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

[CarolynFH]

Can you divide a fixed week across multiple contracts? I assume the answer is no, in which case most of the fixed week options are going to require insanely large harder-to-sell contracts.

OTOH, if that insanely large contract is for an insanely desirable and difficult to book week, might not be so hard to sell!

 

[MagicDVC]

My guide shared it

Thanks for sharing. We are looking at getting a week 49 standard studio. That’ll lock in benefits in one contract in case we sell our other contracts. Now, I want to see the incentives.

 

[EM Lawrence]

I'm thinking about week 21 as a fixed week studio. This lines up with a week my family often travels, Memorial Day. We love the parks in late May/early June as they are not usually terribly crowded. Not sure if it does anything for the long term value, but it is only 153 points, so it seems like a reasonable risk.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

I’m thinking of Week 1. Don’t expect to use it in the near term but down the road it could be cool to go last week of Dec and stay down through Marathon weekend. Decisions, decisions…

 

[PoppyJ]

Usually the incentives go up at 150 points. So, if I want a fixed week that is 146 points, then am I just out of luck for the increased incentives? There's no way i would get a 4 point contract to get up to 150 points right?

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Usually the incentives go up at 150 points. So, if I want a fixed week that is 146 points, then am I just out of luck for the increased incentives? There's no way i would get a 4 point contract to get up to 150 points right?

You would need a second contract for at least the minimum size for the resort (is it 25 at Poly? I know it is 50 for Riv). Or you could get a 150 point FW contract even though it normally would be 146, but any year that you use your FW, it would use all 150 points on the contract.

 

[supercarrie]

Poly Week 7 also appears to be a "value" (costs more points on current points charts than the fixed rate chart) - 177 for the fixed week in a tower studio standard view vs 181 points on the current chart.

We own a week 7 at Riviera, but it is tempting to buy a Poly FW and alternate using them each year.

I should stop looking.

 

[supercarrie]

You would need a second contract for at least the minimum size for the resort (is it 25 at Poly? I know it is 50 for Riv). Or you could get a 150 point FW contract even though it normally would be 146, but any year that you use your FW, it would use all 150 points on the contract.

It is 25 for Poly, which makes the second contract a bit more palatable.

 

[WeIcomeHome]

I’m thinking of Week 1. Don’t expect to use it in the near term but down the road it could be cool to go last week of Dec and stay down through Marathon weekend. Decisions, decisions…

Remember that week 1 doesn't always align with end of December. Sometimes there is a zero week (or week 53) in there with week 1 starting on January 7th - see 2024 calendar.

 

[WeIcomeHome]

Usually the incentives go up at 150 points. So, if I want a fixed week that is 146 points, then am I just out of luck for the increased incentives? There's no way i would get a 4 point contract to get up to 150 points right?

My thought process on this is there are two main factors to consider: 1. Member benefits. 2. Do you need/want more points than 146.

If you could use more points and/or want to qualify for member benefits then it makes sense to one of the following (as others have mentioned): 1. Add the extra 4 points to the FW which you'll get to use in years you cancel your FW but lose if you use your FW. 2. Add a 25 point contract for a total of 171 points with 25 points each year to use separate from your FW.

If you already have DVC-Y or don't care about them and don't need any extra points it is simply a math problem that likely has long term dues on 4 points plus cost of extra 4 points exceeding purchase incentives. (4 points x $14 average dues x 42 years + 4 points x $200 per point = $2352 + $800 = $3152) lf 150 point incentives are less than 3k is likely not worthwhile.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Remember that week 1 doesn't always align with end of December. Sometimes there is a zero week (or week 53) in there with week 1 starting on January 7th - see 2024 calendar.

Yes, thank you.

 

[PoppyJ]

Can someone who has a favorite week give me some perspective?

I am thinking about trying to convince my husband to buy a fixed week in Poly tower standard duo studio.

I am considering first week of May (my favorite week for low crowds / Flower Garden Festival), or the week after Thanksgiving.

Favorite weeks are Sunday to Sunday. But we never actually travel Sunday to Sunday. If we did May, we would tend to leave on a Thursday or Friday, stay a full week and return on a Monday, since my husband can flex his hours and this maximizes vacation time. If we did the week after Thanksgiving, we would probably fly out Thanksgiving day and stay through the following week.

My concern is that it would be too difficult to get a reservation for the same type of room (duo standard) for the days on the front end and back end, and the hassle just wouldn't be worth it.

For those of you who have a favorite week, weekday do you do?

 

[Tatebeck]

I own at multiple resorts, so I would try for the same room at the same resort, and if not then book a split stay with something that is available. We don't mind split stays, we just give them our luggage to transfer and go out and do something for the day. We also get a clean room and a change of scenery.

If you don't own multiple resorts and can't do that then you could try for a split stay at 7 months somewhere else or book a regular studio or higher view, but that will cost more points. You could also try to get a reservation a bit early and walk it forward until it is at the beginning or end of the fixed week.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Can someone who has a favorite week give me some perspective?

I am thinking about trying to convince my husband to buy a fixed week in Poly tower standard duo studio.

I am considering first week of May (my favorite week for low crowds / Flower Garden Festival), or the week after Thanksgiving.

Favorite weeks are Sunday to Sunday. But we never actually travel Sunday to Sunday. If we did May, we would tend to leave on a Thursday or Friday, stay a full week and return on a Monday, since my husband can flex his hours and this maximizes vacation time. If we did the week after Thanksgiving, we would probably fly out Thanksgiving day and stay through the following week.

My concern is that it would be too difficult to get a reservation for the same type of room (duo standard) for the days on the front end and back end, and the hassle just wouldn't be worth it.

For those of you who have a favorite week, weekday do you do?

I have FW at both RIV and CCV. For Riviera, I bought a smaller contract in addition to the FW for the very scenario you’re describing. While I have not had to use it yet, I am prepared for not being able to get the identical room and needing to switch - either within the same resort or another (or outside of DVC altogether at Swan/Dolphin).

 

[got4boys]

Can someone who has a favorite week give me some perspective?

I am thinking about trying to convince my husband to buy a fixed week in Poly tower standard duo studio.

I am considering first week of May (my favorite week for low crowds / Flower Garden Festival), or the week after Thanksgiving.

Favorite weeks are Sunday to Sunday. But we never actually travel Sunday to Sunday. If we did May, we would tend to leave on a Thursday or Friday, stay a full week and return on a Monday, since my husband can flex his hours and this maximizes vacation time. If we did the week after Thanksgiving, we would probably fly out Thanksgiving day and stay through the following week.

My concern is that it would be too difficult to get a reservation for the same type of room (duo standard) for the days on the front end and back end, and the hassle just wouldn't be worth it.

For those of you who have a favorite week, weekday do you do

Favorite weeks (formerly guaranteed weeks) is what I usually try to purchase. The one thing that I love about it is if there is points reallocation and the week is higher in points you are guaranteed that week without paying any extra points. For example PVB favorite week for a deluxe studio in 2017 when purchased - let's use week 49 was 130 points as the guaranteed week purchase. Today week 49 costs 139 points to book. If it is lower, you can always cancel the reservation and get your points back to us.

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

Planning on a week #50 tower deluxe studio theme park view - guide quoted 219 points for it. I got a feeling mid December will always be tough to get at 7 months …maybe even at 11 months?.

Also considering a 1 bdrm theme park view because that is my favorite room type for weekend getaways with DW, but the points are a bigger decision when I think (hope) I can get easier availability for that room type?

Edit - never mind…. Bought the 1bdrm. YOLO.

 

[Lorana]

Can someone who has a favorite week give me some perspective?

I am thinking about trying to convince my husband to buy a fixed week in Poly tower standard duo studio.

I am considering first week of May (my favorite week for low crowds / Flower Garden Festival), or the week after Thanksgiving.

Favorite weeks are Sunday to Sunday. But we never actually travel Sunday to Sunday. If we did May, we would tend to leave on a Thursday or Friday, stay a full week and return on a Monday, since my husband can flex his hours and this maximizes vacation time. If we did the week after Thanksgiving, we would probably fly out Thanksgiving day and stay through the following week.

My concern is that it would be too difficult to get a reservation for the same type of room (duo standard) for the days on the front end and back end, and the hassle just wouldn't be worth it.

For those of you who have a favorite week, weekday do you do?

We own at multiple resorts and have multiple Favorite Weeks -- Week 44 runDisney at CCV Studio (this one we have flexibility to change the start and end date due to it being a special runDisney week), Week 46 at RIV, Week 47 at CCV, and Week 48 at CCV. We don't use our weeks every year, and rent them out when we don't use them.

We usually arrive on Thursdays like you do, and sometimes return on Mondays if the airfare is better. In those scenarios, we don't mind resort hopping -- we'll stay Thu-Sat at another resort we own at. For the last day, we try to make it the same resort (as we own other small contracts at the resorts we have favorite weeks) and have Member Services link them as a continuing reservation so that we don't need to swap rooms. Sometimes we splurge on the final night, such as one Thanksgiving we got the BLT Grand Villa Theme Park view (we were also traveling with extended family) for our last night, so that we could all watch the fireworks together.

We're debating picking up a favorite week at PIT, though we'd MUCH rather the longhouses, and I'm kind of kicking myself for not doing so back in the day since Weeks 49 & 50 are now 153 for a favorite week instead of 130. And PIT sleeps 4, not 5, in its studios. And then my debate is Week 49 to continue our trend... but I'm also holding out for Reflections and so deciding which week I want for which is part of the debate. (Though Week 7 for February Vacation in MA most years is also a contender).

 

[VGCgroupie]

I meant something showing on the DVC website when booking with all of my contracts. I know I can look up a list of the weeks online. But there is nothing that is notated on the DVC website when booking which of my contracts are attached fixed weeks and which weeks they are. I just have to remember each one myself I guess

Yeah my FW doesn't look any different in my account than a normal contract, nothing gives a hint of it being a FW at all.

 

[Lorana]

Yeah my FW doesn't look any different in my account than a normal contract, nothing gives a hint of it being a FW at all.

Yeah, the only clue is when it pops up ahead of the 11 month mark, but even then it just looks like a normal reservation.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Yeah, the only clue is when it pops up ahead of the 11 month mark, but even then it just looks like a normal reservation.

Good thing I am borderline obsessed with looking at my dashboard