I'm stressing out about resorts other than my home resort!

[ead79]

Can you help put me at ease? We own at AKV, and I'm really looking forward to staying there. But before I bought DVC, I loved to split my stay so I could try out lots of different WDW resorts. Now that I own DVC, I'd like to do the same thing with the DVC resorts.

We typically go to WDW during the first 2 weeks of December, which I understand is a very popular time for DVC members to visit. If I go ahead and book at AKV for the entire week (just to be safe) and am waitlisted at the 7 month mark to spend the first half of the trip at the various other DVC resorts, will those waitlists come through now and again? As much as I love the Animal Kingdom Lodge and can't wait to try the villas there, I also want a chance to sample the other DVC resorts too.

I know it's silly to stress about vacations, but I just wanted to see if I have a fighting chance of getting to try the other DVC resorts.

 

[spiceycat]

you do!

the only one really hard to get then is VWL and standard view BWV (always hard to get).

You can definitely get OKW and SSR - probably BCV - because it's main attraction SALB - is not as popular in winter as summer, spring and fall. although it might still be popular because of the Candelelight procession not to mention Christmas around the world.

but you got 50 years to see and visit all the other resorts.

if everything else fails you go on the wait list. but I bid that you won't need too.

with AKV do you want something similar like VWL or completely different like OKW or BCV for your second resort?

 

[MikeyNS]

You have LOTS of time and a great plan to book ahead at AKV and then go on the waitlist. After doing it twice I don't think I'd split my stay, but it is definitely a way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I've been very lucky in that we've been able to stay everywhere, but OKW, since 2004 (when we joined).. we could have stayed at OKW but wanted to goto SSR again because we know we'll always be back!

It also lets you figure out which resorts are "for you" and which ones aren't. For example I doubt we'll stay at BCV again just because it wasn't our thing, but are thinking of adding on at the Boardwalk because of the low standard points and the location.

Take a deep breath and enjoy the planning. I know I do!

 

[ead79]

Thanks for the feedback! I guess reading some of the posts here had me a bit worried that the first two weeks of December are impossible to get anywhere except your home resort with the 11 month booking window.

We really want to try all the DVC resorts over time. I'd probably like to try BCV or BWV first do to their great locations, and one day I'd like to do VWL since it's so pretty with the Christmas decorations up. We've stayed at OKW before (on cash before we owned), so that's why it's a little lower on our list of places to try.

I'm just glad to hear that if I'm patient I might not even have to waitlist, or if I do have to waitlist, that it has a decent chance of coming through frequently.

 

[J and R's mom]

Thanks for the feedback! I guess reading some of the posts here had me a bit worried that the first two weeks of December are impossible to get anywhere except your home resort with the 11 month booking window.

We really want to try all the DVC resorts over time. I'd probably like to try BCV or BWV first do to their great locations...

We own (since 2003) at SSR but have yet to stay there (in five trips). I'm sure we will one day, though.

We, too, like to stay during the 2nd week of December. I call at 11 months out and book my room at SSR. Then at 7-months out I call and waitlist for whichever resort we're wanting to try.

In 2005, I waitlisted for a 2br at BCV, BWV and VWL. Within three weeks VWL came through. Two weeks later I called and was told I had a match at either BWV or BCV--the choice was mine. I opted for BCV since it tends to be slightly harder to get than BWV b/c it's smaller.

In 2006 I waitlisted for a 2br at BWV-boardwalk view. It came through within six weeks.

This year, I waitlisted for BWV (all views), BCV, VWL. Because the rules have changed, it has made it harder. In the past, I could waitlist at all three places and if one came through I could take it and STAY on the waitlist--in the same order as my original call--for the other choices if I wanted to. Now, however, if one of your waitlists comes through, you're dropped from the other waitlists and must start all over on the waitlist if you still want something else.

For example, this year, my BWV-standard view 2br came through first (after about 3 months). I took it because I wanted to be at the BWV and would rather have that than nothing. So I had to go back on the waitlist for the boardwalk view. I doubt now that it will come through, but at least we're at the BWV.

We also waitlist for lenght-of-stay and not day-by-day. That makes it a bit harder for us.

Bottom line is, you will be fine! It takes a bit longer now to get the waitlists to come through at BWV, BCV and VWL, but they happen.

 

[ead79]

OK, so let me see if I understand this correctly. Oh the confusion, LOL!

I can waitlist at the 7 month window at more than one DVC resort. If one of my waitlist choices comes through, then I am removed from the other waitlists automatically.

I can choose to waitlist day by day or for the entire length of my stay. I personally would rather do length of stay because I don't want to run the risk of having to move that many times. The length of stay waitlists are likely to take a little bit longer to come through than the day by day waitlists.

How long am I on a waitlist before I fall off of it?

 

[bobbiwoz]

OK, so let me see if I understand this correctly. Oh the confusion, LOL!

I can waitlist at the 7 month window at more than one DVC resort. If one of my waitlist choices comes through, then I am removed from the other waitlists automatically.

I can choose to waitlist day by day or for the entire length of my stay. I personally would rather do length of stay because I don't want to run the risk of having to move that many times. The length of stay waitlists are likely to take a little bit longer to come through than the day by day waitlists.

How long am I on a waitlist before I fall off of it?

The waitlists end 30 or 31 days out, unless you ask to remain on it. Then, I think it's at 7 days out, you have to call day by day to ask about availability.

Bobbi

 

[NancyDVC]

We have been members since early 1992. We have stayed at different resorts (DVC and non DVC) without much trouble. I love OKW and that is usaually my first choice.
I have been able to get a waitlist with less than 4 weeks before my arrival. The more flexible your plans the easier it is. And often someone's plans change or they change resorts so waitlisting is a great idea.
I try to be as flexible as possible when I make my ressies. And although I can be OCD about many things I try to be ready to try any resort.

I can not do the one day at a time ressie, where you make a reservation at the 11 month window each day. That freaks me out. And if you plan for a quieter time then you will be more likely to get your first choice.

So my advice is go for it.

 

[bobbiwoz]

There's a December waitlist thread, it's pretty long, but if you read through it, you'll see that all sorts of waitlists for December have come through. So, call at 7 months, and ask!

 

[J and R's mom]

OK, so let me see if I understand this correctly. Oh the confusion, LOL!

I can waitlist at the 7 month window at more than one DVC resort. If one of my waitlist choices comes through, then I am removed from the other waitlists automatically.

I can choose to waitlist day by day or for the entire length of my stay. I personally would rather do length of stay because I don't want to run the risk of having to move that many times. The length of stay waitlists are likely to take a little bit longer to come through than the day by day waitlists.

How long am I on a waitlist before I fall off of it?

That's correct...and very eloquent, btw.

I don't like the day-by-day waitlist either. I don't want to risk changing rooms midway through a stay or multiple times during a stay. Plus, each is a separate reservation and then you have to call to "link" all of them together.

I understand those that do this, though, at the 11-month mark for say something like a GV at BWV during Christmas week. Or for the other hard-to-get times.