7 month window= the waiting is the hardest part!!!

[Cinderpamela]

I am having the hardest time waiting for that darn 7 month window to open up for our vacation this coming Christmas 2013! (dates have some flexibility but need to be during kids break, they go back to school Jan 6th)

Perhaps it is because for this trip the opening will determine which of 2 totally different vacations we will be having.

Behind curtain #1 is an Aulani vacation in a 1 bedroom! Whatever view I can get!

and if thats not available:

curtain #2 is WDW! First world problems, right?

May cannot get here fast enough!

Please tell me I am not alone in this, when I tell my non Disney friends they look at me like I am crazy for even thinking about a vacation that is that far away!!

 

[Sandisw]

I'm not waiting like you but good luck...did you already book your WDW stay? Since December is so busy, you might want to book your home resort--assuming it is once of the WDW ones--to ensure you have something!!!

I hate waiting for booking dates to open up!!!

 

[Cinderpamela]

I know, I hate it too! Thanks for the input, I actually debated about reserving my home resort.

Since my #1 aim is for Aulani and WDW is sort of secondary (but still a great option) I figured I would just wait. That way I can book online rather than having to wait another hour and do the phone call to MS to change an existing reservation.

My home resort is SSR so it really shouldn't be a problem if I am online right at the 7 month mark to get a room there... or at least one of the many WDW DVC's. Now Aulani is most likely gonna be a completely different story! So I wait! and wait!

 

[kristenrice]

I am waiting for the 7-month window to open for our November vacation. If I am doing the math correctly, it will be Sunday, April 7 for our November 7 stay. Right now, I have a value studio booked at AKV for DH and I. We are point-poor this year because we are squeezing in 2 trips. I am going to *try* to get a standard studio at BWV (which I am sure is already full with a waitlist started!) so I am not getting my hopes up. This will be DH's first trip for a F&W festival and we are planning on participating in the 1/2 Marathon so BWV would be *so* perfect. I love my AKV home and I haven't stayed there since 2010 so I won't be horribly disappointed if we don't get BWV, but I would still like to try.

Oh, and did I mention that we get home from our HHI spring break trip, late in the evening on Saturday, April 6?! I will NOT forget to set my alarm for Sunday morning since I want to make sure I get on that waitlist.

 

[Cinderpamela]

Oh, and did I mention that we get home from our HHI spring break trip, late in the evening on Saturday, April 6?! I will NOT forget to set my alarm for Sunday morning since I want to make sure I get on that waitlist.

Ha! That reminds me of our WDW trip in 2011... our 7 month window for booking Aulani opened up while still on Vacay at WDW. There I was in Liberty Square on my cel phone with MS right at the opening time trying to hear over the crowds to book our July/Aug Aulani! We did get in with no problem.... a little pixie dust while in the MK!

 

[lovedisney50]

We are hoping to get BLT on Apr 10 for 7 nights. We have already booked at OKW. This year we are coming with dsg twins who will be 2 1/2 and think being closer to MK will be better.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm sitting on the waitlist as well. Waiting for my 7 month window to open. I own at BWV but waited about 3 weeks too long to decide. Now? My Dec 2-7 trip is waitlisted. I doubt anything will open up at BWV but maybe I can still get SSR.

 

[scottashackleton]

My fiancee and I just booked the second half of our October Disneymoon at BLT right at the 7 month window. We called at 9 AM this morning and were able to book the 5 nights we needed in a Lake View studio. Add that to our 8 nights at BWV that we booked at 11 months and we have had some good luck!

Now the waiting begins

 

[Simba's Mom]

Maybe we should have a support group for those of us waiting. We're also waiting for the 7 month window at BCV, for a 1 BR. Fortunately, we already have a studio booked, but last year I decided to splurge and get a 1 BR, "just this once". As you can probably figure, a 1 BR snob was born! The only problem is that we don't have enough points for a 1 BR (need more BCV points). Last year, I waited 2 hours into the day the 7 month window opened and had to waitlist, then wait until the day before my waitlist expired before it came through. So I'll be next to the phone, poised at the ready, on the morning of March 19.

 

[Cinderpamela]

I'm sitting on the waitlist as well. Waiting for my 7 month window to open. I own at BWV but waited about 3 weeks too long to decide. Now? My Dec 2-7 trip is waitlisted. I doubt anything will open up at BWV but maybe I can still get SSR.

Darn! I bet SSR will still be available. I remember trying to look at "trends" last December just to see how realistic I was being about this Dec 2013 trip. If I remember correctly AKL, SSR and OKW were still available for at least a few weeks after the 7 month window opened last December.

My fiancee and I just booked the second half of our October Disneymoon at BLT right at the 7 month window. We called at 9 AM this morning and were able to book the 5 nights we needed in a Lake View studio. Add that to our 8 nights at BWV that we booked at 11 months and we have had some good luck!

Thats Great! Happy Disneymoon to you both!! Good point that once we do get a ressie then there is a whole new type of waiting!! But at least at that point you know where you will be!

We are hoping to get BLT on Apr 10 for 7 nights. We have already booked at OKW. This year we are coming with dsg twins who will be 2 1/2 and think being closer to MK will be better.

We also loved staying at the VWL... the boat trip to the MK was a great way to go if you cant get BLT! At 2 1/2 the kiddos would probably love the boatride and honestly I dont think it was much longer timewise than walking from BLT would be.

Maybe we should have a support group for those of us waiting.

Simba's Mom-Loving this idea!! I can totally empathize with being right on the phone at opening... and if your west coast like me its even worse cause you are up at 4:55am with your online booking all set to push play!

 

[Cinderpamela]

I am waiting for the 7-month window to open for our November vacation. If I am doing the math correctly, it will be Sunday, April 7 for our November 7 stay. Right now, I have a value studio booked at AKV for DH and I. We are point-poor this year because we are squeezing in 2 trips. I am going to *try* to get a standard studio at BWV (which I am sure is already full with a waitlist started!) so I am not getting my hopes up. This will be DH's first trip for a F&W festival and we are planning on participating in the 1/2 Marathon so BWV would be *so* perfect. I love my AKV home and I haven't stayed there since 2010 so I won't be horribly disappointed if we don't get BWV, but I would still like to try.

Oh, and did I mention that we get home from our HHI spring break trip, late in the evening on Saturday, April 6?! I will NOT forget to set my alarm for Sunday morning since I want to make sure I get on that waitlist.

Sounds like some great trips!! Food and Wine is a goal for DH and I, maybe 2014!? BWV would be perfect I hope you get it. I know about being point poor... in fact for our December trip I have a secret hope of getting BWV value, but like you I know my chances are slim. Here is hoping for a little pixie dust!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm sitting on the waitlist as well. Waiting for my 7 month window to open. I own at BWV but waited about 3 weeks too long to decide. Now? My Dec 2-7 trip is waitlisted. I doubt anything will open up at BWV but maybe I can still get SSR.

Wow, it really is a busy time. Were your dates all booked up, or were you going after BW or standard view?

 

[disfanforlife]

We have a two bedroom reserved at AKV for Nov 9 -16. I am too, anxiously waiting for the 7 month window. We would like to try for BLT.

 

[goofy4tink]

Wow, it really is a busy time. Were your dates all booked up, or were you going after BW or standard view?

Waitlisted for a preferred view. There were a few nights available but decided to just list the whole stay. Nothing was open for standard views!!! I just waited too long...and with Thanksgiving so late, there are now two weeks that are compressed into that one week in Dec..so many more trying to book this period. Stupid me didn't realize that and waited too long.

I figure SSR will have something, but I wasn't crazy about my stay there last year. Hopefully something will open at another resort. I would be thrilled if AKL/Kidani had something open up!! If I can't be at BWV, AKL/Kidani are my next choices. BLT is terrific but brutally hard to get at this time of year...and there is nothing available for me even though I own there as well!!!

 

[disfanforlife]

We have only owned since 2008 and want to try staying at all of the resorts. I will still be happy if we stay at our home resort, but we have friends traveling with us and is their first visit to the world. I think they and their kids would love being close to the MK that is why I am hoping to change our ressie. Otherwise, I will probably just keep it where it is.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

You know you dont have to call member services to switch your reservation.. Simply go online to do it.

 

[Cinderpamela]

We have a two bedroom reserved at AKV for Nov 9 -16. I am too, anxiously waiting for the 7 month window. We would like to try for BLT.

We have only owned since 2008 and want to try staying at all of the resorts. I will still be happy if we stay at our home resort, but we have friends traveling with us and is their first visit to the world. I think they and their kids would love being close to the MK that is why I am hoping to change our ressie. Otherwise, I will probably just keep it where it is.

Since we have only owned since 2011- I have a long way to go to try all the resorts, but it's a good bucket list to have! If we don't get Aulani in December I am trying for BCV or BWV to be close to EPCOT. But really I will be happy with any option!

Here is some pixie dust that we both get what we want!

 

[Cinderpamela]

You know you don't have to call member services to switch your reservation.. Simply go online to do it.

Yes, I did know that, but I have read that is is better to do something like that via phone. Someone on the boards (can't remember where) had mentioned that CM's when doing it, have a way to book a new ressie without fully cancelling your old one. As opposed to me going in and having to completely cancel and then book another. Risking loosing both in the time it takes to cancel one online and then book the other.

With the 7 month window opening I didn't want to risk fussing with that and then having something go wrong. Then my points are tied up and I cant make the real reservation that I wanted.... my nightmare scenario!

I don't know if its true, but it made sense to me to have them get in there and do it as opposed to me screwing it all up.

Lemme know if you think that there is a better way, I am open to any suggestions!

 

[disfanforlife]

Yes, I did know that, but I have read that is is better to do something like that via phone. Someone on the boards (can't remember where) had mentioned that CM's when doing it, have a way to book a new ressie without fully cancelling your old one. As opposed to me going in and having to completely cancel and then book another. Risking loosing both in the time it takes to cancel one online and then book the other.

With the 7 month window opening I didn't want to risk fussing with that and then having something go wrong. Then my points are tied up and I cant make the real reservation that I wanted.... my nightmare scenario!

I don't know if its true, but it made sense to me to have them get in there and do it as opposed to me screwing it all up.

Lemme know if you think that there is a better way, I am open to any suggestions!

I agree with you 100%! So far, for three trips, I have called and been able to switch our ressie at the 7 month window. Last trip, I was not able to, but it was during food and wine. This trip is at the tail end of it, so I am not sure if it will work for me either. I am holding on to my ressie at my home resort until I know for sure by calling.