DVC Accommodation Availability over Marathon Weekend

[rmgreenesq]

I'm interested to hear from DVC members and runners about DVC accommodation availability over marathon weekend. I live in Southern California. I ran the Disneyland Half Marathon last month, and got hooked. I signed up to run the Wine and Dine Half and the Walt Disney World Half in Florida. I just wrote Disney a couple of big checks for the accommodations, park tickets, and dining.

I was thinking that if we made a habit of traveling to WDW to run, we might want to purchase some DVC points in order to pre-pay the accommodation costs. But if DVC rooms were tough to come by that weekend, it would not be worth it.

I'd like to hear opinions from runners who have tried to use their DVC points or successfully used their DVC points to obtain a room at WDW over marathon weekend.

Rick

 

[Terapin]

I was able to book a studio no problem but it was around 11 months out at my home resort.

At this point there is nothing available. I'm not sure when the last of the rooms were booked...

I have no problem booking early though - just booked a studio at VGC for August-Sept for the DL half marathon that weekend. Love that the hotel piece of the plan is in place.

 

[rmgreenesq]

I was able to book a studio no problem but it was around 11 months out at my home resort.

Thanks for your reply. Terapin. I was thinking about doing this for the 2014 marathon weekend. I've already booked and paid for a weekend for my wife and myself at the Beach Club in November for the Wine and Dine. For Marathon weekend, my whole family and I are staying a week and we're staying at the Pop Century.

If rooms are freely available at 11 months and tough to come by at 7 months, that kinda changes my thinking a bit. It sounds like I don't just to want to by any old DVC points (like Vero Beach or the Hawaii property), but I want to buy points for the resort I want to stay at. Since both the WDW Marathon and the Wine & Dine finish at EPCOT, I think I want to buy at the Beach Club or Boardwalk Villas.

I booked the Beach Club specifically because it is a short stagger from finish line. If the race does not get me, the after the after race party will. I also liked the idea at staying at one of the nicer properties when just my wife and I are traveling. Higher romance and less kid appeal. No giant bowling pin please!

Rick

P.S. I'm running a similar analysis for ticket packages. I live in SoCal and have a Disneyland Annual Pass. I'm comparing the cost of my Diz AP and WDW ticket package versus the Premiere Annual Pass.

 

[mickeysgal]

We're DVC members and more often than not have to book pretty much last minute due to our work schedules. Getting a room at 7 months out or within a month of two of your checkin shouldn't be a problem if you're not particular about where you stay and a major event isn't happening.

If you are hooked on only staying in one place - like Beach Club - where the rooms aren't plentiful to begin with - then you might have a problem getting what you want, if at all at the 7 month window or less for a busy event weekend. In my opinion, Bay Lake Tower, Beach Club, Boardwalk, and Wilderness Lodge are the toughest to get into less than 7 months. You will most likely be able to get other resorts though. Smaller DVC properties like Beach Club are tougher to get if you don't own there and don't take advantage of the 11 month to 8 month owner booking window. That said, we just booked the Princess 1/2 and I got a one bedroom at Beach Club. Flukes like this do happen, but it's not the norm - I was shocked that I got it. In contrast, we just decided on the Wine & Dine, and cannot get any room on property - DVC or otherwise at the moment. We were able to get one at All Stars through WDW Group Sales - cash. With a big event weeked like the WDW Marathon Weekend, I wouldn't count on the flukes working in your favor via DVC unless you book far out as an owner at 11-8 months or if booking 7 months or less, you can't be picky about where you're staying.

That said, I'd hightail it over to the DVC portion of the disboards - the wealth of knowledge there is amazing. They'll be able to help you with this question and then some. They'll give you the real deal.

ETA: I'd also research resales on DVC points. Many a good bargins out there. There are some restrictions with buying DVC points on the resale market, but I would highly consider it.

Hope this helps.

 

[cewait]

My suggestion would be to purchase where you think you want to stay over Marathon weekend. You will have NO ISSUE booking a room in your home resort window. I am a OKW member and book every year on the 11 month (home resort) window. Then on the 7 month (all resort) window we rebook into a more preferable resort. We generally have no issue getting into 2 br BWV rooms but will have issues at most other Epcot and Monorail DVC resorts. Getting a little more into the weeds, we generally have no issue with a 1 BR or Studio villa anywhere when booking on the day the all resort window opens.

Welcome Home!

 

[rmgreenesq]

That said, I'd hightail it over to the DVC portion of the disboards - the wealth of knowledge there is amazing. They'll be able to help you with this question and then some. They'll give you the real deal.
Hope this helps.

Thanks! I will post over there too.

Rick

 

[Tabetha]

I booked us a one bedroom at Saratoga Springs at 6 months out. The pickings were pretty slim, but if I got a room.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

My home resort is AKL, but what I wanted wasn't available because I only booked 7 months out. I was able to get 2 studios at SSr and I'm wait listed for a value 2 BR at AKL.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards. Please excuse the typos.

 

[jenifred]

I booked at the 7 month window for Marathon Weekend. I could not get the Boardwalk, but I was able to get a prefered 1BR at Old Key West, which was my second choice.

 

[JimB.]

I was able to book at 7 months at any resort I wanted................

Except for BLT. :-(

Staying at BCV this year for some variety.

 

[BigEeyore]

I was able to book BWV 7 months out with no problem.

 

[thndrmatt]

Booked studio OKW without issue inside 7 months, preferable because of the stumbling distance to the start to cheer for the half and then to get to the full start also...

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I just gave up my DVC reservation (AKL 1 bedroom) to move to Grand Floridian, so there's something available right now if you're looking!

 

[wood8176]

I booked at Saratoga's THV at 11 months out. I did not try to switch because we had a large group going and it was too much of a hassle.
However, I would purchase at BCV if I planned to do the marathon regularly.
That said, unless you are only interested in DVC because of the events; carefully consider all the pros and cons of each resort.

and Good Luck in your races!!!