Question on availability on short notice

[wtclarke]

My wife and I are looking at the pros and cons of purchasing DVC points. We live in Florida and have always enjoyed short trips there over weekends. Typically, we have stayed on property at the moderately priced resorts like Port Orleans.

Our tendency has been to make reservations about two to three months out depending on the season and with flexibility on what weekend in the particular month we wanted to go. We usually want to attend the wine and food festival in the fall and a time between Thanksgiving and Christmas and then once or twice at other times during the year.

Based on your experiences, how easy will it be (if at all) to continue to make reservations like this if we become members of the DVC? I seem to be reading here a number of stories of difficulty in getting reservations on relatively short notice (two to three months out). We would normally be looking for the studio size rooms or possibly one-bedrooms. We also recognize that it might make sense to switch to Saturda and Sunday nights instead of Friday and Saturday nights to conserve points.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Bill

 

[Chuck S]

I think as long as you remain flexible as to which resort, room size, and which particular weekend you want to visit it will probably work out fine for you.

 

[Desnik]

Remember the weekends will take a lot more points. Also, you would have to be really flexible with what resort you want. I was able to get a last min ressie recently but it was at a resort that was our last choice and we had to change our dates a little.

I have always felt that DVC is worth it more for us folks who like to plan our trips a year in advance, go at least every year and normally stay at deluxe resorts. For someone who vacations like you I would think in the long run it would save you money not to join DVC.

For us we usually go 1-2 times a year and stay at deluxe resorts, so DVC was a no brainer for us! I am also a compulsive planner and have most of my trips planned a year in advance. This time we were going to HHI and I booked that 7 months in advance and got what I wanted. Then my family decided they really wanted to go back to WDW 25 days before our trip!! It took a while but I was able to get a ressie but like I stated we had to be flexible.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It appears to be getting more difficult to get reservations with a short time frame. Some times of the year you probably won't be successful - like Oct through mid-Jan. Or Spring Break/Easter time.

Studios often go first.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Well my experience lately has been that short term ressies of 1-2 months are extremely difficult. 3-4 months may be easier. I just finished trying to get a ressie for a studio for 3 nights in May and didn't have much luck at all at first. Nothing was available at any resort and I tried a number of different combinations for 3 nights during different weeks. Finally I kept calling and was able to get a studio at SSR checking in on May 18th for 3 nights. That was all that was available.

 

[photobob]

Some of the times you mentioned like F & W Festival and between Thanksgiving and Christmas would probably be difficult to obtain with short notice. That being said if you're willing to waitlist and take whatever is available it might be doable. You would have to be flexible. DVC is best suited obviously for those that can plan well in advance.