Do I have to book my home resort for my first stay?

[Jetku]

Not such a magical DVC experience day one.

We bought into Animal Kingdom today direct. I called this evening to check availability and book my stay for August. I had a priority order of resort/room types which the woman very kindly took note of. After going away to check, she came back and told me I can only book Animal Kingdom Lodge for my first welcome home (3rd choice) and that it wasn’t available for my dates but rather a shorter stay for different dates.

I let her know that in the future I will prefer AKL, but for this first trip and my second child being 9 months, we prefer a monorail resort. She insisted that I could only book AKL and wouldn’t look for the others.

I then asked for my online activation numbers to try for myself, but unfortunately I didn’t test it while on the phone because the numbers I wrote down don’t work. Call back, closed. Sales is still open but can’t help me tonight.

Is what she said true - must my first stay be at my home resort...?

 

[CMNJ]

Your first stay doesn’t have to be at your home resort (you never actually have to book your home resort). However, August is 6-7 months away so availability can obviously be an issue especially if you are looking for a studio. Those tend to go fastest especially at the near park resort (monorail/Epcot). A “welcome home” reservation is a perk they offer to direct buyers where they will sometimes pull a room that Disney has avail for cash guests (from their own points or member exchanges) for your first stay. I think from what I’ve read they generally do this for your home resort and welcome home reservations are not guaranteed anyway. If the room you want is avail you should have no problem booking it but if it isn’t avail you might have to wait list or take the welcome home reservation Disney is offering.

 

[Ben E N]

If the monorail resorts are all full, you could book at your home resort and then waitlist your preferred places. My first stay was not at my home resort, but I booked it exactly 7 months out from my stay.

 

[LeslieLou]

I’ve never stayed at one of my two home resorts - seems like a travesty, but we are staying at Old school VWL in May for the first time. Owned since 2011. Didn’t stay at our other home resort, BLT, until 2015-ish

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The welcome home visit is a courtesy. There is no promise they will get you the resort or unit type you want for a welcome home visit.

Think of it this way: would you want your booking cancelled, that you made 11 months out, for someone else's welcome home visit? Probably not.

They usually try to get your home resort. If that is not available, they tend to book from units available DVC already (generally Saratoga) or any units not yet declared to the association (CCV right now, but they are running out of that option).

 

[kniquy]

We bought into Animal Kingdom today direct. I called this evening to check availability and book my stay for August. I had a priority order of resort/room types which the woman very kindly took note of. After going away to check, she came back and told me I can only book Animal Kingdom Lodge for my first welcome home (3rd choice) and that it wasn’t available for my dates but rather a shorter stay for different dates.

Definitely not true what she stated. Inside the 7 month window you can use your points anywhere. I'm not sure of what your dates and room options are but there is a ton of availability on property. BUT it is mostly in 1 and 2 BR units. If you are flexible in your dates then you might be able to get a poly studio, which would get you on the monorail.

Get your activation code and go online yourself. It is much better to be able to see what is actually available vs trying to tell someone what you want. Don't discount OKW as an option -- the rooms are the largest of any DVC and there is a nice boat ride to take to disney springs.

 

[Jetku]

Definitely not true what she stated. Inside the 7 month window you can use your points anywhere. I'm not sure of what your dates and room options are but there is a ton of availability on property. BUT it is mostly in 1 and 2 BR units. If you are flexible in your dates then you might be able to get a poly studio, which would get you on the monorail.

Get your activation code and go online yourself. It is much better to be able to see what is actually available vs trying to tell someone what you want. Don't discount OKW as an option -- the rooms are the largest of any DVC and there is a nice boat ride to take to disney springs.

Thanks all and thanks kniquy.


On hold now to get my codes to try myself.

OKW is definitely an option, just low in the priority list. We’ve stayed there before but with the infant would prefer monorail. After monorail, AKL is my wife’s favorite resort. We actually debated back and forth yesterday buying into AKL vs OKW given the price difference and that we loved our stay at OKW, but AKL won out.

In my lifetime, I’ve actually stayed at all the resorts that have DVC in WDW. The only “no-go” is Saratoga Springs with Boardwalk at the lowest end of priority.

 

[kniquy]

On hold now to get my codes to try myself.

Make sure you come back and let us know what you end up booking!

 

[Chuck S]

Since the OP says the direct purchase was made yesterday, and they were trying to book a vacation later that evening, I'm wondering if it was a computer glitch or if their account/membership hadn't been completely set up in the computer system, yet. I hope the OP has good luck booking online.

 

[Jetku]

I really appreciate the helpfulness if the responses here. DVC is very overwhelming even after many years and hours of research.

I was able to activate my online account - missed a digit in the code last night.

I’ll come back with where I end up once I take a look at availability!

 

[Jetku]

Success!

I went online and there was virtually nothing available for our week. Studios at Saratoga (no-go) and one variation of the dates had OKW available. If I had no other options, I would have jumped on the Old Key West room. There was no availability for any other same resort splits stays even. With a 9 month old we don’t want to split stay different resorts (did this with my first at 11months and wasn’t a great experience).

I called and the agent was able to get us a “first welcome” studio at Poly though! Perfect!

I will definitely be vigilant at the 11/7 month marks for all future stays!

It also would have helped if we had more points. Ultimately I want to have 180-200(rather than our current 80). There were 1 and 2 bedrooms available, but I didn’t want to borrow points.


https://imgur.com/a/nIXTnpn

 

[Noodlez]

That’s great news. Well done Jetku!

 

[kniquy]

I called and the agent was able to get us a “first welcome” studio at Poly though! Perfect!

Great news!! We also own at AK. We did a stay last year 3 nights poly and 4 AKL -- unfortunately we fell in love with Poly and we will be in the market for a resale there soon. Poly has a different feel and you will love being able to walk around the grounds and look out and see the castle. I feel that being able to look out to see the castle is more magical and looking out on the Savannah of AKL.

 

[sndral]

Great news!! We also own at AK. We did a stay last year 3 nights poly and 4 AKL -- unfortunately we fell in love with Poly and we will be in the market for a resale there soon. Poly has a different feel and you will love being able to walk around the grounds and look out and see the castle. I feel that being able to look out to see the castle is more magical and looking out on the Savannah of AKL.

Interesting, not even a Castle can top seeing a giraffe from my balcony for me - different strokes for different folks, I suppose - no surprise that I love my AKV points!
However, when I stay at the VGF (or the Poly before I owned DVC) I'd rather have a room/villa where I can see the monorail go by than a Castle view room/villa, except for fireworks time

 

[cmwade77]

Interesting, not even a Castle can top seeing a giraffe from my balcony for me - different strokes for different folks, I suppose - no surprise that I love my AKV points!
However, when I stay at the VGF (or the Poly before I owned DVC) I'd rather have a room/villa where I can see the monorail go by than a Castle view room/villa, except for fireworks time

I agree about the Savannah view, but we are also trying different places, our next trip is mot likely Old Key West.

 

[Jetku]

To follow up just a bit, I think I know why I had such a problem finding availability. The AKL Moonlight Magic is right in the middle of my travel date options, so inventory is verrrry dry for that one specific night.