Nov 18-21st and not even SSR has any rooms!

[connorlevismom]

I am looking for 3 nights right before thanksgiving and not even SSR has any studio, 1 bedroom or 2 bedrooms for all 3 nights. The best I found is 1 of the 3 nights open Crazy!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I am looking for 3 nights right before thanksgiving and not even SSR has any studio, 1 bedroom or 2 bedrooms for all 3 nights. The best I found is 1 of the 3 nights open Crazy!

Not really crazy. They were probably booked weeks ago. You are only about two months out for a big holiday.

 

[jo-jo]

I just checked and there are a few nights at SSR.


But nothing for all three days.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Not really crazy. They were probably booked weeks ago. You are only about two months out for a big holiday.

It's really time people stop assuming SSR is the ghetto DVC and it'll always be open!

 

[BillPA]

It's becoming more and more important to buy where you want to stay. And if you can't plan more than 7 month ahead, you may not find a place to stay. That is the down side of such a flexible points system.

 

[DebbieB]

It's really time people stop assuming SSR is the ghetto DVC and it'll always be open!

When the categories come into effect next year, the lower point standard view SSR rooms are going to be more popular.

 

[DisBuckMan]

Yet, less than a month ago, someone here on the boards was able to book November 18-21 in a AKL Value Studio on a cash reservation.

 

[Anal Annie]

It's really time people stop assuming SSR is the ghetto DVC and it'll always be open!

YES!! Thank you!! SSR is always talked about like it's the unwanted stepchild.

I am suprised that anyone is surprised to not find availability within DVC for such a popular week at only 2 months out. What is surprising about that? I would be MORE surprised to find something open.

 

[connorlevismom]

It's really time people stop assuming SSR is the ghetto DVC and it'll always be open!

I don't think it is the ghetto of DVC and never said anything of the sort. However, it is a VERY large resort with lots of rooms and always seems to have something open. That is why I was surprised.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I don't think it is the ghetto of DVC and never said anything of the sort. However, it is a VERY large resort with lots of rooms and always seems to have something open. That is why I was surprised.

As @Anal Annie says, SSR is always discussed like the unwanted stepchild. While bigger than AKV or OKW, neither of those resorts gets quite the same level of disdain.

 

[kittylady1972]

I will gladly give up my 2BR at SSR for that week as soon as I get my waitlist for the same 2BR at Bay Lake Tower!

Yes I have been on THAT waitlist since pretty much 7 months in advance. My waitlist for a Studio came through VERY quickly back in April so one room got moved from SSR to BLT but obviously I'm not hopeful on the other room. I still check not only for that but also for any other availability from time to time but since we have yet to visit the NEW Disney Springs we will be okay if we end up there...and will just make plans to meet up with the rest of our party (my parents) in the parks.

I'm sure it doesn't help that there is a D23 event scheduled that same weekend:
https://d23.com/d23-event/destination-d-2016/

 

[Dean Marino]

Just our PERSONAL DVC experience....

First, right off, BUY WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY. Sorry, that "7 month window" is pretty much a loser. You MIGHT get something.... MAYBE. Good luck.

DVC likes to lull one into the idea that you "could" book any DVC property. Well yes - you "could"..... I could also become the President of Poland . MAYBE .

In the mean time.... BUY WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY - USE that 11 month Window. The 7 month Window is a maybe, might happen, no one knows, nail blighter.

An Example: Not "homed" at the GRAND Californian? Best of luck at the seven month mark . We have not even tried, based on current data .

Again - Just our PERSONAL DVC experience, and opinion.....

 

[Anal Annie]

Just our PERSONAL DVC experience....

First, right off, BUY WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY. Sorry, that "7 month window" is pretty much a loser. You MIGHT get something.... MAYBE. Good luck.

DVC likes to lull one into the idea that you "could" book any DVC property. Well yes - you "could"..... I could also become the President of Poland . MAYBE .

In the mean time.... BUY WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY - USE that 11 month Window. The 7 month Window is a maybe, might happen, no one knows, nail blighter.

An Example: Not "homed" at the GRAND Californian? Best of luck at the seven month mark . We have not even tried, based on current data .

Again - Just our PERSONAL DVC experience, and opinion.....

Maybe we've just been lucky BUT this has NOT been our experience. At all. Not even close. We have been able to book ALL of the DVC resorts EXCEPT VGF which we have not TRIED to book yet. But we HAVE been successful in booking all of the other WDW DVC resorts at various times of the year plus VB, HHI (yes, for a full week in the summer), VGC (2x) AND Aulani (2x). We own at SSR and if that's where we end up that's OK too. We booked it not at 11 months but soon afterward for the first week of January this year and next year knowing full well that the marathon week would be hard to get anywhere else at 7 months. And guess what? I was right. Would not have been able to get anything else. But that's OK. We have a room. And we like SSR. We didn't wait for 2 months out to book for F&W either. We booked at like 6 1/2 months. For other times of the year tho we have been fortunate AND open to whatever is available. Our shortest booking time frame was about 2 weeks out. We always start with a Plan A and a Plan B but we have always managed to get Plan A. I am prepared tho that it may not always happen. If we're booking at say 6 months or less then totally not too picky - will take the best deal available.

But my point is you must have some crappy luck or something. Our best luck is booking right at 7 months.

 

[juju12345]

I bought SSR direct from Disney right when it opened. I've never stayed there- not because I don't like it but I like other locations better. A few years back I got a week in a grand villa at BWV in February booked at 7 months no problem. Last year I booked one bedroom at BWV for a week during food and wine festival at 5 months out (I was stalking website and they opened up rooms after a renovation so that was good luck). Just got back from staying at Polynesian - booked 2 studios about 5 months out no problem. I have wait listed with success twice for two bedrooms at Hilton head for a week in August and a week in April. And coming up in January I have a week in a one bedroom at BLT that I booked at 7 months with no problem. So I think it's still fairly easy to get good stuff at 5-7 months but I would be really surprised to find something with only a few months notice but I've never tried.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It helps a lot if it's not, to use someone else's term, "Fall Frenzy."

 

[quirty30]

Maybe we've just been lucky BUT this has NOT been our experience. At all. Not even close. We have been able to book ALL of the DVC resorts EXCEPT VGF which we have not TRIED to book yet. But we HAVE been successful in booking all of the other WDW DVC resorts at various times of the year plus VB, HHI (yes, for a full week in the summer), VGC (2x) AND Aulani (2x). We own at SSR and if that's where we end up that's OK too. We booked it not at 11 months but soon afterward for the first week of January this year and next year knowing full well that the marathon week would be hard to get anywhere else at 7 months. And guess what? I was right. Would not have been able to get anything else. But that's OK. We have a room. And we like SSR. We didn't wait for 2 months out to book for F&W either. We booked at like 6 1/2 months. For other times of the year tho we have been fortunate AND open to whatever is available. Our shortest booking time frame was about 2 weeks out. We always start with a Plan A and a Plan B but we have always managed to get Plan A. I am prepared tho that it may not always happen. If we're booking at say 6 months or less then totally not too picky - will take the best deal available.

But my point is you must have some crappy luck or something. Our best luck is booking right at 7 months.

Totally agree with this. We own at BLT and AKV, but have managed to stay at every WDW DVC except for the Poly (and to be fair, we don't stay in studios much, so I haven't tried for Poly.) I also haven't ever tried for Aulani, Vero or HH, but have seen availability. We generally visit in the summer and early spring, and there are always many options for us, even a little past the 7 month mark. I think F&W and the holidays are a different situation - but even then you can find some options if you book right at 7 months.

 

[quandrea]

We've stayed at all but BCV with bookings made at everything from the 11 month mark to three weeks out. Our upcoming stay at OKWin a two bedroom was booked three weeks out--6 nights. VGF booked two months out for a one bedroom--only three nights though. BWV booked five months out--two week stay. We've stayed every month but November and February. I guess we've done very well.

 

[disneynutz]

For our readers, which will help them the most, a post telling them to buy where they love to stay or a post that tells them that it isn't important? The fact that some owners haven't had difficulty booking at 7 months or less doesn't mean that they will have good luck forever.

Bill

 

[Anal Annie]

For our readers, which will help them the most, a post telling them to buy where they love to stay or a post that tells them that it isn't important? The fact that some owners haven't had difficulty booking at 7 months or less doesn't mean that they will have good luck for ever.

Bill

IMO what is not going to help is a 100% negative post from someone who gives the impression that it is always IMPOSSIBLE to book anyplace besides your home resort at 7 months. THAT is not true. There are enough of us posting with successful results that says otherwise. You own points at like 5 different resorts - that's nice for you but the majority of us cannot afford to do that so we just have to plan more carefully. I already admitted that I may not always be so lucky in our booking efforts - but we also don't go into a new booking with an attitude that says "if we don't get our first choice it's impossible to book anything worthwhile". That is not a good attitude to have and we're always open to options. As with any timeshare you have to be a little flexible. Especially if you can't plan as far out as recommended. Then you need to be willing to take whatever IS available. That's no secret. When we bought in it was made clear that we could use our points anywhere at any time AS LONG AS WE HAD ENOUGH POINTS AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED THERE WAS AVAILABILITY. Nobody scammed us into thinking otherwise. And over the last 10 years we have always resort hopped from trip to trip and have not stayed in the same resort for 2 connsecutive trips. Not once, ever. We have mostly repeated a handful of resorts due to trying to manage our limited number of points in a frugal manner so that can afford the occasional splurge on the more point intensive resorts. But I think the negative poster who tried to give the impression that resort hopping was impossible was presenting in an inaccurate representation of the truth in how it really works. We have never once felt like we'd been mislead by not owning at a different resort than what we own.

ETA: In the OP's case buying where you want to stay is irrelevant. They were trying to book at only 2 months out. The 7 / 11 month booking windows have nothing at all to do with this...

 

[quandrea]

IMO what is not going to help is a 100% negative post from someone who gives the impression that it is always IMPOSSIBLE to book anyplace besides your home resort at 7 months. THAT is not true. There are enough of us posting with successful results that says otherwise. You own points at like 5 different resorts - that's nice for you but the majority of us cannot afford to do that so we just have to plan more carefully. I already admitted that I may not always be so lucky in our booking efforts - but we also don't go into a new booking with an attitude that says "if we don't get our first choice it's impossible to book anything worthwhile". That is not a good attitude to have and we're always open to options. As with any timeshare you have to be a little flexible. Especially if you can't plan as far out as recommended. Then you need to be willing to take whatever IS available. That's no secret. When we bought in it was made clear that we could use our points anywhere at any time AS LONG AS WE HAD ENOUGH POINTS AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED THERE WAS AVAILABILITY. Nobody scammed us into thinking otherwise. And over the last 10 years we have always resort hopped from trip to trip and have not stayed in the same resort for 2 connsecutive trips. Not once, ever. We have mostly repeated a handful of resorts due to trying to manage our limited number of points in a frugal manner so that can afford the occasional splurge on the more point intensive resorts. But I think the negative poster who tried to give the impression that resort hopping was impossible was presenting in an inaccurate representation of the truth in how it really works. We have never once felt like we'd been mislead by not owning at a different resort than what we own.

I agree with this. Flexibility is important. I can honestly say I'm happy at any of the DVC resorts. I'm flexible regarding a one or two bedroom. We don't do studios as we make extensive use of the kitchen. Will my luck run out? I don't think so. The reason for that is I don't see OKW or SSR as subpar resorts. Im happy in a one or two bedroom (lucky enough to have the points to make that possible). It's not as dire as some make it out to be. Some of our best trips have been last minute at the resort that was available. That's how we discovered VWL, SSR.