How easy is it to get a last minute rental

[sarah4770]

at dvc? I am a spur of the moment traveler. If I joined Dvc would I be able to get a studio with a week or so's notice? (Asssuming it is not peak travel time)

 

[Disney Fanatic]

We had the same worry before we joined as well.

We rented points with about 2 wks notice in late April this year and we just joined DVC and booked one week ago to leave Sept 15,05.

We have been successful so far and hope to continue to be lucky.

I even checked for our March break period which is the 2nd week in March and there is room for us now.

Don't count on having luck duing peak season and I think you will be o.k.

 

[sarah4770]

Thank you...I got back 2 wks ago and want to go again! Didn't get to spend enough time there.

 

[mel&me]

I am a spur of the moment traveler some times; I tried 2 days ago for a studio for first or second week of October. I would have been happy with 4 or 5 nights straight weeknights or weekend, was told nothing available at any of the DVC resorts. Was not happy, I did not intend to go again until next year but got some free time and decided to try, no go.

 

[JimMIA]

I have to say, if you travel on the spur of the moment, you are going to have difficulty with DVC unless you are very flexible. DVC is really not designed for spur of the moment.

DVC owners have an 11-month booking window at their home resort, and a 7-month booking window at all other resorts. To give you an idea, we are going in December (booked in April) and are now planning a May '06 trip. Some times of the year are just plain impossible -- the first two weeks in December just about anywhere, and the Food & Wine period at BWV/BCV.

On the other hand...if you call MS and say, "I want to come next week, do you have ANYthing available," you might get lucky. You might be looking for a BWV standard-view studio, and get an SSR 1 bedroom...but you'd get in.

Again, DVC is designed primarily for people who visit at least once every other year, typically stay in moderate or better resorts onsite, and have the luxury of being able to plan ahead. Doesn't mean you won't be able to get anything, but it's not designed for that.

 

[DON AND KELLEY]

Just got back last Monday from 3 nights in a studio at OKW. I called the day before and was able to get the room. You never know.

 

[CarolA]

You have to be VERY flexiable and willing to compromise.

I do a lot of spur of the moment travel. (I recently went on about 4 hours notice. I did not call DVC until I got to the airport! LOL!) I am very flexible. I find that MOST times I am able to get a studio at either OWK or SSR. Only ONCE on a late booking have I gotten BWV and I have never gotten VWL or BCV.

The first few weeks in December are probably the hardest for late bookings. Any weekend is easier then a weekday.

I am willing to move if I can only get one or two nights and pay for the other nights either at Disney or offsite. (With the new AP mess, figure offsite from now on.)

Now this is probably NOT the way to use DVC to it's fullest, but so far so good.

 

[mikesmom]

I've called when I was already there and picked up a couple of extra days, and you can't get much more last minute than that.

Now, that being said, it would depend a lot on the time of year. As you mentioned you probably wouldn't have much luck at peak season. Now here's the rub - what people who are not already DVC members think is peak season probably isn't and vice versa. Summertime, traditionally WDW peak season for the parks in general (because school is out) is actually relatively quiet for DVC and last minute ressies probably aren't too hard to come by (we got our last minute deal in June). The 1st couple weeks in December, which everyone thinks is quiet, is actually VERY busy for DVC. The previous poster who said they tried a couple of days ago to get ressies for October is actually trying for one of the DVC peak times. The Food & Wine Fest will be on - the Epcot area DVC resorts sold out first (and quickly) to people who wanted to be able to walk in and out of the Festival, followed by the the other resorts filling as folks figured onsite is acceptable even if you can't walk into the Fest.

 

[TarraLee]

We always go last minute! It's the best way, in my opinion-- I hate waiting! We went for Spring Break in March, and again in May, deciding on Friday, checking in on Sunday for a Sun-Thurs stay. I just call DVC and say, we really want to come, and we'll take anything you've got! In March, we were at a 1bed at OKW/BWV, in May, a 1bed at WLV. Traveling this way we've gotten to stay at OKW, BWV, WLV, and BCV. Only place we haven't stayed yet is our home, SSR

If you're flexible, it is defenitely do-able!

 

[ForeverFriends M&M]

We stayed at BWV this past Sun-Wed and were having so much fun we called DVC from the Swan where we had a wonderful lunch and reserved VWL for the next two nights. First time at VWL and it was FANTASTIC!

 

[CarolAnnC]

One winter we were stranded at BWV when the airports back in Boston and NH closed due to a blizzard. Went down to the front desk - this was day before checkout, and booked myself into the same room for the next two nights. Did not even have to move or change rooms! So you just never know. Always try is my motto..

 

[conciergekelly]

We woke up on our last day of vacation and couldn't bare to leave (early Feb.). We called MS and they found us a room in the same resort. We didn't even have to check out. Also got a 1 br at BWV less than 2 months out for July. We had other choices too. Got OKW less than 1 week away in Sept. Good luck.

 

[Anewman]

Being a new member(closing soon) it seems obvious to me that some seasons(weeks) will be much tougher to get even at seven months and other weeks would be pretty easy to get even at last minute.

XMAS, Spring Break and Food/wine festival(for epcot resorts) are obvious close to capacity weeks.

 

[CarolA]

OK. Called today (9/12) and got a studio at SSR for 9/25 and 9/26....(OKW was also an option)