Newbie Booking Question

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

Hi all! I just received my membership number yesterday. I want to book a trip for May 2019. I would like to try to book somewhere other than my home resort. Should I book the trip now at my home and then switch in Oct. or should I wait till oct. and book it then? Does it matter? Thanks!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hi all! I just received my membership number yesterday. I want to book a trip for May 2019. I would like to try to book somewhere other than my home resort. Should I book the trip now at my home and then switch in Oct. or should I wait till oct. and book it then? Does it matter? Thanks!

Depends on what you want to book and when. You could book your home resort now to guarantee that you have a reservation when you want to go. Then check at seven months out and see if anything else is available. If you are looking at the end of May, it might be harder than the middle of May.

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

I am looking for the middle of May, so I think you’re right I should probably book at my home resort to at least to have a plan on the table.
Thanks!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We have booked a GFV one bedroom exactly at seven months out twice for the middle of May. Studios wouldn't happen, but one bedrooms are usually easier to book at seven months out.

 

[drusba]

Booking home resort with the 11 month booking window to assure you have a room is always a good strategy when intent is to try to book elsewhere at 7 months out. Doing so guarantees you will have a room no matter what happens, e.g., even if it is a low DVC demand season, DVC could do something like announce Moonlight Magic hours at MK for one of your nights at 8 months out and your home and other DVC resort rooms might quickly fill for that night before you even learn of the Moonlight Magic announcement.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It sounds like this is your first purchase? I wonder if the Welcome Home booking can work towards a non home resort. You only get one shot at that and if you book your home resort then it's gone as an option. I think it can be used anytime in the first 6 months after purchase. But I'm not certain about the non-home booking part if you want to wait.

 

[Sandisw]

I always book my home resort for my stays, even if the plan is to change at 7 months. This way, I know for sure that I have a place to stay. It is getting harder and harder at 7 months to book exactly what you want. Many have a lot of success...including myself..but there have been times where I couldn't get all the nights I wanted at the other resort, in the exact type room resort I wanted, at the 7 month mark. So, when you book at your home resort first, you at least know you are all set for the trip and then at 7 months, can get things changed, based on what is available. One thing I have found is that sometimes, when things weren't there right at 7 months, that within a few days, things opened up because others were also adjusting so if you can't get it right on the exact day, keep trying and use waitlists to help. I have been very successful this way! Good luck and Welcome Home!!!

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

We have booked a GFV one bedroom exactly at seven months out twice for the middle of May. Studios wouldn't happen, but one bedrooms are usually easier to book at seven months out.

We are looking towards a one or two bedroom...party of 5 everyone is grown up sized

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

I always book my home resort for my stays, even if the plan is to change at 7 months. This way, I know for sure that I have a place to stay. It is getting harder and harder at 7 months to book exactly what you want. Many have a lot of success...including myself..but there have been times where I couldn't get all the nights I wanted at the other resort, in the exact type room resort I wanted, at the 7 month mark. So, when you book at your home resort first, you at least know you are all set for the trip and then at 7 months, can get things changed, based on what is available. One thing I have found is that sometimes, when things weren't there right at 7 months, that within a few days, things opened up because others were also adjusting so if you can't get it right on the exact day, keep trying and use waitlists to help. I have been very successful this way! Good luck and Welcome Home!!!

Thank you for the Welcome Home! I agree I would feel better knowing I have a place to stay than to worry about missing out!

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

It sounds like this is your first purchase? I wonder if the Welcome Home booking can work towards a non home resort. You only get one shot at that and if you book your home resort then it's gone as an option. I think it can be used anytime in the first 6 months after purchase. But I'm not certain about the non-home booking part if you want to wait.

This is my first purchase but it is resale, I wasn’t sure if they offer a Welcome Home booking for us.

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

Booking home resort with the 11 month booking window to assure you have a room is always a good strategy when intent is to try to book elsewhere at 7 months out. Doing so guarantees you will have a room no matter what happens, e.g., even if it is a low DVC demand season, DVC could do something like announce Moonlight Magic hours at MK for one of your nights at 8 months out and your home and other DVC resort rooms might quickly fill for that night before you even learn of the Moonlight Magic announcement.

Wow I never thought of special announcements and such ....good to know! That would certainly make me mad at myself for waiting ! Lol I’m booking today!

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

This is my first purchase but it is resale, I wasn’t sure if they offer a Welcome Home booking for us.

Yeah they won't offer to do this for a resale purchase.

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

Yeah they won't offer to do this for a resale purchase.

I didn’t thinks so, eh oh well

 

[gharter]

As others have said, book your home resort now, so you have a place to stay. Once the 7 month window opens, you can see what is available. If something is available, call Member Services and they can help you move points. The other issue is points. IS the resort you are looking at moving to more or less points? My understanding is once points are used, if you move to a cheaper resort and have points left over, those points cannot be banked, but must be used before the UY is over.
Somebody, please correct if this is wrong.

 

[Deb & Bill]

As others have said, book your home resort now, so you have a place to stay. Once the 7 month window opens, you can see what is available. If something is available, call Member Services and they can help you move points. The other issue is points. IS the resort you are looking at moving to more or less points? My understanding is once points are used, if you move to a cheaper resort and have points left over, those points cannot be banked, but must be used before the UY is over.
Somebody, please correct if this is wrong.

Close. If the new reservation requires fewer points, as long as you are still within your banking period, you should be able to bank the extra points. If you borrowed points, you cannot unborrow them, so you have to make sure that MS uses the borrowed points first. But, if you change your reservation at 30 days or less out, any left over points become holding points and you'll have to use them to make reservations 60 days or less out from the start of the reservation. And they cannot be banked and will expire at the end of the UY.

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

Thankfully I booked my home resort for less points than where I would like to switch to, the more I think about i”great” if I can switch and if I can’t I’m ok with it too. Just took a few days of planning to get me just plain excited about all of it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thankfully I booked my home resort for less points than where I would like to switch to, the more I think about i”great” if I can switch and if I can’t I’m ok with it too. Just took a few days of planning to get me just plain excited about all of it.

Yep, that's the best part of it all. If you can't change at seven months out, you still get a great stay at your home resort. Just wait until you start planning your point usage years ahead of time. I've got three trips I can't even book until Aug, Sept and October.