Advice needed for swinging big family trip

[Marmbruster]

Bear with me for a long read, want to make sure I lay it all out correctly.

We’re still waiting to finish up closing on our new resale contract of 200 points at VGF. I have some family who have always wanted to go to Disney World that I want to plan a trip with. They want the week after Thanksgiving 2028, so I can’t make any moves yet, but I’m trying to figure out what my options are here. If anyone has any advice I’d appreciate it.

We want to book 1 grand villa plus either 2 studios or 1 one bedroom. There will be 14-16 of us.

With banking and borrowing I can cover OKW, and I would prefer that as it’s the most economical option. Their request would be AKL which I would need to find someone with points to transfer.

The easiest to book would obviously be our home resort but the sheer quantity of points needed for a VGF is daunting and I would still need to rent or have some tranferred.

Any thoughts on whether ANY resort will be bookable for a grand villa and studios or 1 bedroom for that time of year at the 7 month mark? It’s when we usually go so I know it’s a tough time to book for DVC, but I’ve never tried to book anything at 7 months. I have played around with availability predictors and it’s a mixed bag. Is my best bet to find enough VGF points for transfer so I can utilize my home booking advantage? OR rent out all of my VGF points and hope I find someone with a ton of OKW or AKL up for transfer to utilize their home booking advantage…

THANK YOU for reading my novel and any helpful advice you may have

 

[Add-On-Itis]

https://dvcfieldguide.com/okw-3br-grand-villa109

OKW grand villa won't be available at 7 months.

 

[Marmbruster]

https://dvcfieldguide.com/okw-3br-grand-villa109

OKW grand villa won't be available at 7 months.

Right, that’s why I’m wondering if I just keep an eye out for anyone with OKW, AKL, or maybe even SSR that has a large number of points for transfer so I can utilize the 11 month booking window and then just rent out all my points to offset the cost. Just not sure if anyone will have that large of a quantity of points for transfer….

 

[Add-On-Itis]

S

Thread 'Points for Rent: 2400 OKW points and 1900 SS points ; 0-7 month window at any resort - $18.50 pp'

Jul 17, 2025

Hi, my name is Felicia. I am a private owner. I have been renting my DVC points for 15 years. I own at the following resorts and I can rent any resort in the 0-7 month window.

Annually I have:
2400 Old Key West
1900 Saratoga Springs

I am an experienced and friendly owner.
I have great references. I know all the best rooms. I am hoping to do larger rentals.
I can book a reservation at home resorts up to 11 months out and all other resorts up to 7 months out.
I use a 2 payment plan.
If you are interested in a Disney Vacation club rental – Post below or DM me (Direct Message) and I...

• silverace
• Replies: 33
• Forum: DVC Rent/Transfer

this guys have like 2000+ points at okw. if i needed okw point i would message him

 

[Marmbruster]

S

Thread 'Points for Rent: 2400 OKW points and 1900 SS points ; 0-7 month window at any resort - $18.50 pp'

Jul 17, 2025

Hi, my name is Felicia. I am a private owner. I have been renting my DVC points for 15 years. I own at the following resorts and I can rent any resort in the 0-7 month window.

Annually I have:
2400 Old Key West
1900 Saratoga Springs

I am an experienced and friendly owner.
I have great references. I know all the best rooms. I am hoping to do larger rentals.
I can book a reservation at home resorts up to 11 months out and all other resorts up to 7 months out.
I use a 2 payment plan.
If you are interested in a Disney Vacation club rental – Post below or DM me (Direct Message) and I...

• silverace
• Replies: 33
• Forum: DVC Rent/Transfer

this guys have like 2000+ points at okw. if i needed okw point i would message him

THANK YOU! That’s super helpful.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Make sure you have a decent commitment from the family members for an investment like that (if you need to rent points). 11 months out can be difficult for some folks to plan and commit. You don't want to rent the points, book the large rooms, and then have 4 people cancel! We've done OKW and AKL GVs, and they are amazing. If you would work your way back to AKL, the Kidani 1BR units have 2 bathrooms, while AKL-Jambo and OKW have just the one bathroom - not sure if that matters since you're talking about 2 studios or 1 1BR. Good luck - sounds like a very memorable trip, especially that time of year with the holiday decorations, festival, and music!

 

[Marmbruster]

Make sure you have a decent commitment from the family members for an investment like that (if you need to rent points). 11 months out can be difficult for some folks to plan and commit. You don't want to rent the points, book the large rooms, and then have 4 people cancel! We've done OKW and AKL GVs, and they are amazing. If you would work your way back to AKL, the Kidani 1BR units have 2 bathrooms, while AKL-Jambo and OKW have just the one bathroom - not sure if that matters since you're talking about 2 studios or 1 1BR. Good luck - sounds like a very memorable trip, especially that time of year with the holiday decorations, festival, and music!

Oh yeah, I've already explained that this is a major commitment and that we can't just cancel the room a week before like other hotels. And they're going to front the money for the additional points before I even secure it. Luckily this is family we've traveled with many times so I trust them. AND this is their first trip to Disney World, so staying in a Grand Villa and going this time of year is going to totally spoil them if they ever want to go back haha.

Thanks for the head's up about Kidani vs Jambo and OKW.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

Make sure you have a decent commitment from the family members for and investment like that (if you need to rent points). 11 months out can be difficult for some folks to plan and commit. You don't want to rent the points, book the large rooms, and then have 4 people cancel! We've done OKW and AKL GVs, and they are amazing. If you would work your way back to AKL, the Kidani 1BR units have 2 bathrooms, while AKL-Jambo and OKW have just the one bathroom - not sure if that matters since you're talking about 2 studios or 1 1BR. Good luck - sounds like a very memorable trip, especially that time of year with the holiday decorations, festival, and music!

This! Price out tickets, party tickets, ask about dining out versus cooking in the room/grocery deliveries. I'm anal, so I love a spreadsheet/bullet points, but give everyone a ballpark on airfare, park tickets, cost of signature dining per person, kids are considered adult prices at 9, etc.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

Oh yeah, I've already explained that this is a major commitment and that we can't just cancel the room a week before like other hotels. And they're going to front the money for the additional points before I even secure it. Luckily this is family we've traveled with many times so I trust them. AND this is their first trip to Disney World, so staying in a Grand Villa and going this time of year is going to totally spoil them if they ever want to go back haha.

Thanks for the head's up about Kidani vs Jambo and OKW.

You responded before I did. That's great you have a good group! We always bring extended family, and now we meet up with friends who own at OKW/AK, which is even more fun. You'll have such a cool experience! December 1-14th-ish is so nice and festive. Weather is glorious.

 

[Marmbruster]

This! Price out tickets, party tickets, ask about dining out versus cooking in the room/grocery deliveries. I'm anal, so I love a spreadsheet/bullet points, but give everyone a ballpark on airfare, park tickets, cost of signature dining per person, kids are considered adult prices at 9, etc.

I'm a twin mom too! You better believe I already have a spreadsheet going and made a powerpoint presentation for the family so they understood the pros and cons of different times of year and different hotels haha.

 

[sndral]

200 points x 3 = 600 points is the maximum number of points you have access to & that’s assuming you’re buying a fully loaded contract. You don’t have enough points at your home resort - VGF - to book a GV, let alone a GV + a couple of studios or a 1 br… Unfortunately you are trying to book for late November into that first week of December, so you can’t wait until 7 months to book elsewhere.
It is currently 10 months out from when you want to go & a quick glance at the DVC booking site shows that you are already too late for many of the Grand Villas because they are already at least partially booked for that week - OKW GVs, for example, only have 4 or 2 (near hospitality house) nights of that week still open. Also not fully available GVs ATM are BLT, CCV, BWV, AKV Jambo, & VGF. This can change, of course, but if you act now to acquire points SSR & AKV Kidani are your best bets, both will require more points to get the GV + 2 studios (or 1 1 br) than the 600 you own.
I’d suggest you consider targeting a less popular time of year or maybe think about a combo of villas (like 3 2 br.s) w/ more villas available for booking.

 

[Marmbruster]

200 points x 3 = 600 points is the maximum number of points you have access to & that’s assuming you’re buying a fully loaded contract. You don’t have enough points at your home resort - VGF - to book a GV, let alone a GV + a couple of studios or a 1 br… Unfortunately you are trying to book for late November into that first week of December, so you can’t wait until 7 months to book elsewhere.
It is currently 10 months out from when you want to go & a quick glance at the DVC booking site shows that you are already too late for many of the Grand Villas because they are already at least partially booked for that week - OKW GVs, for example, only have 4 or 2 (near hospitality house) nights of that week still open. Also not fully available GVs ATM are BLT, CCV, BWV, AKV Jambo, & VGF. This can change, of course, but if you act now to acquire points SSR & AKV Kidani are your best bets, both will require more points to get the GV + 2 studios (or 1 1 br) than the 600 you own.
I’d suggest you consider targeting a less popular time of year or maybe think about a combo of villas (like 3 2 br.s) w/ more villas available for booking.

I’m actually talking about 2028, so we’ve got lots of time. Can’t do anything yet, but just trying to wrap my head around my best course of action.

I definitely wouldn’t have enough points on my own, that’s why I’m considering seeing if there’s anyone with VGF points for transfer when it gets closer to the time. Or renting ALL of my points to offset the cost of renting through someone else for a different resort.

 

[sndral]

I’m actually talking about 2028, so we’ve got lots of time. Can’t do anything yet, but just trying to wrap my head around my best course of action.

I definitely wouldn’t have enough points on my own, that’s why I’m considering seeing if there’s anyone with VGF points for transfer when it gets closer to the time. Or renting ALL of my points to offset the cost of renting through someone else for a different resort.

Oops, missed that .
I own at VGF & adore staying there, I’ll be there in 19 days - treating extended family, we have a 2 br. & a studio in the OG Villas building booked - the villas in the OG building are stunning. I’d love to stay in one of VGF’s GVs - but the point cost .
However, if you want to stay w/in your 600 points ‘budget,’ then OKW is your best bet.
The only GV I’ve stayed in was at my other home resort - AKV & the Jambo GV worked well for our party of 6 adults + 3 kids & the animals were a huge hit - the kids were out on the balconies watching the animals whenever we were in the GV.

 

[Marmbruster]

Oops, missed that .
I own at VGF & adore staying there, I’ll be there in 19 days - treating extended family, we have a 2 br. & a studio in the OG Villas building booked - the villas in the OG building are stunning. I’d love to stay in one of VGF’s GVs - but the point cost .
However, if you want to stay w/in your 600 points ‘budget,’ then OKW is your best bet.
The only GV I’ve stayed in was at my other home resort - AKV & the Jambo GV worked well for our party of 6 adults + 3 kids & the animals were a huge hit - the kids were out on the balconies watching the animals whenever we were in the GV.

Yeah I’d love to do a GV at VGF but good god the points.

I do think AKL Savanna view would be such a hit. There will be 7 kids, 5 of which have never done Disney and none of the adults have been either, so while staying within my own point budget at OKW sounds nice, showing them an amazing first Disney trip at AKL is really tugging at my heartstrings. Time will tell!

 

[Donna M]

I want to put a plug in for OKW even though it's not our home resort. Our grandkids love it. They are 6,and 7 now. They weren't all that impressed when we stayed at AKV. We were not in the GV, though we stayed in one in Jambo when they first opened and were blown away.

We didn't see many animals from our balcony, but we went over there on the OKW trip and walked around the viewing area and saw many animals. The OKW villa is huge compared to the others, and with kids running around that space was nice to have. Lower points is a big consideration.