Just about ready to buy...how difficult is it to get what you want?

[Corl4]

DH and I just returned from a quick trip to WDW and had the chance to see SSR and AKV. We are ready to buy at SSR but wonder how hard it will be to book a few days in August and January? I know about the 11/7 month window and am wondering if we'll be able to get what we want!

Thanks!

Beth

 

[rgf207]

Well, My unlcle just booked us a week in SSR in Mid March so it was just 3 months out. June seems to be busier than August and Jan so I don't think you will have a problem with SSR.

 

[crisi]

The question has too many variables:

What do you want? Generally speaking a studio at OKW is going to be easier to get than a Grand Villa. A room at SSR will be easier to get than a room at the much smaller BCV?

When do you want it? October through December are surprisingly busy DVC times. Holidays are tough. If you always travel in September, its much easier to get "what you want."

What are you going to do to get it? Calling day by day at seven months is a good strategy for a lot of difficult to get rooms. Waiting until three months out and then posting that BCV is full up in May generally doesn't get much sympathy. Waitlisters often have success where people who want certainty on the first call pass on going on the waitlist and never know if they would have had success. People willing to compromise (a one bedroom instead of a studio, vacation a week earlier, move resorts, preferred view rather than standard) are often more successful than those who have very set needs.

 

[JsMom2]

I bought my membership last October, and was able to get reservations at SSR in December, even though this is typically a busy time for DVC.

If you have to waitlist, be sure to call in every day too!

 

[Chester's Mum]

I bought last year, closed early in September, used the points to book a preferred studio at BWV for March 10-14/08. That was 6 months out.Wait listed for a standard view studio to give us an extra night. Waitlist came through at 30 days out.

I then added on in November and used those points to book a savannah view studio March 4-8 at AKV. 4 months out. I think that's pretty good, March is a busy time of year, but not the most busy.

I believe the problems with booking 7 months out come from wanting specific room types, specific resorts, and very busy times of year (i.e. the first 2 weeks of December through Christmas and New Year, Thanksgiving, President's Day, and I think early summer).

You shouldn't worry too much about being able to get what you want. However, if you do travel at extremely busy times, and won't be happy if you don't get your favourite resort, you should probably think about where you want to stay when you make your purchase. If you will be happy just to be at Disney then it really doesn't matter where you buy.

 

[Laxmom]

I think the same rule applies to Disney that applies to any timeshare; the key is flexibility. Sometimes, you may have to change your resort to get the room or date that you want or change your dates to get the resort you want.
Sometimes, you may get exactly what you were looking for. There are no guarantees with any timeshare.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you are always planning on staying at your home resort, there should be no issues, since SSR is such a large resort.

 

[Laxmom]

Exactly, I was refering to using the 7 month window and not staying at your home resort. Sorry I forgot to clarify that. My fingers moved faster than my brain!

 

[JsMom2]

Exactly, I was refering to using the 7 month window and not staying at your home resort. Sorry I forgot to clarify that. My fingers moved faster than my brain!

Here's another example. I just booked a 1BR at BCV 7 months out in September!

 

[Laxmom]

Here's another example. I just booked a 1BR at BCV 7 months out in September!

That's a great example. If I am not mistaken isn't BCV supposed to be difficult to get because it is one of the, if not the, smallest resort?

 

[lisaviolet]

Beth,

Do you know that you can buy other "soldout" DVC resorts directly from Disney? SSR and AKV are not your only options. You just have to simply inquire with some guides. Others you have to push the issue.

Most of the others end in 2042. But OKW, the oldest DVC, can now be purchased with an end date equivalent to AKV.

All the best,

Lisa

 

[Corl4]

Thanks for all the responses! I;m one of those people who is just happy to be at Disney so resort choice isn't all that important! My biggest concern is since I'm a teacher, my vacation time frames are summer and major holidays. We usually visit Disney mid-June or over Thanksgiving vacation. I'm hoping we will be successful with those times!

 

[Laxmom]

Beth, I am the same way. Happy wherever as long as at one of the DVC's. Look at UY and price, expiration and maintenance fees when making your decision if resort isn't that important. Worse case scenerio is you are at your home resort with 11 month advantage and a different one at the 7 month mark.

 

[JsMom2]

Thanks for all the responses! I;m one of those people who is just happy to be at Disney so resort choice isn't all that important! My biggest concern is since I'm a teacher, my vacation time frames are summer and major holidays. We usually visit Disney mid-June or over Thanksgiving vacation. I'm hoping we will be successful with those times!

For peak season reservations just be sure to call the first day you are eligible at the 11 month mark, and you should be okay. Especially if you choose one of the larger resorts. And you CAN book your reservation day by day as each day becomes eligible.

Wendy

 

[photobob]

Sounds like you can make plans well in advance which is important for DVC members. We usually make our reservations at the 11 month mark to insure we get the time and room type we want. If you want to change resorts at the 7 month mark you can. As far as getting a room with short notice as long as you are flexible as to where you'll stay(and it sounds like you are) you'll be fine.

 

[crisi]

That's a great example. If I am not mistaken isn't BCV supposed to be difficult to get because it is one of the, if not the, smallest resort?

VWL is the smallest resort. BCV is only slightly larger but seems to also be more popular - making it hard to get. But September is one of the slowest months and the phone call was made at seven months - so that isn't surprising at all. What would be amazing is if she calls in June for early December and gets BCV - though even that has been known to happen.

If you are flexible and aren't looking for rooms in low supply/high demand at high demand time - AND you call right at seven months you can usually get pretty close to what you want. If you wait just a few weeks, availability starts contracting pretty quickly at the smaller resorts. If you have your heart set on a Boardwalk View Grand Villa for New Years Eve - you'd better be on the phone on February 1st when member services opens - they were gone by 10am eleven months out this year.

Each year more members join and members who missed out last year on getting that BCV room six months out call earlier - until more and more of us are on the phone day by day when MS opens seven months out. Which means that the situation is unlikely to get better.