How difficult is it to book BLT at 7 months?

[Kim Gillihan]

I am trying to figure out if it is worth me spending more money to buy blt and akv vs. all at akv since I can get more points for my money.... the reason would be booking at 11 months of course, but if I can book at BLT at 7 months why should I?

I am sorry, some of you are probably well beyond sick of me!!

I think if money were no object I would want to buy both... I am having hard time getting past paying 5-6k more!!

I did find 2 contracts 160 points each for akv and blt for june use year which is what I want.... so now have to decide....

One big AKV 320 points or 2 - 160 AKV points but costing me more per point or 1 AKV 160 and 1 BLT 160?

all june uy!

Thanks again and again.. KIM

 

[Shellyred8]

Could you refresh our brains us as to when you normally travel? This has an impact on the BLT availability at 7 months.

 

[TCRAIG]

I am trying to figure out if it is worth me spending more money to buy blt and akv vs. all at akv since I can get more points for my money.... the reason would be booking at 11 months of course, but if I can book at BLT at 7 months why should I?

I am sorry, some of you are probably well beyond sick of me!!

I think if money were no object I would want to buy both... I am having hard time getting past paying 5-6k more!!

I did find 2 contracts 160 points each for akv and blt for june use year which is what I want.... so now have to decide....

One big AKV 320 points or 2 - 160 AKV points but costing me more per point or 1 AKV 160 and 1 BLT 160?

all june uy!

Thanks again and again.. KIM

100% depends on time of year (month) you intend to go and Villa size you want to book and view. If you're planning on any time/size unit in a STandard without Home Resort advantage - you'll pretty much be out of luck.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Could you refresh our brains us as to when you normally travel? This has an impact on the BLT availability at 7 months.

Sorry! Anytime school is out... spring break, summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas....

 

[Matty B13]

Also, remember the difference in point costs between standard, lake, and theme park view at BLT will add up over the length of a contract and might be worth the cost of a BLT contract with 11 month booking window over an AKV contract with only a 7 month window at BLT. It's 44 point difference from a standard view studio in magic season compared to a theme park view, so 44 points x $8 a point adds up to $352 a year, if you can even get the theme park studio. It will be even more with a 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom.

 

[kboo]

Also, remember the difference in point costs between standard, lake, and theme park view at BLT will add up over the length of a contract and might be worth the cost of a BLT contract with 11 month booking window over an AKV contract with only a 7 month window at BLT. It's 44 point difference from a standard view studio in magic season compared to a theme park view, so 44 points x $8 a point adds up to $352 a year, if you can even get the theme park studio. It will be even more with a 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom.

Matty makes a good point. Last year we rented points to stay in a 2BR at BLT, at the 6+month mark. 2Br standards were all gone by then, and we ended up booking a LV. And it had to be done as a split stay, although ultimately we just stayed in the same villa and we had a terrific location.

 

[Rylie Grite]

At 7 months Lake view is usually not a problem. Might be harder oct-dec as is all of DVC.

 

[disneynutz]

The only way to guarantee availability at the resort and room category that you really want is to buy there. Past availability is not a great indication of the future. Disney and DVC change things all of the time, just a few years ago availability was a whole different animal.

Bill

 

[CarolMN]

drusba, one of our regular posters, has been tracking availability at 7 months. Take a look at these threads for some very good info:

drusba's 7 month summary

And in case you're interested in the relatives values of the 11 month window:

drusba's 11 month summary

 

[mustinjourney]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-some-1-bedrooms-vgc-update-10-21-15.3419112/

scroll down until you get to BLT.

Studios book the fastest, so if there is availability at 7 months on those charts, then 1 BR and 2BR will also LIKELY have availability.

 

[sndral]

Why the rush? No reason you can't buy half of what you'll ultimately need now and the rest later. That's the beauty of banking and borrowing.
You know you want AKV it sounds like - so buy the 160 there and then bank and borrow to cover your stays for the next year or so including trying out BLT.
Meanwhile, you'll have access to the RAT and can watch availability yourself. You'll see if the DVC system works for you and have a better sense whether you want to go ahead and spend more for BLT or to just go with AKV and save money or you might discover another resort you like better.
I bought half my target number of points at AKV a few years ago planning to buy the second installment after I'd stayed DVC a couple of times. I've now stayed at a couple of DVC resorts on those AKV points and am just now buying the 'rest' of my points

 

[ktmo]

I am a new BLT owner, so I don't have a lot of experience. The standard studios seem to book fast throughout the year. I have a June UY and have been looking at summer dates (off time for DVC) and the standard studios were spotty within a couple of weeks of 11 months.

This is why I bought BLT. If you get enough points for Lake View, I think you will be fine at 7 months. I got a lake view studio last summer within three months for July. It did involve a waitlist.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Even owning BLT the standard view can be very difficult to book at 11 months. I would not consider buying BLT to save by using fewer points on standard view as something to be counted on.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Even owning BLT the standard view can be very difficult to book at 11 months. I would not consider buying BLT to save by using fewer points on standard view as something to be counted on.

Great point... I am really leaning towards buying both akv and bay lake.. AKV cause I can get more points for my money and BLT to have booking priority... thanks so much, KIM

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Why the rush? No reason you can't buy half of what you'll ultimately need now and the rest later. That's the beauty of banking and borrowing.
You know you want AKV it sounds like - so buy the 160 there and then bank and borrow to cover your stays for the next year or so including trying out BLT.
Meanwhile, you'll have access to the RAT and can watch availability yourself. You'll see if the DVC system works for you and have a better sense whether you want to go ahead and spend more for BLT or to just go with AKV and save money or you might discover another resort you like better.
I bought half my target number of points at AKV a few years ago planning to buy the second installment after I'd stayed DVC a couple of times. I've now stayed at a couple of DVC resorts on those AKV points and am just now buying the 'rest' of my points

Good point.. I think becuase I figured out 300 points was what would work best for us, I didn't really think about buying much less... so either buying less or splitting points between resorts is causing me to think of things differently, but I agree.... I just have the bug, been wanting do this for long time....

 

[Deb & Bill]

Buy your points at the resort you won't mind staying at if you cannot change to a non-home resort at seven months out. It is getting harder to book a non-home resort at seven months out.

But if you are looking at studios, be aware that the BLT studio is pretty small. Good for a couple or a couple with a small child. But adding two kids or two kids and a baby, you are pushing it.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Buy your points at the resort you won't mind staying at if you cannot change to a non-home resort at seven months out. It is getting harder to book a non-home resort at seven months out.

But if you are looking at studios, be aware that the BLT studio is pretty small. Good for a couple or a couple with a small child. But adding two kids or two kids and a baby, you are pushing it.

I have read about the studios. planning 1 bed or bigger, would bank or borrow my 160 to have enough points...Thank you!