How hard is it to really get what you want?

[Fsudisney]

We are just in the beginning stages of researching DVC as a possible future purchase. How hard is it, truthfully, to get a desired resort (besides your home resort) 7 months out? I know many replies will say it depends ( based on time of year, room category, etc). We know to choose a home resort we would be happy with but also would like to stay at others often. We have been renting points and will probably continue to do so to help decide on a home resort and until we commit. Today I inquired on renting points 7 months from today for a weekend (12/5-12/7) and all studios are gone except SSR. Not that I am opposed to SSR but I definitely don't want to be staying there every trip if that's all that's available 7 months out. Kind of surprised that this is already so booked up. Is this the norm? So I guess my question is would we constantly be disappointed at not being able to get other resorts at 7 months out? We would most likely take many smaller weekend trips throughout the year, since I am a teacher and we live less than 2 hours away.

 

[m3retired]

Our home resort is SSR, but we've been able to book at AKL/KV, OKW, and WL with no problem. However, I've had NO success trying to book the BW---but I keep trying!

 

[sets14]

Keep in mind that early Dec is the most busy DVC time- so I am not surprised that all that is around is Saratoga Springs for that time frame. So during Dec, yes you may be limited to your home resort or SSR or OKW. Other times of year, much easier. We are booked in a standard view BWV studio (very hard to get) for Sept, and we have stayed at AKV, VGF, and VWL. At super busy times, plan to be at your home resort- at other times, you will find availability. You may have to so a split stay or piece something together but it can be done. Also, finally, be aware that DVC busy season and Disney busy season are not the same.

 

[Msmithmd]

You can stay in every resort in the system- just not all the time. Certain times of the year, many resorts are full.

We love our home resort and have only been "stuck" there when we intentionally chose to be and kept it reserved. Eighty percent of the time we do stay elsewhere, because we like the variety.

It may be somewhat easier for me, as with three young kids my default unit size is 1BR which tend to book later. But studios are doable all over as well.

I would second the PP- the first two weeks of December are peak DVC demand overall, and don't at all reflect availability at other times of the year.

It is always wise to book early, but there is plenty flexibility in the system, sometimes even well under seven months.

Just last week, I booked a studio at BWV for a weekend in early September, for a couple days before a cruise. No problem at four months out.

As the stockbroker commercials say, past performance is no guarantee of future results. But there is a reasonable ability to book what you want, if you don't have to travel during peak demand periods.

 

[Fsudisney]

So are the cheapest (points wise) DVC seasons also the busiest DVC seasons (January, September, early December)?

 

[supersnoop]

So are the cheapest (points wise) DVC seasons also the busiest DVC seasons (January, September, early December)?

January is busy because of the low points and the marathon. Late September is busy because of low points and the Epcot food and wine festival. I'm under the impression that Spring Break and Summer are slow times, but Easter weekend can be busy.

 

[Msmithmd]

Higher demand: Latter half of September through marathon weekend in January.

Lower demand: everything else.

With some variability within each time period allowed, these are the basics.

 

[disneynutz]

Here is the way I see it. If you are willing to spend thousands of dollars to buy a contract, and hundreds of thousands more for Disney vacations and you are willing to take a chance on where you stay, then it doesn't matter where you buy.

If you pretty much want a guaranteed reservation at your favorite resort then buy where you love to stay. Even if you buy at your favorite you still have to spin the dice on room location and view.

I have found that newbies are just happy being at Disney. After a few years you spend more time at the resort and that is when home resort really matters.

There is a reason that Diser's post about walking reservations, checking availability several times per day, and their frustration with the waitlist process. They probably didn't buy at their favorite resort(s).

Bill

 

[Fsudisney]

Here is the way I see it. If you are willing to spend thousands of dollars to buy a contract, and hundreds of thousands more for Disney vacations and you are willing to take a chance on where you stay, then it doesn't matter where you buy. If you pretty much want a guaranteed reservation at your favorite resort then buy where you love to stay. Even if you buy at your favorite you still have to spin the dice on room location and view. I have found that newbies are just happy being at Disney. After a few years you spend more time at the resort and that is when home resort really matters. There is a reason that Diser's post about walking reservations, checking availability several times per day, and their frustration with the waitlist process. They probably didn't buy at their favorite resort(s). Bill

Thanks! I have been going to Disney since I was a toddler and have always lived nearby, so I am definitely not one of the Disney newbies who will just be happy anywhere. So I think some more research needs to be done on my part so we can find a home resort we'll be happy with. We also foresee quite a few fall weekend trips so we'll have to get one we are happy with at those times. Thanks again

 

[rlovew]

Thanks! I have been going to Disney since I was a toddler and have always lived nearby, so I am definitely not one of the Disney newbies who will just be happy anywhere. So I think some more research needs to be done on my part so we can find a home resort we'll be happy with. We also foresee quite a few fall weekend trips so we'll have to get one we are happy with at those times. Thanks again

If you are looking at fall then definitely choose a resort you want to stay at during that time as it is hard to get most near park resorts through that time period except the week between the end of Food and Wine and Thanksgiving week.

 

[Fsudisney]

If you are looking at fall then definitely choose a resort you want to stay at during that time as it is hard to get most near park resorts through that time period except the week between the end of Food and Wine and Thanksgiving week.

Yes that's what I am thinking too.... Thanks!

 

[disneynutz]

Yes that's what I am thinking too.... Thanks!

I wouldn't consider "known busy times" in the equation.
It's not known what Disney will do in the future to make all year busy. F&W, F&G, marathons, MNSSHP, MVMCP, and other special events didn't always exist. In 30 to 50 years a lot of things can change.

Bill

 

[crisi]

It depends On what you want, when you want it, and how flexible you are willing to be.

For instance, lets say you decide your heart is at VWL...but you'd really like to stay in the Epcot area for Food and Wine once or twice. If you need it in 2016 because its your tenth wedding anniversary and only a Boardwalk Standard View Studio will do and it must be seven nights the second week in October, your chances of being disappointed are much greater than if you try in 2016, but if it doesn't work out you try again in 2017 and 2018, and are happy with a studio or a one bedroom at either BWV or BCV - and view doesn't matter - and you'd be happy to stay two or three nights for the Epcot part of your trip before (or after) you VWL stay and move your trip by a week if that made it work.

Generally, people who are happiest with availability are the most flexible, or own where the won't be disappointed to end up (there are a lot of members who own just enough points for that Food and Wine trip every three years at BWV, or own just enough points for GCV every three years, or Hawaii, or HHI in the Summer - and the majority of their points at a resort where they are content). Those who are the most disappointed didn't ask, then expect hotel availability and hotel occupancy patterns.

 

[DizBub]

If you are looking at fall then definitely choose a resort you want to stay at during that time as it is hard to get most near park resorts through that time period except the week between the end of Food and Wine and Thanksgiving week.

I agree with this.......and be prepared to book at 11 months.

 

[Fsudisney]

Thanks everyone for the input. We love the Epcot resorts for the convenience and we love F+W and F+G so maybe we need to seriously consider those resorts. Then we could branch out at other times to other resorts when location is not as much of an issue.

 

[skier_pete]

We are new to DVC but the folks in this thread have summed it up well as we have it understood. Certain times a year you will need to take what you can get unless you book at your home resort > 7 months out. Even then certain home resorts (lets call it "Beach Club") will book up at 11 months at certain times of year (lets call it "Food and Wine" and "early December").

My feeling is buy at a resort that you would always be happy as being a "worst case". In our case, we'd stayed at AKL before and loved it there, so that is where we just bought our first contract.

In the Fantasyland inside my head, I am hoping over the next 5 years to try our many of the other resorts. We will mostly be travelling in late-August or mid-February because we have a child entering middle school age. As such, I am hoping this will give us a chance to try many different resorts.

From that I will then decide if we want to buy additional points at another resort that we like even more. Ideally I would like to reach retirement (in 15-17 years) with enough points to go 2-3 weeks a year.

 

[bakerworld]

We traded into the BC/BW area for a few times during our 5 year ownership and then 2 years in a row we ended up at the Dolphin for the f&w so now I would definitely say buy where you want to stay.

 

[Millionaire2K]

I have owned SSR for 5 years. Not once have I ever stayed there. I have stayed at:

BW/AKV/OKW/VGC and VWL this Oct.

I wanted to stay at BLT since it opened, Im now buying 200 BLT points.

I have been able to book stays all over. But you really have to be open about where to stay. If you bought SSR you will get other resorts. But it may not always be what you wanted.

 

[DougEMG]

The hardest rooms to get into are those with the smallest supply. So AKV value and concierge are the hardest. The more nights you want in a row make it harder. The longer you wait past 7 months the harder it gets.

The easiest places to get in are SSR and then OKW/AKV and that is because they are large resorts and you can't walk to a park from any of them.

I love BWV and always book my trips there at 11 months. At 7 months if something else comes up that I want, I'll then use my SSR/OKW points to switch and then free up my BWV points.

This Aug/Sept I'm in BLT for 5 nights, VGF for 7 nights and BCV for 7 nights, all booked at 7 months. Now in Dec I added on 6 extra days to my trip at 8 months. Nothing available at BWV. At 7 months, only thing available was SSR.

 

[com_op_2000]

Over 95% of our trips are at other than our resort.
Over the past year we have stayed at:
AKL
BCV
VWL
VB
SSR
BLT
Every stay over this past year we have been at an other than home resort.