Anticipation of the 7th-Month Booking

[DisneyStarWisher]

A few weeks ago, we decided to book a February trip. Through some miracle, I was able to get 5 nights in an AKV value studio. Usually, I'm booking that at 11 months out, so I was surprised to see availability. Anyway, I haven't booked the last two nights because I am going to have to borrow from both our AKV and our HHI points. I don't want to borrow over 7 points from our AKV contract, and I can't borrow from our HHI contracts until 7 months out. So, I'm just waiting--and watching availability change non-stop. I thought I had a clear plan to book Poly since those were staying open even past the 7-month window. Well, today one of the nights disappeared. Back to the drawing board. But that's just it, there's no way to plan this! Am I just going to have to make a split-second decision at 8:00 a.m. at the 7-month mark??? That's tough when I'm such a planner! What if I try for one and don't get it? Then it might be too late to try for another resort. The anticipation is nerve-wracking! I've never been in this position. How do others deal with the anxiety of waiting for the 7-month window?

 

[gharter]

yes you will. booking and changing resorts was difficult before (depending on the time of year). Now with many having excess points built up, it will only be more difficult.
Good luck

 

[cellomom]

Breathe…
start looking before 8am to prepare as much as possible, that’s all you really can do. if you’re missing a few days, do a waitlist
congrats on booking an AKV value studio, those are hard to come by.

 

[Sandisw]

It is just a game we all have to play when waiting for that day to show up. It is one of the reasons people walk reservations. Now, at 7 months, it can be blocked...I have had that happen several times when I was watching things and decided to do it since I was only about 4 days early and boom, one of those nights disappeared the next day.

But, keep watching and checking because there could be some people who will indeed be dropping those nights at 7 months as well. What I always do at 7 months is check back around 9 to 10 am if I didn't get it at 8 am and 90% of the time have had success because those that booked as a home resort booking, have now moved elsewhere!

Good luck!

ETA: Have you thought to try and get the first few nights with the HH points and then try to shift the 5 you have to pick up the last few nights. This gives you a little jump. I have done this as well.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

It is just a game we all have to play when waiting for that day to show up. It is one of the reasons people walk reservations. Now, at 7 months, it can be blocked...I have had that happen several times when I was watching things and decided to do it since I was only about 4 days early and boom, one of those nights disappeared the next day.

But, keep watching and checking because there could be some people who will indeed be dropping those nights at 7 months as well. What I always do at 7 months is check back around 9 to 10 am if I didn't get it at 8 am and 90% of the time have had success because those that booked as a home resort booking, have now moved elsewhere!

Good luck!

ETA: Have you thought to try and get the first few nights with the HH points and then try to shift the 5 you have to pick up the last few nights. This gives you a little jump. I have done this as well.

I'm confused by your addition at the end. I can't book anything with HHI points except HHI right now. Can you elaborate?

 

[Sandisw]

I'm confused by your addition at the end. I can't book anything with HHI points except HHI right now. Can you elaborate?

Say your dates are January 26th to February 3rdand you used the AKV points to get January 26 to January 31st. You want to add a few more nights.

The 7 month window for the 31st doesn’t open until July 1st.

However, you can go on and try and book January 26 and 27th starting tomorrow with HH points. Then if you get them, you move the trip with the AKV points forward to pick up dates at the end since they are home resort points so you don’t need to be in the 7 month window.

It gives you a 5 night head start.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Say your dates are January 26th to February 3rdand you used the AKV points to get January 26 to January 31st. You want to add a few more nights.

The 7 month window for the 31st doesn’t open until July 1st.

However, you can go on and try and book January 26 and 27th starting tomorrow with HH points. Then if you get them, you move the trip with the AKV points forward to pick up dates at the end since they are home resort points so you don’t need to be in the 7 month window.

It gives you a 5 night head start.

I get what you are saying. My issue is the non-home resort nights are at the end of my trip. I have 5 nights in an AKV value for February 15-19, and I'm wanting another resort for 2 nights at the end. I don't think it would work in that instance, would it?

 

[Sandisw]

I get what you are saying. My issue is the non-home resort nights are at the end of my trip. I have 5 nights in an AKV value for February 15-19, and I'm wanting another resort for 2 nights at the end. I don't think it would work in that instance, would it?

Let me try with your actual dates, Right now, you have used AKV during home resort to get Feb 15 to 19.

You are waiting for the 7 month window to book Feb 19 to 21. That window for your HH points opens July 19th.

Instead of waiting until then, go on July 15th and try to book that same room type for Feb 15 to 17th with HHI points. Yes, you do have those already but if you get those with HHI points then you can modify the current trip to pick up dates at the end earlier because you are now using AKV points and are trying to book more nights at AKV,

Basically, you end up getting a head start, If there are no rooms on the 15th to book using thr HH points, you have lost nothing because you have those nights.

The other option is to just modify on the 15th to make it a 7 night trip and if any of those nights are still available, the system will allow you to use the HH points along with AKV as long as both contracts are checked,

Does this help?

 

[redboat45]

Let me try with your actual dates, Right now, you have used AKV during home resort to get Feb 15 to 19.

You are waiting for the 7 month window to book Feb 19 to 21. That window for your HH points opens July 19th.

Instead of waiting until then, go on July 15th and try to book that same room type for Feb 15 to 17th with HHI points. Yes, you do have those already but if you get those with HHI points then you can modify the current trip to pick up dates at the end earlier because you are now using AKV points and are trying to book more nights at AKV,

Basically, you end up getting a head start, If there are no rooms on the 15th to book using thr HH points, you have lost nothing because you have those nights.

The other option is to just modify on the 15th to make it a 7 night trip and if any of those nights are still available, the system will allow you to use the HH points along with AKV as long as both contracts are checked,

Does this help?

She doesn't want to stay at AKL for the last 2 nights of her trip. What you're saying won't work for her to book Poly.

 

[Sandisw]

She doesn't want to stay at AKL for the last 2 nights of her trip. What you're saying won't work for her to book Poly.

I thought when it was mentioned Poly was gone, it was back to doing all at AKV.

If that is the case, then you are right…this plan does not work!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

She doesn't want to stay at AKL for the last 2 nights of her trip. What you're saying won't work for her to book Poly.

I thought when it was mentioned Poly was gone, it was back to doing all at AKV.

If that is the case, then you are right…this plan does not work!

Right. I do not want to do all at AKV. I have 5 nights at AKV and would like to add 2 nights at another resort. I'd prefer to stay somewhere I haven't already, but now one night of Poly is gone, VGF and BCV have never had availability since I've been looking, and Riviera has only one night. If this is still the case at 7 months out, then I'm not left with much choice. Thus the anticipation! I'm anxious that I may not get anything! But if there are some choices, which to pick first??? Which means more anticipation!

But it would probably be a good idea to book AKV using Sandisw's method just to make sure I have something. The problem with that is there will be a zero percent chance that an AKV value studio is open.

 

[sethschroeder]

Make a stack ranking list of what you want for even rooms that you don't think will be there. At 7 months load up a search for all resorts and go to town.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Make a stack ranking list of what you want for even rooms that you don't think will be there. At 7 months load up a search for all resorts and go to town.

That's what I had planned, but I guess I'm just afraid that I will spend time on that hard-to-get room and then by the time I try for the easy-to-get room, it will be gone.

 

[Rick195275]

I’m with you! Usually really look forward to the 7 month window and seeing what we can switch to for a split stay. We are actually looking for around the same dates! Your trip is ending around where ours is starting. Now with the shut down of member services around the dates I’m pretty anxious about it too. I’ll most likely be dropping a bay lake tower standard view studio that fits your dates if you’re looking lol.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I’m with you! Usually really look forward to the 7 month window and seeing what we can switch to for a split stay. We are actually looking for around the same dates! Your trip is ending around where ours is starting. Now with the shut down of member services around the dates I’m pretty anxious about it too. I’ll most likely be dropping a bay lake tower standard view studio that fits your dates if you’re looking lol.

Yes, the downtime of MS is also getting me anxious as well as all this craziness with the website showing availability when it's really not available. I'll keep my eye out for the BLT studio. I had my heart set on Poly, but honestly, I'd be fine at SSR to check out the refurb and to walk to DS. Surely, I can get that! But who knows?

 

[Rick195275]

Yes, the downtime of MS is also getting me anxious as well as all this craziness with the website showing availability when it's really not available. I'll keep my eye out for the BLT studio. I had my heart set on Poly, but honestly, I'd be fine at SSR to check out the refurb and to walk to DS. Surely, I can get that! But who knows?

We were looking at poly too! Points seem higher than what I’m used to there so was thinking kidani since it’s still fully available too unlike poly. I’ll be stalking for bcv, riv or poly ideally hopefully we both get some pixie dust and will be at poly! We’ll be at boardwalk for the first time on the second half of the trip!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

We were looking at poly too! Points seem higher than what I’m used to there so was thinking kidani since it’s still fully available too unlike poly. I’ll be stalking for bcv, riv or poly ideally hopefully we both get some pixie dust and will be at poly! We’ll be at boardwalk for the first time on the second half of the trip!

Since we are at AKV Jambo for the first half of our trip, I really don't want Kidani. I definitely want something different. I have Kidani booked for one of the two nights just in case (can't book our last night since I'd have to borrow too many AKV points), but I am SO hoping to be able to modify it to a new place.