Am I doing something wrong?

[dvcdonna]

We purchased into the DVC during construction phases of SSR and have used our points yearly during many different times of year without booking difficulty, (using booking windows of 6+ months in advance). Occassionally, resorts other than our home resort SSR were not available during our time requested (both value season and holiday time) but we always were able to get a room at SSR.
Our past two years we have not been able to get a room at ANY DVC resort and have had to pay to either stay at Polynesian (using points + fee) or pay out of pocket to stay on property.
Each time I'm told there are NO ROOMS available. Taking into consideration the size of SSR, and that it is our home resort, I find this hard to believe. Now I am told that we can not use our DVC perks if we are not staying on a DVC point booking! We a seriously thinking of selling our points.
Am I doing something wrong? I feel like DVC has gotten too big and is treating "established" DVC owners with less respect than the newbies they are trying to attract.

 

[disneynutz]

The cold hard fact is that Disney is a business and sales will always be their focus, not taking care of members after the sale. They make more from newbies who know nothing about the DVC and buy based on emotion.

The rules and policies favor Disney. As more new contracts are sold booking will get more difficult as competition increases plus people who bought at resorts off site, are staying at WDW resorts.

You need to book early and buy at your favorite resorts.

Bill

 

[DizBub]

Sorry to hear that you're having so much trouble using your points. How early are you trying to book and is it at popular times? We don't own at SSR but find ourselves staying there a lot lately because these are relatively last minute trips. We always seem to find something there. Just last week I was able to get 4 nights at SSR for the first week of Dec. True, everything else was booked up but we found something.

We always book our home resort at 11 months at least once a year and adjust at 7 months if we can.

Hope you have better luck in the future.

 

[karrit2000]

Most of the DVC "perks" are available whether you are staying on points or not but you must have your membership card to show to get the discounts. The only exception I know of that requires you to be staying at WDW on points is Pool Hopping. As for not being able to get a room even at SSR have you tried wait-listing for what you need and actually booking the available nights? I've never not had a SSR wait-list come through.

 

[Mtnman44]

Your experience as you describe it certainly sounds like an unusual scenario. It is highly unlikely that DVC has no availability in any room at 6 months out. However, certain exceptions to this may apply to unusually high demand times near certain holidays. Those times almost require getting a reservation at 7 to 11 months out.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You should always be able to get SSR before seven months out. If you are waiting until six months out for holidays, you may need to book sooner. Don't pass up your home resort period for those busier times.

When are you trying to book and what are you trying to book?

For example, you are not going to get AKV value villas at six months out. You are not going to get BLT theme park view or standard view at six months out.

 

[DebbieB]

We purchased into the DVC during construction phases of SSR and have used our points yearly during many different times of year without booking difficulty, (using booking windows of 6+ months in advance). Occassionally, resorts other than our home resort SSR were not available during our time requested (both value season and holiday time) but we always were able to get a room at SSR.
Our past two years we have not been able to get a room at ANY DVC resort and have had to pay to either stay at Polynesian (using points + fee) or pay out of pocket to stay on property.
Each time I'm told there are NO ROOMS available. Taking into consideration the size of SSR, and that it is our home resort, I find this hard to believe. Now I am told that we can not use our DVC perks if we are not staying on a DVC point booking! We a seriously thinking of selling our points.
Am I doing something wrong? I feel like DVC has gotten too big and is treating "established" DVC owners with less respect than the newbies they are trying to attract.

Welcome to DIS!

What specific dates were you looking for and how far in advance?

What DVC perk are you talking about?

 

[k3chantal]

Just wanted to say don't give up.

I think your situation is extremely unusual and a case of very bad luck. I would also keep trying. People cancel and times may open up.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We purchased into the DVC during construction phases of SSR and have used our points yearly during many different times of year without booking difficulty, (using booking windows of 6+ months in advance). Occassionally, resorts other than our home resort SSR were not available during our time requested (both value season and holiday time) but we always were able to get a room at SSR.
Our past two years we have not been able to get a room at ANY DVC resort and have had to pay to either stay at Polynesian (using points + fee) or pay out of pocket to stay on property.
Each time I'm told there are NO ROOMS available. Taking into consideration the size of SSR, and that it is our home resort, I find this hard to believe. Now I am told that we can not use our DVC perks if we are not staying on a DVC point booking! We a seriously thinking of selling our points.
Am I doing something wrong? I feel like DVC has gotten too big and is treating "established" DVC owners with less respect than the newbies they are trying to attract.

How far in advance are you trying? For when? Have you waitlisted? Only once in our membership did I have to pay for a room. I tried to get 3 nights DVC for the first weekend in December at less than 2 months out, and couldn't get the Sunday. Actually got AKV value studio for the other 2 nights.

 

[paults]

We purchased into the DVC during construction phases of SSR and have used our points yearly during many different times of year without booking difficulty, (using booking windows of 6+ months in advance). Occassionally, resorts other than our home resort SSR were not available during our time requested (both value season and holiday time) but we always were able to get a room at SSR.
Our past two years we have not been able to get a room at ANY DVC resort and have had to pay to either stay at Polynesian (using points + fee) or pay out of pocket to stay on property.
Each time I'm told there are NO ROOMS available. Taking into consideration the size of SSR, and that it is our home resort, I find this hard to believe. Now I am told that we can not use our DVC perks if we are not staying on a DVC point booking! We a seriously thinking of selling our points.
Am I doing something wrong? I feel like DVC has gotten too big and is treating "established" DVC owners with less respect than the newbies they are trying to attract.

That's why you should book your home resort at 11 months and then switch at 7. If your still trying 6 months and shorter to make a ressie then your going to be disappointed most of the time for the holiday times.
How about letting us know when you try booking and where and maybe we can help answer your ?

 

[dvcdonna]

Thanks for the info but I really feel like my name is on some sort of "don't give them a room" list.
last year I tried to get any resort (one bedroom) the week of Jan.9th and they said there was nothing available and wound up at Poylenesian...points +fee, tried to book that in July. This year I tried booking in March, wanted WL for Oct. 4-9 but there was nothing, tried to be flexible and said I would take anywhere and they said there was no availavility in any resort (not even SSR) at that time (for one or two bedroom). I called several times, tried on line, asked them to explain how there could be NO ROOMS anywhere with answers that really didn't make any sense, especially having no rooms at SSR, my home resort. We were going with other people and I had already booked airline so I booked through Disney vacations, got free dining but wound up paying a hefty sum for two rooms. I wait listed until 30 days out hoping something would become available but nothing opened so I booked the two rooms. Being a family of 5 had always made the DVC such a great deal, not this year!
My DH is so mad that we are paying for a room, and it's embarrassing because we are going with other families (not DVC) members who have continually told us they get better deals and availibity NOT being DVC members.
I looked at last year as a fluke but having it happen again is really disappointing. Not going to let it ruin my time at the happiest place on earth!

 

[coup2516]

Have you tried looking at availability online instead of calling? It seems like availability is constantly changing. At least using their site you could check multiple times a day if you wanted.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Of course my telling you that I've never had any problems booking my home resort at 11 months, nor any other resort at the 7 month mark won't make you feel any better. I've landed at SSR numerous times, as my home resort OKW was booked.

I travel to Disney every year in late Feb, early June, early Aug and pre-Thanksgiving, I generally book 6-8 months in advance without issue! The only resorts I've been unable to get, Hilton Head in July & THV (too few of them). Other than that, I've stayed at ll of them!

AKV is another huge resort that has had availability when OKW had none!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are saying you tried to book the week of Jan 9, 2011, that would have been marathon weekend and I know we booked an OKW one bedroom for at least Thur, Fri and Sat nights in July or August. When we tried to add a night at the start of the trip, about a month or less out, we got SSR for the one night. Then we added another night at the end while we were there because of weather.

You should at least be able to get your home resort before seven months out. Then try to book something else after that.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I guess what you're doing "wrong" is not booking your home resort before the 7 month window.

People even have gotten BCV or BWV with a waitlist for F&W, did you waitlist in March for what you wanted at WL?

I know last month I cancelled a studio for the first weekend in October at BCV. So, the waitlist does move!

 

[DougEMG]

This year I tried booking in March, wanted WL for Oct. 4-9 but there was nothing, tried to be flexible and said I would take anywhere and they said there was no availavility in any resort (not even SSR) at that time (for one or two bedroom). I called several times, tried on line, asked them to explain how there could be NO ROOMS anywhere with answers that really didn't make any sense, especially having no rooms at SSR, my home resort.

Wow, I'm amazed booking in Mar for Oct sounds like 7 months out and there was nothing at SSR or anywhere else for Oct 4-9 in a 1/2 bedroom. I would never have thought that was possible. Is there something special about those dates?

Sounds like you have the worst luck going.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I think you are doing "something wrong" because I just checked your dates and there was "spotted" availability for selected nights even now.

So.. next time. Go on line and see what they DO have. Let's say you want 10/4 to 10/9. You look and SSR has 10/4, 10/8 and 10/9. BOOK IT! Then wait list 10/5 - 10/7. And then EVERY day or two check again. Then the day you find 10/6, BOOK IT and change your wait list to one for 10/5 and one for 10/7. Chances are using this method and checking often you will fill the gaps.

Just last week i checked for the "umpteenth" time for the night of 10/12 at BCV in a one bedroom and "bingo" there is was.

I think the "all or nothing" may have been the issue. There may have been one "problem" night in there but chances are had you wait listed just the problem nights the "problem" would have resolved itself. One of the problems with the wait list is that it will bypass you if your entire list can't be met. So... you wait listed 10/4 to 10/9. When the computer did the "look" it found "new openings" for 10/7 to 10/9... it skipped you and went on down the list to "DVC member X" who had ONLY wait listed 10/7 to 10/9. That actually makes it harder to get a long wait list.

I booked the weekend before you want at BCV about 4 months out so it can be done. It helps to do the big resorts (I usually aim for SSR/AKV or OKW for my late bookings... size = more rooms for openings) VWL, BWV, BCV and BLT are tougher IMHO

Now if you think the "Free Dining" is a deal then DVC may not be for you. You are nicer then I am I won't pay Disney rates... that's what offsite hotels are for. IMHO there are NO good "deals" at Disney no matter what your friends say, they are overpaying for subpar hotels.

 

[castleri]

I think you are doing "something wrong" because I just checked your dates and there was "spotted" availability for selected nights even now.

So.. next time. Go on line and see what they DO have. Let's say you want 10/4 to 10/9. You look and SSR has 10/4, 10/8 and 10/9. BOOK IT! Then wait list 10/5 - 10/7. And then EVERY day or two check again. Then the day you find 10/6, BOOK IT and change your wait list to one for 10/5 and one for 10/7. Chances are using this method and checking often you will fill the gaps.



I was going to post the same thing. I used this method just this week to get a reservation for Oct 26-30. Took the days available and the waitlist came through less that 24 hours later. Have another one out there for all three nights because none of them are available at present but will keep checking for individual days to see if they pop up and then change the waitlist. The last three years that weekend that includes Columbus Day has been hard to get and I did have waitlists that did not come through but think it was because I waitlisted the whole time instead of doing it by individual days. It is fall break for some southern schools, and means taking kids out of school only 4 days instead of 5 in the north. Will be checking on availability for other resorts in a few minutes. Am doing everything online these days. Hope you have better luck in the future. The key as others have said is to make some type of reservation at 11 or 7 months if you are sure about your dates. If you have a general idea you can tweak a few days later easier than trying for a whole reservation. The ones I made before this were made in May for the first week of October so it can be done. Those dates now are not available but then we are 3 weeks out. Hope you have better luck in the future.

 

[blueferral]

The first week in October is the start of the Food and Wine at Epcot. That probably had a big impact on what was available. Second, the week in Jan as someone has mentioned is the week of the BIG marathon.

If you can't get in on points, try cash through member services. If that doesn't work try Expedia. What to do with those points? Bank 'em, if you can't bank 'em rent 'em.

My brother told me before I bought into DVC. Learn how to work the system or you'll not be happy.

 

[DizBub]

I called MS last week because I saw on-line that there were 4 days in a row at SSR during the first week of Dec. Typically a very popular time for DVC and I could not find ANY availability anywhere else. Booked the 4 days (Dec 3-6) and waitlisted the 1st and 2nd. Waitlist came through this week, called MS back yesterday and waitlisted Dec 7. That came through this morning.

Now we have the first full week of Dec, two and a half months out. Not exactly our 1st choice but feel really lucky to have gotten it.

Don't give up!! I agree, book your home resort at 11 months, try to move at 7 months and waitlist!! In fact you can have 2 active waitlists at the same time. Use both.