how is availability?

[dishman]

We have stayed at OKW and BWV (cash reservations) and been very impressed, so we are now considering a purchase. The only question we have is the availability. I have seen quite a few posts about waiting lists, calling every day, etc. which have me concerned. When we made our cash reservations my wife was able to call about a month in advance and get a room. How far in advance does a member need to call to use their points? If we wanted to stay at the Beach Club Villas the first week of March how far in advance would we have to make reservations?

Is there anything else, other than "mousekeeping", that's different between paying with cash and paying with points?

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

You only need to call day by day and 11 months in advance for the popular locations such as BWV standard view or OKW Grand Villas during peak holiday seasons. There are other busy times of the year for DVC but not necessarily for Disney such as the first couple of weeks in December.

DVC works best for those who can plan 11 months in advance but it also works for people who reserve on shorter notice at times that are not that busy. I have heard that late February (after Presidents' day Week) and early March (before the Spring breaks are not that busy. But I have never tried to reserve a room at that time either.

If you know you want to stay at the BCV in early March, you would be able to call up to 11 months in advance. You would not need to do day by day calling for that reservation. For 11 month reservations, you can make them at your "home resort" only.

Good luck.

HBC

 

[Dean]

DVC is best for those that can plan ahead, 11 months minimum is preferable. While you may or may not have problems with your planned trips at present, the situation may change in the future. Buy where you want to stay most and reserve early.

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by dishman

Is there anything else, other than "mousekeeping", that's different between paying with cash and paying with points?

The amount per night is the biggest difference. We stayed at OKW last month during President's Week. I had made my ressie at BW 8 months out no problems. When other's wanted to join us 3 months out I had to change room sizes which did make me switch resorts. 1 of our nights wasn't available on points. I had a cash ressie for $449 + tax and was put on the waitlist. The waitlist did come through about 3-4 weeks outs. The night cost me 22 points instead of $449 + tax. I think that is the biggest difference.

If you are flexible as to resort with the exception of major holidays, things seem to be pretty readily available. It is holidays weeks and specific that make people call at exact times. (I need a studio and 1 BR standard view lockoff at BWV for President's week - my family is still deciding who is coming with us so I want our options open. This means there are only approx. 30 of each room type I want avail., so I have been calling at 9 day by day, if I were more flexible I wouldn't have to. I've booked this week 3 or 4 months outno problem.)

Hope this helps.

 

[carone0318]

Right now, I too, am in the process of calling day by day for BWV 2 bdrm std view for President's week. This is the first time that I am calling day to day because I can only afford the std view. I wouldn't have enough for the preferred, so I feel I have to call day by day rather than chance it on the 20th and go for the entire week. Usually though I would call at the 11 month window on the last day and arrange for the entire week and if by chance they don't have the std, I just go with preferred, but as you can see in order to get what I really want, I'm calling everyday.

 

[DisneyHumbug]

I called on Monday for the first half of my President's week ressies and the CM said it was wide open so I'm calling tomorrow for the rest of the week instead of day by day. When I made my ressies for Christmas week, I did it 9 months out and had no problem. I have also gotten OKW in the summer with just a few months notice.

 

[CarolynK]

We have NEVER called day by day, always stay in a 1-br std view, and have been lucky to get what we wanted (although we have sometimes had to be waitlisted). And yes, we have traveled during spring break as well as Christmas/NY (twice now).

Actually, I just got off the phone with Member Services. I was able to change our November 8-14 reservations for a 1-br std view at BWV for Thanksgiving week with no problem (checking in 11/22, checking out 11/28).

We have also been waitlisted a few times and that always came through for us.

 

[Chuck S]

OKW is usually the easiest resort to make short term plans because it is a large resort. When SSR comes online and is fully built, it should be easy there, also. I've haven't had a problem booking/changing OKW ressies as late as 2 months prior to arrival. I did call (not day by day) right at the 11-month window for mid-December - though not during the school break.

 

[Chrzas]

We just made a reservation today for 1 bdrm at both the board walk and old key west for mid june. no wait lists.

 

[Chrzas]

We just made a reservation today for 1 bdrm at both the board walk and old key west for mid june. no wait lists.

 

[Disney Doll]

I think that when you go depends on the ease of making reservations. We have never had a problem getting the reservations we want. We do go at mostly funky times of the year, but we have also gone in early June and called 3 weeks before we were ready to leave and gotten exactly what we wanted.

 

[Galahad]

OKW is usually the easiest resort to make short term plans because it is a large resort

We've had good luck making last minute ressies at OKW, WLV and once at BWV. Touch and go for VB (probably because of the time frames we were looking for). We usually go for 1BR or studio. We even reserved 3 2BR for last June at OKW with only about 3 month's notice.

 

[Connears]

We have never had to be on a waiting list (except if you wanted to be there for 1999-2000 celebration week). I also have never called day to day. My home resort is OKW and had no problem getting 1 bdroom 2 BCV for June and I called in January. Just booked New year's OKW yesterday with no problem. HHI is difficult to get for the summer months unless you call right at 7 month and are willing to be flexible with your dates. We did get July14 for 4 nights last summer.
Connears

 

[sgtdisney]

We have been going to OKW for over 10 years now and never, ever plan at 11 months (at least not yet) I have also never had to call day to day. We usually decide from 3 to 5 months before we go that we feel like a vacation and I have yet to have a problem. If you can plan months in advance as others have suggested that is the best way to get what you want, but if you are flexible and don't plan on always travelling at the last minute during the most busy times, I think you would be ok.

 

[dishman]

Thanks for all the feedback. We've decided to make the purchase.

 

[JOC]

Good luck! Are you purchasing BCV or a resale?

 

[dishman]

We are planning to purchase BCV direct from Disney. We looked hard at the resales, but the costs, if you cash in 2002 points, of buying direct are very competitive and we like the BCV resort and location.