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

[jennypenny]

When we bought our FW at RR, we were told Tower rooms were not eligible for fixed weeks because there are too few rooms. Did that change at some point?

 

[PolyRob]

Thanks! Forgot about that, prior to that were all the other room categories available?

From the 2022 Favorite Week chart it looks like they blocked standard view weeks that also fell below the 150 point threshold. I wonder if these are available for sale now if Tower Studios have been pulled?





I also wonder if there is a current 2024 chart removing the Tower Studios?

 

[PolyRob]

When we bought our FW at RR, we were told Tower rooms were not eligible for fixed weeks because there are too few rooms. Did that change at some point?

It depends on when you bought. There was a time after DLH dropped the minimum point threshold for new purchasers to 100 points when RIV Tower Studios went up for sale as Favorite Weeks. It was in 2023. Now there are reports DVC is once again not selling Tower Studios.

Same thing happened with VGF resort studios. The threshold was raised to 150 points and when Big Pine Key went up for early sale I specifically asked and was told no for multiple weeks. There wasn't even a number of points listed on the chart for every week.

2022 chart


Last year's fire sale on VGF had Favorite Weeks available due to the same 2023 DLH change:

2023 chart

As mentioned by multiple people Disney can only sell a maximum of 35% of a room type and category. It does not HAVE to sell any of it.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

From the 2022 Favorite Week chart it looks like they blocked standard view weeks that also fell below the 150 point threshold. I wonder if these are available for sale now if Tower Studios have been pulled?

View attachment 861591

View attachment 861592

I also wonder if there is a current 2024 chart removing the Tower Studios?

Some of the standard studios are still available (as of yesterday at least...)

 

[Massachusetts]

This may have been covered earlier but I can't seem to find the answer.

What happens to the FW when the point values are reallocated downward? At that point does the member need to cancel the FW reservation and rebook to realize the value of the deflated points?

 

[intamin]

This may have been covered earlier but I can't seem to find the answer.

What happens to the FW when the point values are reallocated downward? At that point does the member need to cancel the FW reservation and rebook to realize the value of the deflated points?

If you book before the FW reservation has been made they will not book a reservation for you. I’m honestly tempted to just a hold a reservation on years I don’t want the FW just because then I won’t have to call in. I really don’t need the fixed week honestly because if I really REALLY wanted something, I’m not afraid to admit that I would walk it for a year as frowned upon as that is

Edit: woops I’m sorry @Massachusetts idk why it didn’t register with me when you said when they re-allocate points downward, but like sandi was saying no matter what it will cost you that amount of points until the contract expires regardless of if the point charts increase or decrease during your fixed week, but you always have the option to cancel the week and use the points like normal

It actually may benefit you to try and predict which weeks in the future will go up and which will come down so you can get locked in at the current fixed week price. I honestly anticipate early December to still increase more and summer to decrease although the charts have been very stable for the past few years so they seem pretty content with how the charts are currently but who knows?

 

[Sandisw]

This may have been covered earlier but I can't seem to find the answer.

What happens to the FW when the point values are reallocated downward? At that point does the member need to cancel the FW reservation and rebook to realize the value of the deflated points?

If you want to be able to book in the normal 11 month window and not get the FW booked in advance, then you simply call and opt out of the FW. The morning of the 11 month window, you try like everyone else.

The drawback is that if you don't get it, you can't go back and ask them to now secure you a FW. So, if you buy one and the point charts are adjusted down, you have something that just costs you more if you want that guarantee.

 

[BrianLo]

Just a few hypotheticals about FW - just so I can wrap my head around it all.

How does Disney prefer to align use years against chosen fixed weeks?

IF I wanted a FW for RIV and already have Dec UY. I assume the one FW off the table is 48 since it can straddle use years. Do they also have a buffer i.e. they won't put FW for say week 40-47 in a Dec UY as well? I see on membership there is a new rule of four forthcoming, though that only seems to be for exchanges with the program.

Now if I bought week 49 at RIV right now, considering the rooms are currently sold out for this year, would I get 2023 and 2024 points in lieu and then the first FW reservation made in December 2025?

 

[BrianLo]

It actually may benefit you to try and predict which weeks in the future will go up and which will come down so you can get locked in at the current fixed week price. I honestly anticipate early December to still increase more and summer to decrease although the charts have been very stable for the past few years so they seem pretty content with how the charts are currently but who knows?

I think so too. I've noticed the Poly Points charts are weirdly discrepant already with VGF and RIV in this early December window, which I think are its best analogues. I'm kind of surprised those charts have not already been re-allocated.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Just a few hypotheticals about FW - just so I can wrap my head around it all.

How does Disney prefer to align use years against chosen fixed weeks?

IF I wanted a FW for RIV and already have Dec UY. I assume the one FW off the table is 48 since it can straddle use years. Do they also have a buffer i.e. they won't put FW for say week 40-47 in a Dec UY as well? I see on membership there is a new rule of four forthcoming, though that only seems to be for exchanges with the program.

Now if I bought week 49 at RIV right now, considering the rooms are currently sold out for this year, would I get 2023 and 2024 points in lieu and then the first FW reservation made in December 2025?

Yes - they would give you 2023, 2024 with first FW booked for Dec 2025.

 

[intamin]

Just a few hypotheticals about FW - just so I can wrap my head around it all.

How does Disney prefer to align use years against chosen fixed weeks?

IF I wanted a FW for RIV and already have Dec UY. I assume the one FW off the table is 48 since it can straddle use years. Do they also have a buffer i.e. they won't put FW for say week 40-47 in a Dec UY as well? I see on membership there is a new rule of four forthcoming, though that only seems to be for exchanges with the program.

Now if I bought week 49 at RIV right now, considering the rooms are currently sold out for this year, would I get 2023 and 2024 points in lieu and then the first FW reservation made in December 2025?

Haven’t ever thought to ask about the straddling use years for a fixed week. I’d imagine they simply wouldn’t offer it but I’m not sure.

 

[Sandisw]

Haven’t ever thought to ask about the straddling use years for a fixed week. I’d imagine they simply wouldn’t offer it but I’m not sure.

From my understanding they won’t do that…they want to give you a UY that happens shortly before the fixed week happens.

But, when we considered it for a hot second, we had a Dec UY and would be done a beginning of Dec week.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

You can choose any FW regardless of your UY. When you cancel your FW, your points revert back to your UY. It is wise not to have a FW that is past your banking deadline for your UY for obvious reasons.

 

[megadisfan]

You can choose any FW regardless of your UY. When you cancel your FW, your points revert back to your UY. It is wise not to have a FW that is past your banking deadline for your UY for obvious reasons.

Once the FW is booked by MS, and you aren't able to travel for the entire Sun-Sun FW, can you modify the FW to only stay a few nights ( and have remainder of the FW points revert to your UY) ?

 

[J-Dog]

Once the FW is booked by MS, and you aren't able to travel for the entire Sun-Sun FW, can you modify the FW to only stay a few nights ( and have remainder of the FW points revert to your UY) ?

No. A FW res can't be modified. You have to cancel and then re-book a completely new reservation with the points that are given back.

 

[megadisfan]

No. A FW res can't be modified. You have to cancel and then re-book a completely new reservation with the points that are given back.

Rats! Ok thanks for the info

 

[Sandisw]

Rats! Ok thanks for the info

To add, you can’t even add to a FW in the same reservation. You have to book a separate one and MS will note so you don’t have to change rooms.

 

[megadisfan]

To add, you can’t even add to a FW in the same reservation. You have to book a separate one and MS will note so you don’t have to change rooms.

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

If you book before the FW reservation has been made they will not book a reservation for you. I’m honestly tempted to just a hold a reservation on years I don’t want the FW just because then I won’t have to call in. I really don’t need the fixed week honestly because if I really REALLY wanted something, I’m not afraid to admit that I would walk it for a year as frowned upon as that is

Edit: woops I’m sorry @Massachusetts idk why it didn’t register with me when you said when they re-allocate points downward, but like sandi was saying no matter what it will cost you that amount of points until the contract expires regardless of if the point charts increase or decrease during your fixed week, but you always have the option to cancel the week and use the points like normal

It actually may benefit you to try and predict which weeks in the future will go up and which will come down so you can get locked in at the current fixed week price. I honestly anticipate early December to still increase more and summer to decrease although the charts have been very stable for the past few years so they seem pretty content with how the charts are currently but who knows?

I actually just went through this analysis - compared Riv's 2020 FW point chart to its 2023 chart (and also compared the difference between the FW chart to a non FW chart to determine the FW premium).

For anyone buying 150 pts at Riv and considering a FW purely as a hedge, it may be worthwhile to consider Week 7, which is partly a RunDisney Week (though as noted above, you can no longer purchase an official RunDisney week).

In 2020 the Standard Studio FW was 176 p/w and now it's 153 - so not only has it decreased but it's one of the few FW around 150 pts. Also from what I can see the other RunDisney weeks (Week 1 and Week 43/44) have increased.

Obviously this wouldn't be ideal for all Use Years but figured I'd share.

 

[intamin]

I actually just went through this analysis - compared Riv's 2020 FW point chart to its 2023 chart (and also compared the difference between the FW chart compared to a non FW chart to determine the FW premium).

For anyone buying 150 pts at Riv and considering a FW purely as a hedge, it may be worthwhile to consider Week 7, which is partly a RunDisney Week (though as noted above, you can no longer purchase an official RunDisney week).

In 2020 the Standard Studio FW was 176 p/w and now it's 153 - so not only has it decreased but it's one of the few FW around 150 pts. Also from what I can see the other RunDisney weeks (Week 1 and Week 43/44) have increased.

Obviously this wouldn't be ideal for all Use Years but figured I'd share.

I’m admittedly a runDisney noob even though I’ve run one of their halfs before and am currently signed up for another but when was the last time they changed the runDisney weeks? I know they tend to have the same runs generally around the same time each year but have they ever shifted them more than a week or two off from their typical dates?

I bought our FW just because why not to be honest, there isn’t a scenario where it’s truly a bad thing to have a fixed week. At the very worst it’s a minor inconvenience. Like I said on here before I’m probably the worst because if I really wanted something for an event thats not negotiable like a wedding or family reunion or something I wouldn’t have a problem walking a reservation for a year if I really needed to. It’s really just in case we were to sell it due to unforeseen life circumstances to give it a slight benefit. It does make me interested how Disney does the fixed weeks that were assigned race weeks. Are all runDisney events announced 11+ months out then?