DVC Experts What would you do?

[Wendybird55]

Hi,

We have been renting points from friends past few years. They don't go to Disney since grandkids grew up and moved away, but don't want to get rid of points and we've been going every year so it works out.

So looking ahead to 2015. We are thinking of booking 2 trips. The first one would be May 2015 - arriving Tuesday or Wed. before Memorial Day and leaving on Memorial Day. Hoping to catch a 24hr event at MK if they have it.
I've never gone this time of year so am not sure of DVC availability or crowds.

We would like to stay at WL. Our friends home resort is SSR.

First...can you book 12 or 11 months out at home resort?
Second...is this time of year tough to get DVC rooms? Should I have fmy riend reserve a room at SSR at 11 / 12 month window (which would be now) just to have a room and then see if we can get WL or BWV at 7 month mark? Or should we just wait until 7 month mark?

SSR wouldn't be our first choice simply due to resort size and location. However, if we do book here early as a backup, is there a particular building / area we should request to make it more convenient to get around? We've never stayed here.

Thanks

 

[vicki_c]

It's 11 months for,home resort.

I would definitely have them book SSR at 11 months and then try to switch at 7, if they are willing to do that for you. It is a holiday weekend.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Are you ok with crowds? I think Memorial Day weekend would be really busy.
I hope someone else with recent experience at WDW can help you figure that out. I just know that we just spent that weekend here at (DVC) Vero Beach and it was as busy as I've ever seen it.

 

[tink'smom2B]

We just got back on Saturday. It was crowded! I thought we would miss some of the crowds as we came on Sunday, May 18, but it was crowded everywhere. Not sure why, but plan on long waits for everything. Also, make reservations and fastpasses as soon as you can. Everything books up quickly.

 

[Gracie09]

We just got back on Saturday. It was crowded! I thought we would miss some of the crowds as we came on Sunday, May 18, but it was crowded everywhere. Not sure why, but plan on long waits for everything. Also, make reservations and fastpasses as soon as you can. Everything books up quickly.

It was crowded because of star war weekends, colleges just getting out for the year, many schools particularly in the south end in may, 24 hour event at Disney and a holiday weekend. All add up to large crowds.

Op 11 months for home resort, 7 months for another resort. I tend to book home resort at 11 months and try and move at 7 months. I have never had a problem and even got beach club on opening weekend of food and wine fest last year

 

[CarolMN]

IMO, there is no need to book SSR at 11 months for a May vacation, even for Memorial Day weekend. SSR will be still available at 7 months if you can't get your first choices at 7 months.

Give your friends a first and second choice and ask them to book online as soon as the window opens at 8 AM Eastern. Not having to cancel an existing reservation prior to booking another reservation (so you can reuse the points) will give them a few minutes advantage at 7 months. If your first or second choice isn't available (but I doubt VWL will be a problem), they can then book SSR as a back up.

No way will SSR be gone at 7 months. It just doesn't fill up that fast. So no need to book SSR at 11 months "just in case".

Good luck!

 

[bethp1968]

We were there the weekend before Memorial Day this year and last year. We booked for this year a studio at BCV and BWV in February (so 3 months out). It is Star Wars Weekend at DHS, so that will make parks a little bit busier.

We did not have any problems, but it did seem as if MK was a bit more crowded than in previous years. Otherwise, i would say crowds were moderate (6 out of 10 according to Touring Plans).

We did book our ADR's (Beaches N Cream, Via Napoli) in February and got Be Our Guest in late March.

FP+ booked at 60 days, but was able to change some of the tims once we arrived, so no problems there.

 

[bakerworld]

We've done Memorial Holiday weekend a few times and the heats been the only ding for us.