Availability

[N365PA]

Hey Y'all,
My wife and I are actively looking on the resale market and just have a few questions for the veterans. I work for the US Govt rolleyes1) so I plan my vacations. I bid my leave for the following year in Oct-Nov and its pretty much set in stone. Not much flexibilty once I choose my vacation days. Now we try to never visit Disney in peak season. My parents live a little ways down the road (to far to fly in, and say day-trip to each park every day, Fort Myers) and we've done Disney the week after Christmas a few times...haha were we stupid So basically, when we visit Disney it is usually away from peak (Adveture through Dream). Were looking at making OKW or AKV our home resort (we LOVE both of these resorts). We would be booking Studio's (no kids as of yet) and wanted to know what y'alls experiences are getting other resorts at the 7 month window, out of season. I have friends who are OKW members from way back in 93 or so (I was 8...) and they have said, out of season, they can get the resort they usually want, just some trips theyve had to split the stay (which is fine with my wife and I).

So basically long story short, what is everyones experience hopping resorts out of season?

Sorry if this is an open-ended subject, just curious. Thanks to everyone on the Boards for answers to other DVC questions. Ive been a lurker in this sub-forum for a while reading and researching. Your answers and experiences have helped us decide we're going resale (not using our points on the cruise line) and saving a few bucks paying for it outright.

Clint
Surfing the AKV / OKW Re-Sale

 

[Missyrose]

Hey Y'all,
My wife and I are actively looking on the resale market and just have a few questions for the veterans. I work for the US Govt rolleyes1) so I plan my vacations. I bid my leave for the following year in Oct-Nov and its pretty much set in stone. Not much flexibilty once I choose my vacation days. Now we try to never visit Disney in peak season. My parents live a little ways down the road (to far to fly in, and say trip to each park every day, Fort Myers) and we've done Disney the week after Christmas...haha were we stupid So basically, when we visit Disney is usually way away from peak (Adveture through Dream). Were looking at making OKW or AKV our home resort (we LOVE both of these resorts). We would be booking Studio's (no kids as of yet) and wanted to know what y'alls experiences are getting other resorts at the 7 month window, out of season. I have friends who are OKW members from way back in 93 or so (I was 8...) and they have said, out of season, they can get the resort they usually want, just some trips theyve had to split the stay (which is fine with my wife and I).

So basically long story short, what is everyones experience hopping resorts out of season?

Sorry if this is an open-ended subject, just curious. Thanks to everyone on the Boards for answers to other DVC questions. Ive been a lurker in this sub-forum for a while reading and researching. Your answers and experiences have helped us decide we're going resale (not using our points on the cruise line) and saving a few bucks paying for it outright.

Clint
Surfing the AKV / OKW Re-Sale

The first thing to understand is that off-peak seasons in the park don't necessarily translate to DVC. Early December has become the hardest part of the year to get into a resort other than your home resort. Late-September through early November han be extremely difficult at BLT (Halloween parties at MK) and downright impossible at BCV or BWV (Food and Wine Festival). VWL are tough to get from mid-November through marathon weekend (January) because of the Christmas decorations.

As more and more DVC members are added, availability becomes even harder at the much-desired resorts.

 

[eodultis]

WOW! Thanks for that bit of information about how difficult to get DVC during certain months out of the year! I know I was going with DVC the same as the park crowds. Yikes! I'll be rethinking this when it comes time to purchase DVC! September is one of my favorite times to visit too! -- especially for the wine/food fest.!!!!

 

[lovin'fl]

We have not had too much trouble getting something we want when we book. We have OKW and HH points, but we have been trying all the resorts (right now our fave is BWV). We got VB last August...booked it 1st thing in the morning at the 7 month window. We had trouble getting BCV for a July 4th trip but we waited until about 6 months out to book. Instead, we got BWV and VWL for a split stay for that 9 night trip. Once, I looked into booking a January trip about 2 months before and couldn't get a 1BR anywhere for the 5 nights I wanted. So, we didn't go. Before we bought the HH points, we got a 1BR at HH for 4 nights in July...wanted to go longer but could only get those 4 consecutive nights in the time frame I was looking (so we added 3 nights at OKW and did 2 days at Sea World). So, if you can be somewhat flexible you can buy any home resort. Though, Disney may change up the rules someday...where we would only be able to stay at our home resort (it's a rumor right now, but anything can happen). Then, you should be happy having to stay at your home resort.

 

[bratgirl]

Previous post is correct on certain resorts for the various times of the year. There are other resorts to book into. I have done Sept-Oct in the past at the 7 month window with no problem

 

[Sammie]

Also look at DVC points charts, those months that require the fewest points are very popular.

 

[Sandisw]

WOW! Thanks for that bit of information about how difficult to get DVC during certain months out of the year! I know I was going with DVC the same as the park crowds. Yikes! I'll be rethinking this when it comes time to purchase DVC! September is one of my favorite times to visit too! -- especially for the wine/food fest.!!!!

I would think that if you are able to book 7 months out for a September trip, you should not have a problem. As you move into the Fall and then into the holiday decorations, DVC reservations become harder to get.

As mentioned, DVC popular times are the not the same as park times. But, OKW and AKV are very big resorts and I don't think you should have very much trouble booking those trips 7 months out very often.

Good luck!

 

[drusba]

At whichever resort you own, you will be able to get what you want if you book 11 months out with possibly three exceptions. Since members can book up to 7 nights from date of arrival by reserving 11 months out from date of arrival, you can often find that AKV concierge (only 5 2BR lock-offs and thus max of 10 rooms) can already be filled for your date of arrival many times of year at 11 months out. The same can happen with AKV value around Thanksgiving and first 9 or 10 days of Dec. BLT standard may also have issues at 11 months during that early Dec period.

Which leads to the following info:

(a) The first week of Dec is the highest DVC demand week of the year; Christmas week and the second week of Dec are the next highest demand weeks

(c) NYE is the highest demand night of the year

(d) Last few days of Sep, when Food and Wine festival starts, to the Monday after Marathon weekend in Jan is the highest demand quarter of the year. It is fairly easy to get something at a near park resort 7 months out the rest of the year and that actually includes all the holidays during the rest of the year.

(e) The hardest things to get at 7 months out many times of year including during that period between marathon weekend and the end of Sep are AKV concierge, AKV value rooms, BLT standard, BWV standard and boardwalk view, Boardwalk Grand Villas, and OKW Grand Villas at the Hospitality House (a booking category; GVs elsewhere at OKW are usually open), and, sometimes BCV can be full at 7 months out such as at a major holiday like July 4 although even then 1BRs are usually open. Particularly during the time after Marathon weekend in Jan and before end of Sep, you can usually easily get BWV pool/garden view, BLT Lake or Theme Park view, and VWL but even those can be difficult at some times during that highest demand quarter.

(f) AKV standard and savanna view is usually open year round at 7 months out except that the first 8 to 10 days in Dec may have some difficulty. AKV GVs are usually available at 7 months out except Thanksgiving time, the first part of Dec and Christmas week. Likewise OKW is usually open except possibly that first part of Dec and except for rooms at the Hospitality House area which can fill before the 7 month window sometimes.

(g) The Treehouses at SSR are in a state of reservation flux. In 2012 they were hard to get most times of year at 7 months out. Disney did some point shifting at SSR beginning 2013, lowering other SSR room point costs and raising the points needed per week for the Treehouses by about 15% year round. The result has thus far been that the Treehouses in 2013 have been available at 7 months out every week of 2013 through the night of August 27 (the current last reserving night at 7 months out for 2013) and possibly that will continue until Dec.

(h) All other SSR room categories are always available year round at 7 months out.

 

[Deb & Bill]

WOW! Thanks for that bit of information about how difficult to get DVC during certain months out of the year! I know I was going with DVC the same as the park crowds. Yikes! I'll be rethinking this when it comes time to purchase DVC! September is one of my favorite times to visit too! -- especially for the wine/food fest.!!!!

We wanted to book BCV for mid-October 2012 for F&W, but we own at OKW and VWL. When our seven month window opened, nothing was available at BCV for seven nights in a row in a one bedroom. We were able to get BLT lake view one bedroom, but just barely. One bedrooms usually go last, studios and two bedrooms first (except for specific type villas like BW view at BWV or Concierge at AKV).

We do have our next trip during F&W booked for Oct 2013, but we booked at our home OKW.

 

[crisi]

The short answer is that a lot of owners at bcv and bwv purchased those resorts specifically in order to stumble back to their resorts during food and wine. And when other DVC members think about going down for food and wine, bwv and bcvs are often their first and second choices for the same reason. Lots of competition for those resorts at that time of year. If that is your plan, you'll find yourself being able to do that sometimes, but not every year unless you choose to buy one of those resorts.

 

[lovin'fl]

I found that 2BRs go last. When we tried for BCV for July 4th week...my SIl could get a 2BR but we couldn't get a 1BR (and when we could get BWV for half the trip, we got the last 1BR there...but we booked it at 6 months out). Also wanted to mention that the 2 beach resorts, HH and VB, book up for the summer and can be tough to get anything at the 7 month window...not impossible but can be hard to get (definitely have to call or go online right at 7 month window).

The 3 big resorts (OKW, AKV and SSR) are pretty easy to find availability at 7 months out. If you want value or club at AKV or standard at BWV, then you need to book before the 7 month window (need to own there then). I think BLT has similar thing but we've never looked into booking there, so I am not sure.

 

[N365PA]

Thanks for the replies to everyone! Its good to hear about the Studio AKV going quickly as that would be our normal room and hopefully our home resort. Its just OKW has some awesome deals on the resale market (and we love OKW as well) but a thing to consider is the shorter contract! We are perfectly happy staying at wherever we choose for our home resort (thanks to everyone on the boards for that advice!) and would just try other resorts as they are available etc.

Clint

 

[LisaS]

I have friends who are OKW members from way back in 93 or so (I was 8...) and they have said, out of season, they can get the resort they usually want, just some trips they've had to split the stay (which is fine with my wife and I).

We have done two split stays and didn't like being homeless from 11am at the first resort until after 4pm when our room was ready at the second resort. Some people like split stays but my DH and I discovered that we like to unpack and settle in for the duration.

When we stay in a DVC resort it's a different kind of vacation. We like to have breakfast and snacks in the room so we have a kitchen full of food in addition to a case of bottled water, an Owners Locker and all the luggage, it's just too much stuff to pack up partway through our stay.

Your friends have probably already covered the pros and cons of split stays but I wanted to make sure you were aware that DVC rooms are often not ready until very late in the day. Good luck with your decision!