Dec 23-30 booking UPDATE: We got our waitlist!

[tksbaskets]

Hi,
After our last holiday trip to GCV our college aged sons decided that they wanted to vacation next summer (2013) in WDW. "Are you sure??" I asked in March. "Oh yes"...fast forward to August and after looking at school and work schedules for the next year we've determined that a summer trip for all of us is not going to work.

Traveling is DH, me, DS 21, DS 21

So....now we sit WAY after the booking window with no availability for the entire week (SSR had all but the 27th).

We could book a regular hotel room at Caribbean Beach resort for the week for 183 points but once booked those points will always stay reservation points and can't be used at a vacation club. We used to stay at Port Orleans and loved before we became DVC members but we are now spoiled by the 1BR villas.

Members services suggested that if we didn't want to chance the 27th not coming through to waitlist Key West and Saratoga Springs for the week and take our chances.

Your thoughts?

 

[DMKEDM]

Consider booking 12/27 on cash, and then W/L'ing it for points...I'd say there's at least a 50-50 chance the W/L for points would come thru (it's a busy week, but the 27th isn't as bad as the 24th or 31st!) and a one-day W/L has the best chance...a one night cash payment is pricey, but not "so bad" relative to having reservation points to use or lose!

I've done the book-on-cash (use MS and there might be a member discount available, too, altho at the time of year there might not be) in the middle of a trip strategy and it has worked every time...never the week between Christmas & New Year's, tho, and that is the busiest week there is at Disney...

MS will put the two points reservations (days before and days after) together with the cash night so it'll all be just one room, w/out having to get new keys or change rooms...

Good luck!

 

[cseca]

If I were you I'd do 1 of 2 options:
1. since you're only 1 day short you coud book SSR for what they have and then WL for that 1 date. THEN I would book what I can for that 1 day (cash, other types of rooms, etc.) and cross your fingers for your WL to clear so you don't have to move twice.
2. Book the first half of your trip at SSR, WL for the rest AND book cash as well in case the WL didn't clear.

In scenario 1 you MIGHT have to move twice, in scenario 2 you MIGHT have to move once.
So I guess it depends on how much you hate moving.

Good luck!

 

[tksbaskets]

Thank you DMKEDM and cseca. What we've booked:

12/23 - 12/27 OKW
12/27 - waitlist for OKW - there weren't any rooms available for cash
12/28-12/30 OKW

Additionally we have a 'dream' waitlist for the entire time at AKV. Both WL expire 31 days before 12/23.

Since I booked with all active points (only 7 banked from last year) if the waitlist doesn't come through I can cancel the reservation and all the points revert to regular points.

OKW and AKV have a sleeper chair in addition to the sofa bed which means no rotating of a son on the floor.

I'll be getting our plane reservations after we have confirmation. Notice my positive attitude?

Fingers crossed that one of our WL comes through.

 

[cseca]

here's some for you!

Hey considering it's only 4 mo out during xmas break you did extremely well... have fun!!!

 

[tksbaskets]

here's some for you!

Hey considering it's only 4 mo out during xmas break you did extremely well... have fun!!!

Thanks! I am surprised that the troublesome day is 12.27 not 12.25 or 12.26. Thanks for the pixie dust. We need it!

 

[zavandor]

Thanks! I am surprised that the troublesome day is 12.27 not 12.25 or 12.26. Thanks for the pixie dust. We need it!

I'm surprised too, but on a second thought maybe people stay at home for Christmas with relatives and then go to WDW for the end of the yer.

 

[Missyrose]

Thanks! I am surprised that the troublesome day is 12.27 not 12.25 or 12.26. Thanks for the pixie dust. We need it!

I think, if I'm not mistaken, the week BETWEEN Christmas and New Year's is actually the busiest week of the year at Disney. So it makes sense that you could have issues after the Christmas holiday is over.

 

[vicki_c]

I think, if I'm not mistaken, the week BETWEEN Christmas and New Year's is actually the busiest week of the year at Disney. So it makes sense that you could have issues after the Christmas holiday is over.

Yes I think occupancy picks up on 25th and continues to climb (of course that might be 98% to 99%) up through New Years Day. We had wait listed the 30th a few years ago and it never came through.

 

[tksbaskets]

Yes I think occupancy picks up on 25th and continues to climb (of course that might be 98% to 99%) up through New Years Day. We had wait listed the 30th a few years ago and it never came through.

whru whro..... that isn't good...

We've vacationed this week every year since 2006. Of course every other year I booked at the first opportunity. Last year and the year before we actually did get our waitlist request (last year was 12/31 at GCH).

Hopefully optimistic is how I am right now.

 

[Brian Noble]

12/27 - waitlist for OKW - there weren't any rooms available for cash

There might not be cash rooms at the DVC discount, but the WDW website *does* have 1BRs at OKW for 12/27. I'm not sure if you can link such a room together with two DVC reservations, but there have been some back-end software updates to try to combine the two systems together, so maybe...

 

[tksbaskets]

There might not be cash rooms at the DVC discount, but the WDW website *does* have 1BRs at OKW for 12/27. I'm not sure if you can link such a room together with two DVC reservations, but there have been some back-end software updates to try to combine the two systems together, so maybe...

Hi! Good news that they have rooms. I just checked and it would be $523 to book for one night. If I don't send the boys back to college this fall we could afford the room.

Come on wait list!

 

[vicki_c]

I feel your pain - we paid cash - rack rate - for multiple nights at BC/BCV a few Christmases ago at the end of our DVC reservation. It's ridiculous - it seems best just not to think about it too much and focus on your happy holiday memories - LOL! But I hope your wait list comes through.

 

[Sandisw]

Hi! Good news that they have rooms. I just checked and it would be $523 to book for one night. If I don't send the boys back to college this fall we could afford the room.

Come on wait list!

In addition, I would start checking online for that date. I have had a wait list for dates and was able to get something this way.

I booked it and then called MS and they combined it all in to one. People change all the time and sometimes, availability will pop up on the website before it has a chance to fill a wait list.

Good luck and here is that it works out!!!

 

[tksbaskets]

In addition, I would start checking online for that date. I have had a wait list for dates and was able to get something this way.

I booked it and then called MS and they combined it all in to one. People change all the time and sometimes, availability will pop up on the website before it has a chance to fill a wait list.

Good luck and here is that it works out!!!

Great tip~ Thanks for posting. I'll try this too.

 

[tksbaskets]

Today when I went to check on-line for availability as suggested by Sandisw I clicked on upcoming vacations and the entire week was listed.

Our sons just went back to college this week so news that we'll have them all to ourselves for a week over Christmas break was extra-exciting.

 

[dgaston]

Great News! I treasure all the time I have with our adult children, even when it's like herding cats!

 

[Sandisw]

Today when I went to check on-line for availability as suggested by Sandisw I clicked on upcoming vacations and the entire week was listed.

Our sons just went back to college this week so news that we'll have them all to ourselves for a week over Christmas break was extra-exciting.

Congratulations!!!!!

 

[tksbaskets]

Thanks sandisw! You are so right dgaston. Vacationing with our adult children will only become more difficult to schedule as they get older. As long as they want to/can go with us we'll go!

 

[bltpoppins]

Thanks sandisw! You are so right dgaston. Vacationing with our adult children will only become more difficult to schedule as they get older. As long as they want to/can go with us we'll go!

Our DS25 and DS 21 join us the week before Xmas. DS 21 finishes his finals, sleeps for 2 days, and then heads to WDW and joins up with DS 25 who flies from California. I have them at a BLT SV studio and they enjoy having the night to themselves before DH and I get there! Then we get to enjoy the Christmas decorations and activities as a family before DS 25 has to be back in Cali for the holiday!

The great thing is that they love this trip as much as we do! We couldn't do it without DVC!

We were very lucky this past May to schedule a second family trip. Both boys were available after DS21 finals and we headed to OKW! It was a great trip and we felt so fortunate that DVC allowed us to put it together without any huge cash outlay! Everyone has their space and gets to do what they want to do! A perfect family vacation.