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

[Dean]

As I just posted on another thread, managing the wait list is key to 7 months success.

 

[jodifla]

I was able to get a 1 bedroom at VGF for this May. I've also been able to easily get rooms at Saratoga Springs, Jambo and BLT at 7 months. Vero, too.

 

[lovewdwfun]

Again, all depends what time of year you want. We have owned SSR for five years and never stayed there. We have booked mid-August to late-September for every trip - typically one-bedrooms, but we have gotten two-bedrooms as well. We've stayed at AKV (first trip, made 3 months out), BWV, BCV, BLT, and GFV. I always check right at 7 months and have always gotten what I wanted, with the exception of BLT standard view (we got lake view). I was even able to get BWV standard view!

However, if you are always planning to travel during Food & Wine or the holidays, you probably won't have the same luck.

 

[disneynutz]

Expect it to be difficult and you won't be disappointed. Some people have good luck but that depends on several variables.

Bill

 

[hjvigz72]

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

Bill

[/QUOTE]

I think I may need clarification on this - will be new DVC members shortly and I thought UY would be the determination of our 11/7 mos window? For example, Dec UY means Jan is the 11 mos, May would be 7 months, no? Or maybe I'm just not understanding the whole thing!

 

[disneynutz]

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

Bill

I think I may need clarification on this - will be new DVC members shortly and I thought UY would be the determination of our 11/7 mos window? For example, Dec UY means Jan is the 11 mos, May would be 7 months, no? Or maybe I'm just not understanding the whole thing! [/QUOTE]

You can book 11 months prior to check in at your home resort or 7 months at other resorts. Has nothing to do with your UY. You can bank your points during the first 8 months of your UY only.

Bill

 

[Sammie]

 

[addiln]

I have had good luck at the 7 month window for all resorts except for BCV. That is the one I can never seem to get no matter when I am looking go. I figure at some point I will be lucky enough to get something there.

 

[Sugardog81]

I waitlisted BCV for my June trip at 7 months out and it came through within 2 weeks. It is definitely possible!

 

[supersnoop]

I think I may need clarification on this - will be new DVC members shortly and I thought UY would be the determination of our 11/7 mos window? For example, Dec UY means Jan is the 11 mos, May would be 7 months, no? Or maybe I'm just not understanding the whole thing!

It's a commonly confused topic.
Use year dictates which points can be used for any given reservation.
The booking date is based on when you plan to stay.

 

[hjvigz72]

It's a commonly confused topic.
Use year dictates which points can be used for any given reservation.
The booking date is based on when you plan to stay.

This is GREAT to know! I think it was the only thing I was unclear on, and now I know I can start booking for next year too. It makes me happy!!

 

[jerseyduke]

I think I may need clarification on this - will be new DVC members shortly and I thought UY would be the determination of our 11/7 mos window? For example, Dec UY means Jan is the 11 mos, May would be 7 months, no? Or maybe I'm just not understanding the whole thing!
Use year determines when your points are deposited into your account. We have an October use year so every October 1, our points for that year are put in our account. The confusing part for new members with a Dec. use year is since your points are not deposited until Dec. 1, any trips booked prior to that will be using points from the prior Dec. 1 deposit. It can get confusing because the actual calendar does not match your use year calendar.

For example any trips booked prior to Dec. 1, 2016 would be using Dec. 2015 points.

As Bill said, at 11 months out from your check in day for your intended say you can book your home resort. At 7 months out, other resorts.

This is a very misleading post. Your points are not put into your account on October 1st! If that were the case you would not be able to use them prior to October 1st, since you have not yet been deposited into your account.

All of your points until the end of your contract are already in your account. The significant part is when you can ACCESS the points, not when they are "deposited".

The answer to this is 1 year and 11 months prior to the start of a given UY is when you can access the points from said UY. (At least this is in theory the first date you can access them)

Your 2025 points do not get deposited into your account on the first day of your UY in 2025. They are there now. All that matters is when you can book a stay with 2025 points. 2025 points can be borrowed into 2024 to make a reservation. If you have a December UY, the first day you can book a reservation in your 2024 UY is January 1st 2024 (A reservation for 12/1/24-12/8/24) You can borrow 2025 points on that day, to make that reservation.

If you can book a trip that falls in UY 20XX, then you have access to points from 20XX+1. You do not have to wait for anything.

Ask yourself "What UY is the reservation in?" You can use points from the next UY to make that reservation at any time it is possible to make that reservation (within 11 months)

 

[Sammie]

This is a very misleading post. Your points are not put into your account on October 1st! If that were the case you would not be able to use them prior to October 1st, since you have not yet been deposited into your account.

All of your points until the end of your contract are already in your account. The significant part is when you can ACCESS the points, not when they are "deposited".

The answer to this is 1 year and 11 months prior to the start of a given UY is when you can access the points from said UY. (At least this is in theory the first date you can access them)

Your 2025 points do not get deposited into your account on the first day of your UY in 2025. They are there now. All that matters is when you can book a stay with 2025 points. 2025 points can be borrowed into 2024 to make a reservation. If you have a December UY, the first day you can book a reservation in your 2024 UY is January 1st 2024 (A reservation for 12/1/24-12/8/24) You can borrow 2025 points on that day, to make that reservation.

If you can book a trip that falls in UY 20XX, then you have access to points from 20XX+1. You do not have to wait for anything.

Ask yourself "What UY is the reservation in?" You can use points from the next UY to make that reservation at any time it is possible to make that reservation (within 11 months)

Access then. I deleted mine, it makes sense to me and that is still the way I personally see it but if you feel it is confusing then delete your comment and it will be gone. It's much like my social security check. The money is there, well hopefully it is, but I don't have "access" to it until it is "deposited" into my account.

 

[jerseyduke]

Access then. I deleted mine, it makes sense to me and that is still the way I personally see it but if you feel it is confusing then delete your comment and it will be gone. It's much like my social security check. The money is there, well hopefully it is, but I don't have "access" to it until it is "deposited" into my account.

It was not meant as a personal attack and I think it hits a very valid point.

As you said, if you have a December UY, and plan a trip in 2016 prior to December, you are in your 2015 UY, and those are the points that are going to get used (assuming you have them, and of course, and points that were banked from 2014 will get used first). That is spot on.

I have just seen numerous people get confused by, "but when can I borrow from 2017"? Do I have to wait until 11 months from 2017? When do those points get put into my account?

Like you said, with a Dec UY, if you have a trip planed for April 1, of 2017, that falls into your 2016 UY. You can book that trip May 1 of this year, that is the start of your 11 month window. So many people get confused if they have to borrow points from 2017. They wonder if they have to wait, etc.

The important part is, if you are making a reservation for that falls in a certain UY, you can already borrow from the UY after that. You never have to wait.

Did not mean to be argumentative.

 

[Sammie]

It was not meant as a personal attack and I think it hits a very valid point.

As you said, if you have a December UY, and plan a trip in 2016 prior to December, you are in your 2015 UY, and those are the points that are going to get used (assuming you have them, and of course, and points that were banked from 2014 will get used first). That is spot on.

I have just seen numerous people get confused by, "but when can I borrow from 2017"? Do I have to wait until 11 months from 2017? When do those points get put into my account?

Like you said, with a Dec UY, if you have a trip planed for April 1, of 2017, that falls into your 2016 UY. You can book that trip May 1 of this year, that is the start of your 11 month window. So many people get confused if they have to borrow points from 2017. They wonder if they have to wait, etc.

The important part is, if you are making a reservation for that falls in a certain UY, you can already borrow from the UY after that. You never have to wait.

Did not mean to be argumentative.

You weren't and it's just a different way of seeing it. If you found it confusing, I didn't, maybe others did too. So I removed it.

 

[burberryplaid]

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.

We own at AKL as well and about every other trip we try a new resort...we've never not been able to get in where we wanted and have not had to waitlist. The key for us has been planning in advance and being ready to book right at the 7 month mark at 8 AM. So far we've got in to Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge, & we'll be at the Poly this fall.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

fortunately, one of my home resorts is BCV. I have 11 month bookings for some trips to Food and Wine Festival. I'm not trading those.

I might consider at 7 months trying to change my December reservation at SSR to a non-home resort, but I don't think there will be much available.

 

[SCDizneyDawn]

I think this year is more challenging than in the past for 7 month bookings due to all of the renovations.
We have had success at the 7 mo window almost every time we have tried to switch but we own at BCV and BWV so we have the 11 mo window for two hard to get resorts for F&W.
This yr for May we had a 2 BR reserved at BCV and we knew our friends may not be able to go but told them to take their time deciding because we thought moving to a 1 BR at BCV or AKV Or VGF (pool time is a priority on May trips and they are my fav pools!) would be no problem. In late December I happened to take a look at availability and AKL (my first choice was AKV) and BCV had NOTHING! I was shocked and had to ask for an immediate decision because I could see 5 nights at GFV available later in the month than I wanted but something was better than nothing!

We have moved at AKV many times for May so I am sure the renovation had an impact.

 

[AulaniNutz]

We waitlisted for BCV this mid September for FWV for Friday-Sunday and it cleared, even though we waitlisted it at seven months. There are so many people/variables out there, someone/thing will change. YMVV.

 

[Baklava]

I just got the Grand Californian at 7 months. I was unsuccessful for October and November, but December was easier for some reason.