New to the DVC, and feel scared that I don't know how it works..(m)

[Disney1fan2002]

Hi, my name is Marie, and my family are HUGE Disney fanatics. We finally decided to purchase the DVC on our last trip this past October. The points system seems simple enough, but I am still unsure of a few things.

I have harrassed the CM's at meber services, LOL..so now that I found this board, I can get advice form some veterans.

My first question is..how hard/easy iis it to get a confirmed reservation during the 7 month window to stay at a DVC resort that is not your home resort? Should I book with my home resort first at the 11 month window, and then change it at the 7 month? I don't want to NOT have any reservation...and our dates are not flexible. I want to use points for my sister and her family, so I need to stay at OKW..to use the least amount of points, and then when we get off our cruise, we want to stay in a 3 bedroom grand Villa ...both families. My home resort BCV, does not have the 3 bedroom villas. So, Should I book two rooms at the 11 month window and then pray there is an opening for OKW at the 7 month window?

What would you do? TIA for any helpful info.

Marie

 

[Caskbill]

First, Welcome to DVC

Generally the 7-month window will not be a problem unless you're tyring to book some of the harder to get items, such as:

1. Any time frame at major holiday periods. Even here, OKW will probably be OK but some of the other resorts may not have all dates or room types still available at 7-months

2. Boardwalk Villas Standard view rooms. Because of the lower point costs, the BWV standard view rooms go earlier. Studios are especially popular.

3. Grand Villas at OKW. Rich is our resident expert on booking GV's at OKW so maybe he'll pop in with some information.

Remember, everything is contingent on WHEN you want to stay. Slower times are easier, more popular times are more difficult. Also keep in mind that WDW slow times are not necessarily the same as DVC slow times. DVC members love the WDW slow times because crowds are down and DVC point requirements are low.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Usually it is not hard to get a reservation at OKW, that being said, you did not say what month you are trying for. Your plan for 2 rooms at your home resort and then trying to switch later is a good one.

It sounds as if you have a good grasp of the DVC concept for a "newbie", don't fret, it will come to you as you read the posts on this board.

Good luck and Welcome Home.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I am sorry, I should of specified the dates...I need a two bedroom for my sister and her family for April 18- 22, 2004 (we will be on the 4 day Wonder Crusie) and then April 22-24, 2004, it will be both families...that is where the 3 bedroom would come in. Those dates are in the magic season, but Easter week (Premiere season) ends on the 17th, just the day before we check in.

Are the 3 bedroom Villas hard to get? I am liking my idea of booking the 2 rooms at my home resort first, then changing the reservation if I can at the 7 month window. I am really scared there will be no availability, and we need those dates.

Thanks for the compliment about me knowing alot for a "newbie"..LOL. I try to learn all I can about Disney. I am a fast study. I joke with my husband that I should go to scholl to be a travel agent, and then just book trips to Disney for people. Anytime someone I know hears that someone they know are planning a trip to Disney, they have them contact me, for tips and strategies..LOL. I LOVE DISNEY. It is just being so new to this I feel nervous, but I am sure after I have used it a few times, I will become a "pro" and then watch out! There won't be any holding me back! LOL.

I am so excited we booked our first week as DVC members for Thnksgiving this year. It will be the first time in my 35 years that I am not home for Thanksgiving, but I feel maybe a new family tradition with my family is in order!

I am glad to have found this site. It seems like alot of friendships have been formed through here.

Marie

 

[sheryl0521]

I will be trying for a ressie at a BCV 1-bedroom during that week of April 18, 2004. This is the first post I have seen that mentions the change in seasons from Premiere to Magic. Our school vacation is later than Easter next year, so we thought we would give WDW a chance.

I plan on calling day by day when the 11 month window opens up. Perhaps this may be a solution for you.

Good Luck!

 

[CarolMN]

Weekend nights (Fridays and Saturdays) are usually easier to get than weekday nights. It's because the points are so much more for weekends.

In your situation, I'd do one of two these two things:

1) See if you can find an OKW owner who would like to make a BCV reservation. (Yu can post over on the Rent/Trade Forum )You make a BCV ressie for the OKW owner at the 11 month window. The OKW owner makes the Grand Villa ressie for you. If the OKW ressie costs more points than the BCV ressie, you just transfer the difference in points to the OKW owner. If the BCV ressie uses more points, the OKW owner can transfer points to you (which you could use to make part of the OKW ressie right away, if you wanted to). I believe the Grand Villa ressie will be the most difficult portion of your total ressie to make. IMHO, you can wait until the 7 month window to make the non-Grand Villa portion of the ressie.

2). Make the ressies you need at your home resort at the 11 month winodw. Even though OKW is less expensive than the BCV, the OKW ressie including the Grand Villa weekend days will almost surely cost at least the same number of points as the BCV ressie. (So any worries about borrowing or banking should be minimal). That way, you know you will have a place to stay. Change the ressie at the 7 month window. Use the waitlist for anything you can't get, and hope for the best. It's possible, (but not all that likely) that you will have to use the wait list to get all of the days you want. If you can't get a GV ressie before the 7 month window opens, you probably will have to use the wait list for that.


There is more risk with option #2, since you may not get all your days at once. IMHO, the GV will be the most difficult to secure. If you don't have enough points to hold the BCV ressie until everything is set at OKW (wouldn't that be nice, LOL), you will have to cancel the BCV days as the OKW days become available. You might have to move/change resorts if all the days don't come through. To avoid changing resorts, you might consider booking a 2 bedroom and a studio (or whatever you think you need), as a back up for the GV nights if you can't get the Grand Villa right away. You could cancel those if the you get the GV.

Hope all that made sense to you. If not, ask more questions.

Sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned. Hope it all works out and the long, long time you have to wait for it to get here goes by quickly!

Good luck!

 

[reneesam]

The grand villas ("three bedroom") are hard to get even at the 11 month window. Are there any other combination of accomodations that would suit your needs? You may need to use the wait list to try to get the GV. I would book at your home resort and then try at 7 months and expect the worst. Otherwise, OKW is usually readily available at 7 months. Good luck.

If you are so motivated, you can consider trading points with another member who has OKW as his home resort so that you can get the 11 month advantage. You can post on the rent/trade board at this site.

Renee

 

[reneesam]

Looks like I posted a double take on CarolMN's much more informative post (what was that they say about great minds, Carol?) Good luck.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

If you can't get a GV ressie before the 11 month window opens, you probably will have to use the wait list for that

Thanks for all the help. It really is great to know this stuff. BUT, as for the quote above, IS it possible to get reservations BEFORE the 11 month window opens, and if so, how?

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by Disney1fan2002
Thanks for all the help. It really is great to know this stuff. BUT, as for the quote above, IS it possible to get reservations BEFORE the 11 month window opens, and if so, how?

Marie - my apologies! That should have read before the 7 month window opens. I'll edit my original post and correct it.

If there's a legitimate way to make a ressie before the 11 month window opens, I sure don't know about it. In the past there used to be a "special seasons list" that you could get on for the popular Christmas/New Year's weeks that gave you a head start on ressies, but DVC discontinued it after 1999 or 2000.

Sorry to have misled you.

 

[Richyams]

Your dates aren't the hardest to get. You got a chance. You will have to deal with waitlisting, but I would give your dates along with some summer dates, the best chance at eleven months.

I would still go on the rent/trade board and try to get someone with OKW points to make the ressie for you. Its the only way to be sure.