For those who own at Poly or BLT (or both)

[DoubleBaconBLT]

They can only book a room at a fully declared/sold out resort (like BLT) for a welcome home stay if it available for all members to book with points. If it is being walked, them they would likely be unable to secure it for a welcome home stay.

The easier option would be to ask for them to pull something from the Poly tower undeclared inventory, Cabins undeclared inventory, LSL when it first opens, etc.

This is not true. They can book a Welcome Home stay for you using their cash room inventory. I have a stay in about a week at BWV that I booked in September as my Welcome Home stay. There were no rooms available at BWV on the DVC site at the time (my resale membership showed nothing available to book with points). The Member Services rep explained that for Welcome Home stays, they can book these cash rooms, but it's only for a direct member's first stay and only if you call Member Services to book.

 

[Tatebeck]

This is not true. They can book a Welcome Home stay for you using their cash room inventory. I have a stay in about a week at BWV that I booked in September as my Welcome Home stay. There were no rooms available at BWV on the DVC site at the time (my resale membership showed nothing available to book with points). The Member Services rep explained that for Welcome Home stays, they can book these cash rooms, but it's only for a direct member's first stay and only if you call Member Services to book.

It is true. But yes, they can use their cash room inventory, I never said they couldn't.

Their "cash room inventory" = rooms that are undeclared + the rooms that they themselves have booked with their points (with the same reservation booking dates as everyone else booking.)

That means the room you are staying in, if it wasn't in the website for booking when you bought, WAS bookable by anyone earlier, then DVC was the one who booked it, then later offered it for your welcome home stay. You just started your process after it was already booked and in the cash inventory

Any room at a sold out resort has to be bookable by any owners before DVC can book it themselves and use it for a welcome home stay. Otherwise they can use undeclared inventory, and those are not available for booking yet by members otherwise.
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For more info, I was responding to some talk about DVC maybe being able to book a room that is being walked by other members for a Welcome Home stay. They would not be able to do that because the room will be gone before the 11 month window. If the room is available right at the 11 month window, or in your case if they had already previously booked a room to add it to their cash inventory, then yes they can use those rooms for WH stays

 

[Girlstar30]

It is true. But yes, they can use their cash room inventory, I never said they couldn't.

Their "cash room inventory" = rooms that are undeclared + the rooms that they themselves have booked with their points (with the same reservation booking dates as everyone else booking.)

That means the room you are staying in, if it wasn't in the website for booking when you bought, WAS bookable by anyone earlier, then DVC was the one who booked it, then later offered it for your welcome home stay. You just started your process after it was already booked and in the cash inventory

Any room at a sold out resort has to be bookable by any owners before DVC can book it themselves and use it for a welcome home stay. Otherwise they can use undeclared inventory, and those are not available for booking yet by members otherwise.
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For more info, I was responding to some talk about DVC maybe being able to book a room that is being walked by other members for a Welcome Home stay. They would not be able to do that because the room will be gone before the 11 month window. If the room is available right at the 11 month window, or in your case if they had already previously booked a room to add it to their cash inventory, then yes they can use those rooms for WH stays

I think the wording makes it seem like you are saying that people cant book anything unless it is currently available for all members to book, which isnt true because they have rooms they they booked with their own points they can give to you.

I think thats where the confusion lies. I know thats not what youre really saying, but thats how I took it before really reading it over.

 

[Tatebeck]

I think the wording makes it seem like you are saying that people cant book anything unless it is currently available for all members to book, which isnt true because they have rooms they they booked with their own points they can give to you.

I think thats where the confusion lies. I know thats not what youre really saying, but thats how I took it before really reading it over.

Yeah, I can see that.
For a sold out resort:
Step 1 is they have to book the room like any other member.
Step 2 is they can sell/rent the reservation or offer it as a WH stay. But they still have to book it first.

In the original, I was talking about when they can book specifically, not when they can offer that room for WH stays. I said:
"They can only book a room at a fully declared/sold out resort (like BLT) for a welcome home stay if it available for all members to book with points. If it is being walked, them they would likely be unable to secure it for a welcome home stay."

If they have already booked the room, then they can do what they want with it.

 

[DoubleBaconBLT]

Yeah, I can see that.
For a sold out resort:
Step 1 is they have to book the room like any other member.
Step 2 is they can sell/rent the reservation or offer it as a WH stay. But they still have to book it first.

In the original, I was talking about when they can book specifically, not when they can offer that room for WH stays. I said:
"They can only book a room at a fully declared/sold out resort (like BLT) for a welcome home stay if it available for all members to book with points. If it is being walked, them they would likely be unable to secure it for a welcome home stay."

If they have already booked the room, then they can do what they want with it.

Ah, this makes sense - now I get it. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Sandisw]

I think the wording makes it seem like you are saying that people cant book anything unless it is currently available for all members to book, which isnt true because they have rooms they they booked with their own points they can give to you.

I think thats where the confusion lies. I know thats not what youre really saying, but thats how I took it before really reading it over.

Just remember, DVC can’t book it earlier than a member can.

So, if they want to book a room with their own points, then they have to complete with owners at 8 am at 11 months.

They can anticipate breakage and pull further out than 60 days, but can’t never remove rooms from the booking engine early then when it opens for all owners.

If DVC is getting hard to get room that is being walked, then they snagged it just like the walker did.

One thing that is important is that they can’t offer a room for a welcome home stay that is sold out for points if they didn’t book one themselves for points.

That’s why they can’t always meet a request because it may be a room that they didn’t reserve or pull at 11 months.

 

[PolyRob]

Just remember, DVC can’t book it earlier than a member can.

So, if they want to book a room with their own points, then they have to complete with owners at 8 am at 11 months.

I wanted to note that too. DVC can't circumvent home resort priority.

If you buy PVB points and want a welcome home stay at BLT for NYE you can't book with those points until June so a sale now contingent upon that wouldn't work.

 

[DoubleBaconBLT]

Just remember, DVC can’t book it earlier than a member can.

So, if they want to book a room with their own points, then they have to complete with owners at 8 am at 11 months.

They can anticipate breakage and pull further out than 60 days, but can’t never remove rooms from the booking engine early then when it opens for all owners.

If DVC is getting hard to get room that is being walked, then they snagged it just like the walker did.

One thing that is important is that they can’t offer a room for a welcome home stay that is sold out for points if they didn’t book one themselves for points.

That’s why they can’t always meet a request because it may be a room that they didn’t reserve or pull at 11 months.

Thanks for this explanation - it makes a lot of sense. Obviously, it doesn't really impact me anymore because I already bought direct and booked my Welcome Home stay, but it helps with my understanding of how DVC works under the hood. Thanks again for all the time you spend educating new members here!

 

[PolyRob]

Thanks for this explanation - it makes a lot of sense. Obviously, it doesn't really impact me anymore because I already bought direct and booked my Welcome Home stay, but it helps with my understanding of how DVC works under the hood. Thanks again for all the time you spend educating new members here!

Direct add ons are also eligible for 'Welcome Home' stays now so never say never in the event you buy more direct

 

[DoubleBaconBLT]

Direct add ons are also eligible for 'Welcome Home' stays now so never say never in the event you buy more direct

I'm not going to buy more direct because I have the 150 required points for benefits. There's no value in buying direct unless 1) I somehow want to be able to use the points at new resorts too, and the 150 I already have aren't enough, or 2) the restrictions on resale get even more punitive... oh. Ok fine, never say never.

 

[crackerjack21]

We own at both and debated the same question. We were at Disney this past NYE on a last minute trip and watched the fireworks from the top of Bay Lake, which were amazing. My take would be the Bay Lake view would be better, but one year I’d like to get a room at each just to see. (They do the same fireworks on 12/30and 12/31). Bucket list.

 

[mkatsy]

I own both, and I hate to say it, but I kind of regret my PVB contract. Poly Tower is a point suck, good luck if you need help checking in (it’s hit or miss) unless you walk over to GCH, bell services sometimes struggles in the Tower, the front door magic band reader is finicky in the middle of the night. None of this is catastrophic but I just seem to have a smoother visit at BLT. Also, you can throw a rock from the tower to VGF I’d rather stay at VGF and walk over to Wailulu and Kona Cafe.

Just got home this morning from Marathon weekend at Poly Tower and I have to say I had an amazing stay. I had two family members running on Sunday, one doing his first Marathon ever, and I was a high maintenance guest. I had grocery delivery, door dash delivery, I needed extra towels, then I realized I needed extra blankets after the towels were already delivered, I needed key cards for the room, I dragged two sleepy three year olds down to the course on Floridian Way before the sun came up, and the cast members were amazing. We managed just fine with our double stroller, but they offered to bring us down with a golf cart. I hadn’t stayed here since last year, and it’s like night and day. Everything ran so smoothly, I felt it only fair to update my complaint post.

 

[bakerworld]

I’d love your thoughts
If your main goal was a 1BR Theme Park View stay Dec 30–31 every year or every other year, which home resort would you choose and why?

Would BLT be the safer home resort since TPV 1BRs are so limited?
Or would Polynesian Tower be more reliable with the new rooms and layout?

Trying to understand which home resort gives better 11-month success for these dates.

Yes, I’m still spinning my wheels not buying yet, mind you, just thinking and planning

We own BLT and love being on the monorail. People go on about walkability and both resorts are MK walkable but both walks, either with small children or older adults, are long. Personally I think the Poly has more theme but we like the eatery options at BLT.

 

[Chili327]

We own BLT and love being on the monorail. People go on about walkability and both resorts are MK walkable but both walks, either with small children or older adults, are long. Personally I think the Poly has more theme but we like the eatery options at BLT.

What is your goto at BLT?
I find myself just getting Steakhouse71 to go all the time. lol

 

[JackosinDIS]

After 6 nights at BLT this week, the bus service does start to get very annoying as it calls at Wilderness Lodge first, and often adds 10+ minutes on to an already long journey from Hollywood or AK. I’m not sure if BLT always shares buses, but every time I have bussed back it does!

 

[Chili327]

After 6 nights at BLT this week, the bus service does start to get very annoying as it calls at Wilderness Lodge first, and often adds 10+ minutes on to an already long journey from Hollywood or AK. I’m not sure if BLT always shares buses, but every time I have bussed back it does!

Yep, I think it always does, but I also think once LSL is up and running it may get its own separate from WL, CFW & LSL having their own… or maybe CFW & LSL will have their own and WL will always share with BLT, until they build a BLT2.

 

[bakerworld]

What is your goto at BLT?
I find myself just getting Steakhouse71 to go all the time. lol

Yes, our 'go to' is also Steakhouse 71. We stop in at Outer Rim to say 'hello' to the older lady there. We gave up on the TOWL but each visit we try our monorail pub crawl.