How hard is it to get a BWV grand villa?

[mjc2003]

Early Dec is very tough. Members book at 11 months out.

Well we have flexibility, I guess that's the only thing going for us. We can travel anytime in October, november, or December (excluding thanksgiving and Christmas). We want to be at BCV or BWV. If we can't get that, perhaps either VWL or AKL. We are traveling with family, many of whom we talking into going, so I am essentially planning the trip. Nobody is in a rush to book b/c paying cash, there is plenty available.

I am even holding a 2 BR and 1 BR at BCV with cash right now. As an absolute last resort, we will use the cash reservation, I will use the banked 2010 points for a family member wherever I can get something, and we will either do the same with the 2011 points (which we don't want to bank into 2012 b/c we won't use them), or put them up for sale.

All I know is, until I take ownership of these points and can act on something, this is going to drive me crazy.

I had a revelation last night, not sure if it would have worked, but I wonder if I could have had the sellers book the room for us before we closed using the 2010 and 2011 points, and then sell us the contract starting less those points, with the first available points coming in 2012?

 

[Deb & Bill]

...I had a revelation last night, not sure if it would have worked, but I wonder if I could have had the sellers book the room for us before we closed using the 2010 and 2011 points, and then sell us the contract starting less those points, with the first available points coming in 2012?

All reservations using the points being sold are cancelled before the sale closes.

 

[bobbiwoz]

You just don't know. I had booked a BWV GV for our 40th anniversary celebration, but I changed it to some villas at VWL at 7 months because in the end, that was where I wanted to celebrate. Someone got that GV at 7 months!

Bobbi

 

[Best Aunt]

Inside of 7 months, are the Grand Villa's impossible to get? Especially during or around W&F? We are resigned to the idea that the BCV will not be available inside of 7 months at that time, so are hoping we can find something at BWV. We are also able to travel the week of 11/12-11/19, after F&W and before Thanksgiving....

I assume you know that there are no Grand Villas at BCV. Couldn't quite tell from your post.

 

[mjc2003]

I assume you know that there are no Grand Villas at BCV. Couldn't quite tell from your post.

Yes, I do know that. I meant that we are hoping to find something at either place, and for our group a grand villa would be ideal (and it would help me get rid of the points I want to use), but if we can't get that (sounds quite unlikely) then we are at least hoping to find something at the beach club....

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Cancellations do happen. When our trip for January had to be canceled due to the ice storms in Atlanta, I called to try and find any time for a family gathering. We have limited travel dates where everyone could attend. We were able to get a Grand Villa for four nights over Memorial Day weekend (May)! Obviously, someone had canceled and we were lucky.

I am assuming you have looked at the points chart for the rooms you want. I am asking because you said you wanted to spend 400 points and go for a week. For your preferred travel dates (Nov 12 to 19), a GV would take 587 points. Booking two preferred view 2-bdrm units would take 283 points each, or a total of 566 points. Though... that's a lot better than what we are spending for the GV to go over Memorial Day, which was pretty steep at 105 points per night!

 

[mjc2003]

I am assuming you have looked at the points chart for the rooms you want. I am asking because you said you wanted to spend 400 points and go for a week. For your preferred travel dates (Nov 12 to 19), a GV would take 587 points. Booking two preferred view 2-bdrm units would take 283 points each, or a total of 566 points. Though... that's a lot better than what we are spending for the GV to go over Memorial Day, which was pretty steep at 105 points per night!

We have 400 pts that we basically have to use (200 from 2010, 200 from 2011 that I don't want to bank b/c we won't be traveling to disney in 2012), and we were planning on borrowing some of the 200 2012 pts. We won't be there until 2013, and at that point can do a 1 BR, so we'd have the remainder of the 2012 pts (about 40) and the 2013 pts to use at that point.

If we can't get anything to fit our needs, I will use what I can, and then either trade off the 2012 pts or give them to family.

So, we basically HAVE to use 400 pts; we are open to using more.

I hope we have similar luck! We have expanded our timeframe for travel in light of the circumstances. When the points are available, I'm going to call and check on anything available in Oct/Nov/early Dec, and go from there. We'll probably end up taking whatever, and then waitlisting. We would stay at AKV, during W&F we might get something over there, and waitlist at the Epcot resorts.

The frustration comes from not being able to do anything right away. If not for the stark difference in costs, I'd be inclined to cancel my resale contract and buy direct....but it's not worth $7500 to be able to book a month earlier!

 

[crzy4dals]

I actually got the GV for the week before the 4th of July at 6 months... I am sure I had tinkerbell on my side - I was having to cancel our DCL Alaska family cruise due to losing my job and this trip is paid for with just our down payments!!!!

Enjoy the Boardwalk!

 

[drusba]

As to BWV GV's, usually only thing available at 7 months out any time of year are weekend (Fri and Sat) nights. Note that two 2BRs at BWV require fewer points than a GV. For early December, you may find only thing available if anything is at SSR or OKW and possibly AKV but might find pool/garden view at BWV for 2BRs and 1BR.

 

[sixcats]

While it wasn't BWV, a few days after the 7 month window opened I was able to book a Grand Villa at AKV Jambo. They also had availability for a week in August at Kidani and BLT. I didn't ask about other DVCs. I was pleasantly surprised that I had no problem booking.

 

[mjc2003]

While it wasn't BWV, a few days after the 7 month window opened I was able to book a Grand Villa at AKV Jambo. They also had availability for a week in August at Kidani and BLT. I didn't ask about other DVCs. I was pleasantly surprised that I had no problem booking.

It's funny, because one person will say that they often can find things at 7 months, other will tell you that it's impossible. Some say that they never get their waitlist, others say they always do.

I think some people are optimists, some are realistic, and some don't want anybody else to get what they want.

The reality is, anything can and does happen.

Thanks for making me feel like what I want is possible!

 

[crisi]

It's funny, because one person will say that they often can find things at 7 months, other will tell you that it's impossible. Some say that they never get their waitlist, others say they always do.

I think some people are optimists, some are realistic, and some don't want anybody else to get what they want.

The reality is, anything can and does happen.

Thanks for making me feel like what I want is possible!

Its a matter of expectations and probability. I would not feel like I was setting realistic expectations to tell you that it is probable that a Grand Villa and BW would be available at seven months between October and mid-January. And it would be irresponsible of me to set your expectations there. At the same time, sometimes it does happen - there is always a chance you'll get lucky - but I wouldn't recommend anyone make plans around a Grand Villa being available.

Also, different people are willing to accept different criteria for success. There are a few people who have said that they got X at seven months - but getting X has involved switching rooms mid trip - it hasn't been the whole trip in X - or moving the whole trip by a week. For them, that's successful. For a lot of people, having to switch rooms or moving the trip would not mean that they were successful in getting what they wanted. Some people are just more flexible than others.

I can't speak for others, but my motivation in threads like this is to try and help people avoid disappointment. Try and you might be delighted, but don't count on it, because odds aren't great. It has nothing at all to do with me.

 

[mjc2003]

Its a matter of expectations and probability. I would not feel like I was setting realistic expectations to tell you that it is probable that a Grand Villa and BW would be available at seven months between October and mid-January. And it would be irresponsible of me to set your expectations there. At the same time, sometimes it does happen - there is always a chance you'll get lucky - but I wouldn't recommend anyone make plans around a Grand Villa being available.

Also, different people are willing to accept different criteria for success. There are a few people who have said that they got X at seven months - but getting X has involved switching rooms mid trip - it hasn't been the whole trip in X - or moving the whole trip by a week. For them, that's successful. For a lot of people, having to switch rooms or moving the trip would not mean that they were successful in getting what they wanted. Some people are just more flexible than others.

I can't speak for others, but my motivation in threads like this is to try and help people avoid disappointment. Try and you might be delighted, but don't count on it, because odds aren't great. It has nothing at all to do with me.

I hear ya. I understand, it is what it is; sometimes it's a matter of luck, sometimes it's timing, sometimes it's both. My point was simply to say that nobody know if something will or won't happen, so when people say getting a certain room at a certain time is impossible, I tend to disagree. Because it IS possible; maybe not probable, but possible.

Thanks.