Making Reservations - Partial Rant

[kingrob76]

Hi - completely and total new person to the board so be gentle

Presently, I have 250 points at Saratoga Springs. I've stayed there twice and it's been very nice, but, my wife and I want to stay someplace with a bit more feel of actually being on the property - Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club, or Boardwalk, specifically somewhere where we can get to a park by either walking or water taxi / monorail. My wife REALLY wants to stay in Wilderness Lodge. It's become a point of contention with her, actually.

Very soon will be the start of the 7 month window for our planned trip. I spoke with DVC today and found out there is NOTHING available at ANY of those properties for our planned stay. I was floored. Touringplans.com shows the crowd calendar to be between 4 and 7 (1 day) that week (8 days, actually) so I didn't think it would be *that* difficult to get into ONE of those properties.

I like my DVC membership, but honestly I was expecting to be able to stay somewhere other than Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, or Animal Kingdom once in a while. So my question to the board is, is this what I can expect? Yes, I can waitlist for one of those properties but I have very little faith in the waitlist process actually coming through. My wife is frustrated to the point of wanting to sell our membership, and for the first time I'm starting to share that frustration. Do I need to rent my points and try to pay cash for a room?

Any perspectives on this kind of issues are appreciated - thanks!


Rob

 

[Lynne M]

So if I'm counting correctly, you're looking for early December?

That's by far the busiest time of year for DVC reservations. The low point cost contributes to that, and it's also a good time to see the Christmas decorations without the Christmas crowds. Folks book BCV, BWV and VWL day-by-day at the 11-month window, and they go quickly because they have a small number of villas compared to SSR/OKW.

If you primarily go in early December, then yes, you're always going to have trouble booking those resorts at 7 months. At other times of the year, though, it's not nearly that bad. Aside from December, major holiday weeks, and BCV/BWV during the Food & Wine Festival, it's not difficult at all to get the smaller resorts at 7 months.

 

[kingrob76]

My sister just adopted a little baby girl from Vietnam and is going 11/30 through 12/8 for their first trip. I was actually looking at 11/30 through 12/7 to share some of that time with them - they went on my (now 4-yr old) son's first trip 3 1/2 years ago and it was really fun.

Makes sense about it being a busy time for DVC reservations. But it is somewhat frustrating.

 

[RLRDA]

Timing is everything.......the period around Thanksgiving through the New Year is extremely busy for DVC - particular early December b/c the point value is so low. The weeks around Easter are another busy period. If that is primarily when you travel (December) you may find it difficult to book at the smaller resorts.

I booked our upcoming trip to BCV (May - 5 more days ) at the 7 month mark. I also booked a trip for late September '08 under the 6 month mark at BWV (which surprised me, to tell you the truth b/c Food & Wine is underway then).

If you're flexible on your travel dates, it is possible to try the other DVC resorts. Good Luck!

 

[hakepb]

You also need to remember that a somewhat common practice is booking your home resort at 11 months, so you are at least guaranteed a vacation, then attempting to get into another resort at 7. At 7 months, openings may become available at a previously booked solid resort. (Although December reservations sound like they are fairly solid.)

 

[bwvBound]

Yes, I can waitlist for one of those properties but I have very little faith in the waitlist process actually coming through.

Welcome, Rob!

FWIW, the waitlist has worked for us on several occasions. Give it a try?

 

[goalie5hole]

You also need to remember that a somewhat common practice is booking your home resort at 11 months, so you are at least guaranteed a vacation, then attempting to get into another resort at 7. At 7 months, openings may become available at a previously booked solid resort. (Although December reservations sound like they are fairly solid.)

This is always the best way to go.

 

[kingrob76]

I do have my reservation for my home resort already - Saratoga Springs seems to have *plenty* of rooms. I will definitely hit the waitlist. I'm also considering a fair amount begging, pleading, and bribery (albeit with somewhat limited expectations for all 3).

 

[crisi]

You'll learn the patterns fairly quickly. You've already learned the December pattern - particularly VWL - there are a lot of people who own VWL because its such a fantastic theme for the holidays and they want to have the advantage there for just that time of year. Boardwalk is also renowned for its holiday decorations, and BC is just small and popular.

October in the Epcot area is tough due to Food and Wine - less tough but not necessarily easy for VWL (the Halloween party makes the easy access to MK attractive, plus the resort is just small). And less tough than that for the other resorts, but F&W brings in a lot of DVCer who keep their plans when they can't get into the BW or BC - so it still books fairly solid fairly quickly.

On the other hand, summer is relatively wide open at most of the DVC resorts and much of the Spring isn't bad.

 

[dianeschlicht]

The problem is that we are still within the 11-7 month booking window at this time, and VWL is the MOST popular DVC during December because of the wonderful embiance and decorations there. That being said, there are plenty of ways to enjoy those things even if you can't get into VWL during this upcoming trip.

First of all, if you call at 9 AM EDT exactly at the 7 month window for checkout from your first day and are able to get what you want at VWL, then you can call each consecutive day at that same time and book day by day for your new reservation. Since many other people will likley be doing the same thing, you might get lucky and be there in time to get a VWL ressie that someone else is switching to AKV or something else. The waitlist is always a possibility as well. I believe this year is particularily difficult because of all the extra incentive points that new people out there are trying to use within the 1 year timeframe.

As DVC membership grows, home resort is going to be more and more important for those popular DVC times like early December and October etc.

Earlier I mentioned that there are ways to enjoy those other resorts and amenities even if you can't get to stay at them. During the holiday decor time, we like to do the resort tour thing. We manage to hit most of the WDW resorts and visit their holiday gingerbread houses, carousells etc. The best trees are at Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom. The best gingerbread is often at Beach Club/Yacht Club, and the best music of the season at Grand Floridian and Wilderness. Wilderness Lodge often has local groups in to sing concerts by the Christmas tree in the evenings.

 

[gppnj]

This is exactly why when I bought three years ago, I insisted on VWL even though my guide had originally told me that everything except SSR was sold out. I didn't want to have to go through exactly what you're going through now.

That said, I'm sure you'll be able to stay at VWL eventually. I think the problem is that you tried to book at a time you thought was slow, and it turned out that you're trying to book at a peak (for VWL) time. Another poster suggested trying the summer, and I can confirm that. I was there this past June, and I spoke to a number of DVC members who were staying at VWL but owned at another resort. So you'll get it eventually. And you'll have less frustration now that you know the best times to try.

Meanwhile, I'll be trying your home, SSR, in October. I'm sure I will like it.

 

[daisyduck123]

I think you are trying to book at a very busy time.

Our home resort is SSR, & we've never had any trouble booking other resorts at the 7 month mark. In 2007, we stayed at:

* BCV July 29 - Aug. 4
* AKV Dec. 20 - 26

This summer, we got BCV....no problem.

If you really want to try another resort, I would suggest going at a slower time of year.

 

[Starr W.]

I think you are trying to book at a very busy time.

Our home resort is SSR, & we've never had any trouble booking other resorts at the 7 month mark. In 2007, we stayed at:

* BCV July 29 - Aug. 4
* AKV Dec. 20 - 26

This summer, we got BCV....no problem.

If you really want to try another resort, I would suggest going at a slower time of year.

We have stayed at VWL and BCV, but not at the "official DVC" busy times. Actually our VWL visit was a year ago this upcoming weekend. We had to waitlist but it came through in about a month.

BCV we did this past MLK weekend(we have a 4day weekend). That I booked at 7 months.

Both stays were originally booked in my home resort period at SSR, then I switched or waitlisted at 7 months(days marked on calendar to call).

I go for Thanksgiving(2br at SSR), third yr in a row, and I just call at 11 months and I'm done. Not going to do the 7 month jig and I think this year might be worse with those darn developer points.

 

[daisyduck123]

I go for Thanksgiving(2br at SSR)

We will also be at SSR in a 2BR for Thanksgiving week.
This will be our 1st Thanksgiving in WDW.
DS10 wants to eat at WCC for dinner.

(Oops! Sorry to go OT)

 

[brianm27]

We booked VWL this year April 14-21 at about 5 months out. Friends that we traveled with stayed at BCV and booked about the same time.

We are back at SSR for our trip in July. Just booked it last week and SSR and OKW were my only options, as expected.

 

[spruce]

Buy where you want to stay is common advice here. You could get what you want but that is a very busy time. We own at 3 resorts for the 11 month window and book day by day to insure we get the unit and time we want.
If SSR is not where you want to stay all the time then you'll have to be flexable and may have to travel in off peak DVC times to get into the resorts you are having difficulty reserving now.
If want peak DVC times then it's always a gamble with the 7 month window. Consider selling and buying where you want to book.

 

[TDC Nala]

When is your planned stay? If it is during a holiday week, Easter week, high summer, Food and Wine Festival (if you want BCV or BWV) or the first two weeks in December (especially the first two weeks of December and the week between Christmas and New Years) you should probably plan to stay at your home resort.

Never mind, I see it's the first week of December (this is the busiest week for DVC for the entire year.)

I have never not had a waitlist come through.

 

[BillM99999]

I called to book the first week of June in December (we just bought in November). I asked for a studio anywhere and was told that the only thing NOT available was BCV (obviously a peak time for SAB). So, non-home options are out there, just be flexible with what you want.

 

[DVC Mary]

I actually am worried that what the OP is experiencing is becoming more common at many times of the year. SSR & OKW are always available it seems when I'm trying to book, but everything else is very tough to get.

Flexibility helps--being willing to take a 1 BR instead of a studio was the only way for us to get a few days at VWL for our June trip.

We've been on waitlists for AKL & BCV, but nothing is coming through.

BCV has not been available for the last 6-7 trips we've done despite sitting on waitlists for June, July, Oct, & Feb. I think it's amazing that for 5 years straight BCV has never come through.

I'm just hoping when Kidani Village opens that there will be more availability.

It makes you wonder if the developer points are having a big impact on availability everywhere.

 

[Inkmahm]

You'll learn the patterns fairly quickly. You've already learned the December pattern - particularly VWL - there are a lot of people who own VWL because its such a fantastic theme for the holidays and they want to have the advantage there for just that time of year. Boardwalk is also renowned for its holiday decorations, and BC is just small and popular.

October in the Epcot area is tough due to Food and Wine - less tough but not necessarily easy for VWL (the Halloween party makes the easy access to MK attractive, plus the resort is just small). And less tough than that for the other resorts, but F&W brings in a lot of DVCer who keep their plans when they can't get into the BW or BC - so it still books fairly solid fairly quickly.

On the other hand, summer is relatively wide open at most of the DVC resorts and much of the Spring isn't bad.

Exactly. Own where you want to stay is my motto. I have Wilderness Lodge for December, BWV for October food and wine festival and Animal Kingdom for our March/April vacation. Other than not being able to get AKV concierge mostly due to MS system / CM screwups, I'm a happy camper making my reservations at 11 months and being able to get what I want.