No Villas for early December?

[phanomouse]

I am planning a trip for Dec 2nd through December 9th. I have been on the waiting list for a two bedroom villa for a few months now. I am just having a hard time believing that there are none available for this time. I have looked into each resort and no luck. For those more experienced with this time what do you think my chances are? If it is unlikely I guess I will just make reservations elsewhere.

 

[zulaya]

This time of year is VERY popular with DVC members. Low points, Xmas stuff is up...it's been this way for a while.

If you are looking for a 2BR...those and studios are the first ones to sellout. The waitlist can work, but personally if it was me, I wouldn't hold my breath that a 2BR would come available for the whole week.

 

[jdg345]

You can always ask to see if some of the days are available and take the other days on cash + waitlist ... ?

 

[halld6479]

where are you requesting to stay? is this your home resort? Did you try at 11 month point? now I am scard, we are planning a family thing the same dates but 2007 and will need like 2 (2 bd room) and three single at SSR

 

[LIFERBABE]

Have you waitlisted?

SSR is scheduled to open its first building in the new phase in Dec 06. Not sure of the exact date, but when we were there last week, they looked pretty on schedule to me.

Those units will not be released for booking until they are complete. This means SSR may have availability.

I would waitlist for all the resorts in your unit of choice, for the entire week.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

where are you requesting to stay? is this your home resort? Did you try at 11 month point? now I am scard, we are planning a family thing the same dates but 2007 and will need like 2 (2 bd room) and three single at SSR

Don't worry. If you reserve at the 11 month mark, you won't have a problem at all. But if you wait, you will.

Early December has low points, holiday decorations, low park crowds and the DVC annual meetings. It is a very popular time for DVC members but if you call at 11 months, you will get exactly what you need.

HBC

 

[phanomouse]

Don't worry. If you reserve at the 11 month mark, you won't have a problem at all. But if you wait, you will.

Early December has low points, holiday decorations, low park crowds and the DVC annual meetings. It is a very popular time for DVC members but if you call at 11 months, you will get exactly what you need.

HBC

Funny enough I did call at 11 months on my home resort BCV and when I couldn't get in I tried for BWV, OKW and SSR. So in my case, what you have said isn't true and this is why I am nervous. I am waitlisted on each resort and check back regularly. I just keep my fingers crossed!

 

[abner1776]

I tried to book a 2bdrm at VWL(for a coworker) at 8 mnths for that same week with no luck. My coworker had to move his vacation up a week (11/26-12/2) and we were able to get the 2bdrm at VWL, but from what I understand it was one of the last 2bdrms available. By the time the 7 month window opened, all 2bdrms were gone.

From what I have been reading on these boards, those 3 weeks right after Thanksgiving are some of the bussiest weeks for DVC'ers.

 

[Muushka]

Funny enough I did call at 11 months on my home resort BCV and when I couldn't get in

Oh my. You called at the 11 month mark and could not get in? This is not good.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Funny enough I did call at 11 months on my home resort BCV and when I couldn't get in I tried for BWV, OKW and SSR. So in my case, what you have said isn't true and this is why I am nervous. I am waitlisted on each resort and check back regularly. I just keep my fingers crossed!

You called 11 months from checkout date, and couldn't get in?!?!?!?!?!? I find that really hard to believe, and I would be calling my guide to ask why. That should not happen, because there are a finite number of points per resort, and never more points than can be handled by reservations at any one time. It should never be impossible to book at the 11 month booking window.

 

[crisi]

Funny enough I did call at 11 months on my home resort BCV and when I couldn't get in I tried for BWV, OKW and SSR. So in my case, what you have said isn't true and this is why I am nervous. I am waitlisted on each resort and check back regularly. I just keep my fingers crossed!

You are saying that last January you tried to book BCVs and they weren't available for December and waitlisted. And then in June you called again to book outside your home (at the seven month window) and all resorts were booked solid....and you've been waitlisted since June anywhere and nothing has come through.

 

[crisi]

You called 11 months from checkout date, and couldn't get in?!?!?!?!?!? I find that really hard to believe, and I would be calling my guide to ask why. That should not happen, because there are a finite number of points per resort, and never more points than can be handled by reservations at any one time. It should never be impossible to book at the 11 month booking window.

Actually, that is possible. All that takes is more owners at a resort wanting to stay that week than rooms available, and ALL calling at eleven months out. The points are sold so that all owners will be able to book sometime, but someone gets stuck with the second week in January......

(For those that like to vacation the second week in January, I'm not picking on you, its an example, I apologize if in my ignorance I've slammed a wonderful time of year with perfect weather, low points and the Disney event you adore (is that the marathon?)).

 

[Granny]

You called 11 months from checkout date, and couldn't get in?!?!?!?!?!? I find that really hard to believe, and I would be calling my guide to ask why. That should not happen, because there are a finite number of points per resort, and never more points than can be handled by reservations at any one time. It should never be impossible to book at the 11 month booking window.

crisi took the words out of my mouth...it is very possible to be blocked out of booking a trip at the 11 month mark by other home resort owners. It is probably unlikely at your OKW home, but VWL & BCV can be real problems due to their small size.

I think that the day-by-day strategy will be very important for reservations at the busy times of the year. Selfishly, I'm glad that many members are not aware of that strategy, though MS seems more than willing to teach it to them!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I didnt' realize that. I thought you were pretty much assured of a spot booking 11 months out. I guess that comes from my "large home resort" mentality. I do see how being in a smaller resort could cause major issues, since there is a much smaller number of each size villa to work with.

Suffice it to say, with the popularity of early December, I would not be at all surprised if DVC did some point shuffling to make that season more equal to some others. I think many members aim for that time period BECAUSE the points are low, and they can get in on the holiday spirit early at WDW. I really don't think reallocating points would change folks habits much though, unless they made it one of the highest seasons. I don't expect that to happen either.

 

[zulaya]

2BR I think is where the difficult part is. There are not a lot of dedicated 2 BR at BCV. If the studio part of the lockouts are booked up, thereby making a 2BR lockout unavailable, there you go.

I am going Dec 9-16 and am in a 2BR lockout. I called in January and had no problem. But I am also going a week later.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Aha! Yes, I missed that part about needing a DEDICATED 2 bedroom! That definitely would mean a very limited and popular inventory at BCV. I still think DVC limited things a bit when they made lock off studios with only 1 real bed.

 

[spiceycat]

at the BCV some of the dedicated has the 1 bed too....

only 25 units have the 2 queen beds.

BCV is very, very popular - next year if you Dec - go day by day - if you wait until the end to make the entire reservations you just might be too late....

I would stay on the wait list.

one year I had the same problems and I decided to go with the Polyn - the next week - OKW opened up....

anyway you can wait the WDW resorts don't fill up as fast as the DVC resorts. If at 30 days you don't have anything I would change and go with a WDW resort. remember some members (even when they know before then) don't cancel until their points could go into holding.

so sorry!!! early dec, dec1 -18 is probably the most popular time for DVC members.

oh on the wait list - you are on the automatic list and do it without calling you - right?

 

[crisi]

Aha! Yes, I missed that part about needing a DEDICATED 2 bedroom! That definitely would mean a very limited and popular inventory at BCV. I still think DVC limited things a bit when they made lock off studios with only 1 real bed.

The dedicated 2Qs are a little like getting a SV at BWVs.

I like the flexibility of the lock off studios with only one real bed - as long as the sofabed is "decent." It gives me a better chance of having the room configuration I want available.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Funny enough I did call at 11 months on my home resort BCV and when I couldn't get in I tried for BWV, OKW and SSR. So in my case, what you have said isn't true and this is why I am nervous. I am waitlisted on each resort and check back regularly. I just keep my fingers crossed!

I was responding to someone who was worried about not getting rooms at SSR at 11 months. There will be rooms at SSR at 11 months.

I for one have never had a problem reserving at 11 months. I own at the BWV and BCV and have always received the room(s) I needed.

HBC

 

[Granny]

Suffice it to say, with the popularity of early December, I would not be at all surprised if DVC did some point shuffling to make that season more equal to some others. I think many members aim for that time period BECAUSE the points are low, and they can get in on the holiday spirit early at WDW. I really don't think reallocating points would change folks habits much though, unless they made it one of the highest seasons. I don't expect that to happen either.

Although it is a popular time for DVC reservations, I'm pretty sure it's a fairly slow time still in the parks themselves. So Disney probably wouldn't want to do anything to discourage bookings at that time. I guess what I'm saying is that it's a member issue, not a Disney issue. Not sure what benefit Disney would have in reallocating the points unless they can help drive reservations in another slow season by lowering the points then.