A First time for a long time owner

[Chris125]

As the saying goes "there is a first time for everything" well it has happened to me. I am wait listed at OKW for a studio or 1bdrm . As a long time OKW owner (who has stayed more times at OKW then I can count) I tried to book on short notice at the end of January for the week of March11th. To my surprise no availability at OKW, so I said anywhere would be all right. All that was left was a 1 bdrm at SSR for the week. So another first, our first time staying at SSR.

I know everybody is going to say, well he tried to get it at the last minute but I have called a few weeks before a few times (once during Easter week) and always gotten at least a studio at OKW. I understand trying at BW or Beach Club is a long shot at best on short notice but OKW! Come On! OKW no availability that’s a first. I mean its not XMAS, Easter, or any other holiday that I can think of. (Except St.Paddy’s day)

Could this be a warning! No more booking on a short notice. DVC has become too popular.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

There are certainly a lot more owners now than there has ever been before so maybe the 7 month window will become more important for OKW owners. Maybe a lot of SSR owners are booking at OKW for those big rooms?

HBC

 

[littlestar]

We are also wait listed at OKW for that same week. I was able to get a Saratoga studio for 4 nights and I'm wait listed for Saratoga for the night of the 11th. But I grabbed the Saratoga nights piece meal - two nights here, two nights there. Pretty weird for us. Usually Saratoga would have all the nights in a studio. I don't know why that week is so booked up. Even CRO only had Fort Wilderness camp ground available with cash.

We also own a Marriott timeshare and are members of Interval International (exchange company) and the week of March 11th is also slim pickins on Interval for any exchanges or Getaways. Maybe that week in March is a major spring break week for a lot of schools is the only reason I can think of for the tight availability with both DVC and Interval for an exchange.

 

[polyhm83]

You may see alot of Canadian license plates there that week. It is our March break and sometimes I think half the country heads to Florida for this week.

 

[alldiz]

I'm waiting to close at WLV....

But as much as I love WL....I cant wait to go to OKW...
after seeing the pics and point charts

Yeah i think the "secret" is out
Let us know how ya like ssr..if you dont get okw
Kerri

 

[Simba's Mom]

As the saying goes "there is a first time for everything" well it has happened to me. I am wait listed at OKW for a studio or 1bdrm . As a long time OKW owner (who has stayed more times at OKW then I can count) I tried to book on short notice at the end of January for the week of March11th. To my surprise no availability at OKW, so I said anywhere would be all right. All that was left was a 1 bdrm at SSR for the week. So another first, our first time staying at SSR.

I know everybody is going to say, well he tried to get it at the last minute but I have called a few weeks before a few times (once during Easter week) and always gotten at least a studio at OKW. I understand trying at BW or Beach Club is a long shot at best on short notice but OKW! Come On! OKW no availability that’s a first. I mean its not XMAS, Easter, or any other holiday that I can think of. (Except St.Paddy’s day)

Could this be a warning! No more booking on a short notice. DVC has become too popular.

Wow-OKW was always available on short notice! I'm really surprised. But I feel so much better about what we did now that I've heard this. A couple years ago, DH decided that since he loved OKW so much, that we should sell our VWL points and buy at OKW (the old "buy where you want to stay" and he wanted to be able to say "I'm an OKW owner!") I'm sure lots of people (including me) thought we were crazy to sell at a small, more popular resort. Now, I can't help buy wonder if word of how many people love OKW is getting out. Thanks for making me feel what we did maybe wasn't so crazy.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yikes! Maybe I'll be glad I have those extra AKV points when I try to extend my Thanksgiving stay this year!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm glad you got something! I know I'm so glad to be going to Florida for our Spring Break, which is the week after yours. We're having a cold winter here!

Bobbi

 

[bobbiwoz]

Yikes! Maybe I'll be glad I have those extra AKV points when I try to extend my Thanksgiving stay this year!

You know, I was so suprised that we were getting '07 AKV points, I thought wow, I'll be able to bank them, and have more to use next year. They are burning a hole in my pocket. We're extending some of our trips too.

Bobbi

 

[dianeschlicht]

You know, I was so suprised that we were getting '07 AKV points, I thought wow, I'll be able to bank them, and have more to use next year. They are burning a hole in my pocket. We're extending some of our trips.

Bobbi

Well, I have a 2 bedroom at OKW booked for the week of Thanksgiving, and Sunday through Tuesday after booked in a studio, but I'm thinking a couple days at AKV that week might be nice too!

 

[AKVCRVDVC]

There are definately more DVC owners than there used to be... and this can be seen from all of the "We did it!" threads in this forum being created daily. Another factor may be that some states or Canada might be having their Spring Break this time of year. Keep trying and see if you can find a cancellation spot at OKW if you really want it, and good luck!

 

[drakethib]

Hmmmm.

As much bashing as you see about OKW on the boards you would think the place would be deserted.

 

[Mtnman44]

OKW is a great bargin for DVC owners. The points are so low! I'm sure we'll mostly use our SSR points for OKW stays as i like to get away from crowds as much as possible (hard to do at WDW).

 

[slp87]

I think it's probably due to the fact that that is prime spring break time. In the past TX schools have been split on their spring break weeks, some earlier,some later, but this year I think the majority are during that exact week.

 

[tomandrobin]

As DVC grows, and more members swell the ranks, Home Resort booking is going to become more and more important. Its a similar situation to the DDP. Years ago you could walk up at alot of the table service restaurants and get a table. Participation in the dining programs was small compared to today. Now, if you don't have an ADR, you are out of luck and eating counter service.

 

[d-r]

As DVC grows, and more members swell the ranks, Home Resort booking is going to become more and more important. Its a similar situation to the DDP. Years ago you could walk up at alot of the table service restaurants and get a table. Participation in the dining programs was small compared to today. Now, if you don't have an ADR, you are out of luck and eating counter service.

You know, I always thought that there would be something somewhere. That there would be SSR rooms or whatever. But I wonder if it could turn out that as the number of dvc members grow, it becomes more and more challenging to get in at popular times anywhere, and less popular times end up having a lot of availability.

 

[SaratogaShan]

March is spring break for lots of colleges too!

 

[byoung]

There are certainly a lot more owners now than there has ever been before so maybe the 7 month window will become more important for OKW owners. Maybe a lot of SSR owners are booking at OKW for those big rooms?

HBC

And lower points.

 

[starbox]

1. The 2nd and 3rd weeks of March are prime Spring Break time for most colleges and private schools.

2. Because of the point structure and theme, it has always seemed to me that OKW is very, very popular as a pre- or -post cruise destination, and March is an extremely popular cruise month.

3. As someone that has been going to Disney regularly for years, it seems that attendance has drastically picked up for all the parks year-round. Because of the weather, Spring Break (March-April) will always be an incredibly popular time to visit Disney. Last year, we tried to add a night to a pre-paid reservation at POR a few months before we left and POR was booked solid. I was shocked.

 

[Starr W.]

Plus with the weak U.S. dollar, you're seeing a lot more foreign visitors(checked the British pound last week and it takes nearly $2 to buy a BP).


I know DVC's is well represented in membership from the UK.