DVC for last-minute travelers?

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I don't care what others do, only that they have the info. What's done is done but for anyone to buy for that intended use is insane. Far too many limitations and risks for a program that barely brings reasonable savings even when one does not put themselves in this situation.

You continued attempt to paint me as insane pretty much says it all. You do seem to care what others do and believe that the way to prove you are right is to belittle them.

 

[Dean]

You continued attempt to paint me as insane pretty much says it all. You do seem to care what others do and believe that the way to prove you are right is to belittle them.

Not at all, my response is to the choice, not the person. If you happen to fit into that situation, so be it, no belittling intended. The fact that you made a given choice does not make it a reasonable one going forward. Here is your post on the subject that essentially spells out the same thing as I interpret it.

I am a professional late booker and the others will tell you it's a bad idea I do it a lot but there are rules you must consider

1. You are not going to get Beach club, Boardwalk or Wilderness Lodge. You have a much better shot at SSR or AKV

2. You must be prepared to waste points. For example I only need a studio but one-bedrooms often easier to get

3. You must except the cash reservations and points reservations are not always the same pool. Personal belief is that Disney will pull units back from CRO to use for late bookers, but I have no proof of this and you have to be really late for this to happen

4. You must a plan B. I use the wait list but will stay off property if it does not come through


I think the cancellations are bigger issue because the points go to holding and that really limits what you can do with them. Of course I normally have points and holding and that's what I used my living room so...... I did lose 5 points last year, but considering I had about 100 in holding at one point, not bad

Now I am not saying this is a good idea. It just works for me

 

[missycj96]

We have done a few weeks out several times. We have been lucky. But it is not always smooth sailing - twice I made pop century room only reservations and then called every day for a few days (pre-online booking). Both times an AKV studio came through (jambo - once value and once standard) and I was happy to cancel my pop reservation. But it was possible I was going to be at pop and was prepared to stay there (note - these were "extra" short trips of about 4 nights).

Once I got BWV garden view for 5 nights maybe 6 weeks out ( I called and said when in April do you have a studio opened and thats what I booked - this is easier than trying to do last minute for fixed dates). I was only looking for studios though as i had already booked a longer summer trip.

I book my main long trip each year when booking windows open to get what I want). And last summer, I had a week long BLT trip planned and a few weeks out added 4 nights earlier at AKV - got kidani standard.

If you are not traveling peak and can accept any hotel with flexible dates, it helps. It also helps if you have a lot of points and can take either a studio or 1 br.

That said, I would not buy with last minute as your plan going in. To get the best value out of DVC, it helps to book in advance.

 

[hjgaus]

If you are not traveling peak and can accept any hotel with flexible dates, it helps. It also helps if you have a lot of points and can take either a studio or 1 br.[B][/B]

I find the reverse to be true for VGC. It seems to be easier to find 2 beds & Grand villas open when your dates are flexible rather than studios or 1 beds.

 

[missycj96]

You may be right about 2 br. I meant for example if you really want or need a studio, that you would have the extra points to take the 1 br instead as it greatly increases your chances of a last minute room being available.

 

[DougEMG]

I would never ever buy DVC if all I could do was book 3-5 weeks out. A better option would be to rent distressed points.

 

[dawnball]

It's not that there might not be some availability at 60 days out, its just that one never knows if there will be. If you decide last minute to go to WDW and look online for 4 nights in a row, you may or may not get it...DVC works better when you can plan in advance so it would be frustrating as an owner to have points and want to travel and go online or call, and realize you can't get a 4 night stay without having to change resorts, or can only get 3 of your 4 nights and the night missing is in the middle.

As a potential renter, yes, if the availability is not there, then that option would also be frustration, but you would not have money invested. If you can't get a rental, you go back to being a cash guest, like you are now.

I think we're looking at this from two different sides of the coin. It isn't "Oh, I want to go to WDW from August 25-31. I wonder if I can get a room!" It's "I have that itchy feeling between my shoulder blades. We need a vacation in the next two months." And really "Oh, I can only get SSR" isn't a big deal. Neither is "I can get one-two nights at VGC" or "I can get a random weds night at Aulani" or "I can get 3 nights in Hilton Head". "Oh, no availability!" is only an issue if for some reason the points are about to expire, and that's just a matter of point-flowing.

I do agree that if it was always the same one of those, that would be pretty frustrating. There are only so many times I want to go Island hopping, after all. Then again, having ridden the teacups 16 times in a row more often than I'd like to admit - there is some value in familiarity.

In terms of being an associate, you would still have to have an owner's password and log in information for the DVC members website in order to check availability yourself.

Ah, I'd assumed that associates would have their own login.

 

[dawnball]

20 minutes away from DLR - no flights to plan so using points on Disney collection (DLH,PP & once again GCH) is not a waste for us. I get waived the $95 fee and get 1 or 2 night stays WHILE using my annual pass (no blockouts).

How do you get the $95 fee waived? We were looking at resale, which would mean no Disney Collection, but I'm curious anyway.

We're in NorCal, which means there's 50 flights a day, so 1-2 night trips are pretty viable for us if there's intermittent late availability for VGC. And SoCal is a common Monday-morning business destination for him, so Sunday night, or Saturday/Sunday nights would be pretty convenient.

 

[dawnball]

I am a professional late booker and the others will tell you it's a bad idea I do it a lot but there are rules you must consider

1. You are not going to get Beach club, Boardwalk or Wilderness Lodge. You have a much better shot at SSR or AKV

Happiness is liking what you get. But, I really like AKV. A 1 bedroom with a savanna view, a pair of binocs and a camera with a nice long lens... I just need the kid to be old enough I can send her to the parks without me. Until then, that's what grandparents are for. I'm in favor of their pool, too.

SSR, eh. I've only been out there to the DVC sales-brigade, and the resort itself didn't register for me other than lots of screaming people by the pool. I think I'd want to be "at WDW" to book there, rather than wanting to go for the resort itself. The treehouses are cool, but I'm not getting that on short notice! I suspect I'd like it just fine, and that the "lots of screaming people" was a fluke.

2. You must be prepared to waste points. For example I only need a studio but one-bedrooms often easier to get

One bedrooms are probably our ideal, with the occasional preference for a studio, and the occasional preference for a 2 bedroom depending on circumstances. "Wasting" points is more likely to be a weekend thing, because weekends vs weekdays make little difference to us for short trips, but it seems like the higher priced weekend reservations should mean they were in greater supply.

3. You must except the cash reservations and points reservations are not always the same pool. Personal belief is that Disney will pull units back from CRO to use for late bookers, but I have no proof of this and you have to be really late for this to happen

It makes sense that they'd be seperate, but people who don't own DVC have no visibility into DVC availability, so it seemed like a logical proxy. Last minute rooms do odd things everywhere, but usually not in a reliable way, especially when cross
billing is in play.

4. You must a plan B. I use the wait list but will stay off property if it does not come through

Check. I'd offer examples, but I'm fairly sure that I've already been branded insane in this thread!

I think the cancellations are bigger issue because the points go to holding and that really limits what you can do with them. Of course I normally have points and holding and that's what I used my living room so...... I did lose 5 points last year, but considering I had about 100 in holding at one point, not bad

Well, if we don't cancel 31 days out, then we've made our bed, and it's time to lie in it. I think that the odds of cancellation are low, and are getting steadily lower as we get better at this "vacation" thing.

Now I am not saying this is a good idea. It just works for me

Much appreciated, really.

 

[hjgaus]

We were looking at resale, which would mean no Disney Collection, but I'm curious anyway.
New Policy Announced for Re-sale Purchases
Disney Vacation Club® has announced a new policy that limits access to certain Member Getaways exchanges for Ownership Interests purchased on the secondary market (also known as the re-sale market).

Under the new policy, Members who purchase from anyone other than Disney Vacation Development, Inc., on or after March 21, 2011, will not be eligible to use those Vacation Points to make reservations within the Concierge Collection, the Disney Collection or the Adventurer Collection. Those Vacation Points will instead be valid only for reservations at Disney Vacation Club resorts, as well as for RCI® exchanges, Club Cordial and Club Intrawest.The affected collections are special Member benefits programs offered by Disney Vacation Development, Inc., and are not part of Members' Ownership Interests. That said, Members who purchased on the secondary market prior to March 21, 2011, may use those Vacation Points for all Member Getaways.

We bought BCV points through RESALE as well BUT in 2008 which means we are grand fathered in for use of ALL DVC. (at least for now) If changes should occur to this clause then we shall no longer have as an advantage! Will have to cross that bridge when we get to it! Our points for VGC were purchased though DIsney. .


How do you get the $95 fee waived?

From the Disney Collection Guidelines - Resort Hotels in the Vacation Planner Reservation Tools 2012 DVC book on bottom of page #35 -
-A non-refundable $95 transaction fee applies per confirmed Disney Collection reservation ( EXCLUDING DISNEYLAND RESORT HOTELS IN CALIFORNIA, campsites at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground in Florida, and Tokyo Disney Resort Hotels).

This is FOR ANY DVC member coming to use their points at DLR Hotels now including Grand California Hotel even though it is part DVC. Recently booked 1 night @ GCH then next 2 nights in villa. So I may have to switch rooms but at least I am in the SAME PLACE.

 

[hjgaus]

Sorry for colored text questions
should read back as

1. We were looking at resale, which would mean no Disney Collection, but I'm curious anyway.
AND
2.How do you get the $95 fee waived?

 

[hjgaus]

So California has all the exceptions to the rules? Does this work FOR or AGAINST the last minute traveler either LIVING or TRAVELING in California? Just curious........

From the Vacation Planner Reservation Tools 2012 DVC Book on top of page #6 -

RULE OF FOUR

You cannot book and travel on Disney Collection (EXCLUDING DISNEYLAND RESORT IN CALIFORNIA and Tokyo Disney Resort hotels), Concierge Collection, and Adventurer Collection vacations within the last four months of your Use Year. However, you can travel in the last four months of your Use Year as long as you've booked your stay more than four months before the end of your Use Year.


From the Disney Collection Guidelines - Resort Hotels in the Vacation Planner Reservation Tools 2012 DVC Book on bottom of page #35 -

-A non-refundable $95 transaction fee applies per confirmed Disney Collection reservation ( EXCLUDING DISNEYLAND RESORT HOTELS IN CALIFORNIA, campsites at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground in Florida, and Tokyo Disney Resort Hotels).

 

[tfc3rid]

If you are on a whim road trip, no, this would not work. However, I booked this morning for a trip 6 weeks from now and got a Studio at the Beach Club Villas... I had an existing reservation for that period at OKW and canceled it...

You have to look... If, like me, you can go during the week, I'm sure you will find more availability than weekend nights...

If my wife and I decide we want to make a quick trip, we actually have been surprisingly successful at 6 weeks out...

 

[hakepb]

So California has all the exceptions to the rules? Does this work FOR or AGAINST the last minute traveler either LIVING or TRAVELING in California? Just curious........

From the Vacation Planner Reservation Tools 2012 DVC Book on top of page #6 -

RULE OF FOUR

You cannot book and travel on Disney Collection (EXCLUDING DISNEYLAND RESORT IN CALIFORNIA and Tokyo Disney Resort hotels), Concierge Collection, and Adventurer Collection vacations within the last four months of your Use Year. However, you can travel in the last four months of your Use Year as long as you've booked your stay more than four months before the end of your Use Year.


From the Disney Collection Guidelines - Resort Hotels in the Vacation Planner Reservation Tools 2012 DVC Book on bottom of page #35 -

-A non-refundable $95 transaction fee applies per confirmed Disney Collection reservation ( EXCLUDING DISNEYLAND RESORT HOTELS IN CALIFORNIA, campsites at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground in Florida, and Tokyo Disney Resort Hotels).

OOPS! I think it means direct purchasers can book last minute Disneyland trips...But I think this is a perk that could be removed or changed at any time.

But in general:


It means, (for direct purchases and grandfathered resales) that you can book last minute Disneyland vacations 8 out of the 12 months of your use year.

So, if you have a February use year, you can call MS through September 30 to book any available Disney collection property. Note: the limitation is when you can call. On September 30, you can call and book a Disney Collection trip with a check in date in October, December..,
From October through January, you can only call to book VGC villas for pre-February stays. But you can call in December to book a February stay.

Basically Feb 2012 UY points expire Jan 31,2013. Disney wants at least 4 months to rent those points out before they expire.

 

[TheDalys]

Could i jump in and ask a question?

What do you guys and gals think about booking next week for the week of january 9-15, not picky on the resort, just want a one bedroom?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Could i jump in and ask a question?

What do you guys and gals think about booking next week for the week of january 9-15, not picky on the resort, just want a one bedroom?

If you are talking about Jan 9-15, 2013, you may have a hard time finding anything. That's marathon weekend.

 

[TheDalys]

Ya, thats the week. I have my fingers c

 

[TheDalys]

Crossed*

 

[abdgeek]

Both my sister and I have DVC memberships and we both use them differently. Both memberships were bought directly from Disney so we have all the benefits.

My sister only books last minute using her membership and usually does long weekend trips. So far, she has gotten HH, an RCI property and BLT multiple times all booking last minute. When she goes to BLT, she doesn't go to WDW just everywhere else.

I always book as far out as I can because I use my points for WDW, ABD, DCL, concierge collection, and RCI.

It is not impossible to get reservations at the last minute, you just have to be flexible. My sister's schedule is more flexible than mine. Because I teach, I usually travel during holiday periods, which is peak season just about everywhere.

 

[dmbjewel]

Here is what I am in the process of buying:

200 AKV Pts April UY $70pp (194 expiring on 3/31/14, 393 - 2014, 200 - 2015) Buyer pays 2014 dues, $195 admin fee, and closing costs


10/15 - Agreement on price reached
10/24 - Contract received from Fidelity (not sure why they take so long)
10/25 - Signed and returned by buyer

Waiting for word that seller has signed contract and that Fidelity has submitted the contract to Disney for ROFR.

Any idea if there is any chance I'll get to use those 194 points before they expire on 3/31/14 (assuming I pass ROFR)?

I am assuming that if this were to go to Disney by 11/1/2013 and it would pass by 12/1/2013 - maybe I would still have a good 2.5 months before those points expire. I have two travel windows for the weeks of 2/15/14 and 3/29/14.

I could use studio/1 bedroom (even a 2 bedroom for a night or two) - could borrow from the 2013 points if I go over a bit... anything to not lose the 2012 points....