so we spent the night in Jacksonville.

Wow... reading all the above seems like a total PITA, but it really isnt all that bad.... and HHI is worth it for us.