AKV Christmas 2007 Can I book tomorrow?

[LIFERBABE]

Im on hold now

Got right thru and she was checking my contract to make sure I could book and then i had some sort of surge and she was gone!!

good luck everyone!!

wdwguru, save me a spot

 

[wdwstar]

LIFERBABE book my ressies for me, please
I have to leave for work in a bit and at this point even if i get thru i cant wait 10 mins. for MS and then the time for MS to book.
ill have to wait until i get to work, oh well, i dont think my dates will fill that fast for next year, or will they

 

[LisaS]

Most AKV owners didn't get a choice of UY month. Existing members who added AKV to their contract received the same UY as the original contract. The DVC Guides were very quiet about todays AKV availability.

It's really not so much about what UY you own, but rather how they chose to assign UY months to Units within AKV. For some reason, they chose to start selling units that open in September before starting to sell Units slated to open in July. The only reason I can think of is that as of Feb 1st, they weren't absolutely sure they could have those July units ready in time so they opted to start selling September units first. It is interesting that the July phase consists of 8 small units -- just enough for one unit per UY. Makes me think that they did originally plan to sell those first.

This is only a problem if someone with a September unit would have liked to take their first AKV vacation prior to Sep 1st.

 

[LIFERBABE]

It's really not so much about what UY you own, but rather how they chose to assign UY months to Units within AKV. For some reason, they chose to start selling units that open in September before starting to sell Units slated to open in July. The only reason I can think of is that as of Feb 1st, they weren't absolutely sure they could have those July units ready in time so they opted to start selling September units first. It is interesting that the July phase consists of 8 small units -- just enough for one unit per UY. Makes me think that they did originally plan to sell those first.

This is only a problem if someone with a September unit would have liked to take their first AKV vacation prior to Sep 1st.

LisaS, just want to say thank you for your very clear explanation regarding this. Everything you said is spot on, and I wish DVC was as clear when they sold this.

I am glad to have my reservation, but after reading about different booking dates for owners, this prompted me to ask my question in the first place.

I was not happy with the way they set up the AKV Developer points, or to find out that those that purchased first could not stay first
I dont mind secrets, but they should know what's going on even if we dont.

 

[wdwstar]

I have a sept. UY and MS said it didnt matter what UY i had as long as my closing date was before my arrival date. my closing date was june 1, and ms
said i can book a arrival date for june 1st. i tried for june but nothing was available.

 

[wildernessDad]

What is with the "AND if your building is open"?


I have never seen anything that relates to "if your building is open".

It's easy, AKV owners can call tomorrow and non AKV owners can call in June.

Not quite that easy. Some units do not open until September, my unit for example. Thus, I would not be able to make a reservation for this August. It's the only time when your unit number makes a difference. Once it is all up and operational, then unit number be darned (cleaned-up version).

 

[LisaS]

I have a sept. UY and MS said it didnt matter what UY i had as long as my closing date was before my arrival date. my closing date was june 1, and ms
said i can book a arrival date for june 1st. i tried for june but nothing was available.

You can book an arrival date somewhere for June 1st, just not at AKV since it doesn't open until July.

 

[yourgoingagain?]

It seems odd that those members who purchased earlier would have months they could not book (July & August) while those who purchased later are allowed to book today for stays beginning in July. It doesn't make sense to penalize those who purchase on day 1.

I have not read anything official other than AKV owners (regardless of unit or UY) can call MS beginning today, for stays beginning Sept 1. When I spoke ot MS they did not make any distinction either. The earlier mailer showing the resort and completion dates, did show some rooms completed by July 2007 but never mentioned that only a select group (UY or specific units) could book those units for stays in beginning in July.

In any case we will all know in a few hours.

Well, I did find out and I was WRONG.

I understand what they did but cannot understand the why. Such as WHY my guide didn't mention anything about the unit assigned dictating when you could stay (July vs Spet). I wasn't going to go until Sept. (got my ressie for 9/22 - 9/24) anyway but I would have been extremely upset if I had wanted August and was told I could not.

It is especially odd that those purchasing later got the earlier avaialbility rather than those that purchased on day 1.

Oh well, my apologies to those that I questioned. I guess that why you come to these boards!

 

[LisaS]

Well, I did find out and I was WRONG.

I understand what they did but cannot understand the why. Such as WHY my guide didn't mention anything about the unit assigned dictating when you could stay (July vs Spet). I wasn't going to go until Sept. (got my ressie for 9/22 - 9/24) anyway but I would have been extremely upset if I had wanted August and was told I could not.

Yes, it would have been better if your guide had told you that you could not stay at AKV using AKV points prior to the occupancy date listed in your contract. This is my first time buying into a resort that is under construction and it is confusing.

It is especially odd that those purchasing later got the earlier avaialbility rather than those that purchased on day 1.

I don't know why this happened. Fortunately this only affects a small number of people who want to stay at AKV prior to Sep 1st but do not own points in one of the July units. Maybe this is a larger group than I realize, but I think a lot of DVCers avoid going to WDW in the summer!

Oh well, my apologies to those that I questioned. I guess that why you come to these boards!

Up until the construction phases map was released, we were all under the impression that we could stay at AKV no earlier than September 1st. Then the map was released showing part of the resort opening in July but with no information about whether the July section would be bookable on points or just through CRO or ??? It was only recently as people were reporting buying into units in the July section that it became clear that owners would be able to book villas in that section using points. So we've all been in the dark about this until just recently.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Up until the construction phases map was released, we were all under the impression that we could stay at AKV no earlier than September 1st. Then the map was released showing part of the resort opening in July but with no information about whether the July section would be bookable on points or just through CRO or ??? It was only recently as people were reporting buying into units in the July section that it became clear that owners would be able to book villas in that section using points. So we've all been in the dark about this until just recently.

I agree Lisa, I think this is where the confusion lies. Back in March 2007, when AKV began selling, the earliest occupancy date was to be September 2007. That was the last I heard. I dont really follow the AKV thread because it is so large. I did read here that some units would be ready early, but thought that was simply a case of construction ahead of schedule, not that they would be selling an earlier occupancy date.

I just think they messed up when they chose to fragment the occupancy dates instead of treating July and Aug as a "soft opening". I know they have timeshare laws to follow, but many that purchased early knew nothing of the earlier July date or the significance of it. Despite what the POS says, why would they sell the units out of sequence to begin with? This means when they sold these units back in March, they knew those units would not be the first units to be completed because they started on other units first.

This along with how they fragmented the AKV Developer Points, tells me they chose to make things easier for them and harder for the member. Instead of giving me the developer points in my current UY, they created a sub account just for those points. To use those points, the ressie had to be made manually after hours my confirmation looks different and those points or related ressies do not show under my online info nor can the MS reps see them unless I prompt them and tell them where to look . They gave us 7 months to use them, but if I need to make a change, I have to start all over with the manual process.

SSR was a new resort and I had none of these issues when I purchased there.

 

[dbanzai]

For the record, I had a trip planned for SS mid-September, but I own at both so I tranfered it over no problem yesterday... Nothing about buildings came up.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

I am one of the few that fall into the problem catagory. I bought AV points on the first wave of buying and apparently was assigned a September 07 uniI have a trip planned in August at SSR ANd BWV< I would like to book AKV instead and was told nope. I have to call June 6th like everyone else. This is irking me to no end, I havce AKV points but can not use them until every other member who does NOT have AKV points and have to call in the general pool. I understand this is the only time this is an issue.
However there should have been some sort of provision. to allow for this glich. Simply if you bought AKV you should be ahead of the throngs not thrust in it.

Maybe all AKV non July use year holders call June 6th or am I misunderstanding and we non July have a June 6th advantage and general population of DVC owners call June 16th.
Can someone elighten me as to the truth in this. The CM I spoke to was NOT clear.

 

[pilferk]

Maybe all AKV non July use year holders call June 6th or am I misunderstanding and we non July have a June 6th advantage and general population of DVC owners call June 16th.
Can someone elighten me as to the truth in this. The CM I spoke to was NOT clear.

Every DVC member can call June 6th to book AKV for a stay at any time after the Villas open.

 

[hellerjw]

Apparently the "you have to own in one of the units that will be available in July" stuff reported on these boards is true. I just happen to own in one of the first few that will be available in July and didn't have any trouble booking yesterday for an Aug '07 stay. However, others who bought in before me and had Use Years before mine, were turned away because the unit they own it won't be available until September.

I really don't think many of the MS reps were even aware of the "booking restrictions" until yesterday and probably only when the computer system started denying reservations for certain people.

I'm not sure most of the guides even knew about this restriction and therefore never informed those buying in at the beginning that this would be an issue. I would have never thought about the possibility of not being able to book because of the unit I own in, particularly since the docs only show "estimated occupancy dates" and nobody at Disney ever mentioned a restriction based on unit owned. It's only because I read about it on these boards that it was even a thought in my mind when I called to book.

Does anyone know if a similar situation occured with the very first bookings at SSR? I'm not sure it had the hype and remodeling pressure attached to it that AKV has so it may not have been a problem then.

 

[Inkmahm]

Will maintenance fees start earlier for the people who had units that were open earlier than Sept 1? Imagine THAT surprise....

 

[TenThousandVolts]

I am one of the few that fall into the problem catagory. I bought AV points on the first wave of buying and apparently was assigned a September 07 uniI have a trip planned in August at SSR ANd BWV< I would like to book AKV instead and was told nope. I have to call June 6th like everyone else. This is irking me to no end, I havce AKV points but can not use them until every other member who does NOT have AKV points and have to call in the general pool. I understand this is the only time this is an issue.
However there should have been some sort of provision. to allow for this glich. Simply if you bought AKV you should be ahead of the throngs not thrust in it.

Maybe all AKV non July use year holders call June 6th or am I misunderstanding and we non July have a June 6th advantage and general population of DVC owners call June 16th.
Can someone elighten me as to the truth in this. The CM I spoke to was NOT clear.

That really does seem unfair- I hope you get some kind of booking advantage over the non-akv owners.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Will maintenance fees start earlier for the people who had units that were open earlier than Sept 1? Imagine THAT surprise....

I just think DVC messed up. I know for sure they did but will not post details.

They made a mistake and then tried to fix it to meet laws and really took advantage of the existing members who rushed to buy in on opening sales day. Whether you have a stay planned or not, it bothers me that they kept AKV a secret, then released it to the current members first, like it was a gift, and then making it that those that were not even members before AKV could stay there first.

One could say no harm no foul, everyone was given a Sept 1 Use Date in the beginning so no one should expect to stay before then. But the argument also exists that current members were sold first crack at AKV and if anything opened early, then those members should have first use. Turns out DVC didnt sell in that order so the "Member Incentive" was really no incentive at all for those members that had summer trips planned and could have used those points and stayed at AKV.

The consolation, is your name will be on the tapestry

 

[disneynutz]

I just think DVC messed up. I know for sure they did but will not post details.

They made a mistake and then tried to fix it to meet laws and really took advantage of the existing members who rushed to buy in on opening sales day. Whether you have a stay planned or not, it bothers me that they kept AKV a secret, then released it to the current members first, like it was a gift, and then making it that those that were not even members before AKV could stay there first.

One could say no harm no foul, everyone was given a Sept 1 Use Date in the beginning so no one should expect to stay before then. But the argument also exists that current members were sold first crack at AKV and if anything opened early, then those members should have first use. Turns out DVC didnt sell in that order so the "Member Incentive" was really no incentive at all for those members that had summer trips planned and could have used those points and stayed at AKV.

The consolation, is your name will be on the tapestry

Your ability to get a unit prior to Sept 1 is based upon your UY, not when you called. The Guides were covered on this issue. They may not want to admit it, but they were covered. I was told by Member Accounting on Tuesday that our dues will start based upon our UY. We may not like it but that's the way it is.

 

[LisaS]

Will maintenance fees start earlier for the people who had units that were open earlier than Sept 1? Imagine THAT surprise....

I believe dues begin on the later of: the start of your UY and the occupancy date of your Unit. So for those with UYs of June or earlier who own a Unit in the July phase, I would expect the dues would start on the occupancy date of their Unit. For the rest of those in the July phase, I believe dues would start on the first day of their UY.

It's the same in the Sep phase: if your UY is Sep or earlier, dues begin Sep 1st, otherwise (for Oct and Dec UYs) dues begin the first day of your UY.

 

[LisaS]

Your ability to get a unit prior to Sept 1 is based upon your UY, not when you called. The Guides were covered on this issue. They may not want to admit it, but they were covered. I was told by Member Accounting on Tuesday that our dues will start based upon our UY. We may not like it but that's the way it is.

It's based on your Unit, not your UY. There are owners with a Mar UY in the Sep 1 phase and other owners, also with a Mar UY, in the July phase. So your Unit is tied to a UY, but not the other way around. The Unit you got is a function of your UY and the time at which you bought and probably also the number of points you purchased.