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

[Kenito]

I currently have FW 50 for Christmas and when/if FW 43 becomes available, I’ll purchase that for Halloween.

 

[Genie+]

thought they were erradicated in DW

For the most part, yes. They do a fantastic job. Tt’s a never ending battle though. I’ve gotten bitten up Oct 30th outside BLT lobby. They were swarming there after a downpour. Also had it happen near water/grass at MK and Epcot.

Fort Wilderness is sprawling and more natural. Like all of WDW they are always trying to stay on top of it, it’s just harder there. When there’s been alot of rain issues can pop up. And the mentality is a bit different there since it’s intentionally themed to be wilderness, so generally a little more tolerance from people than say VGF or RIV. You’ll hear fans remind people complaining about bugs that it’s outdoorsy so of course. Which I think is fine… up to the point where it is impacting my desire to be outside and enjoy the resort. It’s not often but also not uncommon for guests to have issues with mosquitos and biting no-see-ums. I just wouldn’t want to roll the dice every year with that in Sept.

 

[OPDman]

We have both 39 and 50. I would definitely do week 50. I think there will be more demand for the Christmas season as a fixed week. If week 39 was actually at Halloween, my opinion may be different. As an early October week, I just don’t see the demand that way.

Additionally, I would not do week 39 with a December use year. (We faced the same UY issue and requested August. We didn’t have to consider the points issue when we did it, but I would have insisted anyway.) The chances of weather are too high for the quick turn around points wise if you have to cancel. Disney has always been great about it, but I would never want to have to depend on their charity. The cabins are very susceptible to weather.

 

[PolyRob]

@emchen September is also peak hurricane season. Fort Wilderness takes longer to reopen after hurricane prep. If you had a Favorite Week in September that was cancelled with a Dec UY you have very little time to use the points in an extremely competitive DVC travel period.

 

[Mikey15]

I’ve gotta say as a fall traveler to WDW who only recently tried a December (Nov 30 - Dec 16) trip, Week 50 is a great time of year to go! I mean, 48-49 are better in terms of crowd levels while retaining the Christmas experience, but I can see a lot of desirability to 50, especially with that cash rate comparison.

My only question specifically for CFW at wintertime, how is it for getting around the Fort when it gets dark so early? Are paths well lit at night?

 

[emchen]

For the most part, yes. They do a fantastic job. Tt’s a never ending battle though. I’ve gotten bitten up Oct 30th outside BLT lobby. They were swarming there after a downpour. Also had it happen near water/grass at MK and Epcot.

Fort Wilderness is sprawling and more natural. Like all of WDW they are always trying to stay on top of it, it’s just harder there. When there’s been alot of rain issues can pop up. And the mentality is a bit different there since it’s intentionally themed to be wilderness, so generally a little more tolerance from people than say VGF or RIV. You’ll hear fans remind people complaining about bugs that it’s outdoorsy so of course. Which I think is fine… up to the point where it is impacting my desire to be outside and enjoy the resort. It’s not often but also not uncommon for guests to have issues with mosquitos and biting no-see-ums. I just wouldn’t want to roll the dice every year with that in Sept.

I currently have FW 50 for Christmas and when/if FW 43 becomes available, I’ll purchase that for Halloween.

We have both 39 and 50. I would definitely do week 50. I think there will be more demand for the Christmas season as a fixed week. If week 39 was actually at Halloween, my opinion may be different. As an early October week, I just don’t see the demand that way.

Additionally, I would not do week 39 with a December use year. (We faced the same UY issue and requested August. We didn’t have to consider the points issue when we did it, but I would have insisted anyway.) The chances of weather are too high for the quick turn around points wise if you have to cancel. Disney has always been great about it, but I would never want to have to depend on their charity. The cabins are very susceptible to weather.

These definitely validate my decision.

I emailed my guide.

He’s working on it now.

Those of you with both FW39 and 50 experience to compare, your input made my decision a no brainer.

We’re Californians and have been to WDW an above average number of times, but we’ve never been during last week of Sept and first week of Oct. We bought PIT FW39 so we are going next week (but in a nice air conditioned tower where we can remain indoors for the entire week if we wanted).

If it weren’t people here mentioning heat, humidity, and mosquitoes during FW39 (@PolyRob and your point about peak hurricane season)…I think we would’ve regretted it.

 

[OPDman]

Hey! I may see you at the Poly for our week 39 too! Have a great vacation!

 

[JackosinDIS]

Hey! I may see you at the Poly for our week 39 too! Have a great vacation!

I’m also a week 39er at PIT! Although I’m not using it this year. Probably next year though!

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

These definitely validate my decision.

I emailed my guide.

He’s working on it now.

Those of you with both FW39 and 50 experience to compare, your input made my decision a no brainer.

We’re Californians and have been to WDW an above average number of times, but we’ve never been during last week of Sept and first week of Oct. We bought PIT FW39 so we are going next week (but in a nice air conditioned tower where we can remain indoors for the entire week if we wanted).

If it weren’t people here mentioning heat, humidity, and mosquitoes during FW39 (@PolyRob and your point about peak hurricane season)…I think we would’ve regretted it.

Congrats - I think you made the right choice!!

 

[emchen]

Congrats - I think you made the right choice!!

I thank you and your wise advice.

My new contracts are being sent in now!

Hey! I may see you at the Poly for our week 39 too! Have a great vacation!

I’ll be in our PIT Studio with TPV (couldn’t ever snag a resort view studio!).

I’m also a week 39er at PIT! Although I’m not using it this year. Probably next year though!

Too bad!

Shouldn’t we have a Club Thirty Niner meetup! @JackosinDIS make a thread for “Club Thirty-Niner” since you coined the term “39er”. Hahaha!

Let it be written: on the Thirty Nineth Week each year, there will be a gathering of Thirty Niners in the most Magical Place on Earth…in Central Florida!

 

[emchen]

The rules say they can allow you to add points directly to the fixed week contract to make an incentive level, OR you can add a 25 point additional contract ( I just did that).

I think having a 25 point separate contract is better since you can offload it later, or use it like I will to add on the preceding Saturday so you are not stuck with Sunday to Sunday.

your suggestion was so logical I copied it!

Thanks!

CFW FW50 145 pts DEC UY
CFW 25 pts

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Has anyone’s fixed week 36 for 2026 been booked yet?

 

[Flash_Sloth]

your suggestion was so logical I copied it!

Thanks!

CFW FW50 145 pts DEC UY
CFW 25 pts

Good choice on the 2nd contract. If your FW would have cost 145 pts and you round up that one contract to 150 pts to hit an incentive level, any time that you use the FW, it would take all 150 pts. And you'd always pay the annual dues on all 150 pts.

When I bought into DVC with my FWs, one of my FWs sometimes barely misses my birthday. I bought another 50 pt contract to hit an incentive level, and it gives me just enough points that I can add the preceding Saturday and maybe Friday some years to hit my b-day. But don't snooze on making your additional small reservation right at the 11 month mark. Sometimes I feel extra pressure to get it lined up with the FW.

 

[atthebeachclub]

I was originally going to do a fixed week at Polynesian but pulled back when some news that can’t be discussed here came out.

Now looking at VDH fixed week instead. Originally was thinking of week 5, since it’s so close to the regular point chart, but after looking more closely at our school schedule and the views at VDH, I think I’m going to request a change to week 3 in a preferred view. We always try to travel in winter and then might occasionally travel in summer.

There isn’t a real monetary benefit in points to a fixed week 3, but it’s one of the cheapest weeks at the moment and one of the coldest weeks where I live, so I figure I should just opt for the fixed week in case it increases. Also, the standard views are pretty substandard. I’m not normally a view person, but even I think they are pretty bad. So preferred it is.

 

[emchen]

I was originally going to do a fixed week at Polynesian but pulled back when some news that can’t be discussed here came out.

Now looking at VDH fixed week instead. Originally was thinking of week 5, since it’s so close to the regular point chart, but after looking more closely at our school schedule and the views at VDH, I think I’m going to request a change to week 3 in a preferred view. We always try to travel in winter and then might occasionally travel in summer.

There isn’t a real monetary benefit in points to a fixed week 3, but it’s one of the cheapest weeks at the moment and one of the coldest weeks where I live, so I figure I should just opt for the fixed week in case it increases. Also, the standard views are pretty substandard. I’m not normally a view person, but even I think they are pretty bad. So preferred it is.

If you are committed to Preferred View, may I make a few observations for your consideration?

1. The most valuable aspect of FW is to guarantee the most in demand rooms in the DVC system.

2. The second most valuable aspect is the potential to gain value over time (eg. Most famously FW39 but others like FW50 when the last week of a cheap or moderate season is adjacent to the first week of an expensive or the most expensive season in the system.

3. Preferred view studios are substantially less in demand than standard view so they are substantially easier to book than standard view rooms.

@atthebeachclub In my opinion, you might find more value in buying a FW50 duo preferred for 120 points (+ 30 point contract to reach 150 incentive threshhold).

Most years you’ll trade out and book week 3 in a preferred view studio, but the years you don’t, you can enjoy the most magical and in demand dvc week! If you wanted to rent out one year, it would rent in a flash!

 

[atthebeachclub]

What UY are you?

December. I keep wondering if I should consider a different use year, but I pretty much will always travel in January and February and less often in summer. I can make June work. And just take risks if traveling later!

My daughter wants to go to a Disney Halloween party very badly. I won’t go to Florida at that time of year because hurricanes might derail things. But we could make California happen now!

 

[emchen]

December. I keep wondering if I should consider a different use year, but I pretty much will always travel in January and February and less often in summer. I can make June work. And just take risks if traveling later!

My daughter wants to go to a Disney Halloween party very badly. I won’t go to Florida at that time of year because hurricanes might derail things. But we could make California happen now!

Thats what I suspected.

If you are committed to Preferred View, may I make a few observations for your consideration?

1. The most valuable aspect of FW is to guarantee the most in demand rooms in the DVC system.

2. The second most valuable aspect is the potential to gain value over time (eg. Most famously FW39 but others like FW50 when the last week of a cheap or moderate season is adjacent to the first week of an expensive or the most expensive season in the system.

3. Preferred view studios are substantially less in demand than standard view so they are substantially easier to book than standard view rooms.

In my opinion, you might find more value in buying a FW50 duo preferred for 120 points (+ 30 point contract to reach 150 incentive threshhold).

Most years you’ll trade out and book week 3 in a preferred view studio, but the years you don’t, you can enjoy the most magical and in demand dvc week! If you wanted to rent out one year, it would rent in a flash!

If you are considering Preferred View Studio for FW39, then is your point ceiling 163 or 200 (add small 37p contract to reach next incentive level)?

 

[atthebeachclub]

Thats what I suspected.


If you are considering Preferred View Studio for FW39, then is your point ceiling 163 or 200 (add small 37p contract to reach next incentive level)?

Fixed week 3 actually! Looking to be close to 150 points so will do 124 + 30 points (figured a few points to get to a round number would be nice). Plan is to bank and borrow and keep using my BCV contract too. And if we love VDH so much we need more and always want to go there, it will probably be resale. Unless the numbers for direct make more sense.

 

[atthebeachclub]

If you are committed to Preferred View, may I make a few observations for your consideration?

1. The most valuable aspect of FW is to guarantee the most in demand rooms in the DVC system.

2. The second most valuable aspect is the potential to gain value over time (eg. Most famously FW39 but others like FW50 when the last week of a cheap or moderate season is adjacent to the first week of an expensive or the most expensive season in the system.

3. Preferred view studios are substantially less in demand than standard view so they are substantially easier to book than standard view rooms.

@atthebeachclub In my opinion, you might find more value in buying a FW50 duo preferred for 120 points (+ 30 point contract to reach 150 incentive threshhold).

Most years you’ll trade out and book week 3 in a preferred view studio, but the years you don’t, you can enjoy the most magical and in demand dvc week! If you wanted to rent out one year, it would rent in a flash!

I definitely agree here…but I honestly don’t ever imagine visiting during week 50! It’s not cold enough yet to want to leave home then, and it would make the rest of our long and terrible winter more depressing to know my vacation was already over.