Grand villa availability

[LadyLuck24]

I am planning a trip for 2014 in the second week of November (Veteran's Day week) for 1 week. For our last three trips, we've been lucky enough to rent points and I'm hoping to rent again for this trip.

It will be my family of 4 plus my parents and my sister traveling, so I was initially thinking of a 2BR and a 1BR, but was also thinking of looking into a grand villa.

Because we'll be renting and essentially locked into a reservation once we make it, I'm a little wary of making the reservation at the 11 month mark (I just feel like a lot can change in a year). I'd be more comfortable making the reservation at 7 or 8 months out. So my question is---what are the chances of getting a grand villa at the 7 or 8 month mark? Do they all go really fast at the 11 month mark? I don't really care where we stay--I was thinking either SSR, VWL (although I don't even think they have GV's), OKW, or BLT.

Thanks for any info!

 

[RobDoc]

I am planning a trip for 2014 in the second week of November (Veteran's Day week) for 1 week. For our last three trips, we've been lucky enough to rent points and I'm hoping to rent again for this trip.

It will be my family of 4 plus my parents and my sister traveling, so I was initially thinking of a 2BR and a 1BR, but was also thinking of looking into a grand villa.

Because we'll be renting and essentially locked into a reservation once we make it, I'm a little wary of making the reservation at the 11 month mark (I just feel like a lot can change in a year). I'd be more comfortable making the reservation at 7 or 8 months out. So my question is---what are the chances of getting a grand villa at the 7 or 8 month mark? Do they all go really fast at the 11 month mark? I don't really care where we stay--I was thinking either SSR, VWL (although I don't even think they have GV's), OKW, or BLT.

Thanks for any info!

November is a very busy month at WDW with the F&W program so GVs do go pretty quickly for most of the month. I'd suggest trying to find your rental prior to 7 months. 11 months may not be necessary, but if you wait until 7 months you are competing with all DVC members (and other potential renters) for the same limited inventory.

Good luck!

 

[LadyLuck24]

Thanks for these thoughts! I would never have known that November was so busy for DVC because it's otherwise a pretty good time to visit crowd-wise. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[drusba]

The issue is not whether GVs usually go fast at 11 months or are still around at 7. The issue is when you want to go. For nine months of the year, from Jan after marathon weekend through just before the end of Sep, it is easy to get GVs even at 7 months out except for BWV and the OKW GV at the Hospitality House area. Then comes Oct, Food & Wine, Halloween Party, second lowest points of the year, ideal weather, Christmas decorations beginning second week of Nov, etc. The result is that from the last weekend of Sep through marathon weekend in Jan is the highest DVC demand quarter of the year by far. That quarter makes the entire rest of the year including Easter time, July 4 time , all the spring break weeks, all of the summer, look like super slow season in comparison. Thus, the time you want in Nov is a high demand time. Even if you want a 2BR of any room categoryat a near park resort such as BLT, BWV, or BCV, you face a risk of not being able to get it at 7 months out and you would be wise to look for even that 2Br by reserving much further out than 7 months.

The one certainty is that you will be able to get an SSR GV at 7 months out because that resort is generally always open at 7 months out. Other GVs for that time of year are hit or miss at 7 months out. They may be open at AKV and possibly BLT but even those could have issues like a couple days missing in the week.