Direct purchase Poly or VDH dilemma

[intamin]

We started discussing that tonight and it's not off the table in the long term, but isn't what we want right now. We do love BRV. However, I'm now seeing that our overall goals may need us to purchase 2 contracts, one small for VDH and one for a WDW fixed week, but they would probably be a year or two apart.

Just an FYI I recently inquired about a FW for Poly in early December for studios in weeks 48. 49 and 50 and was told there weren't any at this time. I imagine that might change in the future with more declarations but in the immediate future at least for me they weren't available

 

[longboard55]

I think it comes down to timing. Do you want certain days or number of days. In that case you need VDH points. If you are totally flexible you can get days at 7 months and using wait lists but probably not a 3 day weekender

 

[AstroBlasters]

We started discussing that tonight and it's not off the table in the long term, but isn't what we want right now. We do love BRV. However, I'm now seeing that our overall goals may need us to purchase 2 contracts, one small for VDH and one for a WDW fixed week, but they would probably be a year or two apart.

Smaller contracts = No/Very little incentives

 

[ClaraOswald]

That is a great question to ask. I'm initially thinking I'd be most disappointed to not travel to WDW in December, but I'm going to give this some more thought. And I'll ask my husband his thoughts on that too. We really need to consider that.

I'm not opposed to staying on Harbor Blvd at Disneyland (and have many times) but I won't stay non-DVC for WDW. It's much cheaper to replace a Disneyland stay with a non-DVC hotel than it is at WDW also.

You're a better person than I! After staying onsite at Disneyland in 2023....I have no desire to head back over to Harbor! I mean, I had several great trips off site. But I'm spoiled now.

 

[Wedgeout]

You're a better person than I! After staying onsite at Disneyland in 2023....I have no desire to head back over to Harbor! I mean, I had several great trips off site. But I'm spoiled now.

Exactly!! I’m still an ‘Outer Rim’ patron. Love my Alpine Inn!! But yeah, once back on property after 14 years…I’m hooked.

 

[juliebee]

Every single room???!!

Studios for sure are gone, I haven't looked at the other room types as I wouldn't have enough points for a week in a one bedroom.

 

[Sandisw]

Every single room???!!

Studios go that fast…and many get shut outs. 1 bedrooms are pretty much possible as long as you do it right at 11 months.

I go on regularly to monitor things at all resorts and for early December, it’s just such a popular time that you really need to be on right at 8 am.

I can say that other than CCV and BRV, for studios, no one is getting shut out of their home resorts.

 

[Wedgeout]

I can say that other than CCV and BRV, for studios, no one is getting shut out of their home resorts.

Yes!! Studios are a challenge sometimes. Last year BCV first two weeks of December was rough. Tried studio this time. Took me two mornings to click fast enough to lock in. (See how the resort does this year).

 

[Sandisw]

Yes!! Studios are a challenge sometimes. Last year BCV first two weeks of December was rough. Tried studio this time. Took me two mornings to click fast enough to lock in. (See how the resort does this year).

Congratulations! I am lucky this year that I already know I need a 1 bedroom for next December so I don’t hafe to book the PV at RIV and VGF first and then use stalking and wait lists to get the RV.

Though…I’ll probably still book one just in case plans change!!

 

[AstroBlasters]

The OP should probably ask if a FW is even actually available for when they want to stay.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Studios go that fast…and many get shut outs. 1 bedrooms are pretty much possible as long as you do it right at 11 months.

I go on regularly to monitor things at all resorts and for early December, it’s just such a popular time that you really need to be on right at 8 am.

I can say that other than CCV and BRV, for studios, no one is getting shut out of their home resorts.

What about at VGC? I walked our early December studio this year because I was paranoid. But I can't remember now if it ended up being necessary or not.

 

[juliebee]

The OP should probably ask if a FW is even actually available for when they want to stay.

I did. The guide looked it up on his computer and then even called to double check that it was available. So, hopefully that is still true if we go that direction.

 

[PolyRob]

What about at VGC? I walked our early December studio this year because I was paranoid. But I can't remember now if it ended up being necessary or not.

We're not supposed to share availability, but anyone can go on the DVC website and see what VGCs availability is right now in all room categories. If ONLY 11/24 is booked, it's being walked for Dec.

 

[Sandisw]

What about at VGC? I walked our early December studio this year because I was paranoid. But I can't remember now if it ended up being necessary or not.

I have been checking for the past 3 months or so, almost daily, and even VGC has shown up.

Sometimes, I didn’t even get on until 10:00 am. Now, to be fair, I have not checked the past 4 days but prior to that? Only CCV studios and it started to be BRV when we got to mid November dates for check in.

Early December is unique and some of what might happen now might show more difficulty, but that is because it’s early December and the demand seems to increase across all resorts.

Now; the low cost options were gone…but, if you wanted a room at your home resort, no matter the room size, and what I mentioned above, you woild have been able to get it.

 

[DisneyFanSea]

Cries in PST time zone. Can't imagine waking up everyday at 5am PST to do a proper walk. They should move the time up to like 8am pst / 11am est or even 12am est / 9pm pst.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Cries in PST time zone. Can't imagine waking up everyday at 5am PST to do a proper walk. They should move the time up to like 8am pst / 11am est or even 12am est / 9pm pst.

You don’t really need to as long as you have a few nights booked out. Once you have your dates booked out then you can modify anytime during the day.

The hard part is getting the walk started.

 

[DisneyFanSea]

You don’t really need to as long as you have a few nights booked out. Once you have your dates booked out then you can modify anytime during the day.

The hard part is getting the walk started.

After learning more about walking, this is where I wish I had picked an Oct UY instead of a Dec use year for Dec visits. Although I wanted to make sure I was able to get early summer travel covered before the banking deadline at the same time.

 

[AstroBlasters]

After learning more about walking, this is where I wish I had picked an Oct UY instead of a Dec use year for Dec visits. Although I wanted to make sure I was able to get early summer travel covered before the banking deadline at the same time.

Well…. if you can skip a year then technically you could have a very longtime to walk via banking.

 

[DisneyFanSea]

Well…. if you can skip a year then technically you could have a very longtime to walk via banking.

Is it possible to walk across use years? Because for let’s say with a Dec use year for a trip anytime in December it seems like I would need to start walking before Thanksgiving.

 

[Disfamwa]

That is a great question to ask. I'm initially thinking I'd be most disappointed to not travel to WDW in December, but I'm going to give this some more thought. And I'll ask my husband his thoughts on that too. We really need to consider that.

I'm not opposed to staying on Harbor Blvd at Disneyland (and have many times) but I won't stay non-DVC for WDW. It's much cheaper to replace a Disneyland stay with a non-DVC hotel than it is at WDW also.

One thing that keeps me from buying VDH as a west coaster that goes to Disneyland more than WDW is what an afterthought DVC seems to be at Disneyland. Currently, I love VDH, but I have zero faith that they will handle refurbs of VDH appropriately. Even the hotel side of the resorts seems like an afterthought at Disneyland. Resorts are such a juggernaut at WDW, and it’s just not the same at Disneyland.

So far, I’ve been able to book five night stretches at VDH in a studio at seven months. If you are flexible with the time of year/dates you want to visit, you will likely be able to use direct poly points there. Since you are ok staying off property, you could book a back-up offsite reservation and then book the nights that are available at VDH and waitlist any missing nights.