How hard is it to get a different Location at 7 months out?

[SGMCO]

Hi,
I am trying to make up my mind and learn more about DVC ownership before
I purchase.
How hard is it to book a different Resort than your Home Resort?
Sorry if I didn't use the correct terms, I'm a Newbie.
I know I have to pick a home resort
(which you can book up to 11 month out)
but what if I would like to stay at a different resort on next trip?
Also when exactly is considered 7 months out?

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you want to change resorts, you can book 7 months from the checkout date. Whether or not you are successful depeds on the time of year, the resort you want to change to, and how early in the day you call. Size or type of unit might have some bearing as well.

For example:
If your home resort is OKW and you are trying to book VWL at holiday time, you will likely be out of luck, because VWL is the smallest DVC resort, and it is very popular during the holidays because of decor etc. On the other hand, if you are looking to get a preferred view at BWV in the 7 month booking window at that same time, you might be successful. Don't plan on things like standard view at BWV, Concierge level at AKV, Value level at AKV, or a GV anywhere at the 7 month window. For most times of the year, it will be less of a problem as long as you know what times and resorts are an issue for DVC popularity.

 

[SGMCO]

What about at the slowest times of the year Adventure Season?
Is it still very hard to book during this time? even at AKV.

 

[crisi]

Slow Disney times do not equal slow DVC times. October through January (including the holidays) are VERY POPULAR DVC times. Summer, a peak time for Disney in general, is a time when a lot of DVCers find a lot of availability away from "home."

Note, however, that DVC is a long term committment. We go in October - not for F&W but because my kids have a long school break then. When we bought DVC, F&W didn't start until after my kid's break, and availability was easy. Right after we bought, F&W moved back two weeks, and now we are calling day by day at eleven months to secure a room. If Disney puts an event into a slow time of year that draws DVCers, that time will stop being slow.

 

[SGMCO]

I know it is a long term commentment.
Do you regret being in this long term commentment because you
pointed that fact out?

 

[crisi]

No, I'm just pointing out things change over the long term. If you are making a decision today based on "I can get something that is not my home resort when I travel" and things change, you may not be happy long term.

None of us know what will happen over then next 30 years. We do know that availability at seven months seems to get more difficult each year - particularly at certain times.

 

[SGMCO]

At least I'm trying to think everything thru for the future.
We go to disney every year and thought that we might as well invest in
our future.
People do sell there DVC sometimes as seen by the Resell listings.
Apparantly, one can get out of this long term commentant by reselling.
I still have not got a clear answer to my original question.

Has anyone ever booked a different Resort other than your Home resort or do
you just stick with your Home Resort? How hard was it to do this?

 

[CandleontheWater]

I'm still farily new to DVC myself, but I'll tell you my story. We bought at SSR directly from Disney because we wanted a specific use year and a large number of points. We really wanted to buy at BWV, but we didn't see anything available on the resale that met our needs, and we didn't want to wait around for something to come through. We figured that we could always just switch at 7 months. For our upcoming Oct trip we wanted to try switching from SSR to BWV at the 11 month mark to be closer to Epcot for F&W, apparently I'm not the only one with this idea I did manage to switch 3 rooms over for the week to BWV, but I was on the phone every morning right at 9:00 am, and even then I had to waitlist for one night (luckily it came through two days later).

Based on my experiences, I'd say it was certainly possible to switch at the 7 month mark, but it took some doing, and a little extra stress. I'd say definately buy where you want to stay most of the time, and if you get lucky enough to be able to switch resorts, consider that a stroke of luck, and not a certainty.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Has anyone ever booked a different Resort other than your Home resort or do
you just stick with your Home Resort? How hard was it to do this?

And I'll reiterate my answer with the same question. When do you think you are most likely to travel and which resorts would you be interested in? We don't often change at the 7 month mark, but we are going to try it for next January.

FYI, the popular DVC times are October, early December through the holidays and right through the first three weeks of January. and any holiday period. As Crisi said, summer will be easier than many other times. As long as you don't plan on trying to get a standard view, value view, Grand Villa or Concierge, you should be able to book something at a different resort (whichever that might be) if you are willing to waitlist and don't have your heart set on one of the two smallest DVCs like VWL or BCV.

 

[sarcasticblonde]

Our home resort is OKW/SSR and we were able to make reservations at BWV at exactly 7 months out for our trip in October for F&W festival. No waitlisting for us. Just called the moment MS opened. It can most definitely be done.

 

[Lauralei]

I've been a DVC owner at SSR for 3 years now. The 1st year we booked SSR at the 11 month period. The last 2 years we booked WLV and AKV at the 7 month period. We have had no problem getting our room for a week. We always go Presidents Week in February and we get a 1 BR Villa. That time period may be busy but not as busy as other times (like Christmas) and from what I can gather it seems easier to get 1 or 2 BR as opposed to Studios. I like the idea that we have an (as you put it) "long commitment" because I can make my husband go on vacation every year.

 

[crisi]

At least I'm trying to think everything thru for the future.
We go to disney every year and thought that we might as well invest in
our future.
People do sell there DVC sometimes as seen by the Resell listings.
Apparantly, one can get out of this long term commentant by reselling.
I still have not got a clear answer to my original question.

Has anyone ever booked a different Resort other than your Home resort or do
you just stick with your Home Resort? How hard was it to do this?

We usually stick home. We are staying at the VWL in October for one night, booking exactly at eleven months. Rooms availability when I called for that night was in the single digits at WL and AKL, wide open for SSR, and there were no rooms available at BWV or BCV. BTW, we booked VWL because we decided to fly in a day early and when we called nine months out, couldn't extend our Boardwalk stay, so we needed to wait to seven months to book anything that first night.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

We are SSR owners and usually stay there for our spring trips.

However, in the Fall we like to stay at BWV for F&W. I always switch over at the 7 month time. Sometimes there is availability, sometimes I go on a waitlist. The waitlists have always come through. Usually within the 7 - 6 month time. As well, the week that we like is the very busy last week of F & W.

This year we booked VWL for the end of January at 8 weeks out. As well, we booked two nights at a Vero Beach cottage just a few weeks out. Yes, DVC does result in making your vacation plans earlier but it isn't the nightmare that it would seem from reading some of these threads.

All the properties are wonderful, each gives a different type of vacation. We have stayed in all of them and look forward to staying in each one again.

If you absolutely need to stay in a specific resort and will definitely make your vacation plans in the 11 - 8 month time, then by all means buy that resort and improve your chances of availability. If not, then it really doesn't matter.

 

[inloveindisney]

Well, I was wondering about all this as well. Thanks for the great information. It makes me feel better about the possibility of getting to stay somehwere besides SSR!

 

[Starr W.]

Well, I was wondering about all this as well. Thanks for the great information. It makes me feel better about the possibility of getting to stay somehwere besides SSR!

We own at SSR and have stayed at VWL in May and BCV for MLK weekend. So it is possible, it just requires some planning and using the waitlist(for the May trip).

 

[buzz5985]

I own at HH and I have stayed at all the resorts except for SS and AKL which I am going to visit this summer.

I've stayed at BWV in early December and October, VWL in October, OKW in August, BCV in August, and HH in April, July and August.

I have never waitlisted for anything. Our time at HH included a stay in a GV. We plan well in advance for our vacations.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Most people say buy where you want to stay. Others say buy where you won't mind staying if you can't get anything else.

As the number of DVC members increases, the competition for the other places also increases at 7 months out. It used to be only OKW, BWV, VB and HHI competing for those resorts. Now you have OKW, BWV, VB, HHI, VWL, BCV and AKV. Plus Grand Cal Villas, Hawaii DVC and possibly Kingdom Towers in the future.

So, if you could only stay at SSR for the rest of your DVC ownership, would that be a problem? If yes, then buy at the resort you wouldn't mind staying at for the rest of your contract or at least until you sell that contract.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

First trip stayed SSR by choice. (January)
2nd trip stayed BWV (7 mos) by choice. (August)
3rd trip stayed SSR by choice. (NYE)
4th trip (planned in 1 month) staying OKW by choice. (June)
5th trip (planned for NYE) staying SSR by choice. (NYE)

So, I've always gotten what I've asked for, without using waitlist. However, I'd also be content being sent to SSR if all else fails because I really love that resort.

I plan to stay at all resorts once and then choosing my favs based on the type of vacation planned and time of year I plan on going. I will always do SSR for NYE trips (great party and location for NYE.) I'd like to try BCV for a summer vacation soon enough for the pool. I'd like to try VWL eventually for a fall trip (maybe around Halloween for MNSSHP and location to MK.) OKW is great for room size AND point savings. BWV is great for people watching and nightlife. Not sure I'd try AKV, while it's a beautiful resort, just a bit far for me and animals are just not my "thing."

Love DVC!!

 

[OurDogCisco]

Has anyone ever booked a different Resort other than your Home resort or do
you just stick with your Home Resort? How hard was it to do this?

For our last trip over Christmas I wanted to stay at the Villas of Wilderness Lodge. So, at 11 months I booked at my home resort BCV. This way I can make my plane reservations. Then, at 7 months I called day by day for VWL. I got every single day. I booked Dec 26th through January 2nd. We requested a one bedroom. I know, some people did not call day by day and as result had to waitlist for their resort.

 

[Anal Annie]

At least I'm trying to think everything thru for the future.
We go to disney every year and thought that we might as well invest in
our future.
People do sell there DVC sometimes as seen by the Resell listings.
Apparantly, one can get out of this long term commentant by reselling.
I still have not got a clear answer to my original question.

Has anyone ever booked a different Resort other than your Home resort or do
you just stick with your Home Resort? How hard was it to do this?

You're asking sort of a broad question about the booking availability so you're going to get a lot of broad answers.

We usually travel for our longer vacations in the summer. We own at SSR and were able to book OKW at 7 months for the last half of Aug. in '07. OKW is a large resort and the end of Aug. is not the most popular time to go. We also only wanted a studio. These factors combined made it an easy to book trip.

Then there are other options besides using points. A lot of people don't like to use their points for the weekends 'cuz they use a lot of points. For us, we ran out of points bcuz we used them to book a cruise. But then we decided we wanted to go some more. We were able to book a studio in Jan. over MLK weekend with a DVC cash ressie at 5 months out. Then we were able to book a "value studio" at AKV on a DVC cash ressie at 9 months out in order to add on 3 n. this summer pre-cruise.

There are all kinds of factors that come into play when you ask this question. So the answer is yes, people are successful in booking somewhere else at 7 months, but it depends on what / where / when you want to go and if you only want to use points or if you're open to cash ressies. The larger the resort, the better the odds.