Grandvilla’s 6 month out chances

[ain0004]

Change in plans. We have another family coming with us. Because of the borrowing rule I won’t be able to get the 300 points needed. To complete the entire time. Need strategy…. At 7 months. I could at least get the weekend of memorial covered. But I am afraid. Waiting to fill in my days will be hard.
Thoughts ? I’m opened to staying anywhere. As long as we get a grand villa.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Best chance is Saratoga.

 

[DsneyDude1]

We were able to get standard or preferred GV for our March trip this year at SSR at about 4 months. And the points there aren't as high as some of the other resorts. So if you are ok with SSR, I would think you have a good shot.

 

[tjkraz]

Grand Villas are very luxurious. But also close quarters for a shared vacation. Consider a two bedroom plus a separate studio or one bedroom. Sleeps the same number of guests. You can always gather in one room for meals.

OKW has the cheapest grand villas, but the odds of getting one at 6 months are non existent. Heck you could get two 2-bedroom villas at SSR or OKW for less than the cost of any non-OKW Grand Villa.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I’m not sure if this will work for you but I needed to book larger accommodations for March 2023 at Boardwalk. I have a March UY. I borrowed against my non-Boardwalk contract into this year to free up some Boardwalk points, and then banked those Boardwalk points into next UY. With borrowing, I managed to have enough for 5 nights in March 2023 with home resort priority.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re attempting to combine points at 7 months, maybe you could pull some forward, free up some other points, and combine enough together at one resort to book your nights now?

 

[ain0004]

I’m not sure if this will work for you but I needed to book larger accommodations for March 2023 at Boardwalk. I have a March UY. I borrowed against my non-Boardwalk contract into this year to free up some Boardwalk points, and then banked those Boardwalk points into next UY. With borrowing, I managed to have enough for 5 nights in March 2023 with home resort priority.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re attempting to combine points at 7 months, maybe you could pull some forward, free up some other points, and combine enough together at one resort to book your nights now?

 

[ain0004]

I have a dec use year. and my 7 month window will be in Oct/November. and I can't more points until Dec. Yes I will be combo making resorts because 3 have 3 home resorts. So really my problem will be solved If they would get us to have 100% borrowing back!

 

[drusba]

For time between mid-Jan and mid-Sep, SSR, Kidani savanna view, and Riviera GVs are usually open at 7 months out (although Riviera has not been around long enough to define a real pattern), and SSR and Kidani savanna view may still open at 6 months out. During that time, you can also often get BLT, Kidani standard view, and even VGF at 7 months out but there also a number of times when those are full and there are no definite dates from year to year for that, and at six months it is much more difficult, so likely you should avoid those, and any time around Memorial Day would be more unlikely. OKW is the one least likely to be open but even it has chances at times such as in July after July 6 (one of DVC's lowest demand times of the year).

If late Sep through marathon weekend in Jan, DVC's fall high demand season, best chance is for SSR but even those GVs may fill before 7 months out for the extremely high demand times during that fall season, particularly for time during the Christmas week, first two weeks of Dec, Thanksgiving week, and the Nov and Jan race weekends. Kidani savanna view and Riviera are also open for a week some of the times outside of those extremely high demand times but chances are less than getting SSR. moreover at 6 months out chances are much less likely for anything. As to any other GVs, you should assume it will most often be difficult to get a GV at 7 months out during that fall high demand season.

Note, what I am not clear on is why having the December use year means you have to wait until 6 months out to reserve time in late May or early June 2023. You could go online at 11-months out and book home resort using banked Dec 2021 points, Dec 2022 points and borrow 50% of your Dec 2023 points. You can go online in Oct/November 2022 at 7 months out and reserve late May/early June time using banked Dec 2021 points (as long as you bank them by July 31, 2022), Dec 2022 points, and borrow up to 50% of Dec 2023 points, i.e., the applicable use year points you can use in Oct/Nov to reserve May/June are the same as the points you could use if you waited until December to make the reservation.