How do I get the dates I want?

[NikkiPants]

Hey all, I lurk here mostly, but we are getting down to the 7 month mark here and see Boardwalk filling each day. Does anyone have any advice or tricks on how we can get the dates we want? We are doing a 7 day trip and don't have any extra points. So we thought of booking 10 days out and just removing the first 3, but don't have the points for it.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Book your home resort when you can. Then at seven months out, see if something you want to book instead might be available. You cancel the original reservation and book the new one.

 

[CarolMN]

Hey all, I lurk here mostly, but we are getting down to the 7 month mark here and see Boardwalk filling each day. Does anyone have any advice or tricks on how we can get the dates we want? We are doing a 7 day trip and don't have any extra points. So we thought of booking 10 days out and just removing the first 3, but don't have the points for it.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

If you will be trying to book a Pool/Garden villa in September, you shouldn't have a problem at 7 months. That's one of the easier times to get into the BWV at 7 months.

I suspect from your post that you want standard view. You may not / probably won't be able to get a Boardwalk view studio or a standard view studio. or even a standard view 1 bedroom. Those will almost surely have at least some of your nights unavailable. Given your available points, all you can do is go online at 8 am Eastern, and if you cannot book, use the waitlist.

If you are willing to risk a move(s), there are a few other things you could do afterwards to increase your chances of ending up with 7 nights at BWV. But IMO, the risk exceeds the reward - I hate to move and with my luck, I'd end up doing it more than once.

Good luck!

P.S. SSR will have availability at 7 months. That can be your back up. So I don't recommend you book your home resort now and then try to switch. Sounds like you would have to cancel your home resort before you can book what you want. If so, cancelling will take a bit of time and that lost time could allow someone else to get what you want. If you can't get BWV, book your back up and then go back and waitlist BWV. You can set up the waitlist to auto-cancel the back up reservation if/when the waitlist comes through for you.

 

[cmrdgrs]

I agree with CarolMN, if you want the BWV, I wouldn't bother booking your home resort only to have to cancel before you can rebook. This will just waste valuable time on the morning you want to book. If you can't borrow to make up for the points you are short for the 10 day idea, I'd just log on the morning your window opens and see what's available. If you are OK with having WL open for missing nights, book what you can and WL. Be as flexible as you can with room categories, patient and persistent and your trip will most likely come together. As a back-up you as CarolMN said, you can always look at SSR or OKW. Good luck!

 

[crisi]

When we knew we wanted HHI in the Summer, using BWV points, we rented out out BWV points and rented HHI points at the eleven month window. Someone who wasn't me used my points - at eleven months - for a standard view room for F&W.

 

[cmrdgrs]

When we knew we wanted HHI in the Summer, using BWV points, we rented out out BWV points and rented HHI points at the eleven month window. Someone who wasn't me used my points - at eleven months - for a standard view room for F&W.

I think this is brilliant! If you can plan it out in the 11 month window is really a great way to secure those hard to get rooms.

 

[Dean]

Hey all, I lurk here mostly, but we are getting down to the 7 month mark here and see Boardwalk filling each day. Does anyone have any advice or tricks on how we can get the dates we want? We are doing a 7 day trip and don't have any extra points. So we thought of booking 10 days out and just removing the first 3, but don't have the points for it.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Just book anything you can at 7 months out then wait list for the rest. you should be able to get into SSR or OKW for that time without an issue.

 

[crisi]

I think this is brilliant! If you can plan it out in the 11 month window is really a great way to secure those hard to get rooms.

I used David - so there was a price premium and the vacation cost me a few hundred bucks out of pocket. But there wasn't any reason I couldn't have done it myself through the rent trade board.

 

[cmrdgrs]

I used David - so there was a price premium and the vacation cost me a few hundred bucks out of pocket. But there wasn't any reason I couldn't have done it myself through the rent trade board.

DIY rentals do give the highest yield dollar for dollar back to the owner, that's for sure.

 

[crisi]

DIY rentals do give the highest yield dollar for dollar back to the owner, that's for sure.

But for me, the money in the delta was worth every penny and more in fuss and bother, and that is worth something as well.

 

[elgerber]

I'm not sure of your dates or what kind of room, but I just had no problem booking 8 nights at BWV in a water view studio in Mid August, several days after the 7 month window opened. BWV is my home resort, but this trip was not planned as far in advance as I usually book. I would think September would be even easier?