Question on purchase timing

[dclopper]

We're thinking about heading down to Disneyworld around New Years, and I realized that the cost of the room (we'd be looking at 1 bedroom villas) would actually be about 1/2 or 1/3 the price of a DVC resale with the right level of points we'd need for the stay. So I started thinking that maybe we should take the dive into DVC (long time Disney attendee, and about half of my family are already DVC members).

But here's my question -- would I be able to purchase a DVC resale and still have time to use them around New Years? It looks like ROFR is taking about a month, so even if I submitted a purchases as soon as possible, I probably wouldn't hear back from Disney until mid-November, just over a month away from our planned vacation date. That seems to be cutting it awful close.

Has anyone done something similar, in terms of buying into DVC right before a vacation? Any other thoughts?

 

[disneynutz]

Availability for New Years this late is questionable. By the time you get your points, near imposable.

 

[browniemtb]

As was stated already, New Years is a very busy DVC time. On top of that getting a resale through and complete in time would be close to impossible. If purchased through Disney though you will get points up front and right away.....chances would be better.

 

[cvjw]

I recently bought contracts resale, and tried to book for New Years and after - no availability anywhere. Something could open up, but by the time you got your points buying resale - 6-8 weeks, it is highly doubtful.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Just echoing what everyone else has said. Barring a miracle, getting a New Year's reservation at that point would be all but impossible. You are right that spending money to rent DVC could go a long way towards buying it, but I don't think your timeline will work at the moment.

 

[DenLo]

I recently bought contracts resale, and tried to book for New Years and after - no availability anywhere. Something could open up, but by the time you got your points buying resale - 6-8 weeks, it is highly doubtful.

Did you specify a 1 BR or any type of villa? Just curious if all size of villas at all of the WDW resorts are booked up.

 

[dclopper]

Thanks everyone! I kind of figured the timeline would be impractical. FWIW, it does look like I can get a 1 bedroom villa at Wilderness lodge through the standard Disney reservation system (cash) -- I wonder if they differentiate between allocations for DVC and allocations for cash visitors . . . so that even if it looks like there's a normal vacancy, all the DVC rooms are taken up.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Thanks everyone! I kind of figured the timeline would be impractical. FWIW, it does look like I can get a 1 bedroom villa at Wilderness lodge through the standard Disney reservation system (cash) -- I wonder if they differentiate between allocations for DVC and allocations for cash visitors . . . so that even if it looks like there's a normal vacancy, all the DVC rooms are taken up.

This is correct. The cash ressies available through CRO represent blocks of rooms withheld from DVC sales for rotating maintenance, interests transferred out to other Disney resorts/cruises, unsold interests, etc... These rooms come from a different pool and have no relation to the DVC usage. It is quite frequently the case that cash ressies through CRO are available while DVC bookings are at full capacity.

 

[chalee94]

I wonder if they differentiate between allocations for DVC and allocations for cash visitors . . . so that even if it looks like there's a normal vacancy, all the DVC rooms are taken up.

Yes, there are two (completely) separate inventories -- one for booking with cash and one for booking for points.

Anyone can book a cash reservation via Disney CRO, and DVC members can book one via DVC MS at a 25% discount, subject to availability. There are four major sources of inventory for cash reservation:

Exchanges: The number one source of cash rooms is actually from the Member inventory. This occurs when members exchange/trade outside of the DVC resorts. This includes using your points to book the Disney Collection (hotels at the Disney theme parks and the Disney Cruise Line), Concierge Collection, and the Adventurer Collection. When a member trades outside of DVC, the points used to book the outside reservation are assigned to DVD to rent out. This does not apply to the World Passport Collection.

Undeclared: These are the units that have been built by the developer that has not yet been declared into the condominium association. Since DVD controls these units, they may be rented out for cash reservations

Breakage: Another source of cash reservations includes Member inventory that has not been reserved by members using points. Any Member inventory not reserved by members using points is made available to Disney CRO at the 60-day mark for cash reservations by the general public. This is actually beneficial to DVC members, in that the association earns “breakage” income on these rooms rather than letting them sit empty.

ROFR: Another source of cash reservations is the inventory of declared points owned by DVD. These points are typically acquired by the ROFR process. Since DVD owns the points, they can rent them out.

 

[cvjw]

Did you specify a 1 BR or any type of villa? Just curious if all size of villas at all of the WDW resorts are booked up.

I specifically called for a 1 bedroom, or a 2 bedroom. One of our contracts that we purchased had 08 points on it that have to be used. Since there wasn't anything available for 1 or 2 bedrooms, I had them look for anything! I think there might have been one studio available for one night. I had them look for a couple of days before New Years until Jan 5th. On Jan 2nd and beyond, there was availability at a variety of resorts.

 

[dclopper]

DVC members can book one via DVC MS at a 25% discount, subject to availability.

I didn't know that! That's a pretty sizable discount. Does the cash reservation have to be in the DVC members name, or could I ask them to make the reservation in my name (similar as to how my DVC family members have used their points to get reservations for me in the past)

 

[chalee94]

I didn't know that! That's a pretty sizable discount. Does the cash reservation have to be in the DVC members name, or could I ask them to make the reservation in my name (similar as to how my DVC family members have used their points to get reservations for me in the past)

1) they don't always make the discount available to DVC owners (which might be the biggest obstacle but it's worth asking).

2) they have been allowing the cash reservation to be made for another party (i.e. without the DVC member staying in the room) but IIRC, that is technically against the written policy.

(BTW, reservations made with the discount do not get daily mousekeeping.)