Has Boardwalk become impossible to book?

[Epcotbound]

I have been DVC for 17 years and I have never had trouble booking Boardwalk like I have in last 2 years. It seems like even booking at on first day of booking window is impossible. Just recently tried to book for daughters 13th in December on first day of 11 month window and nothing available. Went through availability and the entire year is one or two day stints only. Seems crazy that I can’t book Boardwalk 11 months out. Now I was able to book the week after 12/6 the following week, but starting to wonder if something is going on at Boardwalk and if all those years ago I chose the wrong resort. My last 5 trips have been at AKL, OKW, AKL, OKW, BLT. And Bay Lake was done only 3 months out. What’s the use of a home resort if you cannot book it 11 months out. Anyone else having this issue?

 

[DebbieB]

I have been DVC for 17 years and I have never had trouble booking Boardwalk like I have in last 2 years. It seems like even booking at on first day of booking window is impossible. Just recently tried to book for daughters 13th in December on first day of 11 month window and nothing available. Went through availability and the entire year is one or two day stints only. Seems crazy that I can’t book Boardwalk 11 months out. Now I was able to book the week after 12/6 the following week, but starting to wonder if something is going on at Boardwalk and if all those years ago I chose the wrong resort. My last 5 trips have been at AKL, OKW, AKL, OKW, BLT. And Bay Lake was done only 3 months out. What’s the use of a home resort if you cannot book it 11 months out. Anyone else having this issue?

Even pool/garden was booked up at 11 months? The first 2 weeks of December are the most popular weeks of the year for BWV. My guess is people are "walking". I have November 14-20 booked in a boardwalk view studio that I got at 11 months.

 

[pixieprincess925]

1 bedroom garden view is fully available.
What are you trying to book?

 

[Marionnette]

I have been DVC for 17 years and I have never had trouble booking Boardwalk like I have in last 2 years. It seems like even booking at on first day of booking window is impossible. Just recently tried to book for daughters 13th in December on first day of 11 month window and nothing available. Went through availability and the entire year is one or two day stints only. Seems crazy that I can’t book Boardwalk 11 months out. Now I was able to book the week after 12/6 the following week, but starting to wonder if something is going on at Boardwalk and if all those years ago I chose the wrong resort. My last 5 trips have been at AKL, OKW, AKL, OKW, BLT. And Bay Lake was done only 3 months out. What’s the use of a home resort if you cannot book it 11 months out. Anyone else having this issue?

The first day of the 11-month window was over a month ago if you were trying to book for early December. And that’s arguably the most in-demand time for DVC. It’s not surprising that standard and boardwalk view studios were booked up quickly. But I saw p/g studios available well past the 11-month opening when I was booking during that timeframe.

TBH, I get the impression that when most people complain that booking at BWV is “impossible”, what they really mean is that they couldn’t get a standard view studio (or 2BR) during a peak period. Sometimes snagging one requires following behind the walkers. And sometimes you just have to suck it up and book your second or third choice.

 

[lovin'fl]

Getting to be nearly impossible as a NON-owner of BWV (meaning not much available at 7 months out).

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

TBH, I get the impression that when most people complain that booking at BWV is “impossible”, what they really mean is that they couldn’t get a standard view studio (or 2BR) during a peak period. Sometimes snagging one requires following behind the walkers. And sometimes you just have to suck it up and book your second or third choice.

It's still just a few times of the year that the pool/garden view rooms are "impossible" to get right at 11 months. That first week or weekend of December is the worst for all of DVC. Race weekends are also tough. New Years you could have gotten it but it was gone fairly quickly. Still, right at 11 month window opening it was there. And at BWV if studios are gone then 2BR's are gone so that's tough too but not impossible.

 

[mort1331]

Not sure when your looking. But as a non owner there i was able to book 1bdrm at 7 months for march break pool view. Waitlisted std view. 6 weeks later that came thru. Full 5 days.
So keep lookkng and waitlist

 

[FreeTime]

I booked a 1br garden view last week for the first week in December. I was on the fence as to when to go and while browsing saw plenty of availability for Sept-Dec. Have owned at BWV since 1999 and have never had trouble booking from a studio to GV at 11 months and usually find something at 7.

 

[cruisin5]

I've never had a problem booking a 1-bedroom at 7 months. Even scored a standard a couple of times over the years. Studios are an issue at the low point seasons.

 

[bumbershoot]

Best of luck, Epcotbound !!


I’m having horrible luck for Princess.

Last year it was no problem to switch us to BW standard one bedroom at 7 months (maybe closer in than that). This year, nothing.

And I check all the resorts each day; nothing but OKW (which I am booked in already), and that’s checking both studios and one bedrooms.

I even checked two and three bedrooms today and saw nothing but one night here and there.

I'm sad. I have had great luck in the past so maybe I’m due this luck this year, and the bigger villa will be great although it’s just the two of us, AND after that part of the trip I have the rest of the extended family at my home villa in a 2 bedroom at Bay Lake which will be amaaaayzing, but gosh I sure would like a last minute miracle here.

 

[quandrea]

We routinely stay at BWV pool or garden view as non owners. We book one bedrooms. I actually managed to book a standard view one bedroom for my six nights coming up in April, right around Easter.

 

[DVC2000]

People are walking reservation for the first two weeks of December so yes it is impossible unless you walk your reservation for that time frame.

 

[js]

I know I could have been knocked out at any time but I started walking my September 10-19 BWV studio beginning on September 1 (I started February 1) when full weeks were available. Pool/Garden was the only category that was still open and there are days already three days missing the week that I booked and I don't think I would have gotten it if I didn't walk the reservation. I have to add the night on September 18 on tomorrow to make it 8 nights but the beginning/middle of my stay has gaps for anyone that wanted to do it today exactly at 7 months.

FWIW, I've owned since 2007 and usually book studios, 1-2 bedrooms and go first or second week in September after Labor Day and this is the first year that I didn't have my choice of studios (although BWVs is where we wanted to stay, well RIV if it opens up, I'll move).

 

[han22735]

We have stayed the last 2 weeks of August for a couple years now in a pool/GV studio including this coming August. So it really depends on the time of year. As the PP stated I also walked starting from the beginning of August. It seems like the new norm even at 7 months.

 

[DaisyNY]

Keep checking...unfortunately, people walk reservations and then suddenly things can open up! We booked our 3-bedroom GV at BWV at seven-month mark...it looked like it was going to be unavailable a few days prior. Good luck!

 

[paults]

I started checking 12 months out foe OCT for standard studios and could never get in due to walking. I decided to just book a 2 bedroom BWview before they were going. I also booked a 1 bed standard awhile later and then a P/G studio so we have rooms for the family.

 

[rg35]

Not sure when your looking. But as a non owner there i was able to book 1bdrm at 7 months for march break pool view. Waitlisted std view. 6 weeks later that came thru. Full 5 days.
So keep lookkng and waitlist

She literally says in her post when she is looking to book.

 

[Travel60]

I was recently able to book a week at 7 month. There seemed to be quite a bit of availability (mid-August).

 

[sethschroeder]

Garden was available basically all of December if booking either at 11 months or a day or two after when walkers moved on.

I was honestly suprised as this was my first year watching the availability.

 

[Sandisw]

Garden was available basically all of December if booking either at 11 months or a day or two after when walkers moved on.

I was honestly suprised as this was my first year watching the availability.

I watched too and actually I misspoke about VGF being gone.LV was not Only CCV was not available for studios for 11 months.

Every other resort at 9 am had studios still, including BWV garden.

So, yeah, CCV people are really only ones being completely shut out at 11 months.