Anyone book at home resort day before 7 mo. window opens during busy DVC times?

[TigerLaw]

hope some of you can help me out on this question. My fiancee and I are planning to buy either at BW or BC via resale, but I have not as of yet been able to talk her into being willing to make reservations 11 mos. out (basically, her argument is if we go yearly, we would be making plans for our next vacation as soon as we got home from the last one).

So for right now, what I need to know is, lets say we buy into BCV, and want to stay during a DVC busy time (let's say first week in dec) if we try to book at our home resort right before the 7 mo.window opens for everyone else, how successful are we likely to be? If we are waitlisted, will we get priority over wiatlisters from other properties?

Put another way, if its going to be impossible to get in at that time unless we book right at the 11 mo. window, maybe melissa is right and we should just buy into OKW and take our chances?

one last question, if any of you fancy talkers out there have any tips on changing my fiancee's mind about book at the 11 mo. window, I'd love to hear them!

thanks for the help!

 

[wtpclc]

Fancy talking - I wouldn't cry when I left WDW if I knew when I was coming back!!!!!!!

DVC should fix that now, though!

 

[ripleysmom]

While I can't say for certain, I think that availability for busy times for the DVC resorts is definitely not something you want to take chances with.

An approach that you might possibly take with your fiancee is to let her know that you are not locked into your vacation at the 11 mo. window. If you decide that you don't want to go you are more than welcome to cancel, in fact, someone on a wait list may love you for it. Just remember there are banking guidelines and everything will be fine.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you are talking 1st couple of weeks of December and you wait until just before the 7 month mark, then you better not plan on staying at your home resort, because OKW and SSR are likely going to be the only things with available accomodations. Of course, that depends on the size unit you are looking for too.

 

[DebbieB]

Unless you are borrowing points, there is really no risk in booking at 11 months. I would make a "tentative" reservation and if you have to change it close to 7 months, then do it.

 

[TigerLaw]

so basically then, everyone uses the 11 mo. window at their home resort and books right away then and if I don't do it this way, I'm screwed?

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by TigerLaw
so basically then, everyone uses the 11 mo. window at their home resort and books right away then and if I don't do it this way, I'm screwed?

No, there is usually availability at 7 months for most parts of the year at mosts of the resorts. There is just no guarantee you will be able to get what you want. Early December can be a tough one but seems to be easier this year with the additional rooms available.

 

[Caskbill]

Keep in mind the 7-month "window" begins 7-months from someone's checkout date. If you waited until 1-day before "YOUR' 11-month advantage, but for your Checkout date, you aren't necessarily beating all the 7-month people, especially if you're trying for a longer vacation timeframe (for example, maybe 2 -weeks).

In this case all the people only looking for 1-week would have a check-out date 7-days prior to your checkout date, so they all could have called a week (6-days) before you call just 1-day prior to the end of your 11-month window, and they could have reserved the 1st week that you wanted, because for them it was less than 7-months from their checkout date.

Example you want Dec 1 through Dec 14, checking out Dec 15th.
You call 1-day prior to the end of your 11-month booking window, that is, you call on May 14th. (The 7-month window for this vacation would begin on May 15th)

Someone else with non-home resort wants Dec 1 through Dec 7. Using a 7-month window, they can call on May 8th which is 7-months from their checkout date of Dec 8th.

Hope that makes sense.

If you're going to use the home resort advantage, do it 8 to 11 months before your checkout date.

 

[jimmytammy]

If your fiancee is a Disney nut like most of us here, she will come to appreciate the 11 mos window of opportunity. We find ourselves not only looking to book the next trip but having the next two yrs planned out

And once you join and go "home" a few times you will probably enjoy staying at the other DVC resorts also. We do!

Good luck in your decision!

 

[Dean]

Whether thiis will work for you depends on when and what time of year you want to go. If you want December or Easter or if you're looking at a "specialty room"; you should either plan at the 11 month window or before and then book at the 11 month window. Specialty rooms are things like a GV, 2 BR with 2 queens, and standard or BW view at BWV. But remember it will likely become increasingly harder to reserve at the 7 month window as the system grows, especially the way it's growing right now with a lot of points at what is NOT a destination resort for the majority.

If you can plan tenatively, that may help and you can always cancel or change it if need be. If you do not expect to be able to get your reservations set BEFORE the 7 month window opens most of the time, I'd say you should not buy DVC.

 

[lisareniff]

We just bought last spring and decided to go down Thanksgiving week. We were calling just before the 7 month mark. Didn't have a problem. This is our one and only experience so I don't have a lot of data. I'm sure more popular times (Easter, Christmas) and units (GV, Std. View) might have more difficultly. However, even if there isn't a room you will be on the wait list before all the other 7 month people and there is a lot of switching going on at the 7 month mark. I would think your chances are good. But what do I know!!

 

[Dean]

If you're flexible as to your resort on any given visit, your situation will work better. OKW ans SSR are more likely to be available routinely. If that's the case, you have to decide on home resort. While I'd still recommend you buy where you'd prefer to stay, in this situation you might be just as well served with the cheapest option, usually OKW. Good luck.

 

[Muushka]

Originally posted by TigerLaw
Snip....(basically, her argument is if we go yearly, we would be making plans for our next vacation as soon as we got home from the last one).

And the bad part of this statement is???????????????????

 

[InstImpres]

I just booked 7 month and 2 days out for President's Day week (not on purpose) wasn't going to go this year but than couldn't resist. MS suggested I wait 6 days so I could any of my points and not to have to borrow for home priority. I asked if there was enough availability to do so, she looked and said lets book now.

So the answer is yes, I got what I wanted just outside of 7 months, probably would have had to waitlist at 6 month and probably would have come through 1 -3 months before.

JMHO
Sandy

 

[PamOKW]

While many people on these boards take advantage of the 11 month window, my guess is that the general DVC population does not.

I would get in the habit of booking as soon as possible when you think you might want to travel. For example, if you currently tend to go every Thanksgiving, why not book that as soon as possible? It is always easier to cancel than it is to book.

 

[KLR-wlv]

I've used our points for about 8-10 trip and only booked at the 11 month window for new year's at WL. I just booked easter at WL and VB and there was availablity and that was at around 8 months. And I've waitlisted and gotten a standard view at BW (not a home resort for me) in early december. I've gotten BCV at food and wine festival time too booking 5 months out - so I really don't think you should generally have a problem even at desireable times if you can plan 5-8 months ahead. Maybe my experience the past 3 years isn't typical, but DVC really has been more flexible for me than having to have all my plans written in stone a year out. I even added a studio at VB during spring break onto a reservation about 1 month prior. ANd if you're flexible on where you are willing to stay - I don't think there should be too many problems.

 

[nezy]

We usually go the same time of year, so I always book at the 11th month. However, that does not mean that I don't change, cancel or free-up those points if I need to. Usually at the 7 month I call to see if non-home resorts are available. More often than not, they are. I also wait list if I really want a non-home resort, while keeping my original ressie. I figure as long as I am somewhere on DVC property I am good.

By the way, I have yet to stay at my home resort-BWV!

P.S.- Several mentions od SSR being easily available at 7month window-is that due to so many rooms at this resort?

 

[MrsG]

We just booked a studio at BCV our home resort 2 days before the 7th month window opened for everyone else. And let me tell you, we almost didn't get it. I was on hold for 10 mins. The CM finally got Pres. Day for us but lost the Tues. Then she finally got both, so....... book as early as you can or you risk not getting your preference.