How realistic is it to expect availability at a non home resort seven months out?

[Canadian Girl]

We have AKL but would love to try another resort sometime. How often do waitlists come through? Doesn't seem to be much availability at any other resorts seven months out other than a day here or there.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The answer, as with so many things? It depends.

Depends on the resort and room type: Some room types won't ever be available at 7 months. Some resorts are harder than others and take a little luck.

Depends on time of year. You want a BWV studio in October at 7 months? Probably not. BLT in May? More likely.

October and November during Food & Wine is tough at most near-park resorts; this year has been crazy town. Certain dates in December look tough already. High season is hard.

 

[com_op_2000]

We have gone every year since '93 during the 2nd week of Dec and changed out of our HR 95% of the time.
We have 4 additional trips booked between now and Sept and will not be staying at our HR during any of them.

 

[jimmytammy]

Overall, we have had good luck with the 7 mos window...here is where all that goes out the window. No luck booking BWV/BCV during Food and Wine festival, no luck with BLT either during this time. VWL can be tough to get during this time plus in Dec. If this is the time you want to go, book your home to be sure you have the ressie, then try to get in at 7 mos at other choice. Be flexible, be willing to have another plan just in case.

 

[drusba]

Starting Monday after marathon weekend in January and ending late September, the following near park resort rooms are usually easy to get at 7 months out at WDW: BWV pool/garden view, BLT lake view, Poly, and VWL. BCV is very often open during that time other than issues concerning holidays and special weekends (e.g., races and Star Wars) and it had other issues this year likely due to the onging refurbishment and rooms being out of service. BLT theme park view is also often open during that period. Moreover, during that 8 1/2 month period, there are some times you can even find BWV boardwalk and standard view, BLT standard, and VGF studios open for up to a week.

It is during the late Sep to marathon weekend in January period when finding a near park resort at 7 months out is difficult. However, if you are not overly focused on one of the very hard to get rooms such as BLT standard view, BWV standard or boardwalk view studios (and 2BRs), VGF studios, BCV studios, and now Poly studios, you can occasionally find success for periods of up to three or four nights at 7 months out or via wait list for the same number of nights or even more.

 

[Anal Annie]

We have been lucky enough to be able to get what we want EXACTLY at the 7 month window for nearly every trip. We have tried all of the WDW resorts except VGF and all of the off-site DVC resorts as well. But we always approach each trip with a Plan B just in case and I usually (99% of the time) book online promptly at 8:00 am. And if we're trying to go during a spring break week, during F&W or around a marathon time we pretty much accept that we'll like have to just book our home resort earlier (SSR) and possibly switch to AKV at 7 months. If for some reason we don't plan exactly at 7 months then we know the availability WILL be sketchy and we'll be open to taking whatever we can piece together. For example we just decided around 6 months out this spring that we were going to renew our AP's this summer and that we wanted to go to F&W again this fall. By the time we decided this most of Oct. was already gone. In studying the point charts we realized that Sept. was cheaper points and there was more availability so we decided to just book a few days at OKW in Sept. rather than in Oct. This was about 2 or 3 weeks ago. Good thing I booked when I did because now the studio availability at OKW for our dates is only "partial". Likewise, we decided to go for a week again in January so our son can go with us when he's home from college - the first week of the month is already sketchy because of the marathon so I just went ahead & booked our SSR and will assume that's probably where we will end up staying. I WILL check on AKV availability at 7 months tho just to see if there's anything open bcuz that's our sons fav resort. Almost all of the other resorts are already booked for some of those dates tho. If you can book right at 7 months your odds will be pretty good for most resorts.

 

[Granny]

We have AKL but would love to try another resort sometime. How often do waitlists come through? Doesn't seem to be much availability at any other resorts seven months out other than a day here or there.

As others have said, it really depends on the time of year you are travelling. About half of our trips have been booked at 7 months window. But if you are looking for, as an example, a studio at VGF at almost any time of the year at 7 months, it will be challenging.

Many people have had a lot of success with waitlists. We are 0 for 4 on our waitlists and have no plans to utilize the waitlist in the future. Fortunately, we are happy to stay at our home resorts on every trip if necessary.

 

[disneynutz]

Booking at 7 months has become more challenging recently but if you don't care where or when you stay you will probably get something that makes you happy.

Bill

 

[mittelst]

Since purchasing my Hilton Head contract via resale in 2006, I have stayed at: Boardwalk, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge, and Grand Floridian DVC properties. All reserved at the 7 month window, all at my desired travel dates.

 

[DebbieB]

I have booked all the WDW DVC's at 7 months, except SSR (haven't try it) plus VGC. The trick is I typically book my non-home resorts in the spring. Staying at Poly next month. Then my home resort BWV during the fall at 11 months.

 

[Minniesgal]

When we go we find it is pretty much wide open right at 7 months. We go usually July or august. It tends to get booked pretty quickly after 7 months.

We did our last trip at Easter and I could book at 6 months and got BWV and managed to change it to SSR (needed a 2 bedroom as my other son decided to come) 3 months out.

 

[Kimly]

Last year we stayed with a DVC reservation 40+ days, on many different trips. And only day was at our home resort, which was booked with a few days out. So IMO as long as you are up and ready to book at 7 months, you will have no problem. We did have to do a few split stays, but that doesn't bother us.

 

[clayfolks]

In the past twelve months, we have booked studios at VGC, BW for F&W (we were shocked), and Poly. In that same period, we also booked 2 bedroom units at BLT and OKW. Our home resort is AKV, so all were booked at 7 months or less. Additionally, I am the queen of "let's try to add a night" and we successfully waitlisted single night add ons at VGC, Poly, and OKW.

 

[scubadiver]

I would agree with many of the posts....it depends. I have home resorts of AKV and SSR. When we travel at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I make these reservations 11 months out at Home. But when we travel in the summer, normally June, we have been to OKW, WL, BWV and will be staying at BC this June. I even got AKV Concierge, prior to owning at AKV, at the 7 month window. I believe the key is calling on day 1.

 

[jerseygal]

Members since '08, home is AKV, only stayed twice, once Jambo, once Kidani. At exactly 7 mos, successful bookings at Aulani, Poly, GFV, BCV, HHI, Vero. Waitlisted BWV for our October trip exactly at 7 months and within a few hours first day of waitlist much to our great surprise, BWV came through. Planned only one trip 3 months in advance and happily was able to get SSR. As others have said, critical to be "ready to go" exactly at 7 months, have alternate plan if not available, book alternate plan and get on waitlist at 7 months. GOOD LUCK!

 

[AshleeH]

We're in our first use year, but had good luck this year. We wanted a 2 BR at BLT for October with TPV at 7 months out. It was unavailable, so we booked a 1 BR lake view and waitlisted what we really wanted. My husband called Disney a few weeks later - with a separate question - and while he was on the phone, the CM noticed that our waitlist had gone through. I have to say, it's a rush when it happens lol!

 

[Canadian Girl]

Good to know. Our use year starts Dec. 1 so maybe we have just been looking at high request times, Nov.-Dec. am happy booking at AKL anyway but down the road do want to try other resorts. We will have to try other times of the year.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

We booked at the 7 month window for our trip this past February and were able to get 3 nights at BCV and 5 nights at Poly. We have a Dec. 1 use year.

 

[disneynutz]

Good to know. Our use year starts Dec. 1 so maybe we have just been looking at high request times, Nov.-Dec. am happy booking at AKL anyway but down the road do want to try other resorts. We will have to try other times of the year.

UY has little to do with when you can book, your points are already in your account.

Bill

 

[maciec]

I was able to snag a 1 bedroom at BWV (Garden/Pool View) room at 7 months. I would really like to be in a Studio same view however I only have 3 of the 5 nights booked right now. My dates are 10/22-10/27. I have 2 separate wait lists for the 2 nights I need. Hoping that they come through sooner rather than later, but if all else fails we have the 1 bedroom

Last year I had to piecemeal together a BCV 2 bedroom reservation for the 2nd week of December. I was able to get it, but it took some time hunting the availability list for it