GFV reservations

[orlandobuck]

Will it be easy to get a reservation at GFV during the first year before they sell out.? How was it a BLT same time frame?

 

[tjkraz]

Possibly. I think some people buy and aren't prepared to make a reservation immediately. Or when buyers do have travel dates set, they are often many months down the road.

But not all villas will be available for point stays from Day One, so that will restrict availability a bit. And it's a very small resort to begin with.

I suspect demand will far outweigh availability, and many will still be turned away at 7 months.

 

[CarolMN]

Generally, I agree with Tim.

But historically, the easiest time to get a reservation at 7 months for a new resort is during the active sales period before it is fully sold/declared. I believe that will be true for the VGF (for a lucky few).

I also believe that a very large proportion of VGF buyers are doing so to stay there most of the time and those members will be using their home resort booking priority to do so. Anything left at 7 months will disappear within minutes.

Some of the 7 month pressure will probably disappear when the rumored Poly DVC becomes reality.

 

[disneynutz]

VGF is a very small resort and with fixed week reservations happening automatically, the availability is reduced even more.

Bill

 

[tjkraz]

VGF is a very small resort and with fixed week reservations happening automatically, the availability is reduced even more.

Bill

Fixed Week shouldn't have any impact on 7 months, though. If FW were not an option, those buyers would be purchasing standard points and booking within their 11 month window.

 

[Missyrose]

Fixed Week shouldn't have any impact on 7 months, though. If FW were not an option, those buyers would be purchasing standard points and booking within their 11 month window.

Tim, I did have a question. With so many people buying smaller contracts at VGF with the plan of banking/borrowing, do you think there's the chance we'll see people shut out from studios early in the 11-month window?

 

[tjkraz]

Tim, I did have a question. With so many people buying smaller contracts at VGF with the plan of banking/borrowing, do you think there's the chance we'll see people shut out from studios early in the 11-month window?

I wouldn't rule it out entirely...especially for high demand dates like NYE, Thanksgiving, early December, etc.

A lot of it depends upon how popular the Studios prove to be. DVC has been using a 50/50 split for building Dedicated 2B units and Lockoffs for the last few resorts. I assume it's served them well thus far. If not, you would think they'd build more Studios. (At VGF, three studios actually go for about 6-8% more points than a single Two Bedroom which occupies about the same sq ft.)

Usually when we hear about rooms being unavailable at 11 months, it's the small categories like AKV Club level (only about 1% of all AKV rooms) or BLT Theme Park view which is now something like 15%.

 

[disneynutz]

Fixed Week shouldn't have any impact on 7 months, though. If FW were not an option, those buyers would be purchasing standard points and booking within their 11 month window.

What I mean to say is that currently 35% of inventory by category and size has been set aside by DVD for fixed week sales. Of the 6 GV's only 5 are available for booking at 11 or 7 months. Of the 18 or so one bedroom lake view rooms, only 12 are available for booking at 11 months, and rooms not booked at 11 months will be available for booking at 7 months.

If the rooms don't sell as fixed weeks, these counts will change at some point.

Bill

 

[Sur]

I wouldn't rule it out entirely...especially for high demand dates like NYE, Thanksgiving, early December, etc.

A lot of it depends upon how popular the Studios prove to be. DVC has been using a 50/50 split for building Dedicated 2B units and Lockoffs for the last few resorts. I assume it's served them well thus far. If not, you would think they'd build more Studios. (At VGF, three studios actually go for about 6-8% more points than a single Two Bedroom which occupies about the same sq ft.)

Usually when we hear about rooms being unavailable at 11 months, it's the small categories like AKV Club level (only about 1% of all AKV rooms) or BLT Theme Park view which is now something like 15%.

I was impressed at the WAY the points were distributed.. it was WELL thought out. I've been playing with the numbers since the points came out- not as cut and dry as other resorts.

 

[tjkraz]

What I mean to say is that currently 35% of inventory by category and size has been set aside by DVD for fixed week sales. Of the 6 GV's only 5 are available for booking at 11 or 7 months. Of the 18 or so one bedroom lake view rooms, only 12 are available for booking at 11 months, and rooms not booked at 11 months will be available for booking at 7 months.

I don't disagree with your logic. But I don't think the presence of Fixed Week option will have any major impact on 7 month availability, either.

With Fixed Weeks, yes there could be 6 Lake View 1Bs pre-reserved and only the other 12 available for points reservations.

But if Fixed Week were not available, those FW buyers would likely still purchase points and be looking to reserve the same week at 11 mos. Without the Fixed Week option, there would be 6 more Lake View 1Bs available for booking...but there would also be 6 more owners online at 8am waiting to book those rooms. No real change in availability.

 

[mickeyplanner]

Some of the 7 month pressure will probably disappear when the rumored Poly DVC becomes reality.

Never heard about this rumor. Is there any truth behind it?

I don't disagree with your logic. But I don't think the presence of Fixed Week option will have any major impact on 7 month availability, either.

With Fixed Weeks, yes there could be 6 Lake View 1Bs pre-reserved and only the other 12 available for points reservations.

But if Fixed Week were not available, those FW buyers would likely still purchase points and be looking to reserve the same week at 11 mos. Without the Fixed Week option, there would be 6 more Lake View 1Bs available for booking...but there would also be 6 more owners online at 8am waiting to book those rooms. No real change in availability.

What is this about Fixed Weeks? I am learning, new DVC member.

 

[tjkraz]

Never heard about this rumor. Is there any truth behind it?

Poly is the hot rumor du jour but we've seen DVC projects get derailed before. Time will tell...

What is this about Fixed Weeks? I am learning, new DVC member.

Buyers have the option to pay a premium price and lock into a specific week / unit every year. Only 35% of any single week / room size can be sold as Fixed Weeks, and buyers do have the ability to opt-out of their week and convert that ownership to traditional points.

This option was introduced at Aulani almost 3 years ago but it's not often discussed or considered.

 

[chalee94]

This option was introduced at Aulani almost 3 years ago but it's not often discussed or considered.

yep - mostly, it is appealing for japanese visitors to hawaii as it suits how they vacation.

american timeshare buyers have been mostly moving away from the limitations of a fixed week system, so not sure how much demand VGF will generate for their fixed weeks...

(full disclosure: i own both DVC pts and a fixed week timeshare.)

 

[disneynutz]

yep - mostly, it is appealing for japanese visitors to hawaii as it suits how they vacation.

american timeshare buyers have been mostly moving away from the limitations of a fixed week system, so not sure how much demand VGF will generate for their fixed weeks...

(full disclosure: i own both DVC pts and a fixed week timeshare.)

We like a fixed week for an automatically booked, guaranteed lake view room during our favorite vacation week. As posted by Tim, a fixed week can be changed to regular points with a simple phone call.

Bill

 

[mickeyplanner]

yep - mostly, it is appealing for japanese visitors to hawaii as it suits how they vacation.

american timeshare buyers have been mostly moving away from the limitations of a fixed week system, so not sure how much demand VGF will generate for their fixed weeks...

(full disclosure: i own both DVC pts and a fixed week timeshare.)

Poly is the hot rumor du jour but we've seen DVC projects get derailed before. Time will tell...




Buyers have the option to pay a premium price and lock into a specific week / unit every year. Only 35% of any single week / room size can be sold as Fixed Weeks, and buyers do have the ability to opt-out of their week and convert that ownership to traditional points.

This option was introduced at Aulani almost 3 years ago but it's not often discussed or considered.

We like a fixed week for an automatically booked, guaranteed lake view room during our favorite vacation week. As posted by Tim, a fixed week can be changed to regular points with a simple phone call.

Bill

Thanks for educating me on fixed weeks. I guess we will wait and see how that all comes to play at VGF. If a simple phone call changes to regular points. Does that mean you can book at other DVC properties for different times?

 

[disneynutz]

Points converted from fixed week to regular points have the 11 month advantage at their home resort and 7 month advantage at all others plus you can convert from fixed week to regular points 31 days prior to arrival and MS will check room inventory prior to conversion.

Since VGF may have only 12 lake view one bedrooms available for regular point reservations, having a fixed week allows you to have the view you want during a peak booking time and the size room you want, when you want it. Paying a premium can make sense for some. no reservation walking or booking online at 8 AM.

Bill

 

[chalee94]

Thanks for educating me on fixed weeks. I guess we will wait and see how that all comes to play at VGF. If a simple phone call changes to regular points. Does that mean you can book at other DVC properties for different times?

sure, you pay a 10% premium on direct pricing to get a fixed week based on the number of pts that week would take to book.

if you want to stay at BCV instead, you can call and have the point equivalent of your fixed week released, so you can use those pts to book BCV at 7 months out (if available) and another DVC owner can take your VGF villa since it would now be available.

 

[disneynutz]

sure, you pay a 10% premium on direct pricing to get a fixed week based on the number of pts that week would take to book.

if you want to stay at BCV instead, you can call and have the point equivalent of your fixed week released, so you can use those pts to book BCV at 7 months out (if available) and another DVC owner can take your VGF villa since it would now be available.

Just to be clear, the premium is 10% in additional points for the fixed week, not a 10% bump in price. You have full use of the increased number of points. A weeks stay in early December for a one bedroom lake view is 296 points. A fixed week contract requires that you buy 326 points. the 326 is available for use anywhere.

Bill