Availability at 7 months?

[missycj96]

Hello - I'm looking into buying DVC (which I should have done long ago). I'm trying to decide how important the home resort is. We generally travel mid to late august. But throughout the year we'll be on the school calendar. I am just wondering what members experiences have been trying to book. In other words, when you try to make reservations what do you find in terms of availability? thanks, Missy

 

[vicki_c]

If you don't make your plans more than 7 months out, home resort is irrelevant.

If you normally travel in mid to late August, you shouldn't have much trouble getting what you want at 7 months, from everything everyone I've read on these boards. That is not really a high demand time for DVC.

But, keep in mind that how you vacation now may not be the same way you vacation in 10 years, 20 years, etc. You need to make sure you're considering the long term as well.

 

[ZekeKelso]

In part, in depends upon where you are trying to get into. The smaller WDW resorts (BCV, VWL and BWV) can be tough to book during busy times at the 7 month mark. This year, you could have gotten into BWV and VWL at the 7 month mark for mid/late August (though you might not have been able to get a standard or boardwalk view room at BWV) and maybe even BCV.

Other breaks of the school calendar are tougher. Christmas and Spring break seasons are extremely busy, and it can be very tough to get in the smaller resorts. SSR and OKW are usually available at the 7-month mark except during the absolute busiest times (Christmas - NYE).

 

[starbox]

I'm an owner tied to the school schedule!

I've been able to get reservations everywhere at 7 months w/no problem. I own at SSR and AKV but I am not including booked-at-11 month trips below:

Spring Break - HHI and AKV studio (booked at 7 months). Added on a night at SSR about six weeks prior to a trip.

New Years/First of January - HHI and VWL (booked 3 months prior - got SSR immediately and had to waitlist for VWL, but it came through)

Early June - have gotten BWV (got preferred view at 7 months, had to waitlsit for the BW view, but it came through), OKW (with no waitlist), Vero Beach OVIR

Early August - got Vero Beach (garden view inn room), SSR, and OKW all about 6 weeks prior to a trip right after we bought in.

Late July - BCV, BWV (Boardwalk view without waitlisting), Vero Beach OVIR

Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are busy - but points are very high and that seems to cut down on the demand.

The hardest time to book DVC reservations seems to be early December and October/November (food and wine). If you are tied to the school calendar as we are, those are impossible times to travel so the possible lack of 7 month flexibility is not as much of an issue.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I'm an owner tied to the school schedule!

I've been able to get reservations everywhere at 7 months w/no problem. I own at SSR and AKV but I am not including booked-at-11 month trips below:

Spring Break - HHI and AKV studio (booked at 7 months). Added on a night at SSR about six weeks prior to a trip.

New Years/First of January - HHI and VWL (booked 3 months prior - got SSR immediately and had to waitlist for VWL, but it came through)

Early June - have gotten BWV (got preferred view at 7 months, had to waitlsit for the BW view, but it came through), OKW (with no waitlist), Vero Beach OVIR

Early August - got Vero Beach (garden view inn room), SSR, and OKW all about 6 weeks prior to a trip right after we bought in.

Late July - BCV, BWV (Boardwalk view without waitlisting), Vero Beach OVIR

Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are busy - but points are very high and that seems to cut down on the demand.

The hardest time to book DVC reservations seems to be early December and October/November (food and wine). If you are tied to the school calendar as we are, those are impossible times to travel so the possible lack of 7 month flexibility is not as much of an issue.

Wow, you have had great luck at the 7 mos. mark. I am going to try for 3 days at OKW in first week of June 2009 and a Sun-Thurs. in first week of Nov. 2009 for HHI studio. I checked today, there are still some studios availabe for 5 nites for this Nov! Hope I am as lucky as you!

 

[crisi]

Another thing to keep in mind is that there can be a big difference in availability if you call at seven months or wait and call at six and a half months. For the time of year you are going, if you don't have your heart set on "the Beach Club every year" I think you'll find something you'll be happy with more often than not - as long as you call promptly.

Finally, remember that your plans can change - as can Disney's. If Disney puts in an event into late August that draws a lot of DVC members, things can change overnight. We've been going in October, and when we originally purchased, our trip was right before Food and Wine started. Disney pushed it back and now we are calling day by day eleven months out to get a standard view room at the Boardwalk.

 

[starbox]

Wow, you have had great luck at the 7 mos. mark. I am going to try for 3 days at OKW in first week of June 2009 and a Sun-Thurs. in first week of Nov. 2009 for HHI studio. I checked today, there are still some studios availabe for 5 nites for this Nov! Hope I am as lucky as you!

We always travel the first week of June and have never had a problem. I did have to waitlist for the boardwalk view - but it came through really quickly. This year, I had reserved a AKV value studio for early June (I did make that reservation at 11 months) and then I decided that it would be too small for all 4 of us and wanted OKW (because it was the same # of points). I called to try to switch about three weeks ago and only 2 of the three nights I wanted were open when I called - but the waitlist came through right around the 30 day mark.

I'm sure you'll get what you want for June 2009!

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Another thing to keep in mind is that there can be a big difference in availability if you call at seven months or wait and call at six and a half months.

This is absolutely true. Some of my experiences...

Beach Resort - I called in February to see if I could book a 1 or 2-BR for late July early August. I wanted 2 weeks, but was willing to take 1. Nothing was available at either resort. Because weekends are almost double in points, a Friday/Saturday was available here or there, but I couldn't come close to booking an entire week.

Spring Break - I called at the end of October (07) to book our Spring Break trip to WDW a couple of months ago. We were there March 21 - March 27, which was the week of Easter (March 23). When I called, there was no availability anywhere for a 2-BR for a week except for SSR. We waitlisted a dedicated 2-BR, which came through. MS said there were very few rooms remaining and it's a good thing we called. She said rooms would be completely sold out VERY soon!

August Trip - We are going to be at WDW Aug 9 - Aug 14. I called when we were down at Spring Break to book. I had no issue getting a 1-BR at VWL, but waitlisted AKV, as there was no sav view availability.

If you are flexible with where you stay, we honestly haven't had a problem (with the exception of the beach resorts). However, if it's going to break your heart not to stay at BCV or AKV, then I would purchase where you want to stay and take advantage of your 8-11 month home resort booking priority. Otherwise, per the OP, at 7 months, your home resort offers no advantage. Reservations are first come, first served.

Good luck!

 

[disneynutz]

I'm an owner tied to the school schedule!

I've been able to get reservations everywhere at 7 months w/no problem. I own at SSR and AKV but I am not including booked-at-11 month trips below:

Spring Break - HHI and AKV studio (booked at 7 months). Added on a night at SSR about six weeks prior to a trip.

New Years/First of January - HHI and VWL (booked 3 months prior - got SSR immediately and had to waitlist for VWL, but it came through)

Early June - have gotten BWV (got preferred view at 7 months, had to waitlsit for the BW view, but it came through), OKW (with no waitlist), Vero Beach OVIR

Early August - got Vero Beach (garden view inn room), SSR, and OKW all about 6 weeks prior to a trip right after we bought in.

Late July - BCV, BWV (Boardwalk view without waitlisting), Vero Beach OVIR

Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are busy - but points are very high and that seems to cut down on the demand.

The hardest time to book DVC reservations seems to be early December and October/November (food and wine). If you are tied to the school calendar as we are, those are impossible times to travel so the possible lack of 7 month flexibility is not as much of an issue.

Thanks for the info. What size room do you normally get?

 

[starbox]

Thanks for the info. What size room do you normally get?

We always get studios. And ditto to the PPs that said there's a HUGE difference between calling at 7 months and calling at 6 and a half months. But on the flip side - if you are not going to be organized enough to call at 7 months, I can't see how an 11 month window will help.

Honestly, I think you can pretty much get what you want if you have an 11 month advantage OR if you are willing to call in the morning as soon as the 7 month window opens (and are willing book a 2nd choice and to waitlist for your first choice if needed).

It's at less than 7 months that things get tricky. But - then again, if you are a person that is going to book at less than 7 months, it does not matter where you own.

 

[kiingor]

I just called for VWL and AKL ( exactly 7 months window) for 2nd week of december- nothing available. They said non of the DVC resort is available except SSR- but 12/7 sunday is out. I've tried studio, 1 bedroom and even 2 bedroom. I ended up booking only 5 nights at SSR and sunday on a waitlist. I didn't think it would be that hard since it's not xmas week and its not even premier season. I'm under the assumption that the 7 month window is really no use for me. Seems like SSR is the only resort easiest to book.
My co-worker had to call in for a whole week straight to get his new years eve week. He basically booked 1 day at a time to get his full week.

 

[crisi]

We always get studios. And ditto to the PPs that said there's a HUGE difference between calling at 7 months and calling at 6 and a half months. But on the flip side - if you are not going to be organized enough to call at 7 months, I can't see how an 11 month window will help.

The difference is how much bother you are willing to go through.

As a BWV owner if I want my Standard View during F&W I should call day by day at eleven months. If I want any room, I can make one phone call pretty much any time I get around to it - if I'm on vacation or ill or just forget to call in November for that room I can do it in December - if Christmas gets in the way, I'll still get something in January - I won't be staying in my standard view room, but I'm pretty sure I'm staying at the BWV. And if we are talking an August trip, there is even more room for life to get in the way.

If I want that BWV room for F&W, I'm going to want to call day by day in March - there isn't room for error - maybe I'll get lucky, but I'd have to get lucky. If I'm in the hospital delivering a baby on March 15th when I need to make that phone call, I'm unlikely to get the room. Much less room for life to get in the way. That August trip I'll have a little more room on - but it will still likely be measured in weeks, not months.

We did an October 7 month non-home resort reservation for the first time this year. I had a note on my calendar to call - but I still managed to have a busy morning, get the kids off to school, get to work just in time for my first meeting, and couldn't make the phone call until lunchtime - and there was single digit availability on the resort I wanted when I called with the CM fully expecting the resort to be full up before I got off work.

 

[mamagg]

Does anyone happen to know if there are any 5-night (weeknight) stays at VWL or Boardwalk or Beach Club in Oct/Nov 2008?

 

[dnoyes]

Does anyone happen to know if there are any 5-night (weeknight) stays at VWL or Boardwalk or Beach Club in Oct/Nov 2008?

I think you will need to call them and give them a few dates that would work for you.
I just called today and got 2 studios at SSR for Dec 10-17th. I wanted the 9th-16th when I called but they said they could book the rooms now for 10-17th. That worked just the same for us so we did that.