Latest to book studio any where for food and wine Sept 2017

[kniquy]

My husband and I are considering a 4 day (tues - Sat or mon-fri) trip for food and wine next year. It will be just the two of us and our points are limited to only being able to afford a studio. We are probably looking to go as soon as it opens in September. We own at AKV, but don't really care what resort we stay at. What do you think is the latest we could wait to book anywhere for that time frame.

He is still on the fence so i am still working on him to make a decision.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Food and Wine is tough anytime after the 7 month window.

 

[DISNEYFAN3260]

Food and Wine is tough anytime after the 7 month window.

THIS.

 

[DieHardJoe]

We had a BWV 1-BR from 9/21-9/26 and had no problem getting it. I believe there were some studios available there as well at that time for a 4-day stretch. My sense was that, as the F&W dates seem to have crept back into mid-Sept, if you start stalking and are willing to be there at the beginning of F&W you will definitely have a good chance at something, even at the very convenient resorts of Boardwalk and BC. But as mentioned, it could be tough. Good luck!

 

[Straughn]

Book your home resort for the F&W dates you want. At the 7 month mark, if the property you want isn't available, then immediately wait list. I have had tremendous luck with this strategy. Sometimes I want a studio for a solo trip and sometimes it is a 1-bedroom. I have done this for the last 5 years and, every year but one, my wait list for the BWV or BCV came thru.

 

[drusba]

Before 2014, Food & Wine had not begun earlier than late Sep, usually the Friday of the last weekend in Sep, such as in 2013, when it started Sep 27. In 2014, Disney made is first attempt to moving the start date to earlier in Sep, by having it start Sep 19. In 2015, it returned to a last weekend in Sep start time with a Sep 25 start date. This year it again started earlier on Sep 14. Next year's start date has not yet been announced.

As I have laid out in posts before DVC's high demand season starts late Sep, usually about 3-5 days before Oct 1, see http://www.disboards.com/threads/ho...been-working-out.3549166/page-2#post-56615436 and Sep is otherwise a moderate demand time when much is open at 7 months out. Though it is true that most of Food & Wine is a high demand time, I can say that thus far both of Disney's attempts to move F&W's start date to mid-Sep have actually done nothing to increase the usually moderate DVC demand that exists before late Sep. In other words, if F&W begins early again next year, you could have good chance at many studios, including VWL, Poly, BWV pool/garden view, BLT lake view, and even some chance for BCV and BLT theme park view, if your start date is Sep 18 or 19, but probably less so if start date is Sep 25 or 26. In any event, you should always book your home resort long before 7 months out to assure you are certain to have a room.

 

[CarolMN]

......(snip)........ I can say that thus far both of Disney's attempts to move F&W's start date to mid-Sep have actually done nothing to increase the usually moderate DVC demand that exists before late Sep. In other words, if F&W begins early again next year, you could have good chance at many studios, including VWL, Poly, BWV pool/garden view, BLT lake view, and even some chance for BCV and BLT theme park view, if your start date is Sep 18 or 19, but probably less so if start date is Sep 25 or 26.................

Makes sense to me. We were there during a portion of late September this year (left just before Matthew arrived) and it's just too darn HOT and HUMID then to enjoy eating. Not prime F&W time in my opinion. Late October is better. Wouldn't have gone in September, but someone insisted we work around a college football schedule!

 

[lovin'fl]

We have been to past 4 F&W events.This F&W, the studios seemed to be booked up at 6 months out. However, DH and I booked a studio at SSR for our first time (2013) at like 5 months and waitlisted BLT and BWV and got BLT about 2 weeks later. It was just 3 nights though. My recommendation is to watch the tracker on the DVC member site. SSR studios will be last to go so once all others are booked up, then you should think about grabbing up the SSR and then waitlist other resorts you want (but break up waitlist into 2-3 days on each).

 

[Anal Annie]

When (how far out) do they usually announce the festival dates?

We were able to book a studio at OKW for September 17-21 this year at around 6 months out (of course HH was already gone). I can't remember if there was anything else available - SSR I think. But we were on a tight points budget so OKW was what we wanted. Once the concert lineup was released (which was kinda late in comparison) we decided we might like to add another night. It was only like about a month out tho. There was nothing available but so I hawked the website every day & managed to find the 1 night we wanted at OKW (the 22nd) & I snagged it. We would like to go again next year too. While I would like to go in early October the points are lower in September so I am hoping they start in September again. Was just curious if they usually release the festival dates by the 7 monoth window?? I would like to plan to book right at 7 months this time for optimum availability (although we will still be on a tight points budget).

 

[DieHardJoe]

We were there during a portion of late September this year (left just before Matthew arrived) and it's just too darn HOT and HUMID then to enjoy eating. Not prime F&W time in my opinion

Aboslutely this! We were there the week before and ended up pretty much eating breakfast in our room and our other meals at indoor restaurants instead of doing the F&W kiosks the entire trip. Eating outside with little to no shade in 95 degree weather was just not something we felt like doing once we got there.

 

[drusba]

Makes sense to me. We were there during a portion of late September this year (left just before Matthew arrived) and it's just too darn HOT and HUMID then to enjoy eating. Not prime F&W time in my opinion. Late October is better. Wouldn't have gone in September, but someone insisted we work around a college football schedule!

I have been in September also, including this year because we had to make a schedule change from October due to my daughter's work schedule, and too darn hot and humid is an understatement. What we have found amazing in the past is how much of a change you get so quickly in early Oct. Temps come down somewhat, although still mid to high eighties in early Oct, but the humidity takes a substantial dive. You go quickly from sweating even when standing still outside at midnight to having pleasant evenings and bearable days. The one (and possibly only) advantage Sep has is that the crowds are somewhat lower than Oct (of course the total populus there might not actually be different but in Sep it seems smaller because noboby--at least not any of the adults-- wants to leave the room except for an occassional trip to the pool).

 

[lovin'fl]

When (how far out) do they usually announce the festival dates?

We were able to book a studio at OKW for September 17-21 this year at around 6 months out (of course HH was already gone). I can't remember if there was anything else available - SSR I think. But we were on a tight points budget so OKW was what we wanted. Once the concert lineup was released (which was kinda late in comparison) we decided we might like to add another night. It was only like about a month out tho. There was nothing available but so I hawked the website every day & managed to find the 1 night we wanted at OKW (the 22nd) & I snagged it. We would like to go again next year too. While I would like to go in early October the points are lower in September so I am hoping they start in September again. Was just curious if they usually release the festival dates by the 7 monoth window?? I would like to plan to book right at 7 months this time for optimum availability (although we will still be on a tight points budget).

End of Sept is always F&W time. They have been going deeper into Sept each year but you can book the last few days and be pretty secure in it being F&W.

 

[Duchie]

We had great luck booking a studio for the last week in September at BWV, but I called right at the 7-month mark. I checked a week or so later and everything was booked. We waitlisted for BCV which never came through but that was OK.

I agree with a pp who said book at your home resort and then call at the 7 month mark.