Dec. 1-15 Bookings

[fupresti]

I'm not going to complain that the only thing that seems to be open for a weekly booking is Saratoga for this week (seriously, is every DVC member going in early December?) My question is what is the likelihood of a Studio waitlist coming through? I have never in 4 years of booking not gotten my choice at 7 months, so this is kind of new to me.

 

[AmyB2006]

I'm quite surprised myself. Someone else on another thread said that the first week of December is the busiest week for DVC. I don't know.

I know the last two Decembers, I've never had an issue of getting in at 7 months where I want. And I'm having the same problem you are right now. I actually even changed by booking 2 months before December last year and still had my pick pretty much. I'm booked at BCV but wanted to move it. I'm sure someone else would love to have my BCV LOL

Anyway, you're not alone.

 

[CarolMN]

OP - Where & what did you waitlist?

IMO, there are a few things going on this year -

1. Thanksgiving is late this year. The week after Thanksgiving is the first week of December this year. So compared to last year, we have 3 weeks worth of members trying to squeeze into two weeks.

2. We have had many people buying smaller contracts for BWV, BLT, VWL & BCV over the past few years. Those folks bought to USE the home resort booking advantage. They were tired of getting shut out for the popular times they wanted to visit.

3. IMO, there are also more non-members willing to rent more than 7 months in advance. These people generally want the smaller resorts located near a park, too. There isn't the same need to book OKW, SSR & even most categories at AKV so far in advance.

4. Most members now know they need to book ONLINE at exactly 8 am if they want any shot at something popular for early December at 7 months Snooze and you get to use the waitlist, which doesn't always work

All of these factors are impacting the amount of space available at 7 months.

 

[kkolbusz1]

This makes me nervous. We're going for my youngest's 5th bday next year. We always go for 8 days. Ill have to book at home resort which is ssr at 11 mos(we just bought into dvc, in closing right now!) & i know ill have to wait list on the 7th month mark because we want blt mk. I know our chances are slim....

 

[luckyman_apd]

I believe the calendar with thanksgiving being so late is really the biggest factor. We have a BLT SV studio for a 3 day weekend.

Don't count out the wait list. I had trouble at the 11 month mark booking my SV. Originally wanted 4 days but couldn't get in for that day at 8 am. Anyway, a few weeks after I booked my father decided he wanted to join us and was considering a room at the CR. well I went online and found 2 of the 3 nights available and booked them. Wait listed the third night and it came throughout within two weeks. Depending on the resort and how many nights, you never know.

 

[Sammie]

I agree with Carol and I have seen more speculative rental bookings for those dates on Ebay and such.

 

[tjkraz]

...know ill have to wait list on the 7th month mark because we want blt mk. I know our chances are slim....

Yes, very slim. There will be BLT owners who cannot get the MK view due to its popularity. Pretty much zero chance of getting that in early December. BLT Lake View is a possibility...but a slim one at that.

Good news is all of the resorts are lovely in their own way and a 5 year old couldn't care less where he is staying. Trip will only be a disappointment if you make it so.

Good luck.

 

[myxdvz]

Yes, I'm trying to book 2-3 more days the first week of December as well for MVMCP and there's no availability at all at any of the resorts except SSR. I tried BLT (my dates are still a few days earlier than 7 month) and those are gone too on all views.

I don't have a lot of points left as it is so waitlisting will be tough.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm not going to complain that the only thing that seems to be open for a weekly booking is Saratoga for this week (seriously, is every DVC member going in early December?) My question is what is the likelihood of a Studio waitlist coming through? I have never in 4 years of booking not gotten my choice at 7 months, so this is kind of new to me.

The first half of December has always been busy as long as I've been a member. When I bought in 1999, there was only OKW and BWV at WDW for DVC. I liked both but chose BWV because I wanted the 11 month for early December there.

 

[Starr W.]

I think Carol, Sammie, Debbie and Tim have covered all the bases here on early December.

I would book something and waitlist for a preferred resort.

 

[sleepydog25]

I'm not going to complain that the only thing that seems to be open for a weekly booking is Saratoga for this week (seriously, is every DVC member going in early December?) My question is what is the likelihood of a Studio waitlist coming through? I have never in 4 years of booking not gotten my choice at 7 months, so this is kind of new to me.

As another mentioned, it's usually quite busy during this timeframe at DVC resorts because it has traditionally been the Adventure Season, i.e., the cheapest time to use points for members, plus there is the added attraction of having all the holiday decorations up, MVMCP, Osbourne Lights, and other such activities. Often, studios are the toughest to find since they require the least amount of points. Two years ago, we went on a waitlist for a 1BR at VWL in May. We got a day here, another couple of days there, and finally everything fell into place in late August. The point is there is always hope, but it is difficult to get anything outside of the larger resorts such as SSR at the 7-month and below points.

 

[dcfromva]

My question is what is the likelihood of a Studio waitlist coming through?

It depends on where and for how long. The shorter the time frame, the best chance. The larger the booking category, the better the chance. For example, 1 night would have a better chance than 7 nights. A garden/preferred view studio at BWV would have a better chance than say concierge at AKV.

I have never in 4 years of booking not gotten my choice at 7 months, so this is kind of new to me.

Do you always go the first part of Dec? If you have always been able to get your choice at 7 months the first two weeks in Dec, then I would be the one who was surprised! I have always found this time frame to be very much in demand. We try to go during this time frame every year. While we try to make our ressies at 11 months, sometimes things change and we have to make adjustments--which has always meant the WL for us. This year we booked BWV studio std view (std view can be tough to get anyway) and we had to go on the WL at the 11 month booking...

 

[ccigliano]

Early December bookings have been an issue for years, especially with VWL. I owned at OKW before VWL existed and after they were built had stayed in early December until they sold all the points at VWL. In 2005, I waitlisted at 7 months and then called three times a day for the week prior to arrival and got nothing. I checked in for a 10 day stay and called three times a day while at the parks. Finally got in half way through my vacation. That's when I came home and sold OKW to buy VWL. Good luck.

 

[Irishmom23]

I was only able to book 12/1 to 12/5 at BCV studio at 11 months out and had to waitlist 12/6 which came through last month. I was able to snag 11/30 the evening of my 7 month mark (the site was down all day for maintenance) to complete my stay using my SSR points as I had run out of BCV points.

 

[myxdvz]

I was able to get a 1BR AKV Jambo Savanna view today. It wasn't there yesterday, so someone must have moved. We were at a 1BR OKW before.

 

[mom of princessx2]

I knew the first of December was busy but had no idea everything would be booked but SSR. I was very lucky to get what I wanted on my 7 month mark. We would have been happy enough with SSR but we switched to a 1 Bd at AKV starting Nov 30th. It is a hot time for DVC!

 

[fupresti]

Well, we book tomorrow and SSR seems to be where we are headed. Not a shame really, wanted to stay there at least once. However the wife and I decided we are going to sell out VGC contract next year and pick up a couple of 100 point contracts at BWV and VWL. We rarely make it to Disneyland anyway, so if we have to pay out of pocket on those trips so be it.

 

[spiceycat]

really surprised you could get anything.

that is probably the most popular 2 weeks for DVC member to go - (I am going) - so you need to make your reservation early.

yea if you want BWV or VWL for that week you need to own there.

sorry it is hard lesson to learn - but believe me - look closer to the time like in Sept and you will find more members complaining about not getting early Dec time.

it has always been since at least 1993 a popular time.

low points, christmas decorations all over the place, special shows, low crowds (except for DVC members) and mostly fairly good weather - a few times too cold but more often just fine. thing twice it was too hot.

 

[333disneymom]

I'm quite surprised myself. Someone else on another thread said that the first week of December is the busiest week for DVC. I don't know.

I know the last two Decembers, I've never had an issue of getting in at 7 months where I want. And I'm having the same problem you are right now. I actually even changed by booking 2 months before December last year and still had my pick pretty much. I'm booked at BCV but wanted to move it. I'm sure someone else would love to have my BCV LOL

I'd take it We actually got a few days at BCV at 7 months. We are missing two days, so hoping that since it is only 2 days, our wait list will come through.

I was only able to book 12/1 to 12/5 at BCV studio at 11 months out and had to waitlist 12/6 which came through last month. I was able to snag 11/30 the evening of my 7 month mark (the site was down all day for maintenance) to complete my stay using my SSR points as I had run out of BCV points.

Wow! Never thought days would be gone at 11 months. I had problems getting AKL club level at 11 months, but there are so few of those, I knew it would be difficult.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[CocosMeme]

I had originally booked AKV Kidani Savannah View for Nov.30 - Dec 7 and wanted to change to ANY view at Boardwalk. Naturally on my 7 month window morning the computers were down all day!!! I called the next morning (with the 7 month people from 2 days trying to get in) and was able to change to Boardwalk for 4 nights (Nov 30 - Dec 4) and kept AKV for the rest. We have never done a split stay but we are OK with it since AK Kidani is our favoriter place. We will just do the things we want to do at Epcot and Hollywood on the days we are at Boardwalk. We are really interested in booking the Candlelight Procession dinner reservations and going to the 8pm show, and then being able to walk back to the resort instead of trecking aback to thr bus stop. We also like roaming around the special Santa and custom shows at Epcot. We just got back yesterday from an 8 day stay at Kidani and loved every minute of it. I never really mind the bus rides since we do not have to share with another resort. We got a garden/pool view room at Boardwalk. Any tips on requesting a room area?