Planning for a Grand Villa

[madelyn]

My sister is a new DVC owner (purchased 160 points at Animal Kingdom last week) and I told her I would help plan a big family trip w/ extended family. She was excited about the thought of a Grand Villa and is something like this even feasible with only 160 points? She doesn't mind banking/borrowing but she has a Dec year use and the times we all could vacation would probably be mid December or possible mid-March or early June. I was looking at the points charts on-line and is it true that OKW Grand Villas are only 38 points weekdays during Choice season? That seems too good to be true since the other properties with Grand Villas are almost twice that! I'm thinking that earliest trip to plan for would be Dec 2009.

 

[Donald is #1]

Yes, a grand villa for a week in adventure season is only 356 points. So if your sister banked her '08 points and borrowed from of her '10 points, then she would have enough points for a GV for a week at OKW during the beginning of December. AKV for that same period is 519 points which she doesn't have enough points for.

However, the first 2 weeks of December are extremely popular with DVC so I am not sure if she could get a GV at 7 months.

 

[Donald is #1]

OK, I did some more calculations. For March, she would not have enough points for the week (501 points at OKW). However, she does have enough for early June (439 points at OKW up to June 10 for a week.

Of all of these times, I would think that she has the best chance of getting a grand villa at 7 months during June. But to be honest, I haven't tried to book at GV so I am just guessing.

 

[Snow Shoe]

We had a GV at BWV this past Christmas, 12/25-1/2, and it cost us 910 pts for our stay. We banked a year and borrowed from the next to have enough. You'll need to call MS at the 11 month check-in window date. GV's go very fast at December/Christmas time of year.

 

[madelyn]

Thanks for the replies. Wow-a Grand Villa at OKW certainly seems like quite a deal. Is it really that less popular? Seems like for that number it points it would be popular. So if she needed more points and wanted to rent some for the one time use off the rent/trade board, would she have to have enough points at the time she made the ressie or just before she used them?

 

[castleri]

Thanks for the replies. Wow-a Grand Villa at OKW certainly seems like quite a deal. Is it really that less popular? Seems like for that number it points it would be popular. So if she needed more points and wanted to rent some for the one time use off the rent/trade board, would she have to have enough points at the time she made the ressie or just before she used them?

At the time the reservation is made.

 

[madelyn]

So if you purchase points for one-time use (have them transferred into your account), can those points be transferred to another member's account (are they treated like your own points other than having the year use of the person you got them from) or are there other restrictions on those points? Just worried about having extra points if a Grand Villa does not come through. And if you are on a wait list for a Grand Villa, are you allowed "back up" reservations, such as for a 2-bedroom plus studio and then you can cancel them if the Grand Villa becomes available?

 

[Merilyn]

It isn't less popular, it was just the first DVC. They weren't sure how many points to ask for per unit. Each additional DVC resort has been more points. It is certainly a better bargain. We have owned since 1994 and love OKW. It is much more laid back and a great place. Getting a GV may be difficult at the 7 month window depending on the time of year and the resort. Good luck!

 

[Magicdad]

As your looking at the Grand Villas for your family vacation you may want to atleast consider two 2-bedrooms. Check out the point charts, season, weekends and locations. Let us know how the numbers work out for your family.

 

[crisi]

The OKW Grand Villas - due to their low points - are the MOST popular (they are also very nice) - and difficult to get at seven months.

I would encourage you all to consider a few rooms rather than a Grand Villa. Family harmony can be difficult to maintain in close quarters. I'm taking my own family this fall and getting two two bedrooms for the ten of us (and I could do ten of us in a two bedroom and a studio). While I love my family, and my sister married a dear sweet man, spending a week in close quarters with him would have me tying an anchor to him and dumping him in Bay Lake. The other thing about multiple rooms is that it is easier to switch things around if plans change.

 

[Liljam]

We had a GV at SSR in May for 8 people plus an infant. The space is great, but one thing we all agreed on is that while the villa was totally awesome, it was almost too relaxing and we often didn't even feel the need to leave the villa or the resort. We were Disney slackers this trip. Grand villas are great, the wow factor and treat to other family members is nice as well, but the other rooms can be just as nice too.

I haven't stayed at OKV and I would do GVs all the time if I could but at 7 months, I can't imagine I'd be very lucky! What is your sister's home resort? And did she get any extra points such as developer points? If so, that might help some. You could check the points at SSR too. I have some pics on the first page of pics in my signature if you wanna check them out. Good luck!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for the replies. Wow-a Grand Villa at OKW certainly seems like quite a deal. Is it really that less popular? Seems like for that number it points it would be popular. So if she needed more points and wanted to rent some for the one time use off the rent/trade board, would she have to have enough points at the time she made the ressie or just before she used them?

Not less popular (in fact the contrary is true), just less points because of how it was structured at the time of sale. It's pretty hard to get a GV at OKW if you aren't an owner there with an 11 month booking priveledge, but early June is probably one of those times that MIGHT work at 7 moths out. The chances of getting one early December at the 7 month window would be slim to none. The only times I think OKW GVs would be easy would be September, and maybe the summer months.

 

[crisi]

I would think even September wouldn't be "easy" but "more possible."

For the OP - each resort has enough home resort members to book the resort - all types of units - pretty darn full all year round. So saavy members own resorts that they want to stay at - particularly the resorts that have an in demand room or an in demand time. For OKW, there are some owners who own that resort JUST because those Grand Villas are such a value. That's all they book, they book them eleven months out.

At seven months out, all 100,000+ members compete for the room - its like dialing for a Cindy's breakfast reservation used to be for certain room types at certain times of year - and some room types year round - OKW GVs being one of those room types. And like a hard to get ADR, there are some periods where its easier, but no time when its easy. A lot of switching occurs then - people who own OKW but really want to stay at AKL this trip will switch their reservations. Also, plenty of people just don't book their trips months and months in advance - so there is always some availability for something somewhere. But those popular room types - those are tough.

 

[madelyn]

Thanks for all the tips. My sister's home resort is AK. So what happens if say we buy resale OKW and she transfers her points to our account. Do all the points have the 11 month booking priority for OKW? Or only the points that were originally ours? Now I understand how the points at an OKW Grand Villa can be so much cheaper. The point chart never changes. So would the best strategy be to try to book an AK Grand Villa at 11 months for fewer nights since those use more points and then if an OKW one is available later, book it and cancel the AK? Can you hold one reservation and then waitlist another?

 

[bookwormde]

You can only use your OKW points for Okw at 11 months.

I have a OKW GV booked for 5 weekdays next June (have 150 OKW point contract). If you are thinking about getting some OKW points to book at 11 months you probably only need enough to book the weekdays (255) for magic season (earlier June is 225 points so if you bought 150 points you could do it 2 out of 3 years). They are much lower demand on the weekend because you only get 2 days for 246 points.

OKW GV weekdays are in high demand all year long so to get them at 7 months is far from a sure thing.

I stay weekends on cash (either DVC or CRO) with the discounts that come out in the last couple of months if is very responsible. This year (aug) I could have booked a 2br and studio for about $670 if you are willing to move.

You can also get a AKV GV most times for a few points cheaper on the weekends than an OKW so if a split stay is and option and you buy some OKW points also that would be a good way to book your whole vacation at the 11 month mark

I am used to traveling with extended family so 12 in a GV is no problem for us (lots of kids)

bookwormde

 

[madelyn]

Hmmmm...I knew this would be complicated but this is even more complicated than I thought! Less than a week's stay would probably be sufficient since I am not sure all the family members could tolerate much more. Our group would consist of my parents (assuming they are well enough to travel at the time). They are in their 70's & 80's. My eldest sister and her husband have 2 sons but one is in college now and the other will be starting by that time so they may not join us. Other family members are my adult brother and sister (the DVC owner) as well as my husband and kids (current ages 10, 6 and 1). Other than celebrating my sister's DVC purchase, the main reason for this family trip would be so that my parents could be at WDW with my daughter, their only grand daughter. We had an extended family trip in 2001 but my youngest son and daughter were not born yet. So if my sister's year use for AK is Dec, 160 points and if she wanted to borrow and bank, would she have access to all her points for a mid Dec 2009 trip? For Choice Season, Dec 15-23 the points chart shows 73 points weekdays/87 points weekends. By banking and borrowing my sister has 480 points available (assuming they all can be used in early Dec). That is 365 points for 5 weekday nights plus 87 for one weekend night so she should be able to use 452 with 28 leftover. She did get 160 developer points but we used some earlier this week to extend our SSR stay and they have to be used by July 2009 anyway. So to call for a reservation starting Dec 15 the call to reserve needs to be made Jan 15? And if we wanted to move the reservation to say Nov 15, the call needs to be made Dec 15, 2008 or is that not possible to do since she has a Dec year use and she won't be able to borrow 2010 points until Dec? Am I thinking this through right? I'm thinking that a Grand Villa might not be the best arrangement since there are only 3 bedrooms (two 2 bedrooms would probably work better and uses less points) but I think my sister is facinated by the idea of a GV.

 

[bookwormde]

GV is by all accounts a special experience; I guess I will find out next June.

The best use of points is to get a 2br and 2 studios unless you need the extra kitchen and washer.

If you get a SV 2br and 2 Std studios you are 53 pts wd and 105 we choice season for a total of 370 pts for 6 days. The only issue is to see that with a GG you can get them close together. Or again if you do not mind moving you could get 5 wd nights as above and 2 weekend nights in a GV to give it a try for 176 pts choice season for a total of 441 pts for 7 nights.

I may have more than 12 coming next June so I will just add on a studio or 2 to accommodate a few more people (I will have to buy a few transfer points to make this possible)

And yes it does get complicated but that is half the fun.

bookwormde

 

[madelyn]

Fun if you get the Grand Villa! If it is impossible to get...not so fun! Well, I will have to see how many people are actually interested in going. And also figure out which option will give my sister the least points leftover. We also may have some people who want to stay fewer days so that is also something to factor in.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

(I will have to buy a few transfer points to make this possible) bookwormde

This past June we had a GV at OKW for the 10 of us. When I booked it, I had to beg, borrow and finally buy points from another DVC member to book it for 6 days. Staying all together, for us, is part of the magic. Some people don't enjoy this much togetherness. DS(11) would stay in a GV each and every time if he could, and then so would I. I look forward to it every 3 years or so. The points transfer was easy, I found 2 very nice DVC members, and all in all it was simpler than I thought and well worth it.

 

[jbrowna]

Hmmmm...I knew this would be complicated but this is even more complicated than I thought! Less than a week's stay would probably be sufficient since I am not sure all the family members could tolerate much more. .... So if my sister's year use for AK is Dec, 160 points and if she wanted to borrow and bank, would she have access to all her points for a mid Dec 2009 trip? For Choice Season, Dec 15-23 the points chart shows 73 points weekdays/87 points weekends. By banking and borrowing my sister has 480 points available (assuming they all can be used in early Dec). That is 365 points for 5 weekday nights plus 87 for one weekend night so she should be able to use 452 with 28 leftover. She did get 160 developer points but we used some earlier this week to extend our SSR stay and they have to be used by July 2009 anyway. So to call for a reservation starting Dec 15 the call to reserve needs to be made Jan 15? And if we wanted to move the reservation to say Nov 15, the call needs to be made Dec 15, 2008 or is that not possible to do since she has a Dec year use and she won't be able to borrow 2010 points until Dec? Am I thinking this through right? I'm thinking that a Grand Villa might not be the best arrangement since there are only 3 bedrooms (two 2 bedrooms would probably work better and uses less points) but I think my sister is facinated by the idea of a GV.

I believe you're figuring correctly here. With a December UY it can get confusing, because the points are mostly used in the following calendar year. For example, currently those of us with December UYs are in the 2007 use year for our points, even though by the calendar we are well into '08. Our 2008 use year does not start until December of '08 -- almost the end of the calendar year. As of now, the banking deadline for 2007 UY points has passed. In order to book for December of '09, using banked and borrowed points, you'd have to do the following: when December of '08 comes around, take those '08 UY points and bank them into '09. In January of '09, call to make the reservations for December. Use your '08 banked points, along with the '09 UY points (which would be available as of your reservation), and any points that need to be borrowed from '10. Keep in mind that those '08 points you bank would not be available to use anytime in '09 before December. So if you want to have a short stay in, say, March of '08, you'd have to borrow points from '09 in order to do it. Either that or only bank the number of '08 points that you know you'll need.

I should say that that is what we plan on doing, to try to secure a Jambo GV in early December of '09. Keep in mind that, by that time, Kidani should also be open, which will add another 16 GVs to the AKV inventory, so there may not be much of a problem getting them at the 11 month window.



Yes, it is confusing. But it also makes sense. Good luck!