All About Fixed Weeks (RIV/CCV/AUL/VGF/POLY/TOWER/VHD/FWC Charts)

[Robert Stoddart]

RIV isn't fully declared. So, when they do another declaration, they could totally slot you in for the GW for that allocation, assuming they declare enough to free up more, or even want to sell more. They can sell less than they are allowed.

I asked if they would offer more for sale (Week 52 studios) as more points were declared, and our guide indicated they would not. They did adjust the point values for purchases after that though and Disney can change their minds to be sure.

 

[RoseGold]

I asked if they would offer more for sale (Week 52 studios) as more points were declared, and our guide indicated they would not. They did adjust the point values for purchases after that though and Disney can change their minds to be sure.

The guide has no idea. They aren't going to be fully declared for years at this rate. No one knows the answer to that.

 

[emchen]

RIV isn't fully declared. So, when they do another declaration, they could totally slot you in for the GW for that allocation, assuming they declare enough to free up more, or even want to sell more. They can sell less than they are allowed.

I was curious about this too! Thanks!

This is accurate. FW 52 at Riviera in a 1-bedroom standard was 398 points when we bought. Disney re-allocated a few times and booking it this year would be 426. The FW charts have also been adjusted since then to 469 now, so unlikely that will be replicated.

Now you are gonna have FOMO for the discount if you opt out. In your shoes, I would feel compelled to go every WK52! Hahaha!

 

[EYL]

The guide has no idea. They aren't going to be fully declared for years at this rate. No one knows the answer to that.

Had to look back on my notes and a post I did in the past (https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-vgf-2-pricing-thread.3838921/post-63721481)...

When I was selecting my FW in 2021 and encountered weeks that were sold out, I asked about the next declaration. My guide told me that all FW's are "declared" at RIV so what's gone is gone. They cap it at 35%, and I was told that RIV Standard Studios have room for 3 GW per week; Preferred have 9. This is based on RIV having 9 dedicated standard studios and 29 dedicated preferred studios.

I do believe there a post on another forum and someone is tracking the weeks sold (based on the deeds) and is consistent with this. I can't find it though...

Edit to add:
The 35% limit is mentioned in the RIV POS 1.a.(4):

 

[Genie+]

Had to look back on my notes and a post I did in the past (https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-vgf-2-pricing-thread.3838921/post-63721481)...

When I was selecting my FW in 2021 and encountered weeks that were sold out, I asked about the next declaration. My guide told me that all FW's are "declared" at RIV so what's gone is gone. They cap it at 35%, and I was told that RIV Standard Studios have room for 3 GW per week; Preferred have 9. This is based on RIV having 9 dedicated standard studios and 29 dedicated preferred studios.

I do believe there a post on another forum and someone is tracking the weeks sold (based on the deeds) and is consistent with this. I can't find it though...

Ah that’s interesting. We’re considering FW if we buy Poly2.

 

[intamin]

Ah that’s interesting. We’re considering FW if we buy Poly2.

I'm seeing a lot of upside with very little downside for fixed weeks. Especially if Poly 2 is resale restricted like RIV. It being a fixed week guarantees that availability at the very worst during that 1 week which will apply even when resold and the new owner can only use it at the home resort. The only downside it seems like is having to go through the extra step of cancelling the reservation every year.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Since I own week 49, I am wondering what other FW may be as popular when I go to purchase Poly2.

 

[PolyRob]

Since I own week 49, I am wondering what other FW may be as popular when I go to purchase Poly2.

I know holidays are not guaranteed in weeks since they move, but I would imagine Poly around the 4th of July in a theme park view studio would be popular.

 

[emchen]

Had to look back on my notes and a post I did in the past (https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-vgf-2-pricing-thread.3838921/post-63721481)...

This is based on RIV having 9 dedicated standard studios and 29 dedicated preferred studios.

Can anyone corroborate if the numbers still hold true in Sept. 2023?

Ah that’s interesting. We’re considering FW if we buy Poly2.

It would probably be good to have your guide ready to move fast after @sethschroeder, @BWV Dreamin, @PolyRob, and others here did such a great job raising awareness!

I'm seeing a lot of upside with very little downside for fixed weeks. Especially if Poly 2 is resale restricted like RIV. It being a fixed week guarantees that availability at the very worst during that 1 week which will apply even when resold and the new owner can only use it at the home resort. The only downside it seems like is having to go through the extra step of cancelling the reservation every year.

…barely an inconvenience!

Since I own week 49, I am wondering what other FW may be as popular when I go to purchase Poly2.

Hahaha, may I suggest any week with runDisney events…especially when coinciding with Food and Wine festival? Take a look at week 44! And especially if they have reduced occupancy option like Tower Studio or Duo Studios! Marathon week in January.

I know holidays are not guaranteed in weeks since they move, but I would imagine Poly around the 4th of July in a theme park view studio would be popular.

That would be nice. Labor day weekend in first week of September maybe? That one would be fixed (first Monday of September so choose the FW of the last Sun of Aug) and not floating relative to a 4th of July. Fyi I am horrible with dates and holidays so forgive me if I am off.

 

[DanCali]

The only downside it seems like is having to go through the extra step of cancelling the reservation every year.

As long as there is no risk to losing that reservation to a waitlist between the time you cancel and rebook the "normal way", then it's not a big deal.

 

[PolyRob]

As long as there is no risk to losing that reservation to a waitlist between the time you cancel and rebook the "normal way", then it's not a big deal.

There's no guarantee you would be able to pick it back up. You also can't drop one day at a time and keep extending a new reservation. You would have to hope it's completely open (or you walked it) and that you have enough points to book the entire thing again without touching the annual allotment on the Favorite Week contract.

I guess if you purchased your Favorite Week past the 12 month booking period you could always bank that amount forward and attempt it each year.

 

[intamin]

As long as there is no risk to losing that reservation to a waitlist between the time you cancel and rebook the "normal way", then it's not a big deal.

I would probably just try to book the week with my normal 150 point RIV contract and if that doesn't work out then I keep the fixed week LOL

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Can anyone corroborate if the numbers still hold true in Sept. 2023?

Those numbers sound off, but I'm wondering if the wording is confusing things with "dedicated" standard studios or preferred studios. Maybe that means that at Riv there are 9 standard view studios & 29 preferred view studios that don't have a connecting door with a 1BR to have a configuration option of becoming a 2BR? Hopefully I'm not adding confusion to the discussion.

I think that every Deluxe Studio that we've stayed in had a connecting door to a 1BR; the FWs aren't restricted to the dedicated studios.

Riv has 3 Tower Studios per floor, and I think 8 floors in that section of the building, for 24 Tower Studios total. I don't know how many SV or PV Deluxe Studios there are per floor, but I'm pretty sure it is many more than 3. There has to be many more studios than 9 SV + 29 PV. So whatever that number is, 35% of that. I'm not sure what happens when they have more FWs in a given week than declared inventory.

 

[DanCali]

There's no guarantee you would be able to pick it back up. You also can't drop one day at a time and keep extending a new reservation. You would have to hope it's completely open (or you walked it) and that you have enough points to book the entire thing again without touching the annual allotment on the Favorite Week contract.

But at 11 months out you are presumably already holding a reservation. So can't you just call MS and ask them to cancel the FW, give you the point allotment, and rebook with those (fewer) points? And if so, can't they do it in a manner that prevents you from losing it?

 

[intamin]

But at 11 months out you are presumably already holding a reservation. So can't you just call MS and ask them to cancel the FW, give you the point allotment, and rebook with those (fewer) points? And if so, can't they do it in a manner that prevents you from losing it?

With fixed weeks they wouldn't let you modify it into something else like with normal reservations I'd think. They'd probably force you to cancel the room before you can book the new room unless you have enough points on top of the fixed week where you can book the room in addition to your fixed week.

For example if you had the 135 for the fixed week and on top of that an additional 123 (10% less than the 135) then you could book both at the same time and then cancel the fixed week afterwards. This is essentially what I'm doing with mine although mine will be separated into two 150 pt contracts

 

[PolyRob]

But at 11 months out you are presumably already holding a reservation. So can't you just call MS and ask them to cancel the FW, give you the point allotment, and rebook with those (fewer) points? And if so, can't they do it in a manner that prevents you from losing it?

I don't see how you can guarantee the room if you don't have enough points to book it separately from the Favorite Week before cancelling. MS can definitely cancel, but you run the risk someone else books it while you are on the phone. One night gone and your plans are ruined.

 

[emchen]

But at 11 months out you are presumably already holding a reservation. So can't you just call MS and ask them to cancel the FW, give you the point allotment, and rebook with those (fewer) points? And if so, can't they do it in a manner that prevents you from losing it?

This is a great question and I just want to speculate out loud. I remember cancelling a reservation to substitute points from one contract for another and what MS had told me varied with the situation. I’ve had some say, “sure no prob”, hear the keyboard click, a few seconds, “done!”. But more often, especially within 7-month window, they have warned me that they can’t guarantee success and that things might backfire.

I’m thinking that for FWs that are notoriously popular like 49 and room types like SV Studios, beware the risk. Safest way to go is:

I would probably just try to book the week with my normal 150 point RIV contract and if that doesn't work out then I keep the fixed week LOL

or…

I guess if you purchased your Favorite Week past the 12 month booking period you could always bank that amount forward and attempt it each year.

Of course you can still bank even if you purchased before the 12 month booking period…by opting out, trying at normal 11months, and banking for the following year (if you fail). You will just be “risking” that first year.

 

[PolyRob]

With fixed weeks they wouldn't let you modify it into something else like with normal reservations I'd think. They'd probably force you to cancel the room before you can book the new room unless you have enough points on top of the fixed week where you can book the room in addition to your fixed week.

For example if you had the 135 for the fixed week and on top of that an additional 123 (10% less than the 135) then you could book both at the same time and then cancel the fixed week afterwards. This is essentially what I'm doing with mine although mine will be separated into two 150 pt contracts

Exactly, the Favorite Week cannot be held and modified to replace points. You can't apply banked or borrowed points to it. It must use the entire UY's allotment on that contract.

 

[intamin]

Exactly, the Favorite Week cannot be held and modified to replace points. You can't apply banked or borrowed points to it. It must use the entire UY's allotment on that contract.

You can have more than the amount though right? Like if a FW costs 135 and then you tell them you want to buy 150?

 

[emchen]

Another important point is that if you stay over the beginning of a month it’s very hard—we like to visit around Thanksgiving, so we can’t do Dec use year because our trips extend from Nov-Dec. April would be tricky for those who go over spring break, etc.

Guys this chain was in the ROFR thread (I don’t know why), but it got me thinking about how UY pertains to FW.

So if I like to travel in August and my use year is in August is that bad

As long as you don't plan to overlap with July travel then it's great, because the use year starts August 1.

I get this, and am glad my first entry into this subgenre is a subsidized AUL OV 1BR DEC UY FW52.

The closer to the start of a UY your trip is, the more flexibility and options you have to make sure you don’t have points at risk of being lost.

Yes but if I were to opt out of my FW52 in 2024 and book Thanksgiving week of 2024 instead, that would be considered risky. The logic is: if I had to cancel after July 31, 2024 (after banking window) then my 2023 points would be in distress.

But on the other hand, if I had kept FW52 but had to cancel after banking window closes (July 31, 2024), wouldn’t I still be in the same boat (risking my DEC 2023 UY points)?

Doing this thinking exercise (cuz thinking about UY strains my brain), I see we cannot choose any other UY than the one in which our FW resides (for the 12-mo booking window using points previous to the travel year). But…

For regular contracts, wouldn’t April UY (and not DEC) be ideal for travel that occurs entirely in DEC? Reason being, if you cancel anytime before Dec and 31days before your checkin, you could still bank your points??

Apologies if this question turns out to be a long walk off a short plank. . I do make assumptions like the 12-m reservation will be made using prior year’s points…