PORFQ vs Renting DVC points

[bellelayne1]

A bit of advice on resorts, discounts and availability in regards to a long stay.

In 2014 when we called to book CBR with free dining they offered PORFQ instead (special code or something on our account). We took it and I'm glad we did, we loved it. This year we booked for a long 12 nite stay for October 29- Nov 11 for PORFQ. However I'm sure whatever discount comes out it won't include PORFQ. Historically it looks like it is excluded often. So I started looking into renting DVC points. (We've never rented DVC points so I'm reading up on anything and everything I can about it.) What we'd like is to stay at AKL in a value studio. But I hear it is hard to come by anything AKL -except Savannah- unless you book at 11 mo.
(money is an obstacle to a certain point in this. With dining plan, tickets, hotel, extras it is at the top of what we feel comfortable spending. We can maneuver around and cut in places, like the DDP-pay instead out of pocket, but it isn't going to get us close enough to Savannah I'm afraid.)

Right. So my thoughts are driving me crazy.
I'm a planner and I know I'm pinning my wishes on what could be, not thinking realistically. I know I need to just wait. But I'd like to hear some advice on what I see as our choices.

Our choices then are:
*Wait to see if a dining plan OR % off rooms discount comes out for PORFQ (historically in 2014 and 2015 in April or May, thus 5-7 months out from our stay)
*Change to CBR which has a higher chance of being discounted. (again, discounts released maybe around April-July)
*Try to get AKL through a rental service.
*Try to rent DVC points for a resort not as popular and more easily booked.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

AKL Value Studios are already booked up for your time period, so you need to remove that option. They're one of the fastest-booking categories in DVC.

It looks like Standard or Savannah View would be available, however. Subject to change, though.

Since costs are a concern, and you're going to be coming up on a 7-month window by the end of March -- and fall discounts are usually announced in late April -- if you wait for fall discounts to announce, you need to look at resorts with general 7-month availability. September through marathon are DVC High Season for booking, so the likelihood is that if you wait until discounts announce, your best odds would be Saratoga Springs or Old Key West, with a possibility of the more expensive AKL categories.

The ship has sailed on Value Studios, though.

 

[Marionnette]

A bit of advice on resorts, discounts and availability in regards to a long stay.

In 2014 when we called to book CBR with free dining they offered PORFQ instead (special code or something on our account). We took it and I'm glad we did, we loved it. This year we booked for a long 12 nite stay for October 29- Nov 11 for PORFQ. However I'm sure whatever discount comes out it won't include PORFQ. Historically it looks like it is excluded often. So I started looking into renting DVC points. (We've never rented DVC points so I'm reading up on anything and everything I can about it.) What we'd like is to stay at AKL in a value studio. But I hear it is hard to come by anything AKL -except Savannah- unless you book at 11 mo.
(money is an obstacle to a certain point in this. With dining plan, tickets, hotel, extras it is at the top of what we feel comfortable spending. We can maneuver around and cut in places, like the DDP-pay instead out of pocket, but it isn't going to get us close enough to Savannah I'm afraid.)

Right. So my thoughts are driving me crazy.
I'm a planner and I know I'm pinning my wishes on what could be, not thinking realistically. I know I need to just wait. But I'd like to hear some advice on what I see as our choices.

Our choices then are:
*Wait to see if a dining plan OR % off rooms discount comes out for PORFQ (historically in 2014 and 2015 in April or May, thus 5-7 months out from our stay)
*Change to CBR which has a higher chance of being discounted. (again, discounts released maybe around April-July)
*Try to get AKL through a rental service.
*Try to rent DVC points for a resort not as popular and more easily booked.

1. Wait to see if a dining plan OR % off rooms discount comes out for PORFQ (historically in 2014 and 2015 in April or May, thus 5-7 months out from our stay) Probably your best option.
2. Change to CBR which has a higher chance of being discounted. (again, discounts released maybe around April-July) This should be your back up in the event that no discount is available for POFQ.
3. Try to get AKL through a rental service. If a Value Studio at AKV is the only thing you can afford, you have missed the boat. Rental services don't have any special advantage. They rely on owners doing the booking and then getting back to them.
4. Try to rent DVC points for a resort not as popular and more easily booked. I'll be honest with you, the time frame that you are looking at is a very popular time for DVC owners. Low points. Food & Wine. MNSSHP and then MVMCP. Halloween/Fall decorations and then the Christmas decorations all in one trip. Getting 12 consecutive days in one villa will be difficult because you are now within the 11-month window for owners to book at their home resort. If an AKV Savannah View studio is outside of your budget, then most available studios at the other resorts will also be beyond your budget. You could try for OKW, which would be the most likely to have availability and still be what you can afford.

 

[bellelayne1]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the insight!

I think from your advice another time of the year will be better to rent DVC points to try out a deluxe. Someday I'd like to buy into the DVC. It may be very little points if we do, but it will be ours. :-D