Finally bought! Ended up going direct.

[MamaCrystal]

After lots of searching for our ideal contract, and then having an owner raise the price after an accepted offer, and then more searching... we bought a direct VGF contract yesterday. YAY!!! I could hardly sleep last night thinking about planning for next fall!

A big reason why we ended up direct was because our 11 month window will be hitting in November (for our big trip with my parents - my mom's first ever Disney trip) and we were getting concerned about resale points actually going smoothly and being available to us by that window.

Now I'm just hoping I can snag a 2-bedroom and studio for the same 7 nights in October... I'll go for the studio first but I'm really hoping it's not nearly impossible!

 

[NickBCV]

After lots of searching for our ideal contract, and then having an owner raise the price after an accepted offer, and then more searching... we bought a direct VGF contract yesterday. YAY!!! I could hardly sleep last night thinking about planning for next fall!

A big reason why we ended up direct was because our 11 month window will be hitting in November (for our big trip with my parents - my mom's first ever Disney trip) and we were getting concerned about resale points actually going smoothly and being available to us by that window.

Now I'm just hoping I can snag a 2-bedroom and studio for the same 7 nights in October... I'll go for the studio first but I'm really hoping it's not nearly impossible!

Congratulations....that is exciting! I hope you get the days you are looking for.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Now I'm just hoping I can snag a 2-bedroom and studio for the same 7 nights in October... I'll go for the studio first but I'm really hoping it's not nearly impossible!

As a direct buyer can't you enlist the help of your salesperson to help ensure your first reservation is successful?

 

[JamesA1]

Congratulations and welcome home.

 

[CarolMN]

.......(snip)>............A big reason why we ended up direct was because our 11 month window will be hitting in November (for our big trip with my parents - my mom's first ever Disney trip) and we were getting concerned about resale points actually going smoothly and being available to us by that window.

Now I'm just hoping I can snag a 2-bedroom and studio for the same 7 nights in October... I'll go for the studio first but I'm really hoping it's not nearly impossible!

As a direct buyer can't you enlist the help of your salesperson to help ensure your first reservation is successful?

MamaCrystal - Since this is such an important trip for you, I'd definitely call your guide to see if he or she can help with at least the studio for your first reservation. There are 47 dedicated 2 bedroom villas in addition to the 47 lock offs (most of the lock offs will go separately as studios & 1 bedrooms). Because the 2 bedrooms cost a lot of points, I don't think that getting one of those at 11 months will be a problem for you.

Congratulations and welcome home!

 

[MamaCrystal]

MamaCrystal - Since this is such an important trip for you, I'd definitely call your guide to see if he or she can help with at least the studio for your first reservation. There are 47 dedicated 2 bedroom villas in addition to the 47 lock offs (most of the lock offs will go separately as studios & 1 bedrooms). Because the 2 bedrooms cost a lot of points, I don't think that getting one of those at 11 months will be a problem for you.

Congratulations and welcome home!

Thank you for pointing that out, DisneyRegulars and CarolMN! I'll take all the help I can get. I thought I saw somewhere though that online reservations open before the guides' office hours? Wouldn't it still be better to try to snag the studio first thing in the morning on my own? Unless there's something I'm missing. We have our member and web ID's but are waiting on access emails from our guide so we haven't been able to see the system in action yet.

 

[amccu18007]

As this is your first reservation, your guide should be able to book that for you. I would call them and ask them to help you get this handled. They should be able to book both of the rooms for you.

 

[CarolMN]

Yes, Don't wait for the booking window to open. Call your guide now to ask for the help.

 

[jstarcze]

Welcome home and Congratulations!

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

Welcome home! We'll be neighbors. Definitely call your guide for help with the first reservation. That is part of what you bought by going direct.

 

[Debbie Jean]

As a direct buy you can take advantage of your guides "magical powers" so go for it! And enjoy!

 

[MamaCrystal]

There is some kind of disconnect between all of the advice here about our guide helping with our first reservation and what our guide is actually telling us...

We called and asked about having her help with the reservation (even said it was recommended to us). She said that Member Services has access to the system but she does not. Are the guides who sell contracts separate from the ones who can help with reservations? She also said the recommendation to ask for help may be based on a situation where someone was purchasing within 6 months of their next trip and then there is some kind of special service where they can open up more points to work some magic. She again said that they open at 9 am but the online system for us opens at 8 am so doing it online ourselves is the better way to book because she doesn't have any kind of early access (or access at all?) I have no idea. This is what we were just told over the phone.

So confused!

 

[MountainMouse]

How many points did you get? If it's enough for a fixed week call your guide and tell them that you want that. Someone else could comment to confirm but VGF was offered with fixed weeks and unless they've changed that since it sold out then you should be able to do it. I think fixed weeks cost a bit more but that comes in the form of more points. If you convert your fixed week to points every year you get all the points you bought (not just what the week you buy costs). If you bought enough for October and can't afford more then you could do a fixed week in December and then another small contract with the extra points you would need to book October after converting your December week to points. I just bring this up because you've paid a premium for direct and you should get the best value you can. Fixed weeks, if they are at a high demand time and location (e.g. studio at VGF in the fall), will have more value in resale if you ever need to. Plus if you have a small additional contract with your direct week it will also typically be more valuable than a larger point contract. Just a recommendation, congrats on the purchase, good luck, and Welcome Home!

 

[ScubaCat]

There is some kind of disconnect

Welcome to DVC.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Were you on a waitlist for VGF? If so, how long was the wait?

 

[sndral]

There is some kind of disconnect between all of the advice here about our guide helping with our first reservation and what our guide is actually telling us...

We called and asked about having her help with the reservation (even said it was recommended to us). She said that Member Services has access to the system but she does not. Are the guides who sell contracts separate from the ones who can help with reservations? She also said the recommendation to ask for help may be based on a situation where someone was purchasing within 6 months of their next trip and then there is some kind of special service where they can open up more points to work some magic. She again said that they open at 9 am but the online system for us opens at 8 am so doing it online ourselves is the better way to book because she doesn't have any kind of early access (or access at all?) I have no idea. This is what we were just told over the phone.

So confused!

I think in situations where DVC is selling a new resort, such as Copper Creek and Poly right now, there are typically not yet sold points and even, until they are almost sold out, not yet declared units w/ points not yet on sale, so there's perhaps some guide access to getting a villa for direct buyers at those resorts.
Grand Floridian has been sold out for awhile and is a small resort, if there isn't a villa available then the guide can't do anymore than you can to find a villa.
If you are hoping for a villa for fall 2018, then you will need to book that when your 11 month window opens, the guide can't book it for you any earlier than you can.
Meanwhile take some time playing w/ the resort availability tool (RAT) on the DVC member site (under the tab that says "vacation planning") so that you are familiar w/ how the system works and can keep an eye on availability as your 11 month window approaches and then exactly 11 months before day 1 of your vacation book that 2 br. & studio you want. You do get an hour head start if you book on line v. calling & I'd probably grab the studio first then the 2 br..
Were you on a wait list for VGF or did you just tell the guide that you wanted that resort and they had the points for you? I ask because I'd like to add on 25 direct points there, but figured it would take a long time & lots of effort to find those points direct.
Enjoy the VGF!

 

[MamaCrystal]

Were you on a waitlist for VGF? If so, how long was the wait?

Were you on a wait list for VGF or did you just tell the guide that you wanted that resort and they had the points for you?

We were on a waitlist. First the guide had to get "permission" to add us to the waitlist after we asked a few times. We were on the waitlist a total of a few weeks. First we were offered 125 points but needed more than that and didn't want to have to wait for the same UY to come up with exactly what we wanted so we decided to wait for a bigger amount to become available, plus we were still holding out for resale. Then a week or two later we got a call offering 200 points. We grabbed 175 at first then called back and made it 190

 

[disneynutz]

You will find that some guides are more helpful and knowledgeable than others and some MS advisors are more helpful and knowledgeable than others.

Bill

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There is usually a clause in direct master contracts for the "welcome home" booking. However, I am not sure that it applies a full 14 months out. I think it has to be within 6 months.

 

[ToddyLu]

In 2009 our guide converted an already booked reservation at Pop to a new reservation Savanna View Studios at AKV ( direct 210 points). We purchase in July and our Pop reservations were for October. He put us on hold and talked to reservations on a Saturday morning to do this. He probably put me on hold to grab a doughnut and chit chat around the water cooler but we he secured those reservations....I didn't care how he got them. In 2009 that made me feel like a member of the "club" and I thought it was a great service. I also knew it was marketing and didn't care. It insured I got a beautiful view and him the sale. Fast forward 8 years and if I want a room I have learned to stay at home on the computer to book at the opening second...and clock in late at work. I have an awesome first world life with issues.