Booking on a DVC resort

[jfs9900]

I am a BRAND new DVC owner ( I haven’t even mailed back the deed/loan application yet – it came yesterday). I called today to try to make a reservation and Member Services told me the week I was requesting was sold out at all the DVC properties!

I checked on the Disney website and tried to book a room. The same dates I gave the cast member services rep and a 1 bedroom villa at the Wilderness Loge is available! How is it that I can book the room on the website but not with points?

This seems ridiculous!

 

[MouseT]

Two different inventories. There is an inventory of DVC rooms and a separate inventory of regular cash rooms.

Someone else can probably give more details, but that's the quick answer.

 

[Lynne M]

I checked on the Disney website and tried to book a room. The same dates I gave the cast member services rep and a 1 bedroom villa at the Wilderness Loge is available! How is it that I can book the room on the website but not with points?

This seems ridiculous!

The inventory of DVC villas available to CRO (i.e., the website), comes from two places:

1. DVC retains ownership of a very small percentage of each resort, so that they can swap rooms in and out for maintenance purposes, etc. If they're not used, they go to CRO.

2. When a member trades out of DVC, to stay at a non-DVC resort (Disney Collection, Concierge Collection, II, etc.), DVC 'sells' the accommodation they would have been using to CRO. This makes it possible for us to trade out to other timeshares and resorts. So, it's a Good Thing.

 

[jfs9900]

So if that room doesn't get booked then it goes left unused where I was then required to book at a Disney restore with more points.

I kinda feel shafted!!!

 

[1000th happy haunt]

That happened to me too, when we joined. We already had a reservation. So I got as many DVC days in a row that I could, and we just switched over to a non-DVC hotel for the rest of it.

 

[Lynne M]

So if that room doesn't get booked then it goes left unused where I was then required to book at a Disney restore with more points.

I kinda feel shafted!!!

No reason to feel shafted. That inventory does not belong to DVC members. Either it never did (DVC reserved units), or the owner IS using his points, but at another location. In a way, you can think of that unit as in use by a DVC member. They're just physically staying someplace else.

No one has taken anything away from us. In fact, this process makes it possible for members to trade out to other locations.

 

[mikesmom]

And November is a VERY popular time. The beginning of the month fill because of the Food & Wine Fest, the middle to end fills because of the beginning of the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays. You are approximately 4 months out. Sold out is not a big surprise.

The good news is that next year you will have a huge head start on this. And just a tip - if Thanksgiving Week was the week you were looking for, best book it right at the 11 month window next year.