BLT 2BR weekend before Thanksgiving

[gizimm]

We are new DVC members and are in the process of booking our 2nd DVC trip for Nov 2014. We have already booked a 2BR at AKV (home resort) for our stay Nov 20 - 25 (Thursday - Tuesday before Thanksgiving) but I am hoping to change our ressie to BLT at the 7 month mark. Will this be a high demand and a difficult/unlikely change to make? Should I consider "walking" the reservation?

Any advice or expertise is much appreciated! TIA!

 

[rlovew]

Walking a reservation at 7 months doesn't help to much as members from the resort may already have fully booked one of the days and at that point your walking ends and you still don't get what you want. You can look at a week out and start seeing if all your nights are available and then you could try booking early but more than likely you won't be able to get all the nights in 1 category at BLT. Many people come in for Thanksgiving that weekend so it makes it harder to book the later days of your vacation and home resort members will already have some of the days booked up in various categories. There is a possibility of your getting a split stay with BLT but less of a chance of getting all the days.

 

[nalajms]

You definitely have a shot at getting a 2bd lake view. You'll need to book as soon as possible. I'd start looking a week out. If you have enough points, book Tues-Tues, then wait a few days and take off Tue/Wed. Hope that makes sense!

You may have a problem getting is Mon & Tues before Thanksgiving. If you really want BLT, consider a split stay at BLT then AKV.

Good luck!

 

[DisKneeDad]

We are new DVC members and are in the process of booking our 2nd DVC trip for Nov 2014. We have already booked a 2BR at AKV (home resort) for our stay Nov 20 - 25 (Thursday - Tuesday before Thanksgiving) but I am hoping to change our ressie to BLT at the 7 month mark. Will this be a high demand and a difficult/unlikely change to make? Should I consider "walking" the reservation?

Any advice or expertise is much appreciated! TIA!

You will not get a standard view. You have a shot at a lake view, but you might have to waitlist a couple of nights.

 

[staceymay00]

We are new DVC members and are in the process of booking our 2nd DVC trip for Nov 2014. We have already booked a 2BR at AKV (home resort) for our stay Nov 20 - 25 (Thursday - Tuesday before Thanksgiving) but I am hoping to change our ressie to BLT at the 7 month mark. Will this be a high demand and a difficult/unlikely change to make? Should I consider "walking" the reservation?

Any advice or expertise is much appreciated! TIA!

This past Thanksgiving I booked a 2BR Sun though Thanksgiving day at my home resort. At exactly 7 months I was able to switch to a 2BR at BWV, but had to arrive a day early and stay Sat-Wed. I don't think any other 2BRs were available for that timeframe except SSR, OKW and maybe AKV. I know a 2BR for BLT was not an option for all four of my nights, but I can't remember if it was booked solid for all four nights or just a couple. Thanksgiving week can be tough at 7 months, however you will be in a better position since your trip begins the Thursday prior - you'll have a couple of days head start over those switching a stay that begins Sat or Sun. Still, I'm not sure you will be able to get all of your nights without risking a split stay (booking what you can at BLT and use the wait list/stalk the website for the other nights, but you may not ever get those other nights at BLT); or you can use the waitlist for entire stay, but the more nights the less likely it will come through.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[gizimm]

Thanks to all for the advice! My plan is to keep fingers crossed and try to make the switch right at 7 months - might have to split-stay and/or waitlist last couple days.

One final question: is it better to check online and cancel and re-book vs. calling MS to make the switch? I don't want to get stuck without a room but I didn't know if waiting for MS to open would risk losing a BLT room?

Thanks again for any guidance you might have!

 

[nalajms]

Unless you have an AKV value room booked, it's unlikely that AKV will be booked up during that time at 8am. I would check AKV availability for the dates (at 7:59am), if it's open, cancel and book the BLT (at 8am).

You want to call MS to change if you're worried that when you release AKV, then can't book BLT, AKV is already gone.