Booking 7 months out ... how hard is it?

[Corwin12]

How hard is it to book a DVC resort 7 months out? Say, if you owned at Saratoga, but wanted to stay at Boardwalk?
Thanks,
Kevin

 

[1000th happy haunt]

I got a two-bedroom preferred view at BWV at seven months during the F&W Festival. And just about a month ago my waitlist for Boardwalk View came through.

Just be prepared to book exactly at seven months, day to day if necessary.

 

[Laurabearz]

(please note my 11 month comment in my siggy)

Some resorts and some times of the year, are very hard to book 7 months out... BCV durning F&W.... VWL at Christmas.... etc

But we have had good luck when we call day by day at the 7 month window for most things we really want, and have even booked trips on really short notice and have gotten our first or second choice..

 

[Dean]

I agree with Laura but feel that the list of times and options that are difficult at 7 months is far more broad. In your example of BWV, I'd say that a BW or standard view would be almost impossible other than truly low times like Jan/Sept. HH for summer will be tough as well. Many room types will also be more difficult like dedicated 2 BR units at BCV and VWL. VB for part of Jan, all Feb, March and early April will be very tough as well. Those looking at school schedules will routinely be disappointed if not VERY flexible. However, there are many ways to improve one's chances even of the most difficult options. Those that learn the system and play it aggressively will do far better than the rest.

 

[dcal]

Not too hard in my experience. October 1st, we're staying a BCV our home resort is SSR. We booked a 2BR and a Studio for my mom. I booked 7 mos to the day! Even though it's Food & Wine, the reservations were easy.

We've stayed at two non-home resorts, no issues. In fact, we're planning on a visit to SSR and WVL next. Why not try 'em all. That's a great perk @DVC! Of course, we won't be trying WVL @ Christmas, that would be asking too much!

Good luck.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I agree with Dean, that it can be very difrficult to book at 7 months out when you have children, and are booking within school breaks. You need to be VERY flexible. I booked at 11 months out for BW view on a Christmas ressie the week BEFORE Christmas, and I still haven't gotten two nights! I booked 7 months out for Thanksgiving at SSR, and am still waiting for Thanksgiving and Friday in a studio! So, holidays can be very difficult. Besides, it really irks me that so many people buy elsewhere, and then want to stay at my home resort, so there is no such thing as a last-minute trip for me.

 

[crisi]

The thing I'd keep in mind is that each DVC resort has a static number of rooms. The membership in DVC keeps growing - and gets smarter every year as they learn that they need to call early. So each year it will likely get a tiny amount more difficult than the previous year to book each category. Some are difficult already (Grand Villas anywhere almost year round, BWV standard view almost year round). How much that changes depends on how good your crystal ball is - if DVC adds 700 rooms at the Contemporary or AKL, it may be easier to get BCVs - if they add 1400 rooms at Eagle Point, it may get a lot harder. If they go offsite - who knows how often those members will want to stay at WDW.....

You'll likely always have SOME success at seven months, particularly if you are willing to use the wait list. Whether you have success the year its really really really important to you......?

 

[byoung]

Got WL at the 7 month for May with no problems.

 

[DMKEDM]

"I booked 7 months out for Thanksgiving at SSR, and am still waiting for Thanksgiving and Friday in a studio"

Weird.

Methinks something is going on that I at least don't know about.

We bought in June (around the 19th, as I recall)...bought at SSR...our guide had cautioned us about availability, but even tho he told us inventory for DVC is different from inventory through CRO, I didn't quite believe him...I've had LOTS of experience booking T-giving trips to Disney (we go almost every year), and figured I'd have no trouble staying somewhere (and any resort was ok w/us) over T-giving.

Well, I called the day we went into the system (again, around 6/19...well w/in the 7-month window)...had to WL Wed & Thurs of T-giving week...got Friday right away...

The WL came through about 5 weeks later...at about 4 weeks, we got a 1-BR for the "missing days;" about a week later, we got our WL request for a studio. So the reservation changed twice, but w/in five weeks we got exactly what we'd requested...

Which is why the above quoted post is weird. If that person (I"m sorry, I don't remember the name of the poster) WL'ed at 7 months at SSR, and still hasn't gotten his/her studio, and we WL'ed at five months, and did get ours, then something's weird...

Maybe first-time buyers/reservers get a bitty preference?

Or, maybe I did something "right" w/out knowing what I did? Since we're so new to this, I just told MS what I ultimately wanted, and what we'd be happy to accept, and let them tell me how to do it--basically, we wanted Tues-Tues of the week that includes T-giving, at any studio, but we'd take a 1-br if we couldn't get a studio, and we'd be willing to change rooms (and resorts) if we had to...However MS thought was best to get us what we wanted was ok w/me...I really don't know how MS did it...but they did do it and we couldn't be happier...

Anyway...does anyone know why a poster who WL'ed for a studio at SSR at 7 months hasn't gotten it when a poster (me) WL'ed for a studio at SSR at five months out and did get it??? (NOt that I'm complaining for myself, mind you...I'm THRILLED we're getting to use our DVC for the first time this T-giving!)...

 

[paults]

it's only going to get harder to book the smaller DVC resorts as more people buy in

 

[bobbiwoz]

"I booked 7 months out for Thanksgiving at SSR, and am still waiting for Thanksgiving and Friday in a studio"

...


Anyway...does anyone know why a poster who WL'ed for a studio at SSR at 7 months hasn't gotten it when a poster (me) WL'ed for a studio at SSR at five months out and did get it??? (NOt that I'm complaining for myself, mind you...I'm THRILLED we're getting to use our DVC for the first time this T-giving!)...

It could be that Cruelladeville booked for the Thursday and Friday night together, it had to be a "both" waitlist. The Friday night was available when you went to book, but Thursday and Wednesday weren't, then Thursday AND Wednesday freed up, so you're in.

Bobbi

PS. And I don't feel comfortable planning a vacation in which I hope to get into one of the smaller resorts at 7 months out. We like to go to BCV during the Flower Show. Sometimes we have weekends planned, and they do seem to be available, but I've also been lucky enough to get a Sunday or Thursday night as well. Still, I imagine that eventually I will buy some BCV points so I don't have to worrry. I very much prefer to stay at BCV for the show. Otherwise I'm just as happy at BWV or VWL, our on site homes.

 

[icydog]

It always goes back to buy where you want to vacation. If you buy SSR and want to go to BCV at Christmastime, or almost anytime, you will be out of luck. No matter how long you waitlist you will be out of luck. You might book a day at a time, which might increase your chances, but why put yourself through this? Buy the BCV contract, in the correct number of points, if you need to travel based on school schedules. That's is the best piece of advice I can give you as new owners. If your guide told you differently, I'm sorry, but with the influx of new members into SSR, the older, and sometimes smaller, resorts are JUST PLAIN SOLD OUT at peak times. Deal with it. Reserve at the 11 month window at SSR, and you will truly enjoy your DVC experience!!!

 

[Granny]

How hard is it to book a DVC resort 7 months out? Say, if you owned at Saratoga, but wanted to stay at Boardwalk?
Thanks,
Kevin

Do you mean stay at BWV occasionally? Or always at BWV and never at SSR?

I've decided that the home resort thing really ends up being dependent on two things:

1. How disappointed will you be if you can't get into the resort you want on every stay? Another way of phrasing this would be to ask yourself if you would be okay with staying at your home resort during any given trip.

2. How much risk do you like to take? I view home resort booking advantage like insurance. True, I might not need it but it gives me a better comfort level that I've done as much as I can to get the vacation experience I want. It could be that every DVC trip I've ever booked would have been available at the 7 month window. But by buying where we want to stay the most, we minimize even having to worry about it, and don't have to worry about questions like this thread title.

Your call. As Mayor Clint would say..."Do you feel lucky?"

 

[starbox]

Do you mean stay at BWV occasionally? Or always at BWV and never at SSR?

I've decided that the home resort thing really ends up being dependent on two things:

1. How disappointed will you be if you can't get into the resort you want on every stay? Another way of phrasing this would be to ask yourself if you would be okay with staying at your home resort during any given trip.

2. How much risk do you like to take?

Good advice Granny.

If you try to book elsewhere at 7 months you will be successful some of the time. We've already managed to stay at almost every resort (I'll try to get BWV when the 7 month window opens for one of our summer trips).

The big question is - are you okay with NOT staying at a non-home resort on some trips (probably the peak/holiday ones or ones where you want to do a grand gathering).

Notice, however, that many people are reporting NOT being able to get SSR immediately at 7 months or less. It is no longer the "resort that will always have availability". We always book the dates we want at SSR at 11 months to be sure we can vacation when we want to. Sometimes, we'll try to sleep around and hit a different resort at 7 months. If it works out - great. If it does not work out, we are still happy.

 

[Dean]

Good advice Granny.

If you try to book elsewhere at 7 months you will be successful some of the time. We've already managed to stay at almost every resort (I'll try to get BWV when the 7 month window opens for one of our summer trips).

The big question is - are you okay with NOT staying at a non-home resort on some trips (probably the peak/holiday ones or ones where you want to do a grand gathering).

Notice, however, that many people are reporting NOT being able to get SSR immediately at 7 months or less. It is no longer the "resort that will always have availability". We always book the dates we want at SSR at 11 months to be sure we can vacation when we want to. Sometimes, we'll try to sleep around and hit a different resort at 7 months. If it works out - great. If it does not work out, we are still happy.

Of the current WDW resorts in the system, SSR and OKW will always be the easiest to get unless there are major changes as to the resorts and types available. Certain times of the year every resort may be difficult and certain room types may be harder than others. It'd take a new similar resort that was overall less desirable for this to change, maybe EP for significantly higher points for the same size/type unit.

 

[starbox]

Of the current WDW resorts in the system, SSR and OKW will always be the easiest to get unless there are major changes as to the resorts and types available.

I was not disagreeing with tis part on the DVC Canon. I'm just pointing out that even SSR has been booking prior to the 7 month window - so people who know the dates they want should go ahead and book as early as possible and change later. There's no longer a virtual guarantee that you can just book later at SSR or OKW.

 

[Dean]

I was not disagreeing with tis part on the DVC Canon. I'm just pointing out that even SSR has been booking prior to the 7 month window - so people who know the dates they want should go ahead and book as early as possible and change later. There's no longer a virtual guarantee that you can just book later at SSR or OKW.

There will be dates in the future where there is nothing at 7 months out due to general demand. But even in these situations it's likely that SSR will be the last one available given the current circumstances and I don't see that changing in the relatively near future.

 

[Laurabearz]

I also like Grannys thoughts... but would like to add this... Will you more often than not book your vacations before the 7 months window... The only advantage to home resorts is if your able to book before the 7 month window and not change anything.....

Like my siggy says... we book a lot at the 11 month window, but often end up changing it well after the 7 months window is open.

 

[browniemtb]

We were able to book 2 months out last March for our home resort...last minute kind of deal. But I still followed the advice to buy where you want to stay theory because I do agree "its only going to get harder."
Brownie

 

[Granny]

I also like Grannys thoughts... but would like to add this... Will you more often than not book your vacations before the 7 months window... The only advantage to home resorts is if your able to book before the 7 month window and not change anything.....

Funny, I was thinking about this while driving to work this morning (how goofy is that? ). And I was thinking that there really is a third aspect to add to the other two I listed, and you've named it.

Yes, home resort advantage is not important if someone routinely books less than 7 months in advance. Good point!