How hard is it to really get what you want?

[lovin'fl]

We initially bought OKW in 2006. And we have used those points for every east coast DVC resort except VGF. We haven't had too much trouble. Yes, certain times of the year have been difficult (ie: F&W- we booked at 5 months out last year, got SSR but wait listed and got BLT 2 weeks later). You might have to tweak dates sometimes or take second choice. We had been trying to get BCV and finally got it in Jan 2013...probably because it's cooler and the SAB is a big draw there so folks want it when it's warmer (but it worked fine for us). You'll get to know the DVC calendar and the varying busy times at each resort and work around that. I booked an Aug trip (coming up) for my DDs and I at 6 months out and was able to get a BWV standard view studio with my OKW points (for 2 nights and SSR for the other 3 nights as each DD picked where they wanted and 1 wanted BWV and the other wanted SSR...worked out perfectly).

One piece of advice I like to give is to buy smaller contracts and multiple home resorts to maximize your 11 month home resort booking options. So, instead of starting with 250 SSR points...maybe start with 100 and then plan to add on once you know what resorts you want 11 month booking priority at. We started with 200 OKW and have regretted that, though we make good use of those (MIL and FIL use half of them each year and just LOVE OKW and staying in the HH section). We have since added and I have gone with resorts when we can conserve points (AKV- value and standard rooms, BWV- standard view rooms) but you do need that 11 month home resort priority to get those cheaper point costing rooms. HHI, we added because we plan to go there every other year so that we can save on park tickets and airfare and that was a place difficult to book during warmer months at the 7 month window. Now, though, with Disney giving us the PAP special pricing we found it's thrown our beach in even years and WDW in odd years plan out the window.

 

[wildforgoofy]

OP I'm so glad you asked this question. I'm new to DVC (actually still in my ROFR with Disney), I typically travel in May/June which after reading this thread seems to be the slower season of DVC. I knew I wanted BLT because of the monorail, and I fell in love with it after a trip 2 years ago. I plan on staying at my home most of the time, but It's nice to know I should be able to try ever resort at some point.

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.

Congratulations on passing ROFR! Fingers crossed that my 200 BLT points passes too. Our 30 days is April 28th and that feels like forever.....

 

[HokieGCC]

This is our view of the situation. Everyone is different so soak it all in...

You really need the 11 month home resort advantage to be sure to get the better places. Since DVC is an expensive every year thing I think you optimize it by either paying a little more or getting fewer points.

As you go year after year the more time you may want to hang around the resort area. For us the Boardwalk resorts are the best for that. Plus when you can walk to two parks (avoiding the buses - which I am really tired of) it makes for a better overall vacation. So you pay a bit of a premium to be there.

SSR would work fine for us on the commando-park days but although it is a nice place there is no draw for us to be at the resort.

 

[Millionaire2K]

Congratulations on passing ROFR! Fingers crossed that my 200 BLT points passes too. Our 30 days is April 28th and that feels like forever.....

Best of luck, I really hope it works out for you.

 

[Dean]

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.

I know you want a more definite answer than "it depends" but that really is pretty much the answer. If you're set on that weekend for the EPCOT area, you should buy BWV or BCV. BWV will be cheaper both to buy and to use. However, if you plan ahead you can get pretty much what you want for most options most of the time. The obvious exceptions are the things that even those trying at 11 months out have difficulty getting like AKV concierge & value, BWV 3BR, BCV 2 queen 2 BR, VGF & likely the Poly in general among other things. 1 BR's will be the easiest and studios likely the most difficult. If you're prepared to stay at your home resort part of the time, try for BWV/BCV right at 7 months out and use the WL consistently; most anything will work. In your situation I'd buy BWV.

 

[Millionaire2K]

I know you want a more definite answer than "it depends" but that really is pretty much the answer. If you're set on that weekend for the EPCOT area, you should buy BWV or BCV. BWV will be cheaper both to buy and to use. However, if you plan ahead you can get pretty much what you want for most options most of the time. The obvious exceptions are the things that even those trying at 11 months out have difficulty getting like AKV concierge & value, BWV 3BR, BCV 2 queen 2 BR, VGF & likely the Poly in general among other things. 1 BR's will be the easiest and studios likely the most difficult. If you're prepared to stay at your home resort part of the time, try for BWV/BCV right at 7 months out and use the WL consistently; most anything will work. In your situation I'd buy BWV.

Dean's advise is very good. GL with whatever you decide.

 

[chalee94]

One piece of advice I like to give is to buy smaller contracts and multiple home resorts to maximize your 11 month home resort booking options.

for the newbies reading this who are starting to get confused, keep in mind that you cannot combine pts from these contracts with different home resorts until the 7 month window...

 

[chateau]

But you can bank and borrow to make those small contracts larger, and rotate their usage....another option.

 

[lovin'fl]

But you can bank and borrow to make those small contracts larger, and rotate their usage....another option.

This.

 

[chalee94]

This.

i get it.

but there are new people who haven't been reading the board for months who would get the wrong idea. (and there's always that one random guy who still thinks banking SSR pts will turn them into BLT pts...)

if you are going to throw that out there, i just think a little context is helpful. multiple home resorts work great for some people and not as well for others.

 

[Fsudisney]

i get it.

but there are new people who haven't been reading the board for months who would get the wrong idea. (and there's always that one random guy who still thinks banking SSR pts will turn them into BLT pts...)

if you are going to throw that out there, i just think a little context is helpful. multiple home resorts work great for some people and not as well for others.

Thanks for clarifying this for me. I was just getting ready to post a question about this. So please let me know if I have this right.
Lets say I own 100 BWV points and 50 AKV points. At my 11 month booking window, I cannot book an AKV stay for a 2 bedroom value stay that costs 125 points lets say.
I could only book something at AKV for a stay up to 50 points, correct?
But at the 7 month window if that 2 bedroom was still available I could book it using all of my combined points? Do people ever book a smaller room for their dates for less points and then upgrade to a larger unit for same dates (if available) after their 7 month window?

I was curious exactly how people did it with all those smaller contracts. Thanks for all your help. This thread has been very helpful.

 

[Millionaire2K]

Thanks for clarifying this for me. I was just getting ready to post a question about this. So please let me know if I have this right.
Lets say I own 100 BWV points and 50 AKV points. At my 11 month booking window, I cannot book an AKV stay for a 2 bedroom value stay that costs 125 points lets say.
I could only book something at AKV for a stay up to 50 points, correct?
But at the 7 month window if that 2 bedroom was still available I could book it using all of my combined points? Do people ever book a smaller room for their dates for less points and then upgrade to a larger unit for same dates (if available) after their 7 month window?

I was curious exactly how people did it with all those smaller contracts. Thanks for all your help. This thread has been very helpful.

That is correct.

Remember you can bank and borrow points to book what you need.

So if this year you banked your 50 AKV points, next year you could use up to 150 at AKV at the 11 month mark (banked 50, UY 50, borrow 50).

then you could bank the 100 bwv points next year and use up to 300 the following year (banked 100, UY 100, borrow 100).

 

[bumbershoot]

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.

Consider buying close to Epcot AND definitely use that 11 month booking. So it'll be buy where you want to be and plan ahead.

SSR would work fine for us on the commando-park days but although it is a nice place there is no draw for us to be at the resort.

Have you ever gone to the Paddock Pool? We loved it there, could have stayed all day. Except it was Feb and the sun went away and it got cold.

 

[chalee94]

Lets say I own 100 BWV points and 50 AKV points. At my 11 month booking window, I cannot book an AKV stay for a 2 bedroom value stay that costs 125 points lets say.

I could only book something at AKV for a stay up to 50 points, correct?

assuming your AKV contract has all available pts, you could use 50 banked AKV pts + 50 current AKV pts + 25 borrowed AKV pts to book a stay at AKV at 11 months that cost 125 pts. but then you'd be stuck with only 25 AKV pts coming in a couple of years, and you'd have to use the pts from the BWV contract for the next 2 years or so.

you could actually book up to 50banked+50current+50borrowed AKV pts to get 150 pts for use at AKV at 11 months out but you can only do that at AKV every third year while you wait for your pts to build back up (again, your BWV contract pts will only have priority at 11 months at BWV).

so it's the points that have the home resort priority, not you as the owner. put differently, you need the correct "currency" to book a home resort at 11 months out...AKV will only take AKV points and BWV will only take BWV points.

 

[nalajms]

for the newbies reading this who are starting to get confused, keep in mind that you cannot combine pts from these contracts with different home resorts until the 7 month window...

I would also add that home resort is only an advantage for people who can plan 7+ months out, and sometimes exactly 11 months out. If your plans change and you need to add additional nights, it could be difficult to get the same room.

 

[crisi]

I would also add that home resort is only an advantage for people who can plan 7+ months out, and sometimes exactly 11 months out. If your plans change and you need to add additional nights, it could be difficult to get the same room.

And to continue this idea, the flexibility in the system gets less the less amount of lead time you have in booking. If you can't book until three months out, its completely possible you won't be able to find a room at all for some of your nights. Maybe you will, but no promises. The more time you have, and the more flexibility you have, the easier it will be to be content.