Availability of other resorts beyond your home resort

[Simba's Mom]

I'm not picking on you, but these stories always make me wonder about the waiting list. I can't believe there wasn't a waiting list for the early December for a Boardwalk View - just BWV owners who had a room and didn't want to risk the scary clown view. They are booking up day by day currently, with people being unable to reserve if they waited all at once. Since there are few Boardwalk owners who wouldn't take the Boardwalk view over a preferred view, it seems really odd that they are open at seven months. My guess is that there is a hole in the process somewhere, and a system or process change will close this one over time.

No problem, I admit I may have benefited when there was a waiting list. And I certainly hope that if that's the case, DVC will close the loophole. Recently I was waitlisted for a room I never got. If someone else benefited (just being in the "right place at the right time"), lucky for them, but not good for DVC.

 

[nestlejean]

Living a tad bit North of you, I totally can relate to the COLD and SNOW (although it is actually decent here right now...). You can always book at your home resort (whichever one you choose) at 11 months and then try to change it at 7 months to one of the others. You are sure to be successful at some point. I can see why you may like to change around and stay at different resorts. We like ours but like to go to the others to see them and try them out, too. We like to just resort hop and see the other hotels and resorts too but I like to stay only at DVC resorts- yah spolied! If you book your resort at 11 mos, you'll know you have a place, then at 7 months. see whats available and change it!
Jean

 

[dtndfamily]

love it!!!

As I say - sometimes you might get lucky on the Dec reservations - I definitely have. but don't count on it.

if you would be happy at SSR in dec - then go ahead and buy there. If you know you want an Epcot or MK resort only - then don't.

Or do what some of else do - buy smaller contracts at those places you know you will love at special times.

a 60 points contract at VWL - will get you 5 days during Dec 1 -18 (sun-thurs)

a 50 points contract at BWV will get you 5 days during the food/wine or thanksgiving or Dec 1-18 (sun-thurs) only if you can get the standard view.

so I would get the smallest amount on SSR - 150 - then look for smaller contracts for your trips in Dec/nov/oct....

I totally agree with you spicycat about buying small contracts at various places. I would take advantage of the current incentive at SSR, then immediately add on some small contracts through Disney at either VWL, BCV, BWV or all three if you so desire (you may want to buy BCV through resale if you are looking to use those first since you may wait a while through Disney). You can bank and borrow so you can use one contact one year, one the next and the third the year after that, not to mention the SSR points. IMO, this is the way to go, and a strategy I plan on using in the future.

 

[mfin]

I am all for proper planning so imagine my surprise when as a newbie to DVC, the day after I received my temp membership card, on Friday 1/6; I call MS to book either first week of April or anytime in May for home resort SSR which had availability, no surprise there, but he said if you wanted; BCV also had studios available for May. So, it is nice to know at the 5 month window I could have selected another resort. Granted, the month of May perhaps is considered less crowded and understandably I may not have the same results the next time around. It was tempting, but I'm going to SSR since it was purchased site unseen.

 

[spiceycat]

May, Sept and Jan - you can generally find any of the resorts.

not Oct, Nov nor Dec - these are just more popular with DVC members.

now sometimes May can be too - the flower/gardner festavial and my favorite - "STAR WARS WEEKENDS~~~~"

 

[T.E. Yeary]

I just got a very nice surprise. Called MS on Friday to ask for a 1 bedroom at Vero Beach anytime in the future. MS called the resort and we checked in Monday of this week stayed thru Thurs night, came home today. We could not have asked for better weather, in the mid to high 70's. It's a lovely resort and I felt very lucky to go on such short notice. Of course we live in Orlando, so just made the 2hr drive and voila, the BEACH!

Oh, the 1 bedroom was 3rd floor beachfront. Don't know the square footage, but it was huge and decorated beautifully.

The whole point of this rambling message is I never dreamed I could call on one day and check in 3 days later for a 4 night stay.

Tom

 

[shantay1008]

Hi,
We leave for Saratoga Springs in less than a month, and I'm starting to wonder what we've gotten ourselves into. It seems like people would rather stay anywhere but there. Is it really that bad? I hope not, because we're really excited about this vacation!

 

[athenna]

Hi,
We leave for Saratoga Springs in less than a month, and I'm starting to wonder what we've gotten ourselves into. It seems like people would rather stay anywhere but there. Is it really that bad? I hope not, because we're really excited about this vacation!

Don't be nervous, SSR is beautiful. It actually has gotten a lot mor positive reviews lately. I don't know how to post attachments or I'd find some threads for you. If you do a search, I bet you'll find some. It's certainly got more fans lately-including me
Let me know if you have any specific SSR questions I can help you with.

 

[crisi]

Hi,
We leave for Saratoga Springs in less than a month, and I'm starting to wonder what we've gotten ourselves into. It seems like people would rather stay anywhere but there. Is it really that bad? I hope not, because we're really excited about this vacation!

Threads like this aren't about SSR being a good or bad resort -- they are about SSR being a large resort. If all DVC members decide to switch and stay at a place other than their home at a 20% rate, that means there are less 36 VWL rooms (smallest resort) available to nonVWL owners (or owners booking at seven months), but 165 SSR rooms (largest resort). And it isn't a one for one switch, OKW, BWV and BCV owners are also eligible to try for those 36 rooms. This means its more likely mathematically at seven months (or six/five four) to be able to book SSR (then OKW, BWV pool/garden, BCV, VWL, then the special views at BWV). So if you are buying DVC to stay in a standard view room at BWV, it is wise to own there - and make your reservations early! If you are buying DVC to stay somewhere at WDW and anyplace will be fine with you (all the resorts have fans, all the resorts have benefits, and all the resorts have disadvantages - none are "perfect"), then it really doesn't matter where you own.

 

[tothebeach9]

wish there were more resorts other than right on WDW property, hope they build more.

 

[byoung]

I got VWL at the 7month for May with no problem (Studio).

 

[rigsby25]

Hello from Chicago suburb. At the end of December, we just decided to go to the Expedition Everest preview for DVC members on January 25, 26 and 27th. I was all set to book our home resort, OKW, which we love, however, the only availability was at SSR, but this is fine with us as we would like to try other resorts too. This also makes me feel better about making last minute reservations.

 

[llp479]

We booked at 2 bdrm at VWL at the just over 7 mos mark for March 23-25, 2006. This past Nov 30 I called for availability of a 2 bdrm for Dec 17 - 21 - yes, just over 3 weeks out, and was offered OKW or BWV. Went with OKW for the lower points.

It really doesn't matter to me which resort we are at because I'm in WDW, and being at WDW vs Chicago area in winter - magic!

 

[jpmom]

We own at VWL -- but we've never stayed there yet (at the Villas, that is) because we like the location of the BWV and BCV better. We have always gotten what we wanted -- always at 7 months or less. Just booked for June at BWV and had no problems getting what we wanted.

Also -- why not look into a resale so you don't have to buy at SSR???

We bought our first set of points through Disney and our second set through a reseller. No problems, smooth transaction ($85 per point at BCV -- but you can get other packages for less)

I would look into a reseller and buy whatever is the best deal, since it doesn't seem like you would really take advantage of an 11 month window.