I am a Eternal Optimist..but sheesh..

[Silver Queen]

We bought into SSR last August and so far we have been able to book four trips in four different resorts SSR, Dec. 08, OKW, Apr. 09, AKL (Kidani) Aug. 09, and VWL, Oct. 09. Of course three of the four are big resorts but we're happy with our results so far. Our goal is to try all of the resorts. We may have been lucky because we are doing primarily 4 day trips. Keep trying, I'm sure that something will come through for you.

 

[wildernessDad]

Buy where you want to stay. Guides will tell you that you can book other DVC resorts at the 7-month point, but that's not always true.

Buy where you want to stay.

 

[TDC Nala]

I called at the 7 month mark for this time and could get nothing but Saratoga Springs (I did not try to get anything that costs more points than Saratoga except BLT). It's a very popular time of year. Could not even get OKW for December 5 and OKW usually has rooms available.

I own Saratoga and Beach Club but didn't feel either were right for this trip. Have waitlist for AKV and BLT - am pretty sure the AKV one will come through, not so sure about BLT.

 

[Disneyaunt4]

We own at OKW and have booked the following all at 7 months or less, OKW studio Sept ,BCV 2 bedroom May, VWL 1 bedroom Sept and this Sept. doing a split stay BLT studio lake view and BWV studio standard view. Sending some your way.

 

[El&Asmom]

We have been members for almost two years now with 5 DVC trips under our belts. Only one of those was at SSR which is one of our home resorts. Even that trip we could have stayed elsewhere but we wanted to stay at SSR. We have stayed at every DVC on property but AKV which we haven't tried as we don't want to stay at Jambo, (we've done two split stays). Most of our reservations have been made at about the 4 month mark. Like others have said though, we have gone at less popular DVC times of Sept, Jan, and end of April. We also had one HH reservation during Oct. Good luck. Maybe trying less difficult DVC times will help.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Its going to be so tough not going to WDW during the holiday period. We do want to explore all the magic so after reading the replies, I do believe we may be going in may or september next year just so we can get a different resort. Thanks once again for all the sound advice!!

 

[starbox]

Its going to be so tough not going to WDW during the holiday period. We do want to explore all the magic so after reading the replies, I do believe we may be going in may or september next year just so we can get a different resort. Thanks once again for all the sound advice!!

FWIW - I'm a Florida native and my two favorite months to visit DVC are May and November. In May, the Flower and Garden festival is as pretty as Christmas decorations, and the weather is great for the pool. I also like the emotional sense of spring's arrival - I know when I go back home, I won't be going back to months of cold, dark, wet weather.

 

[BostonDisneyKid]

DisneyDebRob - I have been very successful with waitlists and have only had 1 not come through so far (7 out of 8). I always book at my home resort, OKW, and always switch at EXACTLY 7 months. I have even gotten a 2brv+studio @ BCV in august (had some pixie dust on that one I suppose).
The 1 which didnt come through, I honestly didnt expect it to. I had booked 2 months prior to arrival at SSR for a May stay (flower festival at epcot) and had waitlisted BWV. I knew that would never become available but figured I'd waitlist it for the heck of it just in case.

My only 2 constants which I can think of through out the years are that I always check in on Sunday and I always call MS 2 mins prior to opening at exactly the 7 month mark. What day of the week do you typically check in? Do you call at "exactly" 7 months prior to attempt to make the switch from your home resort?

 

[maburke]

So in closing,what I am asking is this. Is there a trick that I'm not doing? Is it just bad luck? We have tried almost every month so far except for the summer months and january because of my job. Is anyone else in a funk like this? In fairness,there has been 2 nights available here or 3 nights there but we are not ones to bounce around a few times during one week. Thanks for all your help!

I think the key is that you are asking for a long time. You don't say how long previously, but previous posters were right that you are never going to get two full weeks at one time. I'm not a big fan of moving around myself, but especially if you are going for such a long time, think about trying one move. Then take whatever is available for the longest time at the beginning or end of your stay, so you will only have one move. (For example, say the first three days of your visit are available at BWV.) Then waitlist one additional contiguous day. (So when the fourth day comes available, you get it.) Then, if and when that comes through, waitlist the next day. You still may have to move once, but lots of people like that. And you may end up getting your whole stay, just one day at a time. Since you have two waitlist requests possible, and you know what you are looking for to match up, you can waitlist the whole rest of your stay, as well as just the one day.

Good luck!

 

[corpcomp]

I was waitlisted at BCV for 7 months and never got it for last Feb. We had a waterview 1 bedroom at BWV and we settled for that - was nice although seemed smaller than BCV.

 

[florep1]

I agree with the 2 week waitlist problem. I'm also a SSR owner but have had luck booking at 7 months for a week at VWL 2BR in June, 3 days at AKV 1BR concierge also in June, a week at BCV studio in June, and a week at AKV Kidani savanna view studio in July. I've always booked at my home resort at 11 months out, and switched at exactly 7 months. Keep trying, and sending some pixie dust your way.

 

[La2kw]

It all depends on the time of year. We own at OKW and SSR. We have used our points at every resort except AKV with no problems at the 7 month window. We prefer OKW or SSR but do enjoy a change from time to time. We have no interest in staying at AKV anytime soon, but will probably try Kidani once for a very short stay after it's been open a while. We will try to stay at BLT long before we try Kidani.

 

[PinkTink63]

Gosh, that is a bummer! We own at SSR too, but have stayed at BCV, AKV, BWV, OKW, and VB all at the 7 month or less marker. We are waitlisted this year for AKV Conciere, which we probably won't get.

It seems you are doing everything correctly, but you must be going at a very busy time for DVC members. We always go in the summer either end of July or mid August, because we take 3 weeks vacation and we just can't take our son out of school to go at those down times. I was wondering the same thing once our son is grown, will we be able to get what we want at the 7 month mark. I guess only time will tell.

Good Luck with your waitlist! Maybe this will be your lucky year!

 

[photobob]

HHI is the only place I've had trouble so far. It's the only place I was unable to secure at the 7 month window. I was able to get a waitlist at VWL for a trip planned three months prior for early February.

 

[ChickieToo]

I've also had a fair amount of success with the waitlist. We own at BCV and VWL. We have never stayed at VWL as it doesn't appeal to us, but that was the resort for sale when we first purchased. However, we love BCV and always book there first at 11 months, and if we need more points or a bigger unit we back-fill at 7 months with the VWL points. I have gotten BCV 3 studios during April spring break at the 5-6 month mark. There were 3 days available for each studio when we booked, and we booked the rest at VWL--then we waitlisted. This was when you could waitlist day-by-day, but they all eventually came through. Another example, I made ressies for this spring break just about 10 weeks out--they didn't have BCV, but we could have had AKL, OKW or SSR. We chose OKW to save points, then we decided to go for an extra day and so I waitlisted and it came through.

We always go in October, but this year we are going the last week of Sept. We got our BCV ressie at about 8 months out, but we recently asked friends to go with us, so I called for another studio--none available at BCV. But they did have BWV available with a day missing in the middle. I took it and waitlisted the day and within a few weeks it came through. Now I'm waitlisted for BCV a few days at a time, and we'll see what happens.

The point is don't be afraid to waitlist for a day here or there, or a couple of days at a time--your chances are so much greater that way. Like another poster said--you will never get a two week waitlist at one time. Even an entire week at a time is tough to get. Start with a few days in the beginning and then add on a day at a time. You may end up at two places during those two weeks, but you will get to stay at a new place you wanted to try. And this is important: CALL AT 9:00 AM AT THE 7 MONTH MARK!!! That may make all the difference.

Do not be afraid of the waitlist. The waitlist is your friend!

 

[Maribel]

I was able to book BCV 2 bd @ 6 months out for July at the first call for a full week. I was even able to add another night in march (4 months out). Granted, I didn't get the dedicated 2 bd that I wanted (I waitlisted that), but I did get my reservation at even less than 7 months out.
About 3 years ago I was also able to book a last minute weekend (2 weeks before) in WDL, so I guess it would be more luck that anything else.