Grand Villa OKW 7 mths out

[rlt431]

Do you think there is any possibility of getting a GV Thanksgiving 2007? We own at SSR but the GV there are too many points and we do not want to borrow points. We are banking this years point into next year. We have thought about getting a 2 bedroom and 1 bedroom at SSR at 11 mths out and then checking OKW 7 mths out to see if we could get one. Any suggestions?

 

[mikesmom]

Pretty unlikely. A GV at 7 months is always a challenge, but over a holiday I would suspect owners are booking day by day at 11 months. Your plan to book separate accomodations at SSR is probably your best bet. You may find that you have the best plan after all. We have traveled with extended family and while it is great to all be together for meals, etc it also is nice to have your own retreat at the end of the day.

 

[vbalacek]

I've never tried, but my friends use their points for a GV at OKW Thanksgiving weekend every other year. I know they call at the 11-month window as soon as memeber services opens up to ensure they get it.

 

[spiceycat]

Thankgiving is very, very popular - more kids are getting off the entire week - or at least for 3 days (so only 2 or less being taking out of school) - every week it gets more popular.

So I would go look for a OKW member to trade points with you.

don't be surprised if you have to kept your 2-bedroom and studio. So but it is a very popular time.

Low points, kids out of school, WDW decorated for the holidays - what is not to like....

 

[mickeywho?]

We're hoping for the same thing - just at a different time of year. We've booked at SSR - a 2-bedroom plus a studio. Our 7month window is just a few weeks away. We'll call everyday and see if we can get it - otherwise we will be happy with our SSR booking. Fingers crossed! I'll post if we get lucky.

 

[lisaviolet]

Pretty unlikely. A GV at 7 months is always a challenge, but over a holiday I would suspect owners are booking day by day at 11 months. Your plan to book separate accomodations at SSR is probably your best bet. You may find that you have the best plan after all. We have traveled with extended family and while it is great to all be together for meals, etc it also is nice to have your own retreat at the end of the day.

This is fantastic advice. I just finished a family trip and intially I really was disappointed not being able to afford a SSR GV or getting an OKW GV. I wanted us all together. In the end we all had separate accomodations and space. My sister and my niece had their own studio as did my parents even though I could have "fit" them in one. Great choice in the end. Another larger part of our extended family had a two bedroom. Others were at POR...ran out of points. We had a one bedroom. Also we arrived/left at different times so we weren't "paying" for a GV while waiting for 13 people to arrive.

This was the best decision. Everything went smoothly and I could clearly see that there was "together time" all the time but having your own space at the end of the day was really lovely. And probably lovely for everyone ....not just us. And with us at OKW....and them at SSR on the same floor it was fun it felt like a dorm there and a nice trip to OKW for us all to be together in our spacious one bedroom livingroom and balcony. And I only booked us at OKW to make the points go further for the group as a whole. But boy....good choice again. Loved it.

I think if I ever get the GV I would for our family only. And we would get a studio. Love my family. They love me. But it was the best decision despite my initial disappointment of not being all "together".

All the best at getting what you want.

 

[dizplanner]

I got a OKW Grand Villa at 7 months, but it was for March. And I didn't call day by day (because I was in Mexico and couldn't). The OKW Grand Villas are beautiful - we started at the top on our first DVC visit. They are large enough that we didn't have any issues with extended family. My husband and I were in the Master bedroom, our neice, her husband and younger daughter were in one upstairs bedroom, my daughter, husband's sister (mother of neice) and niece's older daugher were in the other upstairs bedroom and my son was in the living room. It worked out OK and everyone had fun.

Probably won't do it again as it is overkill for just our family and I don't have plans for another extended family vacation any time soon. But I am glad we had the opportunity to do it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We love the GVs, but the only time I have seen extended availability is January and September. Even when we booked for mid October, we did it at 11 months. The more point disparity there is between OKW and the other resorts, the more popular these become.