BLT trouble at 11 months?

[ParkHoppers]

Would like to know if anyone has had trouble booking a standard one bedroom at BLT at the 11 month window. Might be going for some school vacation weeks in the next few years. All experiences or comments welcome. Thanks in advance

 

[supersnoop]

I don’t think anyone has ever had any trouble booking a one bedroom at any resort at 11 months.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

In looking at the bookings for the first week of December 2018 the standard view 1 BR's were gone about as fast as the standard view studios and 2BR's. But I think most times of the year you should be able to get it as long as you are booking right at the 11 month window. All the standard views are popular at BLT - cheapest rooms at a monorail resort. But like most rooms there are the super busy times and the slower times and I believe the standard view 1BR will mostly follow those.

 

[drusba]

Standard 1BRs at BLT actually often fill faster than standard studios (contrary to the opposite result at other DVC resorts). Generally, you are safe at getting a 1BR reservation at 11 months out if your trip time is during DVC's low to moderate demand season, which runs from the Monday after marathon weekend in January to late Sep. However, issues may arise during the DVC high demand season from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan, when there is some risk the 1BRs can disappear very quickly at 8 a.m. at 11 months out, particularly during DVC's extremely high demand times in that period -- the Thurs before Columbus Day to the second weekend after Columbus Day, The Thurs to Sunday of the Wine & Dine race weekend in Nov, the Thurs to Sunday of the last weekend of Food & Wine in Nov, the Tuesday through Fri of Thanksgiving week, the first two weeks of December (and including late Nov if Dec 1 is a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday), December 23 through Jan 1, and the Thurs through Sat of marathon weekend in Jan.

 

[RachaelA]

We've had trouble with a standard view 1 bed at 11 months out for early December.

 

[ParkHoppers]

I don’t think anyone has ever had any trouble booking a one bedroom at any resort at 11 months.

Things are getting more competitive these days in DVC. I read somewhere else where some people were having some issues at BWV getting standard one bedroom at 11 month window when Food and Wine is going. People are actually walking at 11 month window to make sure they get theirs. Even if they don’t need to at the 11 month. Even people who used to not book at 11 month window are now doing just that as they are sick of next to no availability on shorter notice. IMO there are more people booking their home right at the 11 month window today as opposed to say 5 years ago. That makes a notable change is availability at 11 month window. What happens when 90% of owners start booking their home right at the 11 month window due to fear of getting shut out? I think we will see this soon.

 

[Dizjunkieee]

We've had trouble with a standard view 1 bed at 11 months out for early December.

First, I am a renter of DVC, not an owner (YET!) and have rented points successfully (through David's) at least twice a year for the last few years. I just booked a trip yesterday (split stay) 4 nights in a std. 1BR at Kidani, followed by 4 nights in a Lake view 1BR at BLT. My first request for both was Standard view, but even at exactly the 11 month mark, Std view was sold out at BLT for my Dec. 8-12 dates. The real bummer was they initially had emailed me a confirmation saying I had gotten a Standard view, but then called to say they had made an error and it was someone elses reservation & that mine was secured at a lake view where std was already sold out. I actually just spent 9 nights in a lake view studio in Oct. so know it is a lovely view, but was trying to pinch a few pennies. No biggie though. Just glad to have the reservation in place.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

BLT standard 1Bed was gone for 12/9/18 and 12/10/18 as of this morning.....so technically before the 11 mo window opens.

 

[LOUTED76]

I actually had to re-arrange my August trip since BWV Standard 1 Bedroom was not available at 11 months for 2 of the days. Funny thing is (not funny to me) that a week later all the days were available and are still available now. I suspected it might be due to people "walking" a reservation.

 

[ParkHoppers]

I don’t think anyone has ever had any trouble booking a one bedroom at any resort at 11 months.

We've had trouble with a standard view 1 bed at 11 months out for early December.

BLT standard 1Bed was gone for 12/9/18 and 12/10/18 as of this morning.....so technically before the 11 mo window opens.

I actually had to re-arrange my August trip since BWV Standard 1 Bedroom was not available at 11 months for 2 of the days. Funny thing is (not funny to me) that a week later all the days were available and are still available now. I suspected it might be due to people "walking" a reservation.

You were saying.

 

[supersnoop]

You were saying.

I guess I stand corrected.

But, it's important to note that yesterday, the 9th was unavailable in a BLT 1-bed standard, but it's available today. Looks like walking is creating a false scarcity issue. Also important; at this time of day, only that BLT 1-bed standard and AKV club level are unavailable for the 11-month window.

There appear to be two room types that have trouble at 11 months, but I suspect one of those is artificial.

 

[Ecstatic Eeyore]

I bought in to BLT back in 2010. I’ve only seen the standard rooms book up when I plan my trip out 11 months. I’m perfectly fine with the lake view though. I enjoy looking out over lake early in the morning and before going to bed.

 

[spiceycat]

walking has definitely make me wait - you can go ahead and book it on the wait list - when it becomes available it will move you. (if it does) -

 

[PleasejointheFarque]

I try to book BLT right at the 11 month mark, I dont even bother looking for std now. I just grab the LV studio. Although this year I was able to get a std studio for our first fly in night, which is a first for us ( early sept).

 

[bobbiwoz]

11 months was yesterday, and I had to book a Lake View 2 night stay for Dec 29 and 30th, SV was not there in the 2 bedroom. I think there was a 13 point difference in the 2 night stay. That IMO is not prohibitive.

Bobbi

 

[Granny]

BLT standard 1Bed was gone for 12/9/18 and 12/10/18 as of this morning.....so technically before the 11 mo window opens.

Actually, those are dates well past the 11 month window which started on January 9.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Actually, those are dates well past the 11 month window which started on January 9.

That was posted on January 9.

 

[Granny]

That was posted on January 9.

Oops...good catch Bobbi! And my apologies to @4luv2cdisney. I thought the post was much more recent. My bad.

 

[Jennasis]

I booked at 11months and made the huge mistake of forgetting it was reservation day and so didnt log on until 11am...by then there were no std view studios at BLT from 12/8-14. We had to book lake view. There is still pretty much full lake view availability there even now for that week.

 

[suebeelin]

Ive been able to get std view at the 11mo mark in September (labor day studio) and November (jersey week 2bd) of 2018. I was worried we wouldn't get given the chatter about how hard it is to get std rooms at BLT (among other resorts), but it worked out this year. Maybe we were lucky.