Need how to book

[JoRo]

Ok I was looking around for similar experiences and/or how to book with no luck tonight ..

Info:

• Goal 10 day trip in early Oct 2011 at boardwalk 3 bedroom villa
• Own points for Grand California well have approx 400 points available for that trip...planning saving planning.
• Considering purchasing resale points for boardwalk (10-100)to be able to make reservation at 11 months (assuming 3 bedrooms sell out fast?)

I just get so confused on the timing and points - so say we only buy 75 points for boardwalk this would only get us a couple nights of our 10 day stay - will we be able to book the whole reservation at that time, by using our Grand Cal points or will they make us call back at the 7 month mark to book the remaining days.

Or

If we do purchase x sum for 2nd resort, use our 400 and still need to "rent?" some from another person - what are the chances of that all happening at the same time for making the reservation - I am dreaming - skip it and go to OKW. We liked being by Epcot.

Basicially we are looking for information about the benefits/Cons to purchasing extra points at another resort in Florida - we plan to go there on the every other year plan - DL is our main focus. Some trips will have need for 3 bedroom others only a 1 bedroom.

Also would we be able to use the 2nd resort points towards our DL trips.

So if there is a "how to", best practices out there can you please send to us?

Thank you, I dont think it should be so difficult I just want to play with Mickey.

 

[Sammie]

If you want to use any of your Grand California points at Disney World resorts, you will have to wait until 7 months to book those points.

I would say that getting a Grand Villa in October at the Boardwalk at 7 months is going to very, very hard to do. Getting something at Disney World at 7 months depends on where you want to stay and when as to how easy or difficult it is.

October at the resorts near Epcot is difficult at 7 months.

 

[Sandisw]

Any points you buy for the WDW resorts can be used in conjunction with your VGC points at the 7 month window, providing the contract is an add on (same UY, titled the same way so it goes on the same membership) to book either WDW resorts or VGC.

You can only, however, use points during the home resort booking period at the home resort. So, those VGC points are only good at VGC until you are 7 months out from the trip. You won't be able to use them with any WDW points until that time. So, if you do buy in some BWV points, you would only be able to book the number of nights that you can with that contract and would have to call back at 7 months to try and get the rest with your VGC points.

If you know that you are planning to go to WDW, and know you will need the GV for some of those trips, then yes, I think you will need to add on points at one of those resorts so that you can book 11 months out. Using points at 7 months is possible, but securing exactly what you want, when you want, and for how long you want, can be difficult, especially at the Epcot resorts in October.

If you bought a 100 point resale contract at BWV, that had enough points to bank and borrow (300), you would be able to book 3 or 4 nights at the 11 month mark. You would then have the option of renting a reservation from a BWV owner for the remainder of the nights and link the two reservations. You could then rent out your own points to cover the costs. This way, you would get your 11 month window.

However, the OKW GV's are about 300 points less thank the BWV GV's for the time you are going and securing one of those, I would think, would be easier, so owning there might be something to think about.

Good luck!!!

 

[JoRo]

Thanks we are new to DVC and this all seems a little complicated but well look into some of those ideas - we would like to be closer to epcot since that is where we want to play the most that trip. Well have to research doing the reservation idea - because to book for next year would be Nov of this year ....

We honeymooned during the Food Wine festival while hurricane Rita came through years back - it was really a fun time.

 

[DenLo]

One way to think of your points is this:

The 400 at VGC can be used to book at VGC at the 11 month mark. If you want to use those points at any other DVC resort, then you have to wait until the 7 month mark to book.

So if you buy BWV points, you can only use those new points to reserve a villa at BWV in October 2011 at the 11 month mark. A hundred points will only get you one night in a BWV grand villa since the cost per night is $81 for weekdays and $91 for weekends. It takes 587 points for a week.

We recently tried at the 7 month mark to get into BWV for a studio for October 7 and 8, 2010 and had to wait list. And our wait list has already come through.

What many people do at WDW is book a resort you can get into at the 7 month mark, and then wait list for the resort you really want. It is very doubtful that you will be able to get a grand villa at the 7 month mark at BWV as DVC members that have BWV as their home resort book the 7 GVs at the 11 month mark.

So even if you bought 100 BWV points and you could book a BWV at the 7 month mark combining your points from VGC and BWV, you'd still be short of points for a 10 day stay. You might want to check out the availability of a two bedroom and a studio instead.

Good luck and happy anniversary.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Denlo's post was a bit confusing. I think it was meant to read "A hundred points will only get you one night in a BWV grand villa since the cost per night is $81 for weekdays and $91 for weekends", but I believe that should have been 81 and 91 POINTS, not dollars.

If you have 100 BWV points, the most you could use at the 11 month booking window would be 300, and that would be if you banked 2010 points into 2011 and borrowed 2012 points all for the same reservation. That still puts you well short of what you would need for a GV at BWV.

You need to be aware also that BWV has a very small number of GVs. I think it is something line 7 total, so you would need to be on the phone right at 9 am Eastern time to book that at the 11 month mark.

 

[freya]

Do you know if it is the 7 month mark from the check in date or the check out date? I've heard both and want to for once be sure about it.

 

[chalee94]

Do you know if it is the 7 month mark from the check in date or the check out date? I've heard both and want to for once be sure about it.

used to be checkout date.

now it is by check in date (plus 7).

 

[freya]

Ok so if I'm trying for Nov 5th check in I can't book until the 12th?
Sorry..new to this.

 

[chalee94]

Ok so if my check in date I'm trying for is Nov 5th I have to wait until the
12th? Sorry ... new to this.

it's by check in date.

you can book nov 5 (for up to a seven night stay) starting dec 5 of the previous year for your home resort.

sorry for the confusion.

 

[junglejoy]

JoRo, what did you end up doing? We're VGC owners who want to go to DW too. In December which is probably impossible... I'm wondering how it all worked out for you.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

JoRo, what did you end up doing? We're VGC owners who want to go to DW too. In December which is probably impossible... I'm wondering how it all worked out for you.

Dec shouldn't be impossible but you will probably need to be flexible and may not be able to get your first or second choice of accommodations. A lot will depend on what time in Dec also. When we first bought it was 6 months out from Dec when we closed. We looked at anytime during the first 3 weeks of Dec. and could have gotten some room at some resort. We ended up choosing the second-third week b/c I could get some nights in a BCV 2BR and we thought part of the time it would be nice to be next to Epcot. SSR was available anytime we wanted and OKW was in most cases.