Getting a Christmas reservation at non-home resort

[geekgirl]

Wondering how successful others have been at getting the boardwalk or beach club - 2 BR during christmas week reserving at the 7 month point? The rep that I've talked to told me that she has been very successful getting the ressie if she calls right at the 7 month time. I'm deciding on whether i'd want to wait for 350 points at BCV or BWV to become available or go ahead and take my chances at SSR being the home resort.

How successful have those on this board getting in BCV or BWV during Christmas week reserving 7 months out?

 

[drusba]

Have attempted exactly that once seeking any 2BR at BWV, BCV or VWL (last year) -- response: there were no openings at BCV or VWL and only one of the days requested for BWV so waitlist was it (and did not bother to do that). Also, Christmas week requires 462 points for a 2BR at BCV and BWV (preferred) not 350.

 

[geekgirl]

thanks for sharing your experience. the info helps me make my decision. About 10 years ago we stayed at the Treetop Villas which were located out near the Disney Institute. It took us so long to get back and forth to the parks.

I know that BCV and BWV are 462 -- i'd bank points. Going at Christmas isn't something we'd do each year--just sometimes.

Can anyone speak to the transportation system at Wilderness Villas? I know that they are close to the TTC.

 

[Dean]

I'd think you could get something somewhere most years at BCV, BWV and VWL is you play the game correctly. But you do have to know how to play the game and it's a little complicated in this situation.

 

[byoung]

I'd think you could get something somewhere most years at BCV, BWV and VWL is you play the game correctly. But you do have to know how to play the game and it's a little complicated in this situation.

Dean how do you play the game?

 

[Patty3]

Yes, how do you play the game, please tell us!

 

[JimMIA]

Dean how do you play the game?

He plays it well.

 

[Dean]

Dean how do you play the game?

LOL, remember, you asked for it. Lets assume one owns at at a non destination resort, for this purpose it would be HH, VB, SSR & OKW. And assume one wants to get BWV/BCV/VWL. One can use the same ideas for other more difficult reservation such as a GV, VB Feb/Mar, HH summer, etc.

Scenario 1 would be where you have PLENTY of points that are current use year points for when you want to travel. Here's an example of an approach I'd use. If I owned SSR or OKW, I'd reserve at 11 months out maybe even day by day. I might even do the same for HH or VB to give me options if others didn't work out. Then at day one 7 months out, I'd call and start to reserve my preferred option. I might even reserve all 3 resorts in the unit size I wanted initially and then as I got closer to getting everything I wanted, cancel the other resorts that were not my first choice. I'd call day by day at opening to make sure I had my best option. Obviously it takes a lot of points to hold a home resort reservation AND to have multiples resorts booked for a few days. If I didn't have enough points for this approach, I'd look at scenario 2.

Scenario 2: Assumes I have exactly enough points for what I want to end up with and/OR I have to borrow to make my reservations. I'd still reserve home resort at 11 months out though I'd look at the number of points for home resort and desired resort. I'd want to make sure I didn't borrow more points than I'd end up needing. If need be, I'd leave the last day or weekends unreserved as they will be the most points AND the easiest to reserve later. Then at 7 months I'd call on day 1 and see what things looked like for the time I wanted. They can tell you how good or bad it looks even if you can't book it then. I'd reserve day 1 canceling that days existing reservation ONLY if I had to in order to have enough points. Then I'd call back day by day and do the same until I got to the last. Then I'd bank any unneeded points if applicable. I'd also make sure any banked or borrowed points were used for the final reservation.

In general I'd wait list day by day for any option that didn't work out, again, maybe multiple resorts initially until things sorted themselves out. There are all sort of in betweens and variations. These might include multiple weeks because you're not sure when you can go. Or maybe multiple size units because you're not sure who or how many are going. Or even multiple additional units in some cases as our December trip.

One of the approaches I've used recently and likely will more in the future is to reserve what I want then request it also through II. If II comes through, I end up canceling or renting the previously reserved time. This frees up the points to use again or produces $$$ that can be used for other expenses or non timeshare trips.