How far in advance do you really plan?

[disneycrazed139]

I know that DVC requires somewhat of a change in the way you plan your vacations. Do most people use the 11 and 7 months booking windows? Is it usually necessary? I guess there are ins and outs according to season and resort that you get familiar with as time goes on?

I really am more of a 2 or 3 month window person, rather than a 7 or 11 month ahead planner. I didn't make this a major consideration for whether or not DVC was for me because I figured I would just make some adjustments if necessary.

Anyone book more closely to vacation time? My guess is that something can usually be found--just maybe not exactly your first choice of room/resort?

 

[Doctor P]

Planning ahead allows the most flexibility and better assures use of all of one's points effectively. We are currently planning our 2005 trip(s) and will soon talk about our plans out to 2007. Generally, it seems like one can find availability if one is flexible and patient, but this may mean moving resorts, taking a unit of a different size than desired, and possibly missing a night or two of reservations at peak seasons. Good luck!

 

[castleri]

Booked the Oct ober trip at 7 months and then needed another night at 4 months out - we're changing resorts for last night as BCV did not have 2BR for last night. It actually works out well as this way we get to try VWL also which will mean we have finally stayed at all the onsite DVC resorts. I would not like to try to plan a long trip too close to when I wanted to go but think you can get 1-3 days at closer range from what I have read on these boards and from my daughter getting two nights two days before leaving for a studio at BCv last year. The Christmas trip in a GV at OKW was booked day by day at 11 months and then had to wait list for NYE which did come through. Had back up 2 BR and studio just in case which was cancelled when GV came through so a lot depends on the size unit, time of year and resort you want-holidays and GV require a longer time frame so if you're flexible you should be okay. Happy planning. I find half the fun of the trip is all the advance planning - rooms, cars air fare etc. Seems to make the trip last just that much longer. Of course the rest of the family except DIL think I'm obsessed.- Yep they're right!

 

[timC]

I really am more of a 2 or 3 month window person, rather than a 7 or 11 month ahead planner.

So was I. But I found these boards, and discovered that it's fun it think about vacations all year long, plan your trips, plan the trip after your trip, setup your itinerary, get your dinner ressies organized, plan more trips

With DVC you really should do advanced planning if only to book your room. You can always plan the other details..ressies, flights, etc, much closer to your vacation.

It's really not hard at all.

 

[JimC]

We plan two to three years out becuase we coordinate DVC with nonDVC trips and AP renewals. That said we book at both 11 month and 7 month timeframes depending on our resort preferences for a given trip. We also plan trips in less than 30 days if an opportunity becomes available. I surprised my wife this June with a surprise 25th anniversary trip to the Poly on AP codes. I changed what we had planned as a one night trip to Hershey, extended it to four nights and moved it to WDW. Wife only new that trip was longer and we were flying instead of driving. I guess she suspected something as we boarded a flight to Orlando Got the idea less than three weeks from departure as I was perusing mousesavers.com. We honeymooned at the Contemporary but could not get that resort.

 

[Richyams]

Two or three months out will often lead to dissappointment at certain times of the year and make it impossible to ever get certain kinds of rooms.

If you never want a GV. If you never want a std view, if you don't want to travel from Sep to Dec, if you don't mind spending the points for a two bedroom when all you wanted was a studio, you will be fine.

 

[eva]

When we go in the first part of May (a bit slower season) we usually make our reservations around the 7-month mark. Now in 2005 we will be getting a GV so we will be making them right at the 11-month mark. Now when we go in December we usually make them at 11-month and sometimes day by day. That being said, we have taken some last minute trips (trips with in 2 or 3 months) and usually can get soemthing with the waitlist. But even in May you will need to be flexible with the resort and villa type.

 

[Terry S]

I was an obsessive planner before I bought DVC so I knew it would be a real good fit for me. I would often have my next 2 years worth of vacation figured out on paper before I even bought DVC.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yep, another obsesive planner here, and we usually make ressies at the 11 month window. I have been able to add days though in as short a time as 24 hours! I have also been able to add a 2 bedroom at 5 months out, so I think a lot depends on luck and the time of year you want to go.

 

[The VWL Five]

I book exactly to the day at the 11 month or 7 month windows. No matter what the season is. I'm not taking any chances for the ressie I want. We start discussing trips about a year out. Works for us so far.

 

[Charleneluvsdisney]

I think it really depends on when you are going and what you want. This has been my experience. We go every 2nd week in March and have booked a studio at the 7 month window. We own at Vero Beach but always stay at WDW.

I have stayed at OKW, Beach Club, BoardWalk twice (once preferred and once standard view) and just booked VWL yesterday. We have only been waitlisted once at BWV and it did come through. Otherwise, we have received what we wanted all the time. I know this is probably not the norm but this has been my experience. Now for the summer it has been a different story. We booked 1 month out for July (2 years in a row) and were only able to get OKW. We like it there, so it worked for us.

 

[Disney Doll]

How far out you HAVE to plan depends on if you travel at a busier or not-so-busy season.

I usually like to have another vacation planned when I am on a vacation, because when I leave I know I'll be coming back!!!! It makes it slightly less depressing to leave!!!!!

That being said, as soon as I kind of have an idea of when we want to go, I book my home resort, and it's generally at least 7 months out. Then I know I have someplace to stay. I may decide at the 7 month window to try and get soemwhere else, and if so, I call and see what the scoop is, waitlist myself, and see what happens. But if I don't get my new choice, I am always happy at my home resort(OKW),so it works out fine.

 

[dcfromva]

My shortest was 1 day ahead of time last August for a 2BR on HHI.

My longest: 11months ahead for next June at BCV.

Planning and day dreaming about all the different possibilities is really a lot of fun.

-DC

 

[married@wdw]

Really depends on the time of year you travel and what you need. We're a married couple, no children, and usually travel in January and late August and have never really had a problem getting an acceptable room. But if you need a bigger room for a family (especially a GV), want to stay someplace specific or have really specific dates nailed down, you do need to plan earlier.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I love planning ahead for my vacations, so I am planning thru 2005 now. All my trips for 2004 were made 11 months ahead, and I will adjust them at the 7 month window, as needed. That's what we always do, although last weekend we were supposed to go down for a last minute trip, planned a week ago--the power outage hit while we were waiting to check in at the airport, so our trip didn't happen. Now I have an extra bunch of points to do something with--hmmm, what to do????

 

[disneycrazed139]

I love to plan, too. This will give me reason to start earlier than usual and NEVER stop!

We will probably be traveling 2nd or 3rd week in March and mid-June. (peak times for cash customers, I think.) I do not think I will be needing a Grand Villa--at least not in the immediate future.

Another possibility for vacation times are the few days before the Thanksgiving crowd hits and the few days before the Christmas crowd (right before the points requirements go up)

Does anyone have experience with these times?

I probably am looking at studios for a trip in March/June and 1 bedroom/possibly 2 for the pre-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas times.

 

[spiceycat]

If you want the first two weeks in December - make your reservations in January - Easter can also be bad - Thanksgiving is becoming very popular.

I have made reservations in January for that March so it can happen.

January, May, Sept - are generally (not always) months that you can find something (not always what and when you want) for a last minute trip.

I have also found last minutes reservations 60 days out in June, July and August. You have be flexibility - and as Rich says you take what they have - you might have wanted a 1-bedroom but they only have a studio - or a studio is what you want and they only have 2-bedroom.

Now if you can drive to WDW then yet it is very flexibility - if you have to fly then I would start planning ahead if you buy DVC. Several members have gotten upset they made their flight reservations and then tried to make a DVC reservation and were told sorry no availability.

If this does happen remember with the DVC program you can also stay in a WDW resort (just not the values) - but you are paying for it big time - the moderates are enough for a 1-bedroom, and deluxes are enough for a 2-bedroom and then some.

I would rather stay in a studio at the DVC resort - your choice.

 

[disneycrazed139]

Yes, I realize that now the hotel/airfare priority has to be flipped around. Whereas, before I would look for a good airfare, then book the room, now I will be looking for the good room and then booking the airfare.

Anyone think there is a high cost involved with this switch? From NJ the airfare stays more or less the same all year round, so I am not too concerned.

 

[spiceycat]

when I fly I generally fly Southwest - they have specials - very good specials - (now kept in mind that I have not flown since 9/11 - but I use too).

Like not to long ago they were having a special $59 one way - with all the taxes add on - it was $89 - I almost got this one.....

I use to see what the specials were - then immediately call MS - see if I could get the dates - then turn around and make the flight all within a couple of hours.

but I really like to drive - so I can be very flexibility in when I go.

Oh despite being very close to Orlando - flying can be very expensive here - anyway from $150 to $375 is average.

 

[disneycrazed139]

I like the idea of finding the flight first, checking for room, and then snatching up the flight. I wish we had Southwest. Newark and Philadelphia I think are just about the only airports that don't have these great rates.