Grand Villas in NOV or Dec?

[Lorelei528]

Ok, so if I call right at 9am on my 11th month mark....

I've been told my chances should be pretty good for BLT and AKV Jambo...

I really want to book for Dec (arriving the 9th for a few nights at BLT and then resort hopping to AKV). I'm thinking do I need to first book in NOV though just to make sure I have something and then call again for DEC and move the ressies?

We have 2 other couples coming from the UK to share the villa with us, so I have to make sure I do whatever I can to get them!

What are your experiences with booking Grand Villas?

Thanks all!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

My one GV experience was at a different time of year, however, booked Jambo GV for May 2011 approx 4 months in advance for 7 nights.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Ok, so if I call right at 9am on my 11th month mark....

I've been told my chances should be pretty good for BLT and AKV Jambo...

I really want to book for Dec (arriving the 9th for a few nights at BLT and then resort hopping to AKV). I'm thinking do I need to first book in NOV though just to make sure I have something and then call again for DEC and move the ressies?

We have 2 other couples coming from the UK to share the villa with us, so I have to make sure I do whatever I can to get them!

What are your experiences with booking Grand Villas?

Thanks all!

I'm confused. The best way to get a GV at any resort is to book at exactly the 11 month booking window. Why are you changing just one month later????

 

[drusba]

You could make a November reservation that you would accept and then attempt to switch on Jan 9 to a Dec 9 start date but doing that assumes you won't get Dec. The real way to assure getting what you want is to "walk" the reservation by first reserving as many nights as you can where the last night in the initial reservation is the one you actually want as your start date and then calling daily by dropping a night at the beginning of the reservation and adding another at the end and do that daily until Jan 9 when you will actually have all the nights you want with a start date of Dec 9 (such "walking" is premitted). For a GV that would be the safest course; most likely you will be able to get what you want by just calling exactly 11 months out from the start date you want but that is not certain when dealing with GVs that are limited in number and wanting a very high demand time such as December.

 

[dianeschlicht]

While 'walking' is allowed, I really see no need for it in this case unless they are trying to get BWV. OKW, BLT and AKV have enough inventory that calling right at 9 EST on January 9 should be sufficient.

Do you own at both BLT and AKV?

 

[Lorelei528]

Yes, we own at BLT and AKV both. I am hoping to book 4 nights Dec 9-13 at BLT GV and then 7 at AKV Jambo House GV.
Then, if possible at 7 months, switch the first two nights from AKV to 3 studios or a 1br and a 2br at BCV, if not available, we'll just stay I guess.

I've never heard of this "walking" the ressie. Interesting. I originally was going to book for NOV so at least we'd have something for the trip. The NOV dates would be more points though and I was hoping and hoping if I call at my 11 month mark I'd be ok.

I also hope to get BLT GV MK view and AKV Jambo House GV Savannah View....what do you think my chances would be?

 

[OneMoreTry]

While 'walking' is allowed, I really see no need for it in this case unless they are trying to get BWV. OKW, BLT and AKV have enough inventory that calling right at 9 EST on January 9 should be sufficient.

Do you own at both BLT and AKV?

I called 9am at 11 month and could not get HH GV at OKW. I'm still on wait list to switch to HH room for Dec and haven't heard anything.

I suspect they were all booked by people whose stays began before mine so they were able to book earlier.

 

[Deb & Bill]

My one GV experience was at a different time of year, however, booked Jambo GV for May 2011 approx 4 months in advance for 7 nights.

Early December is very different from May.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I called 9am at 11 month and could not get HH GV at OKW. I'm still on wait list to switch to HH room for Dec and haven't heard anything.

I suspect they were all booked by people whose stays began before mine so they were able to book earlier.

That is not a surprise, since there are only 2 GVs in the HH booking category, and both are in building 23.

 

[jekjones1558]

OP, if I were in your shoes with overseas guests I might consider walking the reservation. Our upcoming trip includes a GV at BWV and we had to adjust dates because I could not get the GV on the first call at 9:00 exactly at 11 months. I could have tried the wait list but we have 3 other rooms and it would have been a big pain getting all of the dates to match the GV, so I just changed our trip dates to match GV availability. BW only has 7 GVs and this is for Oct. (Food and Wine), but early December is also popular and it could potentially be a problem at any DVC.
Good luck!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Early December is very different from May.

yes - and that's why I mentioned that it was May when I got one at 4 months out. It's also quite different to be trying at 11 months instead of at 7 months.

 

[jekjones1558]

That is not a surprise, since there are only 2 GVs in the HH booking category, and both are in building 23.

I think you meant to type "building 25."