An on the spot decision to visit a DVC resort?

[chuckcorden]

I am interesting in finding out what was the shortest time a DVC member decided to visit one of the DVC resorts (including VB and HH), made the phone call, and received a reservation. In other words, has anyone made an on the spot decision to visit and was successful? Was it two weeks, three weeks, two months, or what?

Thanks for any answers.

 

[castleri]

called and got a room the same day a couple of years ago while staying in the Orlando area with a hurricane approaching. We were scheduled to check in the day the hurricane was to arrive but managed to get a room for the day before. We did not want to take a chance that roads would be closed and we could not get there. Have gotten individual days a couple of days out also.

 

[a cape lad]

we had a reservation in march for OKW starting on a monday. about 5 days before we decided we wanted to go down on saturday and were able to get a 2BR at BWV.

 

[backyardponder]

We closed on a re-sale purchase a couple of weeks ago. On Saturday, May 17th Disney got our points into the system. I called that same day and was able to book 2 nights at VB starting May 18th and 4 nights at SSR begining May 20th.

 

[Alexander]

We closed on a re-sale purchase a couple of weeks ago. On Saturday, May 17th Disney got our points into the system. I called that same day and was able to book 2 nights at VB starting May 18th and 4 nights at SSR begining May 20th.

Ding, ding, ding--We have a winner here! Nothing like not wasting anytime! I hope you had a great trip!

 

[MdmMim]

For Feb (President's Week) I made a last minute reservation at SSR. On my first day there, DS wanted to go "home" to the BWV for a cold beverage. While sitting at the BW pool bar, I was able to change my reservation to the BWV, where there had been no availablity a few days prior. So, the next two nights were at the BWV!

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

For Feb (President's Week) I made a last minute reservation at SSR. On my first day there, DS wanted to go "home" to the BWV for a cold beverage. While sitting at the BW pool bar, I was able to change my reservation to the BWV, where there had been no availablity a few days prior. So, the next two nights were at the BWV!

Just a question for you: Did you lose your SSR ressie points and use new ones for BWV OR did they let you move your SSR points over to the BWV ressie?

 

[Caskbill]

We puchased in 1993. Went to the sales center (Commodore House) at what then was called Disney Vacation Club resort (later renamed to OKW).

We took the tour, went over the paperwork and agreed to buy. While we were signing the papers, our guide worked with MS and we got a reservation for that same day.

Timeline: Drove to the sales center about 2:00 pm. Went through all the literature, tour, and papers and bought, finishing about 3:00 pm. We got our luggage and checked in and were in the room by about 4:00. So total time from purchase to first occupancy was about 1-hour.

As for normal reservations, we have had a number of reports over the years, here on the boards, of members who have gone and made a reservation and checked in on the same day. In fact, if you get to a resort and MS is already closed, the resort can make your reservation directly. Over the years there have been several reports where people were driving from the East Coast, and would stop at HH and could get a room for the night. Of course a lot of this was back when HH was still selling and so they had a lot of empty rooms a lot of the time.

 

[MdmMim]

Just a question for you: Did you lose your SSR ressie points and use new ones for BWV OR did they let you move your SSR points over to the BWV ressie?

They used the points I had tied up with the SSR ressie. I didn't lose any, and in fact, I had to borrow a few to complete the transaction.

 

[spiceycat]

don't today think you can show up without a reservation and get a DVC room.

they tried to tell members not to do that a few years ago. too many members were trying it and they had to turn several away - especially in Dec, Jan, Feb - snow birds.

get a reservations before you leave.

mind was about a week. haven't done that lately. decide last minute to go then do it.

the price of gasoline kepts me from last minute, for the fun of it, trips.

 

[rutgers1]

When I bought, my guide asked where I was staying (I was at Wilderness Lodge, paying cash) and said that there was a chance that he could save me some money by having Disney change my cash stay into a points stay. It sounded complicated so I politely declined the offer.

 

[Tine731]

called and got a room the same day a couple of years ago while staying in the Orlando area with a hurricane approaching. We were scheduled to check in the day the hurricane was to arrive but managed to get a room for the day before. We did not want to take a chance that roads would be closed and we could not get there. Have gotten individual days a couple of days out also.

Ditto. We did the same thing. Called 1st thing on Monday morning (stayed at AK the night before) and had a choice between a studio/1 bedroom at OKW or a 1 bedroom at BWV with a Boardwalk view. We checked in later that morning at the BWV for 5 nights.

Edit to add that this was during Hurricane Katrina. We evacuated to Disney thinking we would only stay a few nights. It ended up being 13 nights in total before we could go home.

 

[eva]

4 years ago we were staying at the Dolphin for a conference and had stayed at BWV prior to the conference. DH and I had an urge to stay a few more days after the conference. So I called MS on a Wednesday and was able to get a reservation the very next day at OKW for 3 nights in a 1-bedroom. This happened the second week of May. Doubt if it could happen much anymore.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

We live about 25 minutes from Vero and we've made reservations the day before during a slower season (Sept. I think?). Forget doing that in the summer, though...you can't get near the place with less than a few months' notice at the least.

 

[tinker925]

OPur cancelled flight at West Palm airport (Boston was getting snow storm), call DVC, checked in to Old Key West 2 hours, 45 minutes later. Not too bad! Thank God for those points.

 

[StotheK]

I am interesting in finding out what was the shortest time a DVC member decided to visit one of the DVC resorts (including VB and HH), made the phone call, and received a reservation. In other words, has anyone made an on the spot decision to visit and was successful? Was it two weeks, three weeks, two months, or what?

Thanks for any answers.

About 16 hours for 3 nights 1br SSR

Me: "If we can get a couple nights starting tomorrow, I'd go"

DW: (after about 5 minutes on the phone) "You should call your boss and tell him you won't be in tomorrow"

Me: "Doh!"

 

[CarolA]

I have called from the airport on my way to Disney. Flexiblity is KEY. Any resort, one BR or Studio!

Now I was also prepared to call Marriott and stay offsite. It's Orlando, it wasn't a major holiday week. I knew I would get a room SOMEPLACE LOL!

 

[Sabor]

We were ar HH in April 2006. On our Last night we deceided we would like to spend a couple more nights , we called MS and got the next two nights. We then walked down to the Front Desk and informed them and they were able to make it that we could just stay in our same room.

 

[SCDizneyDawn]

We have gotten two different same day reservations. The first was in Nov of 2006. We came off of a 7 day Magic cruise and one piece of our luggage was no where to be found. It was a Disney sold suitcase, very common I am sure! We were driving and about an hour into our drive a lady called from DCL desk at MCO and our suitcase was there! Someone had mistakenly taken in on the bus and then did not claim it when they arrived at MCO, so we started back south on I-95 and I called MS (who had only recently started opening on Sat! ) and got a studio at SSR for two nights. My DH thinks I paid someone to take the suitcase to MCO so I could get two nights at WDW after the cruise! I didn't but maybe that was only cause it never occured to me This was for a Sat and Sun night.

The second was in June of 2007, my DH got very ill in the middle of the night of our last night at VWL( a fri night). We ended up at Celebration hospital and he was admited to the hospital. I called the VWL front desk to tell them about our problem (I was trying to get DH settled before heading back to resort, would not be out of room at 11am) and they were wonderful about the situation, let me use points for the studio portion of the two br unit for the next night, even cleaned the studio portion (our friends had left the night before we were supposed to check out) so I just moved all our stuff from the 1br portion to the studio portion once I returned to VWL. It was most helpful of them in such a stressful situation. This was for a Sat night.