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

[Lori2816]

I've only had success with one waitlist at the 7 month mark. But it's never a problem because we love our home resort...BCV. To echo the advice of most, buy were you want to stay.

 

[icydog]

I find it odd that this question keeps coming to the surface. There is very good indications here that a lot of the folks who bought SSR were counting on their memberships getting them to different resorts. I'm even more sure they were told this little fib by their salespersons, aka Guides. I am sure they were told they could get the Hotel Resorts (because of their locations), and OKW (because of the room sizes for fewer points) routinely at seven months. It doesn't happen that way anymore. I think SSR members were fed a line of goods. Sorry about that, but SSR should be a lovely place when it is finished, and even now it is very nice.

 

[starbox]

I find it odd that this question keeps coming to the surface. There is very good indications here that a lot of the folks who bought SSR were counting on their memberships getting them to different resorts. I'm even more sure they were told this little fib by their salespersons, aka Guides. I am sure they were told they could get the Hotel Resorts (because of their locations), and OKW (because of the room sizes for fewer points) routinely at seven months. It doesn't happen that way anymore. I think SSR members were fed a line of goods. Sorry about that, but SSR should be a lovely place when it is finished, and even now it is very nice.

I am a SSR owner and I have had no problem making the ressies I want - at 7 months or even less. I even got NYD @ VWL this year, and HHI during Spring Break.

 

[brasey]

Seems like nobody is taking in to account when they open up other DVC resorts such as the rumored Contemporary (I saw something going on in August during my stay) or Animal Kingdom Lodge. By the way a lot of people are talking, those newer ones will be crazy when they open and the others may taper off a bit.

 

[jerry557]

I don't know what you guys are talking about. Maybe you are being too picky when making a reservation. I'm not very picky since I like all the DVC resorts. So when I call MS I give some days and just ask what my options are and I go from there.

My home resort is SSR. And I once booked at OKW 3 months out, no problem.

In my experience... BCV and WL sells out first. Then Boardwalk, OKW, and finally Saratoga.

 

[kimberh]

In my experience... BCV and WL sells out first. Then Boardwalk, OKW, and finally Saratoga.

This has been my experience too and this is why I bought VWL, BWV and today put an offer in on BC. As the years go on it is going to be harder and harder to get a room in the smaller resorts. Buy where you want to stay.

 

[crisi]

Seems like nobody is taking in to account when they open up other DVC resorts such as the rumored Contemporary (I saw something going on in August during my stay) or Animal Kingdom Lodge. By the way a lot of people are talking, those newer ones will be crazy when they open and the others may taper off a bit.

That really depends on the size of those resorts IF they ever open them - and what the point structure is there. Another 150 rooms at the AKL won't really change a darn thing - just make another small resort hard to book without taking much pressure off the other smaller resorts. 700 rooms at the Contemporary might.

There is also the possibility that they will open Eagle Pines - and it will be another MegaResort. That would make the problem worse.

And if they open a timeshare in California, Hawaii, Colorado, or Mexico (all rumors we've heard - we've even heard DCL as a timeshare), we really don't have a good feel for what that would do - we know that some VB and HH members always stay there, we've heard stories from other VB and HH owners who don't know what "home" looks like - buyin was cheapest there and they always go to WDW.

 

[Dean]

Seems like nobody is taking in to account when they open up other DVC resorts such as the rumored Contemporary (I saw something going on in August during my stay) or Animal Kingdom Lodge. By the way a lot of people are talking, those newer ones will be crazy when they open and the others may taper off a bit.

Even if both of those resorts come on line, I wouldn't expect them to make a difference. First, just like BCV, those that buy would mostly be expecting to stay there and likely book mostly prior to the 7 month window opening. Even when they traded out, they'd likely be trying for the other difficult ones most of the time and only give up their home resort if they could get one of the other destination resorts. Plus the sheer volume compared to the points from HH/VB/SSR/OKW would be insignificant, esp since the percentage of those looking to trade out of those resorts compared to BCV, VWL & BWV is much higher. I'd think it'd take a minimum of 500 rooms to even make a dent in the issue and that assumes no EP or similar. Those that think that this is a matter of 1600 plus units on one side vs 725 or so units on the other is sadly mistaken. Rather than being 2 to 1 it's likely more like 100-200 to 1 or worse given that those on one side are far more likely to want the other both in sheer number but as a percentage of members at that resort or in that group of resorts.

Those that plan far out and are happy staying at their home resort should always be fine. Those that plan ahead, use the wait list and want to experience various resorts over time should also be fine. Those that will be losers include those that want high demand resorts at peak times at 7 months out, those that won't/can't plan far enough out, and those that don't understand or use the wait list adequately.

 

[helenabear]

I agree that it is hard to say!

I've done about 4 months out and got a studio standard view at the Boardwalk for 3 nights. At about 5 months out I did not get my desired BCV request, but I did get a preferred view, 1 bedroom at the BWV. WVL, SSR, and OKW were all available too.

OKW, is almost a sure thing for me. I've called 3 weeks in advance and gotten a room