Do you think this could happen with DVC

[Lisa P.]

...on option that DVC has that FF does not have is the waitlist. FF owners need to keep calling in the hopes of getting a cancellation, while DVC owners do not.

True. I wish that FF did have a waitlist.

One option that FF has that DVC does not have is the Rotating Priority List for non-home resort prime season reservations. With the RPL, an owner may make a request up to 22 months in advance. These RPL requests are lined up by date received and owners are then given a date after which they may call to try and confirm. The RPL call-back date is between 11.5 months and 10 months ahead of travel, which is halfway through the home resort ARP priority window. If the RPL is tried and unsuccessful, the owner's name goes to the head of the list for the following year. RPL requests may be made up to every two years for the same location.

Of the few people that I've met who have tried RPL, all have been successful at getting into their desired resort, with moderate flexibility in adjusting their dates. That's nice to know if I want to plan ahead for a special anniversary trip.

 

[erikthewise]

I'm not Dean, but here's my answer...

In theory, every owner can book a week -- but it may not be the week that the owner wants. And let's suppose that some of the condos sit empty in January and February. As the year continues, owners call to make reservations for that year. At some point, owners will be told that all weeks have been booked, and they're out of luck.

....

And, as with conventional timeshares, there's no guarantee that members can use their points. The system works very well for those of us who plan ahead. But there are probably a fair number of points every year that expire without being used or banked (which is good for the rest of us).

In fact, if average occupancy drops below 95% (or whatever percentage of theoretical capacity is sold), there MUST be a corresponding number of points going to waste. An individual can bank points, but that doesn't change the fact that once capacity is sold, it must be either used or wasted. I don't know what the percentage of points wasted is but I suspect it's higher than most of us would think -- the dirty little secret of DVC.

For what it's worth, I book a 1BR at BCV annually at 11 months for early December, each year intending to book day-by-day, but each year MS tells me "don't bother", and instead I book in two or three segments, and I've never had a problem. Furthermore when I've called at 8 months to add a day on the end, it's still available. No doubt studios are tighter, but still I suspect things are not (yet) as bad as many imagine.

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip)....For what it's worth, I book a 1BR at BCV annually at 11 months for early December, each year intending to book day-by-day, but each year MS tells me "don't bother", and instead I book in two or three segments, and I've never had a problem. Furthermore when I've called at 8 months to add a day on the end, it's still available. No doubt studios are tighter, but still I suspect things are not (yet) as bad as many imagine.

I tend to agree with you. That said, I also book early December. But I want a standard view at the BWV so I do book day by day. It is necessary to ensure I get all 7 days in standard view. I know that my experience colors the advice I give to others.

Best wishes-

 

[crisi]

In fact, if average occupancy drops below 95% (or whatever percentage of theoretical capacity is sold), there MUST be a corresponding number of points going to waste. An individual can bank points, but that doesn't change the fact that once capacity is sold, it must be either used or wasted. I don't know what the percentage of points wasted is but I suspect it's higher than most of us would think -- the dirty little secret of DVC.

Its not much of a secret. Its called breakage, disclosed on our statements every year, and sold to CRO to lower our dues. And I'd hate to call anything that lowers my dues "dirty."

Although it could be argued that breakage inventory is one of the reasons that we don't get great deals on non-DVC Disney resorts - it adds to the supply of DVC rooms available through CRO, but doesn't do anything to our demand for rooms at the Poly.

 

[Dean]

Dean,
What caused the difference in booking at HH?

Thanks.

I am not sure. My best guess is a combination of HH owners trying other things and SSR owners not yet doing the same. But it is unreasonable to expect mid summer to mid August to be anything other than impossible going forward unless you own there and likely book at the 11 month window.