Opinions needed: Hardest rooms to secure without 11 month window

[RJP77]

So we are thinking about doing an add on contract, and among the things we are considering it where the 11 month window will be most useful to us. As a family of 5, what resorts are the most useful to have the 11 month advance window for? CCV for the Cabins? BLT for anything at holiday season? AKL for concierge? Aulani?

Any and all thoughts welcome.

 

[Skywalker3]

Standard BWV studios/2 bedrooms are very hard to get, especially for fall. Other resort standard views can be tricky too. Depends on seasons, etc.

 

[Sandisw]

AKV value or Concierge are the hardest to get at 11 months as well.

But, other than CCV studios....which don’t work for a family of 5...you should be able to get something of all room sizes at all the resorts at 11 months. It’s the specific views that tend to sell out quickly,

But, during the fall, within 30 minutes of the window opening, many more do disappear.

 

[RJP77]

We aren't so fussed about things like getting value per point, so things like getting a studio vs. a 1 bedroom is not that big of a differentiator for us. I'm more thinking about experiences. For example, we once wanted to stay at Bay Lake for New Year's and tried getting a room at 7 months out with our SSR points. We had no luck. I'm trying to imagine where the points are vital if you want the experience. For example, are the Cabins at CCV hard to get unless you are using home resort points?
What are the experiences you just can't get without using home resort points. Something that might tip the scales in favour of buying at one resort versus another because you just need it to get into the resort at a specific time or special room.

 

[DeeBee3]

We own at CCV. The 11-month window is important for Christmas time - I suppose due to the great Christmas tree and decorations,etc. I got a Thanksgiving reservation for this year (booked last year) but it took me a few days because people were walking reservations.

 

[Marionnette]

You might want to take a look at this thread:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...tember-2019-2-bd-added.3689931/#post-59393366

 

[Lorana]

I'm more thinking about experiences.

If the experiences you are after are specific resorts or room views during holidays, events, or popular time period, then it is quite likely that you are going to want that 11 month priority. For example, you can pretty much get a Poly Bungalow at 7 months... unless you are going over a major holiday. If you want to be able to see NYE fireworks from BLT, you'll need to own there.

 

[RJP77]

You might want to take a look at this thread:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...tember-2019-2-bd-added.3689931/#post-59393366

Interesting charts. Missing some rooms, but interesting.

 

[RoseGold]

I mean, plenty of rooms are tough to book at Christmas or spring break, but I’ll never be traveling then, so it isn’t something I would book on.

Generally speaking, I have seen the value in the AKL value/club rooms and the BLT standard view. I might be willing to pay a few bucks more for that over the old standard SSR points. For BLT, this can be a 10% discount, and that priority is valuable.

If you are trying to ball out on cabins, I’d do it with SSR points.

 

[Yinn]

So we are thinking about doing an add on contract, and among the things we are considering it where the 11 month window will be most useful to us. As a family of 5, what resorts are the most useful to have the 11 month advance window for? CCV for the Cabins? BLT for anything at holiday season? AKL for concierge? Aulani?

Any and all thoughts welcome.

Aside from specialty rooms. I would say beach club is really difficult for me to get. CCV/Cabins seem to be available quite a bit so I wouldn't point that way. AKL for concierge...yes, but impossible at the same time.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

cabins are among the easiest units to get.

 

[sethschroeder]

As a family of 5, what resorts are the most useful to have the 11 month advance window for?

I mean what rooms do you even want?

There are a bunch of rooms you are unlikely to get at 7 months for either parts or all of the year for a solid week. Then there are rooms that at 11 months its hard to get some or all of the year.

I don't think this would go in to my buying decision at all.

First you really need to limit your list to 2-4 resorts that you specifically are interested in. Things like room layouts, resort location, room types (that you would book), point requirements, cost for points, and contract length of the resort.

A BWV Studio Boardwalk View can be "easier" to get but you are likely not getting it at 7 months.

 

[RJP77]

I mean what rooms do you even want?

There are a bunch of rooms you are unlikely to get at 7 months for either parts or all of the year for a solid week. Then there are rooms that at 11 months its hard to get some or all of the year.

I don't think this would go in to my buying decision at all.

First you really need to limit your list to 2-4 resorts that you specifically are interested in. Things like room layouts, resort location, room types (that you would book), point requirements, cost for points, and contract length of the resort.

A BWV Studio Boardwalk View can be "easier" to get but you are likely not getting it at 7 months.

We have many factors we are considering but to me the value of the home resort is getting access to those real hard to get stays. All the factors will go into the final decision, but I want to hear what people think are the really difficult “gets” without home resort advantage. I’m not even really concerned about duration. For example, I don’t think the bungalows at Poly will ever be a reasonable long stay, but for a night or two on an anniversary as part of a split stay, perhaps. But do I need to own at Poly to pull it off? What other hard “gets” are out there. Just looking for something to consider as part of my over analyzing of all factors.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The bungalows and cabins can frequently be had at 4 months.

The hard stuff is all studios, and certain GVs or specialty units like Club at AKV or those stupid hotel rooms at Aulani.

 

[sethschroeder]

We have many factors we are considering but to me the value of the home resort is getting access to those real hard to get stays.

But thats my point if you own at AKV and get access to Club Level then the real hard to get rooms will be anything not there at 7 months. So things like BWV Standard Views, RIV Standard View, RIV Tower Studios (not for you), CCV Studios, BLT Standard View, VGF, BCV, OKW Grand Villa, and VGC will all likely be gone most of the year.

The value of the home resort is to make sure you can stay there since lots of rooms are gone a good portion of the year at 7 months. You can get lucky or a waitlist can come in but its no guarantee.

Example if you ask as an example "If I own at AKV what rooms are hard to get" you are going to get a much larger list. All you get with the home resort is access to that resort and lose out on all the other resorts from 7-11 months as they book up.

Just thought of it but VGC/VGF are two great examples of its not extremely hard to get rooms there during the home resort window but becomes much harder at the 7 month window.

 

[kboo]

VGF and RIV: standard studios (which sleep 5) can be hard to get with non-home points. Over Christmas, if you want standard view at VGF you will most likely need VGF points.

BLT: Getting a 2br standard over thanksgiving in 2018 needed BLT points at 11mo and 8am on the dot. Getting standard view over president's week also needed BLT points, but not at 8am, 11 mo on the dot.

 

[Sandisw]

We have many factors we are considering but to me the value of the home resort is getting access to those real hard to get stays. All the factors will go into the final decision, but I want to hear what people think are the really difficult “gets” without home resort advantage. I’m not even really concerned about duration. For example, I don’t think the bungalows at Poly will ever be a reasonable long stay, but for a night or two on an anniversary as part of a split stay, perhaps. But do I need to own at Poly to pull it off? What other hard “gets” are out there. Just looking for something to consider as part of my over analyzing of all factors.

I think all near park resorts will be difficult to get at 7 months for high demand times, especially like NYE, and the first few weeks in December

Epcot resorts will be very tough during Fall because of Food and Wine and MK area resorts, including CCV very tough during the holidays.

So, I might narrow down what those hard to get travel times for you might be and which area might be the one you’d hope to be in.

As mentioned Poly bungalows and CCV cabins are going to be the easiest at 7 months. However owning CCV for 2 bedrooms if you want to travel in December would be a good thing.

 

[Cyberc1978]

AKV value or Concierge are the hardest to get at 11 months as well.

But, other than CCV studios....which don’t work for a family of 5...you should be able to get something of all room sizes at all the resorts at 11 months. It’s the specific views that tend to sell out quickly,

But, during the fall, within 30 minutes of the window opening, many more do disappear.

In the past I have tried booking both value and club level studios multiple times just to check how hard it would be. This have been documented in a previous thread about this topic.

The only time I had problems was for the first week of 10/1/21 during the anniversary. The remain time I tried I had success. I know my small test is anything but scientific but to me it shows that club and value studios at AKV is fairly easy bookable as long as you see the availability for day you are trying to book.

 

[Sandisw]

In the past I have tried booking both value and club level studios multiple times just to check how hard it would be. This have been documented in a previous thread about this topic.

The only time I had problems was for the first week of 10/1/21 during the anniversary. The remain time I tried I had success. I know my small test is anything but scientific but to me it shows that club and value studios at AKV is fairly easy bookable as long as you see the availability for day you are trying to book.

I worked with someone whose husband did the booking and they never got shut out in July for AKV C at 11 months,

But, more reports here that people do so I still think if you are not on at 8 am at 11 months, and get it booked, it’s not going to be an easy one,

Of course, I have secured them to as a non owner by stalking...just never ended up keeping it...nothing is impossible that is for sure!

 

[KPeterso]

VGC is another that is hard to get without home resort priority. Now, if you are going to go to Disneyland regularly, you probably do not want to own there.