I am reserving a room for mid-November and there is almost zero availability. 5 months out and I can barely get a room!

[sleepydog25]

Disney is responsible for the difficulties of decreased availability at 7 months.

7. Disney came up with the genius idea to designate certain units, Polynesian Bungalows in particular, but also others such as Copper Creek cabins, as "very high point reservoir units." In other words, build high point units like bungalows and cabins in order to create a lot of (inexpensive to build) points that Disney could sell. And they knew, or should have known that people would not choose to use their points so wastefully, on the Bungalows. Even better for Disney, they can now rent those out. Meanwhile the points that ARE NOT USED to stay in the bungalows go into the general pool and soak up other reservations at other places.

Exactly this. And what is implied is also truth: Disney promotes the cachet of bungalows/cabins to new buyers while not countering the--to us--obvious fact that the majority of new buyers will not buy enough points to enjoy those units unless they bank and borrow and only go once every three years. Instead, these buyers quickly realize to best use their points, studios are the way to go. So, the studio/1BR market becomes overly crowded beyond what they used to be just five years ago, much less a decade or more ago.

 

[katriscari]

I am going to repost something I just put on another thread (is that acceptable?)

Disney is responsible for the difficulties of decreased availability at 7 months.

5. Disney made a BIG mistake by building Aulani. I don't care how much Disney tries to put a rosy face on it and cherry pick their statistics to deny that Aulani people are actually staying at Disney world - the Aulani owners actually ARE staying at Disney World. Why? Because it costs less to fly to Orlando from EVERYWHERE in the continental United States (even the west coast), than to fly to Hawaii. Besides, Disney World is a whole lot more fun and interesting than Aulani. Just the fact that Aulani is still only about half sold out, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, shows that people don't want to stay there. And the people who don't want to stay there includes the people who actually bought it. (I'm not talking about EVERYONE, but a significant percentage.) Disney should have known better.

THIS! When we bought I immediately checked flight prices to Hawaii....from Ohio, close to $1,000.00 a person. That was it for Hawaii for me. I am sure they are not always that high, but if I can stay at Disney World and fly for less than $100 per person non stop on a short flight with all there is to do there, I am choosing that option every single time!

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

One thing I have thought about is that Disney is now selling riviera points which can be used anywhere immediately but there is no riviera hotel until mid December. How does that work?

 

[crvetter]

One thing I have thought about is that Disney is now selling riviera points which can be used anywhere immediately but there is no riviera hotel until mid December. How does that work?

They may get their points but they can not use the points from DRR for any resort reservation until after or on 12/16

 

[holden]

Please don't rely on crowd calendars to predict how crowded resorts (and parks) will be, especially after SWGE opens. DVC owners really have to book 11mos out and try to switch at 7mos if they want to. The old saying "buy where you want to stay" has never been more true.

 

[Cyberc1978]

One thing to mention right off the bat:

This is for the week before Thanksgiving and this is not Jersey Week. The crowd calendar on TouringPlans lists all the parks (except DHS because of SW:GE) around a 4, on average. There are a few days where MK is a 2! In other words, the parks shouldn't be terribly crowded.

And still, when I go to reserve a room 5 months out, there is almost no availability at all! This is for any room size...studio, 1BR, or 2BR!

Time between late September and mid January is called fall frenzy = high demand times for DVC.

High demand resorts like BCV, BWV, BLT, PBV, VGF book up very fast, some room(studio) categories at 08.00.01am right on the 11 month mark.

The other room categories book up 11-7 months out. The last to go is the 1br which fill when the 7 month window opens.

5 months out, only the leftovers are still available which means you have close to zero rooms to book.
Between 7-5 months out I except only SSR to have any availability.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

They may get their points but they can not use the points from DRR for any resort reservation until after or on 12/16

Wow, didn’t know that. So if I buy riviera points today, I cannot use them until dec?

 

[crvetter]

Wow, didn’t know that. So if I buy riviera points today, I cannot use them until dec?

Correct but your dues would be from 12/16 forward only

 

[Brett Wyman]

Im not sure what OPs complaint is. If you book DVC 4-5 months out, especially at a popular time, pickings will be slim. Its modern DVC 101.

You can do a split stay 1 bedroom AKV std/Savannah for that week as well. And 6 days is open at OKW 1bedroom. Im sure you could grab the 7th in time.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Wow, didn’t know that. So if I buy riviera points today, I cannot use them until dec?

Think of it this way: The points do not legally "exist" until 12/16. So they can't be used until they exist.

 

[robinb]

I also want to point out that the week before Thanksgiving is the last week of Food and Wine.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Wow, didn’t know that. So if I buy riviera points today, I cannot use them until dec?

There are 3 possible dates when use of points can start that all depend on where a resort is in the process. Dues are also calculated from the date that you can use the points.

First is an open existing resort where you purchase current points and dues and points being on the date you sign the contract.
Second is a new resort under construction where you purchase prior to opening. Dues and points are available upon the opening date.
Third is when a resort is under construction and may be open but the unit you purchase at is not yet available. Your points and dues being on the date that the unit goes into service and is available for stays.

 

[tnolan]

I'm not familiar with DVC, but I believe a big factor in room shortage this fall overall is the opening of Galaxys Edge.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

RIV will certainly have some impact. It'll be hard to ascertain until it's open and more contracts are sold, but anything with easy park access will inevitably be popular. While the monorail is nostalgic and convenient in many ways, I suspect the skyliner gondolas will be much quicker and more efficient. There's the inevitable fear of the unknown, but that will pass once people get used to them. And compared to waiting for buses or monorails, people will quickly come to love them and they will be a sought-after amenity in the near future, which will push up the popularity of resorts connected to it and further drive RIV sales.

We own at CCV and intend to stay there (although our first WDW trip using points won't be until December 2020), but from everything I've seen about DRR, I would definitely stay there. The rooms, dining, recreation, and transportation all look great, which are kind of my four big things when booking a WDW hotel stay. (I haven't seen square footage on the rooms, but small is okay for our family of 3.)

 

[sleepydog25]

One thing to mention right off the bat:

This is for the week before Thanksgiving and this is not Jersey Week. The crowd calendar on TouringPlans lists all the parks (except DHS because of SW:GE) around a 4, on average. There are a few days where MK is a 2! In other words, the parks shouldn't be terribly crowded.

And still, when I go to reserve a room 5 months out, there is almost no availability at all! This is for any room size...studio, 1BR, or 2BR!

It's likely been implied or suggested, but I don't recall seeing it directly mentioned, but the week before Thanksgiving is Choice Season thus has the second lowest point total required from DVC members; meanwhile, the week after Thanksgiving falls into the Adventure Season which is the "cheapest" season for DVC owners. My point is that even though crowd calendars may show smaller attendance numbers, DVC owners have long known that the best bang for their buck are the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving (Sept, Oct, and most of November), as well as the two weeks following Thanksgiving. What makes this even more prime time for owners is that holiday decorations are up soon after Halloween, so visiting during those times means you get to see all those decorations with less points. Win-win. DVC recently tried to significantly increase the points on studios and 1BRs, primarily, during those seasons while essentially only offsetting them with 2BR point reductions in other seasons. They ran into a huge chainsaw of negative reaction and switched back within a couple of weeks. . .supposedly due to an error on their part not an attempt to change how and when DVC owners booked. All that to say, it's not totally surprising, especially in light of the recent spate of DVC builds, to find it hard to book a resort five months out during the second cheapest season for owners.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'm not familiar with DVC, but I believe a big factor in room shortage this fall overall is the opening of Galaxys Edge.

This isn't a shortage. This is DVC's busy season, less than 5 months out, in a system that rewards booking 11-7 months out.

 

[Deb & Bill]

This isn't a shortage. This is DVC's busy season, less than 5 months out, in a system that rewards booking 11-7 months out.

Yep, it was like this last year and the year before that.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

I have never booked a studio but needed to use 87 points before Feb 1 and today was my 7mo window (not enough to use at VGF home). I've been watching the avail disappear everyday leading up to my stay all week and logged in this am (at 5:30 pacific time) to see it all gone for my check in day save SSR, which I refuse to use other resort points for until after its refresh. I ended up with a 1 bed at BWV by shaving off a day.
MAN, THE STUDIO STRUGGLE IS REAL!! I have eyerolled so hard at the reservation walkers posting about 3 week walks but now I get it. I couldn't get a room the last few days of January. I'm wondering if it's better to buy another home resort (even though we don't want more points but rather avail) in WDW or move away from DVC and do things like cruises and ABD. I for one loathe the idea of stalking, walking, and being inconvenienced in general. I feel terrible for the owners who were told that their 75 pts would open the keys to the castle. Its not even 6 am and I'm all stressed out already!

Takeaways:
Buy where you want to stay! (Thankfully I listened to you on that one)
Buy enough points for a 1 bed o if you can and make sure you look at the point difference per resort when factoring
Buy at two home resorts with the same UY
Buy a fixed week if going direct

 

[Marionnette]

I have never booked a studio but needed to use 87 points before Feb 1 and today was my 7mo window (not enough to use at VGF home). I've been watching the avail disappear everyday leading up to my stay all week and logged in this am (at 5:30 pacific time) to see it all gone for my check in day save SSR, which I refuse to use other resort points for until after its refresh. I ended up with a 1 bed at BWV by shaving off a day.
MAN, THE STUDIO STRUGGLE IS REAL!! I have eyerolled so hard at the reservation walkers posting about 3 week walks but now I get it. I couldn't get a room the last few days of January. I'm wondering if it's better to buy another home resort (even though we don't want more points but rather avail) in WDW or move away from DVC and do things like cruises and ABD. I for one loathe the idea of stalking, walking, and being inconvenienced in general. I feel terrible for the owners who were told that their 75 pts would open the keys to the castle. Its not even 6 am and I'm all stressed out already!

Takeaways:
Buy where you want to stay! (Thankfully I listened to you on that one)
Buy enough points for a 1 bed o if you can and make sure you look at the point difference per resort when factoring
Buy at two home resorts with the same UY
Buy a fixed week if going direct

If you logged on at 5:30 PT (8:30 EDT) you were half an hour late. Booking opened at 8:00 AM EDT. Yes. The struggle for studios is very real.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

If you logged on at 5:30 PT (8:30 EDT) you were half an hour late. Booking opened at 8:00 AM EDT. Yes. The struggle for studios is very real.

Yes, I was half an hour late but that's a whole other rant. The West Coast is screwed and it's totally unfair. Imagine being in Honolulu wanting to book Aulani next door and needing to get up at 2 or 3 am to do so.