Booking for December 2010

[Golden Rose]

We have some family friends in the process of buying DVC, and it has been suggested that we all take an early December vacation at the same time this year. However, they have not yet decided which week to book... We've never been during the Holiday season; we're usually so busy with holiday prep and planning that my family isn't willing to consider a week out of town. I'm really delighted that we're talking about taking a multi-generational, multiple family trip (three generations of two families.)

We have a Dec UY, so we'll get all our 2010 points just in time to take this trip. But here are my concerns...

We don't have a date for the Dec trip yet. It will be either the first or second week of December. We've hit the 11 month booking window, and I have heard over and over that it is hard to book that time period closer to trip date, so I guess I should book something. However, we don't have enough points to book two weeks in a two bedroom. We could, with banking and borrowing, but I hate to do that for a trip we're not positive is going to happen at all, and that we certainly don't have the dates yet for.

If I book four nights in a row in a two bedroom (Sunday - Thursday stay) now, how good are my chances of being able to get the same room for the fifth (and possibly 6th) night later?

Assuming we get any votes in the timing, I'm also curious about the holiday season at WDW. When do the decorations really go up? With the first week of December have fewer holiday goings on than the second?

How do BWV and AKV compare in terms of decorations and special feel during the holidays? We love both, but I just wonder if one of them seems to go more all out during the holidays...

 

[757hokie]

You won't find much difference, if any, between the first and second weeks in Dec.

AKL is beautifully decorated incl the giant tree in the lobby. Haven't personally been to BWV during the season, but I can't imagine it being anything less than gorgeous.

Tough call on making that ressie. Once those points are borrowed you've got to use them! Personally, I think i'd wait until you were more certain before risking it.

As for adding the fifth and sixth night later, that's also pretty risky. You may have to go to another resort. If you do try that approach though, I'd say your best bet would be at Kidani due to the large inventory.

Best of luck! I'll be making my ressie for Dec 16-22 @ AKV on Saturday!

 

[chalee94]

Assuming we get any votes in the timing, I'm also curious about the holiday season at WDW. When do the decorations really go up? With the first week of December have fewer holiday goings on than the second?

How do BWV and AKV compare in terms of decorations and special feel during the holidays? We love both, but I just wonder if one of them seems to go more all out during the holidays...

after thanksgiving, all the decorations should really be up. shouldn't be much of a difference.

here is a link to some pics, including BWV and AKV.

more BWV.

it's historically easier to get the weekend nights later on, but you definitely need to book it as soon as possible...

 

[chan]

If you're not crazy about huge crowds of teenage cheerleaders, then I would avoid booking your vacation for the week starting 10 days after Thanksgiving. They take up a lot of the bus space, and they chant a lot at the shows (while waiting for the shows to begin), almost competing with each other. And if you're going with teenagers, then they'll be competing on lines to get on rides with Pop Warner kids. My kids are young, so we didn't see them much on the lines for our kinds of rides, but we saw them at all the shows (Philharmonic, Fantasmic, Beauty and the Beast, etc.) and all the dining halls.

 

[Golden Rose]

Sadly, we're not the ones choosing the date for this trip, assuming we travel with the other family we're thinking about going with. Based on what I've read on the boards, I would definitely rather avoid Pop Warner, so, yes, I'll try to push for not then. Is Pop Warner always exactly 10 days after Thanksgiving? How long does it last?

At least we're going with small children rather than teens...

Going to call today to book at least parts of both weeks. I'm only slightly into the exactly 11 month window, so I hope I'll be able to get more or less what we want.

 

[drusba]

You are talking about a high demand time. The risk is that nothing will be left to book at AKV or BWV if you do not do it soon although possibility that AKV savanna and possibly standard view and BWV preferred (pool/garden) could still be open in a month or two. If your family friends are buying resale, they may also find nothing for that time after they close. If they are buying from Disney and want that time, they should be discussing that issue now with sales rep before completing the deal and see if rep can assure them time they want (in others they need to decide when and if they are going then and come up with dates and ask rep if is possible to get them).

In essence, you are looking at a situation where risk exists if you delay too long that you won't get AKV or BWV for that time of year. Also, you should not count on making a partial ressie today and then hope to get extra days later. It may happen, but risk of not happening is higher for that time of year.

Moreover, I wouldn't borrow points to do something that may not occur. In other words, if there is not certainty now, you may not even want to bother to try and just hope you get lucky later but you could just book some days with regular points and also hope you remain lucky later.

 

[Golden Rose]

I went ahead and made a pair of preliminary reservations today. I booked 5 nights with our AKV points and 4 nights with our BWV points for the two weeks we are most likely to travel. Either will be a pleasant vacation (I booked my two favorite room types, Savannah View and Boardwalk View!), and I have plenty of time to cancel one (or both) depending on what we decide to do. I went ahead and banked 5 points to get the reservation, but I could live with that.

If we end up going the week I have the 4 BWV nights booked, we'll almost certainly have to move for the last night or two, but I decided it was worth it for the view for the nights we'd be there.

 

[txbradybunch]

You could easily sell your "extra" reservation during this very high demand time when you decide which trip you plan to take!

 

[ToddyLu]

The last few times we have done the first 2 weeks of Dec...2005,2006,2007,2008...we have not had any trouble with the Pop Warner kids. We definitely skip MK for the Christmas taping. It just is a great time to go.