F&W, tell me your successes (and failures)

[mjc2003]

We are BCV members and will have 2 2BR's at BCV next Oct (2013) reserved at the 11 month mark. We have family also staying at BWV on cash in a 2BR.

We have more people who want to join us, and I have an "in" with somebody who will rent me a large number of points for a great price, but they are OKW points and we want to use them at BWV or BCV right at the 7 month mark. I can give up these points and rent BWV/BCV points for a higher price and secure something at 11 months, but wanted to see if anybody has had consistent success (or lack thereof) getting BWV/BCV right at the 7 month mark? We'd be looking for 2 additional 2BR's, don't care about view (BWV), just that we are all together. First preference would be BCV, then BWV.

So, have you had any luck at 7 months at BWV/BCV by going online (or calling in the past) RIGHT at 7 months on the nose? I know history isn't an indicator of the future, but I am trying to weigh several factors into my decision.

 

[DenLo]

We are BCV members and will have 2 2BR's at BCV next Oct (2013) reserved at the 11 month mark. We have family also staying at BWV on cash in a 2BR.

We have more people who want to join us, and I have an "in" with somebody who will rent me a large number of points for a great price, but they are OKW points and we want to use them at BWV or BCV right at the 7 month mark. I can give up these points and rent BWV/BCV points for a higher price and secure something at 11 months, but wanted to see if anybody has had consistent success (or lack thereof) getting BWV/BCV right at the 7 month mark? We'd be looking for 2 additional 2BR's, don't care about view (BWV), just that we are all together. First preference would be BCV, then BWV.

So, have you had any luck at 7 months at BWV/BCV by going online (or calling in the past) RIGHT at 7 months on the nose? I know history isn't an indicator of the future, but I am trying to weigh several factors into my decision.

Yes we have gotten both a studio and a 1 BR at BWV in October at the 7 month mark. Both were pool/garden view as that was all that was available.

 

[Havana]

I was able to get both BW and BC studios two years in a row in Oct at the 7 month mark. I had to take the date that was available for BC and work around it. It sure does book up fast at that time of the year.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We tried to book BCV one bedroom at exactly seven months out for mid-October 2012 in a one bedroom (which should be the easiest to get) and couldn't get seven nights together. Maybe two nights or less. So we booked BLT instead.

 

[Figment2]

Friends tried to book a 1BR at BCV or BWV at the 7 mos mark for end of Oct. 2012 and couldn't get continuous days.

 

[lucyem]

Totally will depend on the days you want. I booked a 2 bedroom at 11 months. Wanted to add a day around 6 months. Been waitlisted ever since for that one day.

 

[G'sMaman]

We were in the same boat late last year so we purchased additional points at BCV so we'd be sure to get a dedicated 2 bedroom for F&W this year. After reading all the board postings about limited availability, we just didn't want to take a chance especially since we wanted to stay Halloween week. Well, as it turns out we didn't need the 8-11 month advantage after all. At 7 months, our trip dates of Oct. 28th - Nov. 4 were still available. I should mention that Oct. 27th (a Saturday) was booked, but we didn't need that date for our stay anyway. We ended up rebooking with points from another resort we own so we could save our BCV points in case we need them for a trip at a later date. I'm not sure if we just got lucky or if dedicated 2 bedrooms are easier to book. In any event, I'm still glad we own at BCV so all's well that ends well.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Last year we were able to,get a 2br the opening weekend of food and wine at BCV.....nothing was available in any view at BWV

 

[mjc2003]

Totally will depend on the days you want. I booked a 2 bedroom at 11 months. Wanted to add a day around 6 months. Been waitlisted ever since for that one day.

What are the days in October when it might be more difficult? We are somewhat flexible.

Last year we were able to,get a 2br the opening weekend of food and wine at BCV.....nothing was available in any view at BWV

That's surprising, I would think BCV would book first!


Thanks all for the feedback. It sounds pretty much like I expected; some have had luck, some not so much. It's probably a function of timing (when in October) combined with a little good fortune. My dilemma is that I'll never really know until we get to the 7 month mark, but since we'll have stuff booked at 11 months I'm going to fight the angst for 4 months! Makes me think it's probably worth the extra cost of renting BCV/BWV points for the 11 month window just for peace of mind.

 

[n2mm]

Been waitlisted for a standard studio at BWV since 10.5 month window and it's not going to happen. My friends are waitlisted at BCV studio at the 7 month window and still nothing.

 

[Straughn]

Home resort is Wilderness Lodge, so anything I do at BCV or BWV, for F & W, is at the 7 month mark. In 2010, we got a 1-bdrm standard view at the BWV with no problem and no wait list. In 2011- 1 bdrm at the BCV with no wait list. This year, I was able to get a 1 bdrm at BWV (garden view) but had to wait list one night in the middle of the stay. That cleared about 10 days after I wait listed. So I would say that I have had zero problems at the 7 month mark at these resorts for F & W. It is still early and there are probably lots of folks who are booked but will have to cancel as their 30 day cancellation date approaches. You just might get lucky.

 

[bochnikm]

We tried to book either BWV or BCV studio or 1 bedroom at exactly the 7th month mark for the first full week of November this year. We could not get a full week, only the weekdays were available. So if you need a Friday or Saturday, and maybe a Sunday -you may be out of luck.

We have waitlisted, but no luck so far.

 

[mjc2003]

Been waitlisted for a standard studio at BWV since 10.5 month window and it's not going to happen. My friends are waitlisted at BCV studio at the 7 month window and still nothing.

I'm surprised no studios were available even at 10+ months. I certainly wouldn't expect to get one at 7 months, especially at BCV, we'd be going to the less appealing (points wise) 1 and/or 2 BR. I hope your WL comes through.

Home resort is Wilderness Lodge, so anything I do at BCV or BWV, for F & W, is at the 7 month mark. In 2010, we got a 1-bdrm standard view at the BWV with no problem and no wait list. In 2011- 1 bdrm at the BCV with no wait list. This year, I was able to get a 1 bdrm at BWV (garden view) but had to wait list one night in the middle of the stay. That cleared about 10 days after I wait listed. So I would say that I have had zero problems at the 7 month mark at these resorts for F & W. It is still early and there are probably lots of folks who are booked but will have to cancel as their 30 day cancellation date approaches. You just might get lucky.

Awesome! Sounds like 1BR's are our best bet. As an FYI, I am planning this for 2013, not this year, so nothing would be booked yet.

We tried to book either BWV or BCV studio or 1 bedroom at exactly the 7th month mark for the first full week of November this year. We could not get a full week, only the weekdays were available. So if you need a Friday or Saturday, and maybe a Sunday -you may be out of luck.

We have waitlisted, but no luck so far.

Our last 3 November trips have been arriving at the end of that first November week. It's VERY busy. It's the end of Jersey week, and also a long weekend for Veterans Day, and the last weekend of F&W. We arrived that Thursday last year and made the mistake of going to Epcot over that weekend. It was no fun. If you are having a hard time getting something for that last weekend of your trip, if it's Veterans Day and/or the end of Jersey week then it might be tough.....but don't give up hope, we actually had a WL come through that weekend last year.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The bad thing about missing a day in the middle of the week for a seven night stay is that you could only book the first nights of your stay up to the night you couldn't book. Then when you were seven months out from the start of the next few days, you could book them, if they were still available.

Because that would be a second reservation.

We are zero for two with waitlists. And when I want to make sure I have my full stay, I'm not going to waitlist. Plus we don't do split stays.

 

[mdsd8700]

We tried to switch at 7 months (on line exactly) to BWV or BCV this year of our short 3 night F&W trip in mid October. Since there are only the two of us, we just wanted a studio. When I tried to switch no studios were available for those nights. There were 1 bedrooms to book at both, don't recall about 2 bedrooms. As I say though that is just three nights. 7 nights is harder. We did WL our studio and it did come through, standard view at that. I was surprised but pleased.

Since you have so many people going, it could be a gamble. It might be worth as you saying paying a bit extra for peace of mind.

Good luck!

 

[karrit2000]

I think as more members are added to the system what was possible at 7 months out even a year or two ago becomes that much harder to do now. I used to be able to book BWV for F & W about 8-9 months out without issue but now if you don't book it at 11 months you definitely can't get a week or more without wait-listing for some of the days. I'm having no luck finding anything other than SSR when I try to book anything at 7 months or less without having to choose multiple resorts & wait-list missing days. Of course GCV is impossible within the 7 month window if you are looking for multiple days and if you want a studio you have to do it at 11 months unless your dates are flexible and you only need a night or two.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Not being amoung the 'organized bookers' I tend to book late. I have learned to book my BCV for Food/Wine around 10 to 9 months and so far I have been able to get what I wanted (probably helps that I am booking a one bedroom which IMHO tend to go last)

 

[mjc2003]

I think as more members are added to the system what was possible at 7 months out even a year or two ago becomes that much harder to do now. I used to be able to book BWV for F & W about 8-9 months out without issue but now if you don't book it at 11 months you definitely can't get a week or more without wait-listing for some of the days. I'm having no luck finding anything other than SSR when I try to book anything at 7 months or less without having to choose multiple resorts & wait-list missing days.

Not being amoung the 'organized bookers' I tend to book late. I have learned to book my BCV for Food/Wine around 10 to 9 months and so far I have been able to get what I wanted (probably helps that I am booking a one bedroom which IMHO tend to go last)

I think we are probably going to be best off foregoing the "cheap" points from our friend at OKW and renting additional BCV points. I don't want to spend 4 months being anxious about the prospect of telling half our group that they can't stay with us.

We realistically will need 4 2BR's, and I can reserve 2 with our current points, so it might be leaving too much to chance to think we're going to get 2 2BR's at 7 months.

Thanks all for the feedback, very helpful. As a follow up thought, has anybody actually tried to book BCV or BWV at 11 months and not been successful? I don't mean at 8:00 am online, more like a day or 2 inside the 11 month window? I just want to plan accordingly, and my work travel schedule might preclude me from being on the computer at 8 am the day I can book. If I'm as far as a week into the 11 month window, should I be worried?

Thanks again all.

 

[ValpoCory]

Of course GCV is impossible within the 7 month window if you are looking for multiple days and if you want a studio you have to do it at 11 months unless your dates are flexible and you only need a night or two.

... or are going at a slow time. In April, I was able to book a VGC Studio for 6 nights in late January 2013, 9 months out.

 

[ValpoCory]

I think we are probably going to be best off foregoing the "cheap" points from our friend at OKW and renting additional BCV points. I don't want to spend 4 months being anxious about the prospect of telling half our group that they can't stay with us.

We realistically will need 4 2BR's, and I can reserve 2 with our current points, so it might be leaving too much to chance to think we're going to get 2 2BR's at 7 months.

Thanks all for the feedback, very helpful. As a follow up thought, has anybody actually tried to book BCV or BWV at 11 months and not been successful? I don't mean at 8:00 am online, more like a day or 2 inside the 11 month window? I just want to plan accordingly, and my work travel schedule might preclude me from being on the computer at 8 am the day I can book. If I'm as far as a week into the 11 month window, should I be worried?

Thanks again all.

I would suggest that method too (finding a BCV owner to rent from). However, with time on your side, use that as an advantage. You should be able to seek out and vet a prospective DVC owner that will rent you $10/point DVC points for the BCV. I've done it 6 times for myself and friends, including at the BCV and an upcoming trip to the tough-to-get VGC, and paid at most $10/point.

I would start seeking owners at about 11.5 months out, and as soon as the 11 month window hits, step up your efforts if you haven't had any luck. Planning this far in advance, I have the utmost confidence that you could find $10/point or at worst $11/point. Patience is key.