How bad is the 7 month reservation window?

[cidhw95]

I am a new member and have had no luck booking anything. My Guide has been nice enough to get me some exceptions since i was not a member at the 7 month window. Ive been hearing the 7 month window is tough. I know it depends on dates and resort but there is nothing . I know they say buy where you wanna stay but its costly and i had a Cast discount at the time of buying so im at SSR which dont help as its a big place. Just wanted input on how bad the 7 months really is.

 

[DVC Mary]

You will have better luck if your dates can be flexible & if you are willing to split your stay. The busy times are very tough to get. This has been a change that some suspect has come about b/c of all the developer points out there being used. Hopefully things will get better when Kidani opens up & the developer points have been used up.

I have tried to get into BCV every year at the 7 month window, which I think is the smallest DVC resort. We've owned since '99. I'm not sure which year it opened, but despite trying to get into BCV every trip, we've only made it in once. If we are using at least some frequent flier mile tickets, we have to book those when we do our 11 month window, so by the time 7 months comes around we can't be flexible w/ the dates.

The only resolution for our last 4-5 trips has been to do split stays. That flexibility worked for us getting into VWL using the waitlist. We also had waitlists for BCV & AKV savannah or AKV concierge. NO LUCK! But we enjoyed our time at BWV for SWW & then moved to my favorite resort VWL. Notice split stays in my signature. We didn't want to be at 2 different hotels, but we chose to do that so that we could experience both hotels.

We also did this sometimes b/c a studio was available at one hotel but not a one bedroom.

These split stay reservations are going to be a bit more tricky w/ all the new changes at MS. We may have to have multiple ressies w/ different waitlists for each.

 

[disneymom8589]

We had good experiences the times we booked at 7 months out. We were able to get a 1 bdrm. last July for one night at BCV and a one bdrm. at VWL for this July (4 nights) at 7 months. We decided to exchange our VWL for a 1 bdrm. at BWV and were able to get one at 5 months out. I know this isn't always the case, but so far so good for us!

 

[Disneyaunt4]

We have only been DVC members for a year and so far this is what we have got all at either 7 months or less.

Studio-OKW Sept.
2 bedroom-BCV May
1 bedroom-VWL Sept

 

[debbiepump]

I've tried 3 years running to get into BWV (own at BCV) and have yet had any luck. I call right at the 7 month window, oh well. I'm sure glad I bought where I wanted to stay.

 

[crisi]

You are right that it depends on dates and resorts. Epcot resorts during F&W are tough. VWL around Christmas is tough. Any resort in September - if you are calling at seven months and not five - likely to be easy.

Make your plans to stay at your home resort for each trip. When the seven month window opens, call and see where you can switch to. If you really want to try a specific resort, keep trying and target slower DVC times of year.

 

[El&Asmom]

It completely depends on where you want to stay, and when you are going. I called and got a studio for a last minute 3 night trip to BWV in Sept just last week. I had BWV, OKW, SSR available for the whole weekend. We are also staying Sun night, and have booked a 1bd but are waitlisted for a studio at BWV. A night here and there were available at each of the other hotels. We are waitlisted for the studio at BWV for Sun night and hope it comes through.

I'm sure I would not have been so lucky if I tried to book Dec.

To me the most important thing to understand is when the busy DVC times are in relation to when you want to stay. If you are trying to stay in Dec, for FWF, Easter, or spring break times, be prepared to book at 11m at your home resort and feel lucky if anything else is available at the 7 month mark. If you go in Sept, May, early Feb, late August, or the more traditionally slow times, you will have better luck.

 

[Lauralei]

First, if this is a duplicate, I apologize but I don't see what I thought I posted. I just booked BCV at 7 month window today! I own at SSR and this is the 4th year in a row that I've booked somewhere else at the 7 month mark with no problem.

 

[DVCERSINCEDAY1]

Has anyone ever tried to work with another DVC member on a trade, e.g., your (wonderful) BCV points for BWV points (that you can't seem to get when you want). I am currently in the process of buying multiple contracts at the resorts that I like best. I am fortunate to have the money finally to do so (unfortunately old age comes with it). But I have also thought that if necessary I might rent my points to get the money to rent another's points for a resort I wanted. Seems to me such intra-DVC options might work well. Too, I have bought II OKW weeks for a good price (I believe II has rules about not selling these trade weeks but it goes on regardless). And I've seen SSR II weeks for sale too at good prices (e.g., on eBay).

 

[maciec]

I have successfully traded into BCV's at the 7 month mark. Once for 2 - 1 bedroom units during the first week of December, and another for 1-2 bedroom unit & a 1 bedroom unit during F&WF. I do call day by day because I want to ensure that I get my unit(s).

 

[hrsmom]

We bought in Oct. 2006 and have changed ressies twice at the 7 month mark and both times were successful. In fact, this last time (for our upcoming trip in January) I told them we wanted to go to either VWL or BWV and both were available for our dates.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

We have booked at the 7 month (or less) window with no problem at all!

Here are our stays:
BWV - July 28 - Aug 2 (1-BR)
OKW - December 16 - 22 (1-BR)
SSR - March 21 - March 28 (2-BR - Week of Easter)
VWL - August 9 - 14 (1-BR)

 

[willidc]

Hi,

For January 2007 we were able to book a 2BR at BCV (not our home resort) at only 63 days out. Typically we book as soon as windows open, but this trip was spur-of-the-moment due to a business trip.

I almost didn't even make the MS call late in November of 2006 because I thought there would be no chance at getting anything at BWV (our home) or any other DVC resort. They didn't have the 2 BR at BWV, but offered the 2 BR at BCV .

We were also able to get 3 of 5 nights for our trip this past April at AKV Concierge booking at the first moment of the 7 month window availability.

Yes, I realize it was a lucky hit, but you never know when YOU are going to get that lucky hit.

Keep trying and good luck!

I am a new member and have had no luck booking anything. My Guide has been nice enough to get me some exceptions since i was not a member at the 7 month window. Ive been hearing the 7 month window is tough. I know it depends on dates and resort but there is nothing . I know they say buy where you wanna stay but its costly and i had a Cast discount at the time of buying so im at SSR which dont help as its a big place. Just wanted input on how bad the 7 months really is.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

I decided to book a short vacation in January at about 35 days out. DD and I stayed at the BWV's for 2 nights in a studio preferred view and 2 nights at SSR in a one bedroom. Both rooms had fabulous views! We lucked out

 

[honeymo78]

How about VWL studio or 1 bedroom in either mid/late Oct or late Jan/early Feb? The current AKV promo is quite appealing, however I doubt we would stay at AKV very much, we prefer the MK resorts. We want to buy into BLT once it opens but the cost for 300 might be more than we can handle -wondering if it would be better to buy 160 at AKV with the current offers then get 160 at BLT when it goes on sale

 

[mikesmom]

I don't know about Oct/Nov -seems like all DVC is getting to be harder during the Food & Wine Fest. However I do have first hand experience with VWL in Jan/Feb. We've booked VWL late Jan/early Feb at the 7 month window for the last 2 years with no problem. There has been a builders show in Orlando with WL being one of the official Show hotels (thus having a shuttle to the convention site). We've gotten a 1 bedroom at VWL no problem both years. For what it's worth, that Builders Show is NOT in Orlando in 2009, so that should free up some space from folks who had the same idea I did.

 

[chalee94]

How about VWL studio or 1 bedroom in either mid/late Oct or late Jan/early Feb? The current AKV promo is quite appealing, however I doubt we would stay at AKV very much, we prefer the MK resorts. We want to buy into BLT once it opens but the cost for 300 might be more than we can handle -wondering if it would be better to buy 160 at AKV with the current offers then get 160 at BLT when it goes on sale

i wouldn't count on being able to use AKV pts at BLT for a while...i'll be surprised if there is much availability at the 7 month window there...JMO

 

[starbox]

We've had no problem at the 7-month window with the singular exception of never being able to get late June/July at HHI. We have had to waitlist for a specific room category at BWV, but it came through.

We own SSR and AKV, and as of next week we will have stayed at all the DVCs.

We travel at spring break and during the summer.

 

[honeymo78]

i wouldn't count on being able to use AKV pts at BLT for a while...i'll be surprised if there is much availability at the 7 month window there...JMO

That's why we would buy a BLT contract too, however we would like to use AKV points for VWL for a second or 3rd trip during the year.

 

[Alexander]

We've booked BCV for May & August stays with no problem.
Booked BWV twice for an August stay with no problem.
Booked VWL for April and February stays (one Easter and the other Pres. Week) with no problems.
OKW stayed there too many times to count including Easter and Pres. Week.
Currently at AKV (July), not a problem again.
SSR is our home resort so booking is never a problem, stayed Easter and this coming December.