Close on our DVC in May... need to book for October!

[robinbutterfly]

Ok being realistic, what DVC property will have availabilty if I book the end of May for the middle of October??
Thanks!

 

[kristenrice]

SSR is your best bet....
...don't hold your breath for a studio anywhere...
...1BR's will probably have the most availability...
...I would assume that BLT, BWV and BCV will be completely booked except for maybe a few scattered individual nights...

Good luck! I love traveling in October!

 

[Missyrose]

Also remember the clock won't start ticking on your 60 days until the contract is signed by both parties and sent for ROFR. And even then there could be delays with closing, getting into the system, etc. You may want to make a cash reservation somewhere that you can cancel once you're able to book something with your points.

 

[robinbutterfly]

Also remember the clock won't start ticking on your 60 days until the contract is signed by both parties and sent for ROFR. And even then there could be delays with closing, getting into the system, etc. You may want to make a cash reservation somewhere that you can cancel once you're able to book something with your points.

So can I get a cash reservation and actually transfer the same reservation to my DVC points so I don't lose the room?

 

[Missyrose]

So can I get a cash reservation and actually transfer the same reservation to my DVC points so I don't lose the room?

No, I'm suggesting (if you have your heart set on an October trip regardless of resort availability on points) you could book a cash reservation for the dates you want to go. That way, if there's no DVC availability on any of the nights of your trip, you can still go. Once you close and can make a DVC reservation, you can cancel the cash reservation.

You can't transfer a cash reservation to a points reservation, they come from completely separate inventories.

If you're just hoping to go in October, but don't have a problem not going if there's no DVC availability, then you don't have to worry about a cash reservation.

 

[robinbutterfly]

Oh...we would only go if we could use our points. Surely, there has to be SOMETHING, right??? I don't get it, the crowd calender is saying the crowds are between a 1-3. How can everything be booked?

 

[Missyrose]

Oh...we would only go if we could use our points. Surely, there has to be SOMETHING, right??? I don't get it, the crowd calender is saying the crowds are between a 1-3. How can everything be booked?

The non-busy times in the parks are often some of the busiest for DVC. Low crowd levels combined with lower point costs make things more desirable. In October you have the Halloween parties at Magic Kingdom and the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot, both are extremely big draws for DVC members, so October has become one of the busiest times for DVC -- right along with the first couple of weeks of December.

There should be availability SOMEWHERE, but once you get closer, you may start to see some nights sell out.

Edited to add: I just saw your signature that you're hoping to stay at BWV in October? That probably won't happen, people were having trouble getting in once the 7-month window opened. Having to wait another few months beyond that? There's not much chance. Hope you get something you want though!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Oh...we would only go if we could use our points. Surely, there has to be SOMETHING, right??? I don't get it, the crowd calender is saying the crowds are between a 1-3. How can everything be booked?

Now that you are a DVC member, you can ignore the crowd calendars because they don't work for DVC.

From October 1 to after the marathon in January is a busy time for DVC. You might get a day here or there, but seven nights in a row at one resort in one villa category will be very difficult.

I know we were hoping for a one bedroom at BCV for mid-October and never found seven days together. So we found seven days at BLT-Lake view one bedroom and booked it. And we added two more nights to make it nine nights. And this was exactly at seven months out.

 

[disneynutz]

Oh...we would only go if we could use our points. Surely, there has to be SOMETHING, right??? I don't get it, the crowd calender is saying the crowds are between a 1-3. How can everything be booked?

Now the reality of DVC ownership sets in and you change the way that you plan your vacations.

You might want to bank your points and plan on longer vacation at your favorite home resort later in the year or next year. DVC resorts are booked 95% to 98% of the time.

Bill

 

[Lynne M]

Booking DVC resorts on points requires more advance planning than simply booking a resort stay through DRC. That's because most DVC members make their reservations 7-11 months out.

To get BWV for anytime from the end of September through the end of December, you'll ideally want to make your reservations at 11 months out. At that point, you're only competing with other BWV owners. Once that 7 month window opens up, you're competing with all DVC members for your BWV reservation, and the fall through the holiday season is a hugely popular time with DVC members, in part because the crowd calendars are low.

Also, you've got F&W - many owners bought at BWV and BCV just so they'd get the 11 month booking window for those resorts. It's really tough getting those two resorts during F&W once the 7 month window opens up.

 

[cvjw]

Last year, we visited Disney for a week during the middle of October. We booked 5 nights at BCV at the 8 month mark - taking any week in October that had 5 nights together in a studio - that shows you how popular October is for DVC. At the 5 month mark (May), we decided to add another 2 nights, to make the trip a full week. Guess what - there wasn't a studio to be reserved, ANYWHERE - at the 5 month mark. We waitlisted for OKW and BCV, and the OKW waitlist came thru a month or so later. October is very, very popular for DVC members - when you are in the system, I would waitlist for OKW and SSR - you will have a much better shot at getting a room in those resorts.

 

[TheYellowDart]

Resale or direct? If it is direct they will save some rooms and let you book off their 2% of rooms for your first booking

 

[Missyrose]

Resale or direct? If it is direct they will save some rooms and let you book off their 2% of rooms for your first booking

OP is buying resale.

 

[Lynne M]

Resale or direct? If it is direct they will save some rooms and let you book off their 2% of rooms for your first booking

And that's subject to availability. They'll do it if there's inventory, but if not, they can't help you.

 

[bobbiwoz]

If you're fexible, you'll get something!

 

[Bronte]

If the Disney web site shows a studio available does that means it is available for cash as well as points ???
We are new to dvc too and are buying resale so I have been checking what is still open for July 21 to July 31 and it looks pretty open for a studio most places.
Am I thinking about this correct or is more like using points for an airline ... No availability most of the time
Thanks

 

[disneynutz]

Cash and points inventory are different. DVC resorts stay pretty full and any event at WDW and all vacation/holiday dates will book early.

Bill

 

[Bronte]

So even though it is a dvc resort and there are rooms open for cash for my dates i probably will not be able to get that room with points ??? This definitly sounds unfair ... So basically I bought points that can not be used most of the time ...

 

[Deb & Bill]

So even though it is a dvc resort and there are rooms open for cash for my dates i probably will not be able to get that room with points ??? This definitly sounds unfair ... So basically I bought points that can not be used most of the time ...

You need to understand inventory. What you see on the Disney website is lodging that members have traded out for non-DVC Disney stays. Since that lodging represents member points that were used for non-DVC stays, they must be sold for cash to pay for the member's stay. Points cannot be used to book that lodging because DVC has to pay for the original member's stay. Points won't pay for that DCL cruise or Adventures by Disney or whatever the member booked. That inventory will never come back to be used for points stays.

And, at 60 days out, any unbooked points inventory is also turned over to Disney Reservation Center to sell for cash. Sometimes they are able to bring those back for a member who wants to use their points.

Finally, some of the inventory you see may be unsold developer inventory - it might not have been sold and declared into points inventory. So points couldn't be used for that inventory either.

If you are waiting until a few months out to book your DVC points stays, you need to be prepared to be frustrated a lot. You might not be able to get seven nights together in one resort in one booking category.

If you bought points that expire in a few months, you may need to look around to find a time when you can book and not necessarily July 21-31.

You book your stays through Member Services, not through DRC.

 

[Bronte]

Thanks ... This is a lot to take in
We are in the process of buying resale so this year is really up for grabs and we know that but now I am worried about the next 40 years or so.
We usually like to go at the end of may/beginning of June (10 nights) plus perhaps in the late fall early winter for a shorter vacation. We will only need a studio most times. We like to fly and we like to buy early (usually 6 months out). Will we be able to get something most years or will be left with nothing ???

If I buy airfare now for July and do not close until early may on the resale does that mean we will not be able to use our 270 points because there will simply be nothing available (we would stay in basically any studio at any dvc but would really not like having to stay at all of them for just one or two nights )