Most popular/hardest to get into resort for reservations?

[TenThousandVolts]

Thinking of buying SSR- Are any resorts really hard/nearly imposible to book AT the month mark? I know the grand villas go fast but we won't be using them much. I am just wondering if I will really be able to book BWV or OKW at the 7 month window? I would probably be flexible in that I would take a studio or a 1 br. We travel during adventure-magic seasons.

SSR seems like the best deal for my family with the 12 extra years- and although I like the look of SSR and would fine with staying there- I think I would like staying at BWV or OKW more- so I am just trying to decide between BWV resale or SSR direct.

 

[ebenmax]

We just bought in at SSR and are very happy with our purchase, however, we wanted to stay at BWV this summer (June 10-15) because we do not want to rent a car this trip. We called in the morning at the 7 month
to-the- day mark and were waitlisted for a BWV 2 BR standard view. By the time I arrived home from work that same day, our reservation had come through!!

Now, I cannot speak for all times of the year but since summer is a rather busy time of the year, I think this is a good sign. It seems that the more organized you are, the more likely it will work out.

Good Luck -

Ellen and Brian

 

[Doctor P]

Buy where you intend to stay most of the time. 7 month reservations can often be made, even if one initially goes on the waitlist, but this is not a guarantee. For example, the first couple of weeks of December can be difficult to get at any onsite resort at 7 months. For right now, SSR tends to be the easiest resort to get at 7 months, but that is partially because it is still being actively sold and generally has a few more units in inventory relative to memberships at any given point in time. If you have not stayed at the different resorts, you might want to do a little more research before deciding against SSR. For example, many people love BWV. I didn't like it and it is low on my priority list to return (though I would if nothing else was available).

 

[mikron]

If disney still has the friends and family plan at SSR, the $86.00 price for the extra years is best value. I own SSR & OKW, I have not had any problem with the 7 month booking at the other resorts. I stay at BWV board walk view more then at any other resort, also HH, VBR & WLV. Never had to wait long on wait list. I like SSR as much as any resort, with down town disney just a boat ride or nice walk.

 

[CarolA]

I have heard that Oct/Nov during Food & Wine is difficult at either BCV or BWV.

President's Day Week can be tough anyplace. (It's the only time I have ever booked day by day for OKW at 11 months)

OKW at 7 months will probably be easier the BWV. BWV Standard views at 7 months can be tough.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I own at BW, and I am still waitlisted for a two bedroom BW view the week before Christmas for the night of the 20th, and that's been 11 months on the waitlist. I never did get my waitlist for Thanksgiving, so I stayed at SSR instead. I agree, buy where you want to stay the most often. As you and your family mature, your will change the time of year you go on vacation, so it's important to have the 11 month booking window, especially during school vacations.

 

[jekjones1558]

I was on waitlist for BW view 1 bedroom for Dec. 3 - 10 for almost 11 months. Got last 5 nights early on. Never got first 2 nights. I will call day by day at 11 months for that week in the future.

 

[n2mm]

BWV standards are the hardest to get at 7 month windown. I called for May 2007, day by day and was waitlisted 3 nights. I've managed 2 of them now and am still waitlisted for one night in the middle of my reservation. I called exactly 7 months out each day for each night and there were nothing available the morning of my call. Actually the CM had warned me the day before that there was either 1 or 2 available and to make sure I called first thing. This was for a studio. I do own at BWV too, but was using my SSR points for spring, as I used my BWV points for October, since the 11 month window was needed for October. I had no problem getting my Oct reservation at the 11 month windown for a standard studio.

 

[Slakk]

Thinking of buying SSR- Are any resorts really hard/nearly imposible to book AT the month mark? I know the grand villas go fast but we won't be using them much. I am just wondering if I will really be able to book BWV or OKW at the 7 month window? I would probably be flexible in that I would take a studio or a 1 br. We travel during adventure-magic seasons.

SSR seems like the best deal for my family with the 12 extra years- and although I like the look of SSR and would fine with staying there- I think I would like staying at BWV or OKW more- so I am just trying to decide between BWV resale or SSR direct.

The majority of my points are at SSR - as of yesterday I will have booked/stayed at EVERY DCV location except OKW and all have been in the 7 month window. I used to truly believe the buy where you want to stay and IF you completely and totally are heartset on one particular room type at one particular location then maybe BUT now in my opinion at the 7 month mark you are set for pretty much any combination.

And you know thinking where your family would want to stay is not always where you will. I bought SSR but thought I would love BWV - turns out BWV is not for me...we have a stay at VWL coming up and I am not too thrilled with staying in a mountail theme but you know what? I will probably LOVE it when I get there.

That is the joy of DVC - lots and lots of choices!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I was on waitlist for BW view 1 bedroom for Dec. 3 - 10 for almost 11 months. Got last 5 nights early on. Never got first 2 nights. I will call day by day at 11 months for that week in the future.

The first 2 nights are Sunday and Monday?

Bobbi

 

[Doctor P]

The majority of my points are at SSR - as of yesterday I will have booked/stayed at EVERY DCV location except OKW and all have been in the 7 month window. I used to truly believe the buy where you want to stay and IF you completely and totally are heartset on one particular room type at one particular location then maybe BUT now in my opinion at the 7 month mark you are set for pretty much any combination.

And you know thinking where your family would want to stay is not always where you will. I bought SSR but thought I would love BWV - turns out BWV is not for me...we have a stay at VWL coming up and I am not too thrilled with staying in a mountail theme but you know what? I will probably LOVE it when I get there.

That is the joy of DVC - lots and lots of choices!

I'm glad you have had a good experience and that the 7 month window has worked for you. However, there are many times of the year and/or accomodation types for which this is still difficult. As you mentioned in another post, F and W for BCV and BWV is very difficult. Xmas at almost any resort is pretty difficult, and near impossible at several of the resorts (VWL in particular). Summer in a 1BR or Studio at HH is near impossible typically. The first couple weeks of December has been near impossible at 7 months at many resorts. President's Week has been near impossible at many resorts. Easter week has been near impossible at many resorts. Mid to end October has been very difficult with the PGA golf tournament, MNNSHP, and F and W.

So, yes, it may work for some people, but there are many times of the year that the 7 month window is very difficult.

 

[Slakk]

I'm glad you have had a good experience and that the 7 month window has worked for you. However, there are many times of the year and/or accomodation types for which this is still difficult. As you mentioned in another post, F and W for BCV and BWV is very difficult. Xmas at almost any resort is pretty difficult, and near impossible at several of the resorts (VWL in particular). Summer in a 1BR or Studio at HH is near impossible typically. The first couple weeks of December has been near impossible at 7 months at many resorts. President's Week has been near impossible at many resorts. Easter week has been near impossible at many resorts. Mid to end October has been very difficult with the PGA golf tournament, MNNSHP, and F and W.

So, yes, it may work for some people, but there are many times of the year that the 7 month window is very difficult.

Absolutely true and if those are the times of year you always plan for and would be crushed/heartbroken to stay anywhere but your chosen location on that particular time in that particular type of accomodation then by all means buy where you want to stay.

But for the majority of folks any DVC location is pretty cool wherever it is. If you can be even a tiny bit flexible then BWYWTS is not as applicable. I am only telling you what I have done. I have booked now at EVERY resort but OKW (and I will get there too!) at all times of the year...June, January, February, December and November and gotten every request at or around 7 months...and not even at calling day by day.

Maybe I am truly the luckiest person around but it works for me...so much so that I had planned to sell my SSR to buy AKV and really no longer feel the need - I got so caught up in the whole BWYWTS frenzy I did not look at my own patterns of reservations and see BWYWTS does not really apply to me.

So I guess if my worst nightmare of being *stuck* in a BW view studio overlooking the Swan and Dolphin materializes then I guess I will just have to live with it

 

[TenThousandVolts]

At this time- I am more than a tiny bit flexible- I would definately be flexible on resort and type of room- and possibly flexible on dates- and I am excited to stay at SSR- I just want to know that I will really get a chance to stay at the other resorts sometimes.
Maybe when AKV (and hopefully the Contemp DVC) opens the older resorts will be easier to get.

Also, say I want to try for BWV at a certain week- but SSR will be my fall-back plan (my safety resort as they say in the college application process) Then I should make my ressie for ssr at the 11month window- then at 7 months- call to see if I can switch- Is that how it works?

 

[Dean]

Thinking of buying SSR- Are any resorts really hard/nearly imposible to book AT the month mark? I know the grand villas go fast but we won't be using them much. I am just wondering if I will really be able to book BWV or OKW at the 7 month window? I would probably be flexible in that I would take a studio or a 1 br. We travel during adventure-magic seasons.

SSR seems like the best deal for my family with the 12 extra years- and although I like the look of SSR and would fine with staying there- I think I would like staying at BWV or OKW more- so I am just trying to decide between BWV resale or SSR direct.

As a rule I am a proponent of buy where you want to stay. To me that saying applies in 2 areas. First and foremost, it applies to the idea of buying at WDW if that's where you plan to use the majority of the points and to a degree, buying the resort you want to stay at most of the time. Of course when you travel, how flexible you are, and you're expected room types are the main issues to consider in addition to cost (both upfront and yearly). One who plans to use points off site at HH or VB part of the time and are pretty flexible and not traveling Xmas or Easter should still do OK. Anyone who buys in saying I only want to stay at X resort should buy there, end of discussion.

However, if one buys somewhere at WDW and plans ahead (11 months or so) by reserving at their home resort then tries to change to something else at 7 months will do well most of the time, esp if you aren't set on one option. But this process works better if you call day by day at the 7 month window. And it's also a lot easier and safer if you have enough points to keep the original 11 month reservation until you know everything else is basically reserved.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Bwywts is a hard concept for me- because I have never stayed at any DVC resort. I want to stay everywhere- I am looking forward to the adventure of exploring all the DVC resorts. I would like to have tried them all within 10 years or so of my purchase- but I don't really care what order I stay in them-so I would classify myself as pretty flexible.

 

[CarolMN]

At this time- I am more than a tiny bit flexible- I would definately be flexible on resort and type of room- and possibly flexible on dates- and I am excited to stay at SSR- I just want to know that I will really get a chance to stay at the other resorts sometimes.
Maybe when AKV (and hopefully the Contemp DVC) opens the older resorts will be easier to get....

Yes, you will have the opportunity to stay at the other DVC resorts. To have the best chance for the more popular times of the year at the smaller resorts, you will need to book day by day as soon as MS opens. Sometimes, you may have to use the waitlist. Other times, you will get your first choice on the first call.

Also, say I want to try for BWV at a certain week- but SSR will be my fall-back plan (my safety resort as they say in the college application process) Then I should make my ressie for ssr at the 11month window- then at 7 months- call to see if I can switch- Is that how it works?

That's what many do - by booking their home resort at 11 months, they know that they will for sure have a place to stay. If the other resort is available at 7 months, great! They switch. If not, they can either use the waitlist and hope for the best or just keep the original reservation.

 

[dumbo71]

BCV has always been tough. I would say now with the recent food changes at BWV pool, BCV will be next to impossible for F&W Fest. and many other times.

People who want the Epcot/MGM location will be drawn to BCV now more than ever. I know I will be. BWV is off my list.

Those that want BCV but do not own there are advised to book day by day at 7 months or rent from an owner who can book during the 11 month window.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

What happened at BWV pool?

 

[starbox]

In our experience, HHI in June or July is the most difficult reservation to get at 7 months. Very Small Resort + Very Short Seaon = difficulty making reservations if you don't plan ahead.

 

[dumbo71]

What happened at BWV pool?

Well, in their infinite wisdom, some higher ups decided to eliminate food service at BWV pool bar. They previously served hot dogs and sandwiches. Now they only sell chips. Add this to ESPN no longer doing TO GO orders and getting a simple bite to eat when staying at BWV becomes tough.

Prepare to eat in the room or dry off, change, get ready to eat a sit down meal on your pool days.

Back to topic: HH during summer is very tough also.