Advice on the 7 month gamble

[Dicentras]

Hey friends! I have a trip planned Jan 1-5, I know it’s sandwiched between Christmas breakers and the marathon crowd, which might make things tricky for me at 7 months, so I’m trying to think ahead.

I own at Riviera. I’m hoping to book at Kidani/Jambo at 7 months (but would also be fine with pretty much anywhere if it came down to it, even SSR). I currently have a 1br booked at Riviera, but now need a 2br. I can piece that together now at my home resort, but it will involve borrowing like 15 points, which I’d rather not do if there is hope I can get into a cheaper resort at 7 months. Basically, I don’t want to bring those points over and have them stuck there, if ultimately I won’t need them. But with that in mind, I also don’t want to be shut out with no 2br options anywhere at 7 months.

Just wondering, what do you all recommend? thanks!

 

[Marionnette]

Hey friends! I have a trip planned Jan 1-5, I know it’s sandwiched between Christmas breakers and the marathon crowd, which might make things tricky for me at 7 months, so I’m trying to think ahead.

I own at Riviera. I’m hoping to book at Kidani/Jambo at 7 months (but would also be fine with pretty much anywhere if it came down to it, even SSR). I currently have a 1br booked at Riviera, but now need a 2br. I can piece that together now at my home resort, but it will involve borrowing like 15 points, which I’d rather not do if there is hope I can get into a cheaper resort at 7 months. Basically, I don’t want to bring those points over and have them stuck there, if ultimately I won’t need them. But with that in mind, I also don’t want to be shut out with no 2br options anywhere at 7 months.

Just wondering, what do you all recommend? thanks!

I always err on the side of caution. If I absolutely needed a 2 BR and my dates are inflexible, then I would borrow the points to book at my home resort. If a 2BR is available at 7 months and it takes fewer points, then those borrowed points will be used before the current UY points and (hopefully) you will be able to bank your extra points.

 

[stwaldman]

Hey friends! I have a trip planned Jan 1-5, I know it’s sandwiched between Christmas breakers and the marathon crowd, which might make things tricky for me at 7 months, so I’m trying to think ahead.

I own at Riviera. I’m hoping to book at Kidani/Jambo at 7 months (but would also be fine with pretty much anywhere if it came down to it, even SSR). I currently have a 1br booked at Riviera, but now need a 2br. I can piece that together now at my home resort, but it will involve borrowing like 15 points, which I’d rather not do if there is hope I can get into a cheaper resort at 7 months. Basically, I don’t want to bring those points over and have them stuck there, if ultimately I won’t need them. But with that in mind, I also don’t want to be shut out with no 2br options anywhere at 7 months.

Just wondering, what do you all recommend? thanks!

The marathon is "week 1" this year, so it's reasonable that availability mighht be tighter than if it bled into "week 2".

Do you use your points consistently every year and plan on going next year (more than once even)? If so, borrowing 15 points is nominal and you can bank the difference from your current year points into next year if you're able to rebook. If you're an annual traveler than this may be riskier since you'd *have to* use them in the coming year.

Also you may want to consider your tolerance for two studios (maybe zero to be fair!). Do you need the kitchen and common space? If not, 100 VGF studios or coming online and you might be able to get one of the 40 connecting studios.

 

[Dicentras]

Thanks for your thoughts on this. Based on how this trip falls to my use year (it’s right before), and our future plans - about 18 months after, I’d definitely lose them in their intended function, which is why I’m struggling to decide, lol.

Two studios would not be ideal, but would be acceptable, but only if they were together. But that’s a good idea to consider.

 

[Artemis Fowl]

Hey friends! I have a trip planned Jan 1-5, I know it’s sandwiched between Christmas breakers and the marathon crowd, which might make things tricky for me at 7 months, so I’m trying to think ahead.

I own at Riviera. I’m hoping to book at Kidani/Jambo at 7 months (but would also be fine with pretty much anywhere if it came down to it, even SSR). I currently have a 1br booked at Riviera, but now need a 2br. I can piece that together now at my home resort, but it will involve borrowing like 15 points, which I’d rather not do if there is hope I can get into a cheaper resort at 7 months. Basically, I don’t want to bring those points over and have them stuck there, if ultimately I won’t need them. But with that in mind, I also don’t want to be shut out with no 2br options anywhere at 7 months.

Just wondering, what do you all recommend? thanks!

Get on the forum rent points thread, pay someone for their AKL points to book the room and dates that you want, then post your own Riv points for rent. At worst, it'll cost you the $60 fee to post your points for rent. Best case scenario, you'll make a coulpe bucks. Either way, you'll get your room without the stress of the 7-month gamble and I swear it will take you less time than you will spend stalking availability and thinking up other ways to get what you want.

You've got to just think of your points as fungible. If I pay $20 a point to have someone else book my trip with their points, and some other stranger pays me $20 a point for me to book for them, everyone wins including the forum who made the posting fee.

 

[McCrae]

2Br tend to be easier to get… based on my experience you should have no problem, especially if you are prepared to accept a non dedicated 2Br.

 

[bobbiwoz]

If you are OK with OKW or SSR, I would be on line at 8 AM June 1 and book. i wouldn’t borrow for something that’s hobbled together.

 

[stwaldman]

Also, while its "risky" to drop your 1BR that has the days you need, if ultimately this trip *needs* a 2BR and you aren't travelling if its not a 2BR, go ahead and pre-book 4 of the 5 days you need at your home resort and leave the last day hanging free. Then go to try and modify that 2BR reservation at 7 months.

The ultimate worst case is that you're nomadic for a day with a different room size/resort, but in all likelihood, even if you dont get what you want at 7months, you can probably still pick up the straggler day at your home resort.

 

[Her Dotness]

If you'd rather not borrow the 15 points, OTU (one-time-use) points might be a good solution.

We did that once when borrowing would've messed us up for our next trip.

Pretty simple to do by calling MS at 7 mos. and saying you want to modify the ressie and buy OTU points to get the 2br. I think they're still $15 per.

Note that you can only add OTU points within your 7 mos. not your home resort 11 mos. window.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Hey friends! I have a trip planned Jan 1-5, I know it’s sandwiched between Christmas breakers and the marathon crowd, which might make things tricky for me at 7 months, so I’m trying to think ahead.

I own at Riviera. I’m hoping to book at Kidani/Jambo at 7 months (but would also be fine with pretty much anywhere if it came down to it, even SSR). I currently have a 1br booked at Riviera, but now need a 2br. I can piece that together now at my home resort, but it will involve borrowing like 15 points, which I’d rather not do if there is hope I can get into a cheaper resort at 7 months. Basically, I don’t want to bring those points over and have them stuck there, if ultimately I won’t need them. But with that in mind, I also don’t want to be shut out with no 2br options anywhere at 7 months.

Just wondering, what do you all recommend? thanks!

I know this doesn't help you, but for anyone else reading... this is why, in my opinion, RIV and VGF make poor choices for sleep-around points. You never want to have to borrow more at 11 months than you expect to need at at 7 months. This makes OKW/AKV/SSR/BWV very valuable from a contract management perspective.

 

[stwaldman]

I know this doesn't help you, but for anyone else reading... this is why, in my opinion, RIV and VGF make poor choices for sleep-around points. You never want to have to borrow more at 11 months than you expect to need at at 7 months. This makes OKW/AKV/SSR/BWV very valuable from a contract management perspective.

this is a fair point, with the only exception (which is purely disney's fault) being that if you are trying to do those 7 month switched the other way around (i.e. needing more points at 7 months rather than fewer), then the well documented "borrowing glitches" might make you lose a 7 month switch opportunity because you're calling in rather than booking online. I've seen some reservations disappear on me before while I was trying to call in to get points borrowed and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Both are niche-ish scenarios, with yours probably being the more common to be fair.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I know this doesn't help you, but for anyone else reading... this is why, in my opinion, RIV and VGF make poor choices for sleep-around points. You never want to have to borrow more at 11 months than you expect to need at at 7 months. This makes OKW/AKV/SSR/BWV very valuable from a contract management perspective.

Very true. The point charts are daunting for both.

I have been doing what stwaldman recommended, which is to book my trip dates for GF less one day. Worst case scenario I spend my first night elsewhere (likely AKL) or my last night at the airport.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

I think your odds are good for Animal Kingdom ( and its a great resort). But cover your bases with your home resort.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I think your odds are good for Animal Kingdom ( and its a great resort). But cover your bases with your home resort.

Yes, I've booked both at Kidani and Jambo several times at 7 months.

 

[Sandisw]

My recommendation is the same as someone else’s…book 4 of the 5 nights at RIV without the borrowing and then go from there.

This way, you are only gambling for one night and not all 5.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

My recommendation is the same as someone else’s…book 4 of the 5 nights at RIV without the borrowing and then go from there.

This way, you are only gambling for one night and not all 5.

I think this is good advice in general when booking at 11 months, even without planning on switching. Book as many nights as you can without borrowing, and you leave yourself flexibility to add or subtract a night here or there to align with flight schedules when they're released. At least five times I've saved hundreds of dollars on my flights by adding a day, dropping a day, or just shifting the whole trip forward or backward a bit.

 

[Dicentras]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the excellent advice! I did go ahead and book all but one night in a Riv 2bed. It does feel much safer than waiting for all of it at 7 months.
Thanks again!

 

[RoseGold]

I know this doesn't help you, but for anyone else reading... this is why, in my opinion, RIV and VGF make poor choices for sleep-around points. You never want to have to borrow more at 11 months than you expect to need at at 7 months. This makes OKW/AKV/SSR/BWV very valuable from a contract management perspective.

So you book one less night on the placeholder. Big deal.

There are no resorts that are going to perfectly line up, if you plan to swap at 7 months. The same thing would be true for BLT to BW or whatever. And the reverse would be true for the 2042s. You don't have enough points to swap for VGF.