Purchasing Monorail Resort or SSR - 7 Mo Booking Question

[SuzGM84]

So DH and I have been contemplating a DVC purchase for some time now and have been going back and forth between buying into a monorail resort or doing an SSR/OKW type contract. I know everyone is going to say "buy where you want to stay" and I totally agree with that. However, we want to stay everywhere! In reality, what we want to be able to do is go every other year and stay at a monorail resort studio room when we have small (think stroller aged) children. And then branch out to other resorts when our children would be older/we'd need more space.

Since we would be booking a monorail resorts at (likely) off times b/c we wouldn't be tied to a school schedule, we could go during January or other lower point stays, likely increasing our chances of getting a monorail studio. As our kids would get older and we would need more space, we'd want to branch out to AKL/SSR/OKW/BCV/BWV, etc. and would (likely) need to go during peak (school vacation) times.

With that in mind, we are contemplating purchasing an SSR or OKW instead of GF because for the price of 100 points at GF we could get nearly 200 at SSR or OKW. However, we're very concerned about the 7 month mark booking studios on the monorail. While we wouldn't be devastated if we couldn't get it, we would definitely be disappointed.

So long story short, my question is, what has been everyone's experience in booking a monorail resort studio for 1 week at 7 months?

As always, thank you for your insight and knowledge!!

 

[Mpadovani2]

I only have experience at VGF. It is not possible to get a studio for longer than a night or two at 7 months. And that is a big maybe. Competition for Studio rooms during the busy season for DVC, September through December, which includes two low point timeframes is fierce even at 11 months. If you want to stay at VGF in a studio, I would buy points at that resort. 1 and 2 bedrooms are a slightly different story.

 

[MountainMouse]

If its a fixed dollar range you're spending and it's between 100 points or 200 I would go with the 200. You can just do so much more with the 200 and you get a "bonus" when you get to stay a one of the monorail resorts. Also, think about Boulder Ridge. The per point cost is very reasonable on resale these days (comparable to SSR I think) and it's a heck of a nice place to get stuck in of you can't switch over to another resort. The downfall is the 2042 expiration and higher member fees than SSR, but that's a call you'll have to make.

 

[Capang]

You'd be hard pressed to get a studio at 7 months at the monorail resorts.

 

[BillPA]

I think it's more important to buy where you will not mind staying. I realize everyone wants to try other resorts, that's part of the beauty of DVC. But don't buy just to save a few hundred or thousand bucks at a location you would just hate to be 'stuck' with. Your dues will far out pace the purchase price in the long run. Buy where you will be happy.

 

[disneynutz]

You and everyone else wants to stay during low point season and at a monorail resort. You might save some money or get more points at SSR but you will be kicking yourself as soon as you have to fight for availability. You think that your want all of the resorts now but after a couple of stays you will have some that you won't stay at again. You could buy SSR and expect to sell and buy your learned favorite resort later. Just add those costs into your projected vacation costs.

Bill

 

[CMNJ]

In reality, what we want to be able to do is go every other year and stay at a monorail resort studio room when we have small (think stroller aged) children. And then branch out to other resorts when our children would be older/we'd need more space AKL/SSR/OKW/BCV/BWV, etc. and would (likely) need to go during peak (school vacation) times.
However, we're very concerned about the 7 month mark booking studios on the monorail. While we wouldn't be devastated if we couldn't get it, we would definitely be disappointed.

So long story short, my question is, what has been everyone's experience in booking a monorail resort studio for 1 week at 7 months?

As always, thank you for your insight and knowledge!!

I think you may not be aware but "peak" DVC booking does not correlate with what has generally been considered "peak" Disney travel times. Prime DVC season is the fall through the marathon weekend in Jan. Also run Disney weekends (like the princess half marathon and) tend to be prime booking times as well. For those times it will be difficult to snag a studio at the monorail resorts. Poly would probably be your best bet but even at 8 am 7 months out a full week will not always be possible (and now that it is almost sold out will only become more difficult). DVC owners like to stretch their points and gravitate to the lower point seasons like the fall. If you are looking to book during higher point times (like spring break or the summer) you actually will probably find better availability. We bought a second contract last year and got access to our points at the end of oct/beginning of nov and were able to book 2 studios at the Poly for a week at the end of March (just under 5 months). Contrast that with Availability disappearing at 8 am on the dot 7 months out for Oct 2015 and 2016

 

[CaliAdventurer]

When researching DVC here before buying I looked for the same advice. The answer was consistently "buy where you want to stay". We have stayed a few times at VGF as renters and have now bought there. We have used our Aulani points to also stay at PVR, BCV, AKV, and VGC. BUT BUT BUT, this year has been markedly harder and in one case impossible. I realize now that we only got poly because it was not fully sold. I've not been able to get it since.
As more members join and the demand for rentals soar, I think we could see a time soon when the 7 month window has very limited selection if any at the most sought after resorts.

Definitely, buy where you want to stay. It just gives you so much more peace of mind.

*Ive stayed ssr rack and we had a great time! It's tranquil and the buses are not as bad as you hear. The proximity to the now legit DS is a big draw and when they get a refresh, it will rise way up the ranks IMO. It holds it's own.

 

[bwvBound]

Could you be flexible on the 'studio' requirement of your current thinking? If you leave yourself open to booking either studio or1BR units, based on availability, things open up considerably. We consider our SSR points as "network" points ... and do our booking inside the 7 month window across the various resort locations and unit types.

 

[Spork24]

If I were buying with your constraints I would buy BLT. That way you are able to get monorail area studios at 11 months (you can always try to switch to others at 7 mos).

Of course I'm a bit partial as all 3 of my contracts are BLT. It has been great for our young family. You can't beat walking to MK in the morning!

 

[CarolMN]

Lots of opinions to sift through, LOL. Here's the best summary (IMO) of what's likely at the 7 & 11 month marks:

drusba's 7 month Booking Summary (10/13/2016)

drusba's 11 month booking Summary (9/23/2016)


As you can see, success at 7 months is largely dependent on time of year, size of villa and the location of the resort. Note that the summer months are actually among the easiest to book at 7 months.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[crisi]

DVC honestly isn't a great option for people who want to stay everywhere. How it will work is that you will, at seven months, take what is available. That may not be your first or second choice resort, particularly if you want studios during low point seasons on the monorail or Epcot. If you want BCV, you might not get it, but you might end up with the Boardwalk, hope you didn't promise the kids SAB. If you want the Poly, you might get it, you might get BLT, or you might end up with SSR or OKW. Drusba's summaries are great for giving you an idea, and buying to stay everywhere is fine if you don't care where you end up. But if you want to plan your vacations intending to stay at a specific high demand resort this year, you may or may not be successful.

Some people have excellent luck, some people don't. Some people take extra time and effort to work the system - checking regularly for cancellations and really knowing how to work a waitlist.

Know that no one is spending the extra dollars to buy at the Poly or BCV with the intention of switching to SSR at seven months regularly. Buying those resorts only makes sense if you plan on doing the majority of your stays there - its also hard to justify a BWV or VGF contract if you are going to be switching. So most of the rooms at those resorts will be booked by the people who paid a premium to own there before the seven month booking window opens.

 

[Wakey]

As well as Drusba and Skier Pete, I also put up a spreadsheet with 7 month availibility.
I'm like you, bought to stay at different resorts.
I booked Poly Studio for September 7 months out. Also AKL 6 months out August, both this year.
I generally travel summer. This makes it easier.
I generally book 1 beds. This makes it MUCH easier.
I can get any resort, including VGF 7 months out. Any (I keep a close eye on it). This is in DVC off season, Jan to Sept excluding a few spots of peak period demand here and there.
Which is why, if you like to stay in different resorts and travel off season, I'm a great advocate of buying enough cheap points for a 1 bed. It literally opens the World to you at 7 months to get that 1 bed off peak DVC Season. More dues of course.
VGF owners can struggle to get studios before 7 months window opens, ironically I may get a 1 bed when the owner at VGF cannot get anything with their expensive points for a studio.
I was lucky as this was my travel pattern and room requirement anyway, so when my pre purchase research uncovered this pattern, it pushed me into buying DVC (and deciding on a cheap SSR contract rather than an alternative).
I'll probably end up staying SSR when I go peak times (if ever ) but it's a lovely resort so that's no hardship.

 

[Wakey]

To demonstrate my post above I just searched 20 March for a full week, every resort. Every single resort has 1 beds, every type, the only one missing the full 7 is BLT standard view, so I'd have to get a lake or do a switch mid stay. VGF 1 bed, no probs, BCV, BWV- no problem. Heck, I can even get VGC for the full week 1 bed. All of them. However, studios are a bit spotty with none but the usual suspects OKW, AKL, SSR and Poly having the full 7. You can even get 6 of the nights in a studio at BCV.
Edit: Upon review there's more studio full availibility than I thought - BWV garden pool, VWL, Bay Lake lake view also fully available.
For me 'buy where you want to stay' would have been a waste of money.
I think if you are prepared to do splits , travel off peak and book bang on 7 months and are flexible with hotel and category, you'll get some good booking's as my check today shows its often not nearly as restrictive as often made out, and sometimes advising people to buy the more expensive resort and spend thousands more may not be the best advice.
Cheers.

 

[1momof3boys3]

To demonstrate my post above I just searched 20 March for a full week, every resort. Every single resort has 1 beds, every type, the only one missing the full 7 is BLT standard view, so I'd have to get a lake or do a switch mid stay. VGF 1 bed, no probs, BCV, BWV- no problem. Heck, I can even get VGC for the full week 1 bed. All of them. However, studios are a bit spotty with none but the usual suspects OKW, AKL, SSR and Poly having the full 7. You can even get 6 of the nights in a studio at BCV.
Edit: Upon review there's more studio full availibility than I thought - BWV garden pool, VWL, Bay Lake lake view also fully available.
For me 'buy where you want to stay' would have been a waste of money.
I think if you are prepared to do splits , travel off peak and book bang on 7 months and are flexible with hotel and category, you'll get some good booking's as my check today shows its often not nearly as restrictive as often made out, and sometimes advising people to buy the more expensive resort and spend thousands more may not be the best advice.
Cheers.

Thanks for this information!

 

[crisi]

To demonstrate my post above I just searched 20 March for a full week, every resort. Every single resort has 1 beds, every type, the only one missing the full 7 is BLT standard view, so I'd have to get a lake or do a switch mid stay. VGF 1 bed, no probs, BCV, BWV- no problem. Heck, I can even get VGC for the full week 1 bed. All of them. However, studios are a bit spotty with none but the usual suspects OKW, AKL, SSR and Poly having the full 7. You can even get 6 of the nights in a studio at BCV.
Edit: Upon review there's more studio full availibility than I thought - BWV garden pool, VWL, Bay Lake lake view also fully available.
For me 'buy where you want to stay' would have been a waste of money.
I think if you are prepared to do splits , travel off peak and book bang on 7 months and are flexible with hotel and category, you'll get some good booking's as my check today shows its often not nearly as restrictive as often made out, and sometimes advising people to buy the more expensive resort and spend thousands more may not be the best advice.
Cheers.

One bedrooms are the easiest to get, but they are twice the cost of a studio and sleep pretty much the same number of people. IF you are looking to one bedrooms, then you can probably stay where you want, as long as you book right at the seven month window, and aren't looking to book the very high demand rooms/time of year.

If you are looking at DVC as a way to save money over a standard hotel room, you won't get there booking one bedrooms.

 

[Wakey]

One bedrooms are the easiest to get, but they are twice the cost of a studio and sleep pretty much the same number of people. IF you are looking to one bedrooms, then you can probably stay where you want, as long as you book right at the seven month window, and aren't looking to book the very high demand rooms/time of year.

If you are looking at DVC as a way to save money over a standard hotel room, you won't get there booking one bedrooms.

But as a family there is no way we would want a studio, we also bought for the 2 rooms, kitchen, washer and dryer in the room. We save massive sums- have you priced one of these up paying cash? 160 points SSR cost me 12k with all points banked from previous year! I rented those bringing purchase price down to 10k. 2 -3 stays at many resorts and I hit break even.so it fits us like glove as we wanted to stay in a 1 bed and we were paying cash for this pre DVC.
And the dues on our points circa $900 which gets around 5 nights in a 1 bed at quite high points times. So a 1 bed costs around $180 a night in dues. A standard room cash at Poly, VGF, BWV is what, $400- $500 a night- maybe more? What standard deluxe hotel rooms can be had for $180. Go to 1 bed, BCV is $800+ a night I think, VGF 1k, AKL booking from UK a1 bed is about $900.
Who wouldn't want twice the space for $180 a night, buy in costs (not massive in my case and I'll probably sell it on eventually) excluded? I just paid $300 a night plus taxes for a family suite at a Hampton Inn at Hershey!

 

[disneynutz]

Buy where you love to stay guarantees that you can book the resort, category, and size of room you want. Does it cost more, maybe but no more waitlists and the uncertainty of getting what you want when you want it. Studios, one, two, GVs and cabins/bungalows can booked with 99% success.

The booking patterns that we saw in the past, now and in the future will change as thousands of people continue buy into the DVC, the studios will go first and the one bedrooms second. How many buy a resort and later don't stay there because they like another resort better? We did, we haven't stayed at our AKV, BLT, and BCV properties in a few years and they aren't in our future plans.

Bill

 

[crisi]

But as a family there is no way we would want a studio, we also bought for the 2 rooms, kitchen, washer and dryer in the room. We save massive sums- have you priced one of these up paying cash? 160 points SSR cost me 12k with all points banked from previous year! I rented those bringing purchase price down to 10k. 2 -3 stays at many resorts and I hit break even.so it fits us like glove as we wanted to stay in a 1 bed and we were paying cash for this pre DVC.
And the dues on our points circa $900 which gets around 5 nights in a 1 bed at quite high points times. So a 1 bed costs around $180 a night in dues. A standard room cash at Poly, VGF, BWV is what, $400- $500 a night- maybe more? What standard deluxe hotel rooms can be had for $180. Go to 1 bed, BCV is $800+ a night I think, VGF 1k, AKL booking from UK a1 bed is about $900.
Who wouldn't want twice the space for $180 a night, buy in costs (not massive in my case and I'll probably sell it on eventually) excluded? I just paid $300 a night plus taxes for a family suite at a Hampton Inn at Hershey!

I agree, if you want a kitchen and a washer dryer, DVC is a good deal - although I'd never bother with a one bedroom - we want the kids sleeping in their own room, not on a hideabed in the living room. And two bedrooms are just slightly easier to book than studios. We've put four people in a Grand Villa, so I get where you are coming from. But SuzGM84 specifically asked about studios. And those are difficult to book at seven months much of the year if you are looking at monorail resorts.

 

[SuzGM84]

Could you be flexible on the 'studio' requirement of your current thinking? If you leave yourself open to booking either studio or1BR units, based on availability, things open up considerably. We consider our SSR points as "network" points ... and do our booking inside the 7 month window across the various resort locations and unit types.

Yes! Definitely flexible on the 1BR/studio, provided we have the points. That is another thought we've been considering. If we have the 150 pts (or 300 if we go every other year) at the 7mo mark, we might be able to upgrade our accommodations at a monorail resort to a 1BR.

I might have also not been clear on "peak" times and our intended travel plans. Our intention is to continue to vacation whenever we want before we have children/our children reach an age where we can't take them out of school. This means we can go in late January (after the marathon) when it's less points or in May when its middle of the road points, but less crowded (read DVC non-peak time). When we're tied to a school schedule, the number of points for the rooms increases but summer tends to be a less crowded/DVC non-peak time. That is when we'd be wanting/needing more points.

There was also some discussion about waitlisting/booking right at 7am EST/constantly checking for availability. I'm an OCD planner. It's just in my nature and I actually find that kind of stuff fun/exhilarating and have no problem doing so!