Do you usually book at 11 months?

[Sammie]

We don't because honestly at 11 months, we have no idea when we can go due to work schedules.

I do book right at 7 months, as soon as it opens and honestly do not care where I stay.

SSR is our fav.

 

[Muhlenberg]

I haven't booked at 11 months yet! We don't usually go during busy times. I've booked home resort (AKV) at about 10 months out already, and switched to THV, knowing I might not get it (but we did!). I've booked at 8 or 9 months at AKV knowing that's where we wanted to be, and I've also done that at 4 1/2 months (changed dates because of a new grandbaby). If we KNOW we want to stay elsewhere, and there's an excellent chance of getting it, I've booked EXACTLY at the 7 month mark on several occasions.

 

[patkingpin]

Someone above posted they book at 11 months unless they are borrowing points. I am rather new to DVC as I just closed in the past month so I might be missing something.
If I book at my home resort at 11 months and used some borrowed points to do so, does it make it more difficult to switch at 7 months?

 

[chalee94]

i usually book at 10-11 months out if my plans are a lock.

i actually wasn't planning on going this christmas season since i went in may but i waitlisted BWV at 7 months just to see if it would work out. i'm not counting on it, though and if it doesn't come through, i'll either skip the trip or book the week in an offsite timeshare...

If I book at my home resort at 11 months and used some borrowed points to do so, does it make it more difficult to switch at 7 months?

no, but if you use 20 more pts to book your home resort and then you free those 20 pts up by booking a cheaper resort at 7 months, it might complicate things...banked or borrowed pts cannot be banked forward (and you'd need to make sure that you watch your banking deadline so you can bank the 20 pts if they are current pts.)

just make sure you pay attention to what MS does with the leftover pts (and verify that it was done correctly by looking online afterwards.)

 

[bwvBound]

Do you usually book at 11 months even if you are planning on a different resort at 7 months? ?

Never. We always wait to book at 7 months.

 

[DougEMG]

I just went to book a 2 week trip in March (so that's 9 months out) at BWV in a standard view studio and one night wasn't available, so had to waitlist that one night.

 

[drusba]

Someone above posted they book at 11 months unless they are borrowing points. I am rather new to DVC as I just closed in the past month so I might be missing something.
If I book at my home resort at 11 months and used some borrowed points to do so, does it make it more difficult to switch at 7 months?

No, the point the poster was making is that you should avoid borrowing points unless you actually need to and if your plan is to switch at 7 months out, it is then that you would borrow if needed. If something happens that makes you cancel a trip you cannot put borrowed points back into the year from which they came and thus you risk possibly losing them since they have to be used by the end of the use year into which they were borrowed.

 

[patkingpin]

No, the point the poster was making is that you should avoid borrowing points unless you actually need to and if your plan is to switch at 7 months out, it is then that you would borrow if needed. If something happens that makes you cancel a trip you cannot put borrowed points back into the year from which they came and thus you risk possibly losing them since they have to be used by the end of the use year into which they were borrowed.

Makes perfect sense. Thank you.

 

[com_op_2000]

We have booked every year at 11 months since '93, an OKW studio for my DW's annual birthday get-away weekend,which is the second week of Dec. We usually change to either BWV, BCV, or AKL depending on what we are plannng on doing during the stay.

 

[TSMMANIAC]

For New Years at BWV I always book at 11 months. The Grand Villas and standard views are difficult to book. If I know when our vacations will be I go ahead and book at 11 months. Sometimes switching at 7 months.

 

[njmeisje]

I always book at 11 months. We're BCV and HHI owners, so its pretty much a necessity.

 

[dzorn]

We usually book at 11months because I like the value 2 bedrooms at AKV.

Denise in MI

 

[GOOFY D]

How difficult is it to get Thanksgiving week at resorts other than your home resort (at the 7 month window)?

 

[Starr W.]

How difficult is it to get Thanksgiving week at resorts other than your home resort (at the 7 month window)?

The problem will usually be Thanksgiving night. I was looking at the 7 month window and even 2br at SSR were booked for Thursday night.

We usually travel at T-giving and the last few trips we've needed a GV, I just booked SSR at 11 months and was done with it.

I do the 7 month switcheroo at the other times we go, nabbed a 2br at VGC for the first weekend of November.

With Vero Beach, I book at the 11 month window to get one of the 6 Beach Cottages.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We always book our early December trips at 11 months out, but often we aren't certain of our dates for other trips until closer. We usually DO book before the 7 month window though, and then switch if we want to change resorts. I always want to be sure we have SOMEPLACE to stay, and don't stress if I don't get a different resort. Besides...I LOVE OKW!

 

[CarpeDisney]

We only booked once at the 11 month mark. That was for a dedicated 2BR Savannah view in Kidani, during the week between Christmas and New Years.

We've had luck booking at other resorts at the 7 month window. We've gotten a dedicated 2BR Lake View at BLT for presidents week, a dedicated 2BR savannah view at kidani for presidents week, 1BR lake view at BLT for July 4 week, and a few other random times of the year (including Thanksgiving Week) at Saratoga Springs.

 

[Figment&Piglet]

We always book 11 months at BWV standard view to be sure we get to use the lower points and because we love the resort. I can't see using more points for a view, IMHO.

OTOH, anytime we've tried to switch at 7 mos., especially in the past few years, it's been very difficult. That said, we usually are looking for 7-9 nights and usually during a school vacation time (e.g., April school vacation, or around Columbus or Veterans Day weekends) so our nights are not really flexible.

If it doesn't cost anything, I say book your home resort to be safe, then switch at 7 mos.

BTW, slightly but I wish the DVC online reservation system let you look at availability at other resorts even before 7 mos., even if you can't book them It'd be nice to know sooner rather than later if your hoped-for nights aren't available and a waitlist is likely. Just my 2 cents.

 

[GOOFY D]

So, if you book your home resort 11 months out and decide to cancel and change resorts at 7 months out, is there any issue with Thanksgiving being in the 4 month dead window (UY is Feb)?

 

[alice99]

So, if you book your home resort 11 months out and decide to cancel and change resorts at 7 months out, is there any issue with Thanksgiving being in the 4 month dead window (UY is Feb)?

Only if you cancel, or make the second reservation using less points. Those extra/leftover points need to be used by Feb 1.