New DVC Member

[medievaldave]

Any advice and
Tricks of the trade

 

[bwvBound]

Welcome! and Howdy, Neighbor! (AZ isn't so far from SoCal!)

Read, read, read all you can on booking Reservations, Cancellation Policy, Banking/Borrowing, Use Year, Waitlist, the various "Collections," etc.

Explore the member website and play often with reservation tool-- even if you aren't actually planning a vacation. Just get to know the inventory and its patterns.

Expect to book your DVC reservations as early as humanly possible -- right at the 11 month or 7 month window. Booking early is very important for some dates, some resorts and some unit types. As you gain experience, you'll know which reservations allow greater flexibility on advance booking.

Try to be flexible in your resort and unit choice. Have a couple variations in mind in case your first choice isn't immediately available.

Use the Waitlist -- but also understand the consequences when attempting to replace an existing reservation.

Hang out here ... and WELCOME!

 

[medievaldave]

Thanks for the welcome and great advice. SoCal is very close. We are flying out in the morning to spend the day at Disneyland. I work for the airlines so we do a lot of day trips. I have already experienced with the waiting list. It took 1 day to get our reservations. We were very excited to get our room at Grand Californian for April. It's our sons 3rd bday. Will be the first we get to spend with him. Just adopted him from Korea 4 months ago.

 

[DisneyBill]

Know that rule of four exists.

 

[darbry]

Congrats on your little one and have fun! We adopted our daughter from Korea 10 years ago in august. Sorry it was off topic.

 

[medievaldave]

Darbry that is awesome.

 

[DVC Dude]

The most important rule is to use 100% of your points and NEVER let one go to waste.

 

[bwvBound]

We were very excited to get our room at Grand Californian for April. It's our sons 3rd bday. Will be the first we get to spend with him. Just adopted him from Korea 4 months ago.

Congratulations all around!

 

[binkblum]

Congrats on both! This is a very exciting time for you and your family.

 

[CaskPeg]

Been an owner since 1993 and had a "magical time" on all visits. Congratulations to getting your ressie and the birthday celebration of your child. Make sure you use all guidelines and rules when making ressies at the 11 month and 7 month windows. Good luck in all future stays.

 

[jstarcze]

Welcome Home and Congratulations from Mickey, Goofy, and Me!

 

[DVC Sue]

Congratulations! I learned so much from this board and the people are great. If you have questions, these people are experts and give great advice!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Book your home resort at eleven months out. If you want to stay somewhere other than your home resort, be ready to book that at exactly seven months out. Race times it is important to book promptly or else you won't be staying DVC for that time. Especially the races that come with the F&W Festival.

 

[ACJT]

Know that rule of four exists.

What's this rule ?

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[TheDalys]

Use the buses to save on car rental or taxis
Use a delivery grocery service to save on eating out
Buy 10 day No Expiration park tickets to save on admission (you will be going later in life anyways so take advantage of the multi day discounts)
Be flexable and vacation around the cheap flight deals (if work does not get in the way)

 

[TheDalys]

oh that was not the rule of four.... just four ways to save on spending

 

[Deb & Bill]

What's this rule ?

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

The rule of four.

If you have points to bank, you cannot bank them past the last four months of your UY (so do it during the first eight months of the UY). If you don't use them and don't bank them before the last four months of the UY, you lose them.

If you want to book a non-DVC stay that DVC must pay for (like the Disney Collection), you cannot book and stay during the same last four months of your UY. For example, you want to book the YC in August and you have a Sept UY. You cannot book that August stay during May-August. You have to book it before May 1.

 

[BUDDYBEAR]

WELCOME HOME

 

[medievaldave]

Thanks everyone. Very helpful

 

[arachnib]

Trying to understand the Rule of Four. I have only been a member since June.

My use year is June. I had 76 points remaining from 2013, which I banked earlier today because I needed to do it before January 31st, 2014.

From Feb. 1 to May 31, can I not book any DVC reservations? I'm confused on this part.

We are second owners on our contract, so I know we are not eligible to use points on cruises or NY hotels; only the WDW resorts, Grand Californian, Hawaii, Vero Beach and Hilton Head.

If I decide to book at a WDW villa in May, can I still do that in my 9-12 month window?

Thank you!