California availability - newbie question

[jaimeadk]

Thanks for helping with a newbie question.
We are owner's at AKL but would like to go to California. We would like to go for 4 nights (1 bedroom or 2 bedroom) sometime between Oct 1 and Dec 15?
Is something in this time likely to be available or should I go ahead and book at AKL at the 11 month window and then cancel/rebook for California at the 7 month window just to be safe that we have something if California isn't available.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Thanks for helping with a newbie question.
We are owner's at AKL but would like to go to California. We would like to go for 4 nights (1 bedroom or 2 bedroom) sometime between Oct 1 and Dec 15?
Is something in this time likely to be available or should I go ahead and book at AKL at the 11 month window and then cancel/rebook for California at the 7 month window just to be safe that we have something if California isn't available.

If you are really flexible about dates, you should be able to book 4 consecutive nights at the GCV between Oct and mid-Dec. Although you can try calling every day starting on March 1 and book as soon as you get 4 days in a row, you are most likely to be successful mid-week after Veterans Day abd before the weekend prior to Thnaksgiving and afte rthe first weekend in December.

If you are not successufl, you can try WL'ing. Last year, we were successful with a WL for late June with a WL, even booking less than 6 months out.

I am not sure how booking AKV would help you if really want to go to CA. you cna also use points to stay at the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier Hotel at the DLR, but cash is usually a better option. There are also lots of hotesl which are just as close to DL as the DLh and PPH, but which ar ento owned by Disney.

Best of luck -- Suzanne

 

[DebbieB]

I got a studio for the first week of May at 7 months.

 

[McCrae]

Based on my experience I dont think you will have a problem. Just back from VGC, booked 1BR at 7 month no problem.

 

[Torgue]

We were there the first week in December. I booked at the 7 month window but could not get 1 bedroom only 2 bedroom was available ! We did love the 2 bedroom and purchased a resale contract the day we got home. It is our new favorite place to stay!

 

[taaren]

It kind of depends. It sounds like you're really flexible with your dates, so that's good. Studios seem to book up quickly, and one bedrooms soon after, and weekends also tend to book up more than mid-week (despite being higher points, oddly). Had some shifting plans from friends about 4 months out from our last trip and we tried to add a studio on the weekend and wait-listed to no avail. We were, however, able to extend our 2 bedroom that we already had booked for 5 nights Th-Mon for a night on either side, adding the Wed before and Tues after with no problem. Hence why we added on at VGC rather than somewhere cheaper bc we really wanted that 11 month window ... if only we could get DH's boss and our friends to all agree to dates that early!