first timer

edshane · Mar 16, 2004

We are new members to the club. We just sent our check a few days ago. We are Saratoga Springs members. We were hoping to stay at the Wilderness Logde the first week in Nov. We have about 6 other families (not members) traveling with us. When we signed the contract, the rep. told us it would not be a problem to book 3 rooms at the WL the first week in Nov. so our other family members went ahead and booked their rooms. I had to call the reservation line the other day to ask a ? about banking pts. and while I was on the line I asked about the availability for that wk., because to my understanding we can not book our trip untill April 5th because it is not our home base. The reservation rep. told me that there is very limited availability for the days I requested in that week. Does anyone have any suggestions or insider ideas or anything at all to offer as to how we can increase our chances of getting rooms on our dates. Does everyone have a problem booking outside of their home base 7 months away from ck out?

Happy Birthday Cat · Mar 16, 2004

Congratulations on your purchase. Welcome Home.

Not everyone has trouble with the 7 month window but it usually depends on the time of year and the resort. Something to keep in mind is that the VWL is the smallest DVC resort and the only one close to the Magic Kingdom. Those two factors will cause it to always be one of the more difficult to book at the 7 month mark all times of the year.

HBC

Cruelladeville · Mar 16, 2004

Welcome Home! :bounce:

Usually you can reserve at 7 months with no problem, if it's not a prime season. If something should happen, and you can not get a ressie, see if they have any rooms available for cash. If they do, reserve the nights you want, and get on the waitlist for your room onpoints. You may need to find an extra night to book first--in other words, let's say you wanted to stay the 1st thru the6th. None of those nights is available, but the 8th is, so book the 8th and waitlist for the rest of the nights you want up to the 8th. When you get some of the other nights, call and cancel the 8th. When you get all the nights, cancel the cash ressie, and just keep the nights on points. If you get most of the ressie on points, but one or two nights just did not come thru, keep those couple of cash nights and cancel the others. :chat:

Doug Wolfe · Mar 16, 2004

Book as soon as you can in April. If the villas at WL are booked, asked to be put on the wait list. People will frequently cancel and you should be able to get in. ::yes::

SSRex · Mar 17, 2004

Congratulations and welcome home.

You have the same idea I did. Buy at SSR, but try to stay at one of the other DVC resorts ASAP before all of the other new SSR members try to also & there no room at the inn or in this case, villa. I booked our first trip home at BCV and called at 7 months.

ripleysmom · Mar 17, 2004

We were able to reserve WLV at the 7 mo window for President's week.

Just remember, as you are looking to switch in to WLV at the 7 mo window so too will be people who have their ressies at WLV that will be looking to switch out at the 7 month window.

twotoohappy · Mar 17, 2004

Originally posted by ripleysmom
We were able to reserve WLV at the 7 mo window for President's week.

Just remember, as you are looking to switch in to WLV at the 7 mo window so too will be people who have their ressies at WLV that will be looking to switch out at the 7 month window.

Hey that's me! I've got VWL booked for the first week in Nov. but I'm going to try to switch my ressies starting on the 1st (We actually arrive on the 30th) from VWL to BCV - so when (hopefully) I change, they'll be another room open :teeth:

Pa@okw95 · Mar 17, 2004

WL is not WLV. WL is not DVC. Your guests had no problems getting rooms at the Winderness Lodge which is not DVC property, Wilderness Lodge Villas or as some say Villas at Wilderness Lodge are part of DVC> I assume you know this.