Booking for May 07

[mrsminniemouse]

Hi everyone. We are SSR owners and have had 2 great trips there. We have also stayed ay OKW and VWL and loved them both.

Next year, to celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary we hope to take them to Vero Beach for 3 nights, followed by 11 nights at BCV. We stayed at The Beach Club in a large family group in 2001 when DH and I were married at Disney's Wedding Pavilion. It would be very special for all of us if we could return there to celebrate my parents' anniversary.

I realise that as neither VB or BCV are my home resorts I cannot assume I will be able to stay at either. We will book SSR at 11 months and try to change over at 7 months. We will be very happy at SSR if switching is not possible.

I just wondered if any of you can advise me how I can maximise ny chances of getting what I want. We need to travel in May, departing on a Saturday. We need a 2 bed lock off at VB for 3 nights followed by BCV for 11 nights.

My two sets of dates are: 6-19 May or 12-26 May. Can anyone think of a reason why one set of dates would be more in demand than the other? (We are English, not sure if any US holidays take place during May)DD will turn 4 on 22 May so the second set would be great so she could celebrate at WDW but if those dates are more difficult to book, the first set works great for us too.

I would love to hear any experiences of booking VB or BCV at 7 months in May. Also a bit confused about how to switch the bookings from SSR. I am having to borrow all my August 2007 points for this May 07 trip so cannot keep the SSR ressie open while adding days at the other resorts.

I would really appreciate any advice on this. We moved out of our family home at Easter into rented accommodation while we wait for our brand new house to be completed. All my DVC stuff is packed away in boxes, I am 33 weeks pregnant too! Baby due 14 July and moving to new house on 23 June!!!!!!!!!!! Dont want to miss my 11 month window amid all the excitement!!!


Thanks so much for any help or advice,
Mandy

 

[dianeschlicht]

Since you will have two year's of points tied up, I think your best bet is to make a ressie at SSR at the 11 month window and try switching to BCV at the 7 month window. You wont have to tie up additional points if the whole ressie is available, and if it's not, you can waitlist and keep the SSR ressie until and if the waitlist comes through.

BTW, Congrats on the new little one and the new house...WOW, don't think I could move and have a new baby all at the same time!

 

[mrsminniemouse]

Thanks Diane! I guess I will just have to hope the VB and BCV rooms are available at 7 months so we dont have go on the waitlist.

I did not plan all this to be going on at once. When we made an offer on the new house we were told it would ready at Easter which was far enough in advance of the birth to be ok. We sold our own house on the basis that we would vacate at Easter.....then the builders delayed it until June so we ended up renting a small house and living in chaos. I certainly hope the baby doesn't come early....I won't be ready!

Thanks for your help.

Mandy

 

[Doug Wolfe]

Hello Essex... Greetings from Illinois where the weather is already hot.

Diane's advice is perfect.

Just a few idea's from me. May is a great month to go, since it is warm, but still not the prime summer season. You will avoid a lot of the huge summer crowds.

If possible, I would lean toward the earlier May dates. If those later reservations are near the last weekend of May in 2007 you run into crowds for "Memorial Day" weekend. In fact, right now is Memorial Day weekend for this year. Memorial Day weekend has sort of become the official kick-off for summer and the crowds at WDW start building from here on in. Monday is an official holiday here in the U.S.

One other minor detail. Try not to limit yourself to a "lock-off" at VB. If possible take either the lock-off or dedicated 2-bedroom to increase your odds of getting your reservations filled. Have fun!

 

[mrsminniemouse]

Cheers Doug for some good advice. We have been to WDW for the first two weeks in May for the last two years and always found it to be wonderful. With baby due in July this year we went in Feb instead but it wasn't nearly as nice weather wise and of course the crowds were worse.

Good point about the dedicated 2 bed at VB. In truth, we wanted the lock off to give us some 'space' from my parents as 14 nights is a long time to be sharing accomodation. But for the first few nights it would be fine. Much as we get on, it is nice to be able to close the door and have your own area. My parents may need to escape the grandkids for some time each day too- I doubt they will want to be woken really early by excited kids. But certainly for a few days that would be fine and we could aim for a lock off at BCV.

Thanks again!

Mandy