Frustrated New DVC Member

[DebbieB]

Can't say I blame you! We are becoming very frustrated at trying to book at a non home resort at the 7 month to the day window! After 12 years of owning, and never having had a problem before, I am beginning to wonder what the heck is going on?! Yes, it's gotten very popular but they have also added more DVC resorts, so I dont' get why nothing is open when we want to book.

I have also NEVER had a waitlist come through! How's that for frustrating!

Nothing was available at 7 months?

 

[Dean]

I think alot of time people say they are flexible, when they are really flexible with their dates but not their accomodations. Maybe they are not willing to spend extra points for a better view availability? or upgrade to a 1 bdrm? but are flexiblewith dates only?

We've discussed flexibility over the years as it relates to exchanges. My impression is that usually when people say they're flexible, it's about the same as when people say "it's not about the money". As a group I think we're spoiled and used to getting what we want, when we want it. As it relates to exchanges people will often state they gave a 2-4 week window and 3-4 resorts, this is not flexible if it's a high demand time/location. They often complicate the matter by planning under a year out and thinking they're giving plenty of time.

 

[NicoleLarson]

I felt very frustrated as well when we first starting in DVC. My husband is in the military so we never know when he'll have a last minute assignment and we'll have to cancel, so it is very hard for us to book at 11mo or even 7 mo out. However, with that being said if you are willing to put in the work and are flexible as others have stated it's really been a wonderful thing for us. For example, for our 1st trip, I started looking in Oct. for the week after christmas. I did get a 2 bed at SS but I really wanted VWL. And after calling each day I got my 1 bed at VWL! Last year we had our plans all set, 5 nights in a BW SV 1 bed, starting Jan 1. I was so excited and then at the beginning of Nov. my husband found out that he had an assignment that started on jan. 2. After calling about everyday and sometimes multiple times I got us in the week before christmas, 2 nights 1 bed at OKW and 2 nights 1 bed at BCV. We had a blast and found 2 resorts that we absolutely love...probably more than our home resort (BLT). For our upcoming trip we are at the AKV and I actually got a CL room at the 31 mark. So the rooms are out there, if what you want isn't available, waitlist it, call, or now go online (woohoo) and you probably have a good chance of finding it.

 

[tjkraz]

...I can't seem to find reservations when I am within a couple of months of wanting to pop down to Disney for a few nights.

Since OP hasn't returned, based solely upon the comment above I suspect a mistake was made. October to mid-December is exceedingly popular these days. Months ago people were already reporting trouble booking fall dates--even at Saratoga Springs.

Even if OP is flexible and typically travels during slower periods, unless she is resigned to frequently staying at Old Key West or SSR, I don't see a great deal of satisfaction in the future.

 

[SamSam]

I felt very frustrated as well when we first starting in DVC. My husband is in the military so we never know when he'll have a last minute assignment and we'll have to cancel, so it is very hard for us to book at 11mo or even 7 mo out. However, with that being said if you are willing to put in the work and are flexible as others have stated it's really been a wonderful thing for us. For example, for our 1st trip, I started looking in Oct. for the week after christmas. I did get a 2 bed at SS but I really wanted VWL. And after calling each day I got my 1 bed at VWL! Last year we had our plans all set, 5 nights in a BW SV 1 bed, starting Jan 1. I was so excited and then at the beginning of Nov. my husband found out that he had an assignment that started on jan. 2. After calling about everyday and sometimes multiple times I got us in the week before christmas, 2 nights 1 bed at OKW and 2 nights 1 bed at BCV. We had a blast and found 2 resorts that we absolutely love...probably more than our home resort (BLT). For our upcoming trip we are at the AKV and I actually got a CL room at the 31 mark. So the rooms are out there, if what you want isn't available, waitlist it, call, or now go online (woohoo) and you probably have a good chance of finding it.

First, thanks to your husband for his service and to you for being a serviceman's wife. I love your attitude, and you are so right, with diligence one can often find DVC villas at short notice.

We love AKV and hope you do too!

 

[Fatalbie]

I have never had issues getting something, but I love ssr and okw and typically travel off season from school vacations. That being said, I was looking today for weekend availability at either ssr or okw for a studio or one bed during oct/nov, boys golf getaway. The weekends that I could string fri/sat/sun night together were extremely limited. That is a change from what I have experienced in the past.

Jim

 

[leanne2255]

I was able to book OKW for the Princess 1/2 Marathon week-end in February.
That's only 5 months out. Several resorts also had availability. I was surprised given that its a big event week-end.

 

[pyrxtc]

I haven't been able to book a a DVC room on my last trip or this upcoming trip. Both have been about a month out and it's really annoying to see them for rent for cash but not for points and me having to use my points to book a non-DVC resort. Actually it's been my last two trips I haven't been able to get a DVC resort for. Sept 2011 I was headed to CA with a 3 month notice and got nothing, December 2011 we only knew about a month out for WDW, and the end of this month we booked just a month out and nothing in CA DVC again. Would love to try GCV instead of the Disneyland Hotel again.

 

[helenk]

I haven't been able to book a a DVC room on my last trip or this upcoming trip. Both have been about a month out and it's really annoying to see them for rent for cash but not for points and me having to use my points to book a non-DVC resort. Actually it's been my last two trips I haven't been able to get a DVC resort for. Sept 2011 I was headed to CA with a 3 month notice and got nothing, December 2011 we only knew about a month out for WDW, and the end of this month we booked just a month out and nothing in CA DVC again. Would love to try GCV instead of the Disneyland Hotel again.

It seems that GVC has been hard to get even at the 7 months it's so small, it books up rather quickly. I'd love to go to CA next year in the fall, and I will be up at the crack of dawn at the 7 months.

 

[helenk]

So far I've been lucky with my 7 month or less bookings, maybe I don't get the view I'd like if I were planning further out but at least I'll be in WDW.
I booked AKV a few years ago in the last fall for a Jan 20th trip, no Savannah view was available but a standard view was, so I took it.
My trip this month, I am staying at the SSR, I would have like the VWL, but the SSR is nice, and it's less points. I booked this room on May 6th. I did not wait list for WVL, I decided to save the points as I'd like to go to HH next year.
I booked a trip on June the 2nd for my Dec 7th to Dec 12th trip, for that trip I purposely booked OKW because of the low amount of points needed. I used my small contract at the VWL (only a 50 pt contract), I had 56 pts in it and that is the number of pts needed for the stay. I just played with the dates and found the days that were available.
So if you are flexible and don't mind which resort you stay in, it can work for you.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...it's really annoying to see them for rent for cash but not for points ....

Well, if you didn't book that Disney hotel on points, you wouldn't see room for cash through Disney Reservation Center. That's where the inventory comes from when a member books a Disney Collection stay on points. Those vacations have got to be paid for someway. They can't pay DCL CMs in DVC points for cleaning the staterooms and serving food.

 

[runmommyrun]

While I can't say if it was a "mistake" to join, I can certainly say you have to be flexible and learn when DVC resorts are busier. Our first DVC stay after we purchased was 2 nights at WLV and 1 (yes, 1!) night at BLT. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of switching, but I booked the trip 6 weeks out so I took what I could get. And it was great. Then I decided in October to run the marathon in January. All I could get was SSR. I was bummed, but did it anyway. And we loved it! We spent more time at DTD than we ever had. We've had no problem booking at 11 or 7 months, except we can never seem to get standard view at BLT for more than a night or two... even calling at 11 months. So we now assume we are getting lake view there.

So I think you just need to learn when it is a requirement to book at 11 or 7 months and when you can make do waiting longer. And try not to get too set in where you want to stay, as you may need to divide a trip between two resorts. We've done that twice now and it has been fine.

All that said, I'll be really testing my patience soon when I try to book VGC and Aulani for a 2014 trip. Given the lower inventory, I'M VERY WORRIED about this one. And we aren't too flexible in our dates. I may be frustrated like you after that one.

Good luck!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I do understand some of the OP's concern. Two things have always stressed me out should I have to cancel and rebook my reservation at the less than 7 month mark. Airline reservations. All but SW now want a change fee. Second, health issues arising making us have to reschedule. The first is easier to change IMO. But securing another reservation at 6 months or later is another matter. I didn't buy DVC to stay anywhere. So we are rectifying some of this by driving down this trip. Should we have had to cancel no money lost. We also booked earlier in our UY so we would still have the opportunity to book at our desired resort later in the UY. Not a fail safe method but does increase the flexibility somewhat.

 

[pyrxtc]

Well, if you didn't book that Disney hotel on points, you wouldn't see room for cash through Disney Reservation Center. That's where the inventory comes from when a member books a Disney Collection stay on points. Those vacations have got to be paid for someway. They can't pay DCL CMs in DVC points for cleaning the staterooms and serving food.

I only booked those rooms because there were not any at DVC resorts. I would rather stay at DVC but it wasn't an option.

I saw rooms for cash because ti was too close to my date and they had already released them all to cash bookings and they can't be converted back.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I only booked those rooms because there were not any at DVC resorts. I would rather stay at DVC but it wasn't an option.

I saw rooms for cash because ti was too close to my date and they had already released them all to cash bookings and they can't be converted back.

No, any points turned over to DRC to sell for DVC at 60 days out can be brought back to DVC for points stays. It's all the members who want to use their points for the Disney Collection that traded out their stay for something that had to be paid for. Like your trade for a non-DVC Disney stay has to be paid for. So the villa representing your stay (the points you used) was turned over to DRC to sell to pay for your non-DVC Disney stay.

When you see cash reservations available at DRC, it's because a member traded their points for a non-DVC Disney stay or DVC owns inventory from points bought back or something they haven't sold yet. None of that inventory can be used for points.

 

[pyrxtc]

No, any points turned over to DRC to sell for DVC at 60 days out can be brought back to DVC for points stays. It's all the members who want to use their points for the Disney Collection that traded out their stay for something that had to be paid for. Like your trade for a non-DVC Disney stay has to be paid for. So the villa representing your stay (the points you used) was turned over to DRC to sell to pay for your non-DVC Disney stay.

When you see cash reservations available at DRC, it's because a member traded their points for a non-DVC Disney stay or DVC owns inventory from points bought back or something they haven't sold yet. None of that inventory can be used for points.

I think it's silly. My choice would not be to not stay DVC and trade my points of I had one. So, my lack of options makes someone else have a lack of options and so on. It stinks !

 

[Sammie]

Plus some of that cash inventory about 2-3% belongs to Disney and it will always be there when point rooms are not available.

 

[bakerworld]

Looks like Sue vented and left or got something so is Happy now - choose to believe the latter.

 

[Dean]

Plus some of that cash inventory about 2-3% belongs to Disney and it will always be there when point rooms are not available.

I would point out that this inventory is not all available for rental. This is where maint and update issues are handled which should take between 1.5 & 2%.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Looking for input from experienced DVC members. My husband and I have been members for 2 years now and we are incredibly frustrated by how hard it is to get reservations without planning 9 to 11 months in advance. We had hoped to use our points with less planning required since we don't have children and our schedules are rather flexible. Did we make a mistake? Would we have been better off just watching for deals at the resorts and scheduling trips as they came up up with discounts?? Right now I would be more excited about getting a PIN with a 30-40% discount then being frustrated by the fact that I can't seem to find reservations when I am within a couple of months of wanting to pop down to Disney for a few nights.

She is most likely wanting reservations in the timeframe of Food and Wine. If she is expecting last minute reservations during a period that is very popular with DVC members then YES - she did make a mistake. However, counting on a pin with a 30-40% discount is also a mistake. We have been going to WDW since 1999 and have yet to receive a pin code.