Booking during the Dec. 15 - 23 Points season

[BrianD]

We just returned from our first stay at a DVC resort and have decided that we will likely try to buy in sometime over the next 12 months. We will likely go annually around the week before Christmas so that puts us in that mid-range point season between the real cheap time (early December) and the very peak time (Christmas/New Years).

So my question is, which resorts tend to be already booked up for that week by the 7 month window? Or do all of them? Also, FYI we would be booking a 1 bedroom villa.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Granny]

That is a very popular time for DVC reservations, so most (if not all) WDW DVC resorts will be pretty booked up by the 7 month window. Certainly I'd think that VWL and BCV would be booked solid with waiting lists already in place. BWV Standard & Boardwalk views would be booked too probably, as would OKW. Maybe something at SSR?

If that is the week you think you will vacation often, then I would absolutely buy only at the resort you really want to stay at the most. If you don't care which DVC resort you stay at, then I'd buy at SSR for the extra years or OKW for the low dues.

 

[gracelrm]

I had points in holding one time and wanted to use them from about Dec. 17 - 22. With holding points, you can only book 60 days out so I called in mid Oct. and was able to get a 1 BR at OKW; waitlisted for BWV. Called me a few days later and said they could get me SSR (hadn't even waitlisted for that, but said okay). By the end of Oct. or 1st of Nov., I had gotten BWV. They asked if I wanted to waitlist for a standard or BW view (we had a preferred view) but we were fine with what we had. So, my experience indicates that if you're patient and willing to use the waitlist - it could happen! Now, if we had been set on VWL or BCV; things might not have worked out - but we were flexible!

 

[Doctor P]

I can tell you that BCV studios and 1BR were not booked up last Christmas when the 7 month window came around. I had to do some switching of reservations and was able to get December 23 and 24 with no problem and they were still showing some availability for the other days the following week. So, you will never know till you call. In our case, the fact that Xmas fell on a Sunday actually helped with the days we needed (I booked Xmas up front and got the other days at the 7 month mark to give us 3 nights at BCV and 6 nights at OKW on our last trip).

 

[starbox]

I am not a "buy where you want to stay" believer - because in most cases, I think it is unnecessary. BUT - if you know you want to take your annual trip every year anytime during December and resort choice matters to you - you should buy where you want to stay and use the 11 month window.