how easy is it to make a reservation?

[torian]

If you are a DVC member?

Is it easier to make on for your home resort compared to the rest?

If I like to plan a trip a year out, will it be fairly easy to reserve what I want? How about 6 months out?

 

[DebbieB]

At 11 months for your home resort, you should be able to get what you want. At 6 months, it depends on the resort and time of year.

 

[Lynne M]

It's easier to book at your home resort in the sense that you get a 4-month booking advantage there. You can book your home resort at 11 months out from your travel dates, and other DVC resorts at 7 months out.

So, if you're a BCV owner, you're only competing with other BCV owners from 11 months out to 7 months out. Once you pass the 7 month point, all DVC owners can book BCV. That's the home resort booking advantage.

It's generally easy to book what you want. There are a few specific situations that require a bit more advance planning:

• The month of December is the most popular time of year for DVC resorts. You'll want to book your home resort right at the 11-month mark if you want to travel then. You can always try to get other resorts at 7 months, but it can be quite difficult.
  
• The Epcot area resorts (BCV/BWV) can be tough to get at 7 months in October and November because of the Food and Wine Festival.
  
• Some specific villa types are limited in number and thus hard to get at 7 months: concierge at AKV, standard view at BWV, grand villas at BWV.

 

[maraki527]

If you are going to call at your 7 m onth point call exactly when MS opens. I did this year and got BCV one bedroom for 11/28-12/06

 

[lulu2]

I called yesterday and booked a 1 bedroom Value AKL for October 26-30. I had the choices of AKL, Boardwalk, SSR, OKW. BLT and BC were not available. I didn't ask about WLV. I was surprised because of FWF and MNSSHP, thought I would have less options. So, this at 5 months out.

 

[Checkers]

As owners at OKW, we always make our ressies at the 11 mo. window (when we definitely know the dates we will be traveling) and then if we want to change we do it at the 7 mo. window. We have always gotten what we wanted at OKW but have had mixed results at the 7 mo. window.

 

[Coach81]

Very Easy! Join the club!!!

 

[crisi]

I called yesterday and booked a 1 bedroom Value AKL for October 26-30. I had the choices of AKL, Boardwalk, SSR, OKW. BLT and BC were not available. I didn't ask about WLV. I was surprised because of FWF and MNSSHP, thought I would have less options. So, this at 5 months out.

This year does seem to have atypical booking availability from previous years - i.e. Boardwalk is still available for Food and Wine for some nights. Whether this is because people are booking BLT and VAKL (which has lots of rooms) or because the economy is making people postpone their trip or take one less - who knows.

My money is on the people who take an extra short trip for F&W not doing it this year, its a pretty common thing for DVC members to squeeze in a short F&W trip - they'll use those points to extend their "more normal" vacation so they only have to pay for travel costs once.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

How about 6 months out?

There's a huge difference between 6 months and 7 months. Calling at exactly the 7 month mark, I've always gotten exactly what I want. No promise it will always be that way, but so far so good. On the other hand, I've called a week or two after my 7 month date and had to take my 4th or 5th choice or resorts. And I've called 5 months out and been shut out.

 

[Deb & Bill]

This year does seem to have atypical booking availability from previous years - i.e. Boardwalk is still available for Food and Wine for some nights. Whether this is because people are booking BLT and VAKL (which has lots of rooms) or because the economy is making people postpone their trip or take one less - who knows.

My money is on the people who take an extra short trip for F&W not doing it this year, its a pretty common thing for DVC members to squeeze in a short F&W trip - they'll use those points to extend their "more normal" vacation so they only have to pay for travel costs once.

Crisi has it exactly correct. This year is an anomaly.

Every owner at your home resort can book their trip 11 months out from the day you want your stay. So if they all did, it would be very difficult to make that reservation. But, of course, we know that every single owner wouldn't try to book the exact same days as you. But competition can be hard at some times.

 

[Starr W.]

To the OP, we've been owners since 2006 and here's my experiences

No problem booking SSR for Thanksgiving 3 yrs in a row. Actually got a Grand Villa this year. I called at 11 months.

Vero Beach-own here also, Easter 08 & 09 2brs no problem, called at 11 months.

MLk weekend(Thurs-Mon) have called at 7 months and gotten BCV and BWV(BW view). 2br units.

Early May 07 (1st weekend)-booked SSR 2br in early Dec and waitlisted VWL. Waitlist came through in about 4 weeks.


We've been very happy with our ownership, but we do plan ahead.