How to get Holiday (05) ressies...

[deerh]

Just wanted to know how the DVC'ers get ressies in Dec? We want to go next year, and is there always a wait list? Do you call right at the time 11 mos out? Do you call day by day or what??

Please help me as I have never done the "Holiday" stay...!!
Thanks!
P.S. looks like we will stay Dec 24-28 or so..
DeerH

 

[CarolMN]

Just wanted to know how the DVC'ers get ressies in Dec? We want to go next year, and is there always a wait list? Do you call right at the time 11 mos out? Do you call day by day or what??

Please help me as I have never done the "Holiday" stay...!!
Thanks!
P.S. looks like we will stay Dec 24-28 or so..
DeerH

If you call as soon as your 11 month window opens, you will not have a problem getting the reservation that you want without having to use the waitlist. One call should do it unless you want:

* a standard view room at the BWV or
* a guaranteed Boardwalk view room at the BWV or
* a Grand Villa (anywhere)

For those, I definitely recommend calling day by day to avoid the waitlist process.

If you are nervous about getting your first choice, then call day by day no matter what size unit / booking category you want.

I'm sure you will enjoy WDW during the holidays - it's our favorite time (but we go in early December to avoid the crowds).

Best wishes -

 

[Dean]

If you call as soon as your 11 month window opens, you will not have a problem getting the reservation that you want without having to use the waitlist. One call should do it unless you want:

* a standard view room at the BWV or
* a guaranteed Boardwalk view room at the BWV or
* a Grand Villa (anywhere)

For those, I definitely recommend calling day by day to avoid the waitlist process.

If you are nervous about getting your first choice, then call day by day no matter what size unit / booking category you want.

I'm sure you will enjoy WDW during the holidays - it's our favorite time (but we go in early December to avoid the crowds).

Best wishes -

I'd agree and add to the list anyone who must have certain dates.

 

[5infam]

I am looking to go next December as well (Dec 15 to the 23rd), which I think we are leaving by the time the big crowds come (maybe not). However, I am looking at getting 3 rooms at the Boardwalk, all standard view (2 Bdr for us and 2 studios, one for my sisters fam. and one for my cousins fam. - and no I am not renting them out - they are christmas gifts). With this kind of ressie, it seems obvious that I should call day by day. On what day can I start calling - January 15th? TIA for the help!!!!

 

[elfbo]

I am looking to go next December as well (Dec 15 to the 23rd), which I think we are leaving by the time the big crowds come (maybe not). However, I am looking at getting 3 rooms at the Boardwalk, all standard view (2 Bdr for us and 2 studios, one for my sisters fam. and one for my cousins fam. - and no I am not renting them out - they are christmas gifts). With this kind of ressie, it seems obvious that I should call day by day. On what day can I start calling - January 15th? TIA for the help!!!!

You wouldnt start calling until Jan 16th, You can only reserve on the Checkout day, not checkin. (ie. You arrive on the 15th, sleep and "checkout* on the 16th. ) You dont actually have to check out, its just the way the count the days. Also, if you let MS know that you are reserving days in a row, they will put a note and not close your ressies until after you have made all the calls to complete them.

 

[5infam]

Thanks elfbo, that's what I was looking for. I just looked at the calendar and noticed that I need to call in on January 16th, which I believe is the Martin Luther King holiday. Anyone know if MS is open this day?

 

[Dean]

I am looking to go next December as well (Dec 15 to the 23rd), which I think we are leaving by the time the big crowds come (maybe not). However, I am looking at getting 3 rooms at the Boardwalk, all standard view (2 Bdr for us and 2 studios, one for my sisters fam. and one for my cousins fam. - and no I am not renting them out - they are christmas gifts). With this kind of ressie, it seems obvious that I should call day by day. On what day can I start calling - January 15th? TIA for the help!!!!

You better call when they open daily starting on Jan 16. Go on the wait list for that SINGLE day if there's anything you don't get up front. If you end up where you don't have some of the standard view days, make a backup preferred view if you have enough points to do so.

 

[sssteele]

For a BCV (home resort) studio Xmas day '03 through Jan. 2nd '04, we called day-by-day. Then this past July we decided, spur of the moment, to do a short trip this holiday season. We called MS to see where studios might be available for Dec 23rd to Dec 28th. Our first choice was VWL, then OKW to save points, then BCV, then BWV (both for proximity to Epcot), and finally SSR. WVL at Xmas, calling 5 1/2 months before stay - fat chance right?
Well, they had all five nights at VWL available without even a wait list. The cast member only seemed mildly surprised. So, who knows? To be safe for '05, however, I'm calling day-by-day at the end of January.

 

[5infam]

Thanks for the advice Dean. Here is another one for everybody (a little off topic, sorry). To pull all of this off (3 rooms for 8 nights) I am going to have to borrow some points. What if, as Dean suggests, I have to make a back up rssie for the last few nights to a preffered view room, and these are done with borrowed points. Then, my standard view comes through and i make the switch, will the difference in points get to go back to the UY that I borrowed them from, or will they now have to be used in the year that I am going in? I hope that makes sense, I just want to cover my bases and not make any critical mistakes!!

 

[Doctor P]

The borrowed points cannot be returned to their use year, but MS will reallocate points so that you could possibly bank some current points into next year to make up for the use of the borrowed points.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for the advice Dean. Here is another one for everybody (a little off topic, sorry). To pull all of this off (3 rooms for 8 nights) I am going to have to borrow some points. What if, as Dean suggests, I have to make a back up rssie for the last few nights to a preffered view room, and these are done with borrowed points. Then, my standard view comes through and i make the switch, will the difference in points get to go back to the UY that I borrowed them from, or will they now have to be used in the year that I am going in? I hope that makes sense, I just want to cover my bases and not make any critical mistakes!!

Since you'd have to borrow the points, I wouldn't do so unless the wait list doesn't come through by the time the 7 month window has passed.

 

[tfc3rid]

I am going down this December 30 till January 4. I made my reservations about 1 month ago and got OKW 1 Bedroom. I was surprised.