"Home Resort" booking frustrations!!

[Dean]

And yet, according to the OP's friend, even those "creepy clown" view rooms were gone 10 months out.

I think owners are just booking earlier - once they call and get "shut out", most learn very quickly to call at 11 months.

This is the point. BWV is getting more difficult in general as are BCV & VWL. AKV will be the same. Whether it's a little less or more in demand or about the same remains to be seen.

 

[jade1]

I confess, I am one of those SSR owners. I book elsewhere at 7 months each and everytime. I would like to see DVC reallocate the points during December to evn out demand a little or give an incentive to book SSR to non owners of that resort like unlimited fast passes or the like.

Wow, that would get under the skin of most SSR owners wouldn't it? Give unlimited FP's to all "NON" SSR owners that book there in December-but not to "Current" SSR owners that do?

 

[DebbieB]

I called day by day for Dec 1 to 7 right at the 11 month mark. The first day I didn't call until about 2:30pm and the cm told me I got one of the last ones (boardwalk view studio). So the rest of the days I called at 9:00 with no problem.

I bought at BWV because I knew I wanted that first week of December every year. It's not because of the cheaper points but because of the Christmas activities, great time to go. I would still book it even if they moved it up a season or two. This time has always been popular with DVC owners, I don't think MS is doing anything "shady".

 

[Boston5602]

Last week I called to redo reservations .Home resort is BWV . I was able to add a few days in August at Vero. I added 1 more night in a 2 bedroom standard view at BW for August . I booked a trip end of May and beg. June in a studio I was offered 1/2 of the dates in a stnd view but took pref for the entire trip.

 

[BroganMc]

Wow, that would get under the skin of most SSR owners wouldn't it? Give unlimited FP's to all "NON" SSR owners that book there in December-but not to "Current" SSR owners that do?

Not to mention gum up the FP lines around the parks. I think enough DVC members have discovered likeable things at SSR to warrant no special treatment. Considering how busy early December is, I think people will start considering themselves lucky to even get a room somewhere.

That low point schedule for early December seems ludricrous given the festivities. The Candlelight Processional always manages to book the restaurants in the Nations. When I was there last December the MMVCP was sold out. It's become hugely popular.

When we get AKV owners in the system next year, it's gonna be an even bigger drain on the system. Tons of owners for a big resort and only a small resort open at the time = big demand on the nearest resorts.

I predict the ones who'll suffer the most are BCV/BWV/VWL owners. DVC has evolved in a way that deviates from their availability system. But give it a few years when we have a few large resorts around the place and things will even out.

 

[keys2kingdom]

What I am beginning feel is that DVC is “blocking” reservations or allowing non-home resort members to book in other resorts outside of the guidelines in order to drive Saratoga Springs (and OKW) occupancy up. I am thinking as an owner it is time for DVC to start making rental statistics available for us to audit to ensure DVC rental patterns are being legitimately maintained.

So....was there a second shooter on the grassy knoll???

 

[graygables]

When we get AKV owners in the system next year, it's gonna be an even bigger drain on the system. Tons of owners for a big resort and only a small resort open at the time = big demand on the nearest resorts.

My guide explained to me that the only points available to use would be the ones sold in the units that are opening this year. Granted, I don't *do* DVC math (or much of any, if I can help it!), but I wouldn't think it would over-burden the system. BCV trades over to AKV trades over to OKW trades over to...

 

[Dean]

I predict the ones who'll suffer the most are BCV/BWV/VWL owners. DVC has evolved in a way that deviates from their availability system. But give it a few years when we have a few large resorts around the place and things will even out.

Since there are generally more people looking to get in those resorts at 7 months out most of the year anyway, I doubt it'll make any difference to those owners. I'd say most are booking before the 7 month window opens if they really want to stay at their home resort.

 

[Dean]

My guide explained to me that the only points available to use would be the ones sold in the units that are opening this year. Granted, I don't *do* DVC math (or much of any, if I can help it!), but I wouldn't think it would over-burden the system. BCV trades over to AKV trades over to OKW trades over to...

That's true, they won't let a member even use their points if their unit is not open and able to be occupied.

 

[Granny]

I will never book day by day. First time I get closed out of my first or second choice at 8 months or more I'll sell.

I confess, I am one of those SSR owners. I book elsewhere at 7 months each and everytime.

So adding these two comments together I can assume that your are booking SSR at 8 months? Just curious as to why you would worry about your "first or second choice" at SSR at 8 months if you have no plans to stay there?

 

[Starr W.]

So....was there a second shooter on the grassy knoll???

Yes there was and he was a BWV/VWL owner who always booked day by day at the 11month mark for 2 BW view studios and 2 VWL studios for the 3rd week of December. Planning on renting 2 of those studios.

 

[DVC Grammy]

Because we like to maximize our BWV points, I call day-by-day at 11 months in order to get a standard view during popular DVC times such as F & W. Since standard (and BW) views are "special" and limited in number, I have no problem making a "special" effort to get what I want.
To me, just being at WDW is the goal, and for those trips that aren't planned so far in advance, I'm willing to take whatever's available, in whichever DVC resort. It's all magical!

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

The only time (this year) we were not able to book in our 7-11 month window for our home resort, BCV, was for a March 16 check in. I called the last week of January. I was, however able to book for October during the food and wine festival and also for a week in early June.

 

[Loco4Disney]

I'm about to go to Fedex to send in my signed contract for DVC and came across this thread. It brings up some concerns for me. If it's true that you are being told by MS that there is no availability at BWV for Dec, I don't understand why I can go to the WDW website and book any size room I want for cash. Why would Disney tell members that there is no availability for a room at their home resort at 11 months out, yet still provide cash rooms to the general public this far in advance? Is this typical. I though becoming a member gave ME priority over non members, not the reverse. Can someone enlighten. Thanks!

 

[Loco4Disney]

I'm about to go to Fedex to send in my signed contract for DVC and came across this thread. It brings up some concerns for me. If it's true that you are being told by MS that there is no availability at BWV for Dec, I don't understand why I can go to the WDW website and book any size room I want for cash. Why would Disney tell members that there is no availability for a room at their home resort at 11 months out, yet still provide cash rooms to the general public this far in advance? Is this typical. I though becoming a member gave ME priority over non members, not the reverse. Can someone enlighten. Thanks!

To clarify....when I say I can book any size accomodation I want for cash, I do mean at the BWV.

 

[crisi]

Since there are generally more people looking to get in those resorts at 7 months out most of the year anyway, I doubt it'll make any difference to those owners. I'd say most are booking before the 7 month window opens if they really want to stay at their home resort.

And this hasn't changed from when I started hanging here. I started hanging here before BCV opened. And even back then, people bought VWL or BWV if they really wanted prime seasons at those resorts because they didn't want to be shut out once the window opened. We have a number of owners here who bought VWL way back when for the home booking advantage. And way back when a lot of people recommended BWV resales if you really wanted those standard view rooms (way back then, there was still a room assigner and no seperate booking category for the Boardwalk View - but the room assigner assigned rooms by request in the order they came in).

SSR did change the amount of competition I have (as a BWV owner) to get a room at VWL. But it didn't change the fact that if I really wanted VWL at Christmas time, I should buy VWL.

But someone hit it on the head - most people don't have a flat learning curve. If I call in December for my October room and can't get the Standard View room I was hoping for, next year I'll remember to call in November. And its going to work the same way with the seven month window....if I call for a May BCV stay in Feburary and are told "no dice" next year I'll try earlier. Which is why I'm always skeptical of the "oh, we've always had no problem booking what we've wanted, you should just buy XXX resort and you'll be able to stay at XXX" posts - because five years from now, that relationship may have changed significantly. Buy where you want to stay, and use your home booking advantage. You may read plenty of posts from people who didn't need the home advantage, but you won't be regretting it if the situation changes.

 

[crisi]

To clarify....when I say I can book any size accomodation I want for cash, I do mean at the BWV.

A DVC member IS staying in that room, they just happen to be cruising, or staying at the Broadmoor, or at Disneyland.

DVC pays for trades by selling the room nights to CRO. Because of the popularity of early December, DVC can get more money (and therefore create cheaper trade scenarios) if they trade off popular times instead of unpopular times. If CRO can't sell a room in September, they won't buy the room in September - or they buy it at such a discount that DVC trade prices go up.

If you want to be able to cruise or visit Disneyland on points at something approaching a decent exchange, cash rooms available through CRO is a necessary evil.

 

[dumbo71]

Broken record, Dumbo. AKV looks like it is going to be very large. Will you be complaining as soon as those owners start trying to book BWV or BCV???

When they started booking the BW as a separate view at the BWV, we all knew that that would be hotter than the standard view at BWV. Everyone wants the cheaper rooms or the BW view rooms. That leaves 60+% of the BWV. That no one appears to want. Who wants the creepy clown view? It's worse than the dumpster view at VWL.

Broken record? I'm not sure of this but I don't think I've complained about booking.

What I am sure of is that SSR should have been no bigger than the next bigggest DVC Resort, OKW. With a system of points like DVC you need balance; balance of size and balance of demand. If ALL resorts don't have close to an equal appeal then you have problems.

Proof of problems are there. Why do you really think they are all of the sudden cracking down on commercial renters? I believe that the problem is bigger than we know.

 

[dumbo71]

Wow, that would get under the skin of most SSR owners wouldn't it? Give unlimited FP's to all "NON" SSR owners that book there in December-but not to "Current" SSR owners that do?

Probably would but we need an incentive for other resort owners to book there.

I highly doubt that more owners of other resorts are booking into SSR than owners of SSR are staying elsewhere.

I'm not just saying December either I'm talking anytime.

 

[dumbo71]

So adding these two comments together I can assume that your are booking SSR at 8 months? Just curious as to why you would worry about your "first or second choice" at SSR at 8 months if you have no plans to stay there?

True. You got me on that. Point is I wouldn't want to be a part of a system that you can be shut out of your home resort during the home resort priority period. Doesn't matter what resort I owned.