Polynesian Chances in October

[DisneyStarWisher]

For next year, I gave my parents points for a trip to HHI for their anniversary. Long story short, I set aside 70 points for the trip, but what they are wanting me to book costs only 50. That leaves me with 20 extra points I can use next year for our trip to WDW. I'm booked in an AKV value studio right now, and I miss AKV so I don't want to change it. But I am thinking of adding a night on to the beginning of our trip next October. I'd like to stay somewhere I've never stayed before, either BCV, VGF, or Poly. I figure BCV is out since it's Food and Wine. I don't have an interest in staying at VGF right now. But I'm wondering about a standard view at the Poly. It's 20 points exactly, so it would be perfect. What are my chances of getting a Saturday night there in October? If it's not good, I need to look at another way to use them.

 

[disneynutz]

Unknown, you won't know until you can book.

Bill

 

[_auroraborealis_]

My experience switching at 7 months this year suggests that it can be variable and isn't a sure thing given Fall Frenzy. I was there in mid-October, I was online to do a 7-month promptly at the right time, I couldn't get every day I wanted, and by 10AM availability across studios everywhere was pretty terrible for the week. This was after Columbus Day but before peak Halloween.

Because of points and because of timing, I split my stay in a studio and a standard resort booking.

If you're looking at the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend, the odds are lower, I'd think. The 28th may also be harder, given that it is the Saturday nearest Halloween.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Unknown, you won't know until you can book.

Bill

Well I think that is March 1. I would be checking in on September 30, so I'm thinking that date is correct. I realize I won't know until then, but I'm just wondering if others have had luck in October. I can book all kinds of nights from February to June right now, so it seems like availability at 7 months out is good. I just don't know what the trend has been for October.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

My experience switching at 7 months this year suggests that it can be variable and isn't a sure thing given Fall Frenzy. I was there in mid-October, I was online to do a 7-month promptly at the right time, I couldn't get every day I wanted, and by 10AM availability across studios everywhere was pretty terrible for the week. This was after Columbus Day but before peak Halloween.

Because of points and because of timing, I split my stay in a studio and a standard resort booking.

If you're looking at the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend, the odds are lower, I'd think. The 28th may also be harder, given that it is the Saturday nearest Halloween.

Thanks for the information. My trip is the first week of October, but I would be adding Saturday, September 30 (officially not October, so sorry for the confusion). I'm hoping that it being September will help with availability.

 

[drusba]

At 7 months out this year for Oct, Poly was usually open except that many of the days disappeared very quickly at 8 a.m., indicating that the winners were those whose computers communicated faster with Disney's computer than others. Sep 30, however, was actually open for quite a while during the day that was 7 months out. It might actually become tighter next year as Poly gets closer to being sold out.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

At 7 months out this year for Oct, Poly was usually open except that many of the days disappeared very quickly at 8 a.m., indicating that the winners were those whose computers communicated faster with Disney's computer than others. Sep 30, however, was actually open for quite a while during the day that was 7 months out. It might actually become tighter next year as Poly gets closer to being sold out.

Thanks for the information. I have October on my brain since that's when we have fall break. This is one of those weird years, however, when the Saturday night is in September. We never book the Saturday night so that's what has my brain stuck on October. This is good information, but it makes sense that it might become harder. I'm open to whatever resort I can get. I just need to use up those 20 points somehow. They've already been banked into next year, so they will expire if I don't use them. I may go ahead and book a HHI studio for a couple of nights next December, just in case we can't get anything on September 30. Thanks again!

 

[disneynutz]

Well I think that is March 1. I would be checking in on September 30, so I'm thinking that date is correct. I realize I won't know until then, but I'm just wondering if others have had luck in October. I can book all kinds of nights from February to June right now, so it seems like availability at 7 months out is good. I just don't know what the trend has been for October.

Trends are like asking someone which lotto numbers to play, it's a guess at best and I don't want you to be disappointed. Plan for the worse and hope for the best is my motto. What happened last year may not happen next year. Disney is changing each day, coming up with events, runs, extending hard ticket events, F&G, F&W times, ticket deals.

Bill

 

[cvjw]

I was able to book a standard view Poly studio at the 7 month window for 12/13/16 - 12/18/16. I grabbed it right at 8:00 am. Not October like you are asking about, but Christmas which is also super busy.

I checked back later in the day, and my week was no longer available for booking at the Poly.

Be online at exactly 8:00 am for the greatest chance of booking

 

[zavandor]

If you cannot book it at 7 month, use the waitlist. The resort is not yet fully declared, so if/when a new declaration will happen, waitlists will be filled in first (I think).

 

[DenLo]

If you cannot book it at 7 month, use the waitlist. The resort is not yet fully declared, so if/when a new declaration will happen, waitlists will be filled in first (I think).

Sometimes it looks like DVC already opened the reservations in advance of a declaration as availability does not change when the declaration hits and no one is posting that their Wait list came through either. We really don't know how DVC opens availability when adding more points to pool with a declaration. But because the Poly does not have a lot of owners and many more points are declared than purchased, often you can get a reservation at the 7 month mark. The real problem these days is that when booking at 7:59 there is availability but at 8:00 am nothing is available for only the first night--day after day.