Question re first purchase - Booking 3-4 Weeks Out?

[lidiglass]

We've recently had our offer accepted on our very first DVC point purchase!! We're so excited. It's a resale contract for 150 points at our beloved Boardwalk with a March use year.

The contract carries 150 points from 2014 and 150 coming in 2015 - and, thrown in and not affecting the cost - 150 points from 2013 that will expire on February 28, 2015. Getting these soon-to-expire 2013 points didn't affect our price but if at all possible we'd love to book a quick trip after we close to use them rather than let them go to waste. The challenge, of course, is that we won't likely close until at least January 15th given the ROFR period, etc. So...my question is...if we're pretty flexible on dates, room type and resort, do we have a chance of using our 150 points from 2013 booking only 3-4 weeks out? If we can't, we can't. But it would be great to know what, if anything, tends to be available booking that close to a trip in February. Will President's week likely be totally booked already? Might we have luck at Animal Kingdom? I don't care if it's a number of nights in a studio or a weekend in a 2 bedroom - it would just be fun to do something that month with our "freebie points".

 

[jekjones1558]

We've recently had our offer accepted on our very first DVC point purchase!! We're so excited. It's a resale contract for 150 points at our beloved Boardwalk with a March use year.

The contract carries 150 points from 2014 and 150 coming in 2015 - and, thrown in and not affecting the cost - 150 points from 2013 that will expire on February 28, 2015. Getting these soon-to-expire 2013 points didn't affect our price but if at all possible we'd love to book a quick trip after we close to use them rather than let them go to waste. The challenge, of course, is that we won't likely close until at least January 15th given the ROFR period, etc. So...my question is...if we're pretty flexible on dates, room type and resort, do we have a chance of using our 150 points from 2013 booking only 3-4 weeks out? If we can't, we can't. But it would be great to know what, if anything, tends to be available booking that close to a trip in February. Will President's week likely be totally booked already? Might we have luck at Animal Kingdom? I don't care if it's a number of nights in a studio or a weekend in a 2 bedroom - it would just be fun to do something that month with our "freebie points".

If you are willing to be really flexible then I think you can get something, though probably not President's week. Saratoga will probably be easiest and 1 bedrooms will likely have the best availability. Good luck. It would be a real shame to have those points go to waste.

 

[MountainMouse]

We've recently had our offer accepted on our very first DVC point purchase!! We're so excited. It's a resale contract for 150 points at our beloved Boardwalk with a March use year. The contract carries 150 points from 2014 and 150 coming in 2015 - and, thrown in and not affecting the cost - 150 points from 2013 that will expire on February 28, 2015. Getting these soon-to-expire 2013 points didn't affect our price but if at all possible we'd love to book a quick trip after we close to use them rather than let them go to waste. The challenge, of course, is that we won't likely close until at least January 15th given the ROFR period, etc. So...my question is...if we're pretty flexible on dates, room type and resort, do we have a chance of using our 150 points from 2013 booking only 3-4 weeks out? If we can't, we can't. But it would be great to know what, if anything, tends to be available booking that close to a trip in February. Will President's week likely be totally booked already? Might we have luck at Animal Kingdom? I don't care if it's a number of nights in a studio or a weekend in a 2 bedroom - it would just be fun to do something that month with our "freebie points".

Can you trade them into RCI for a week at another timeshare? I'm not sure of the rules on this as I'm new as well, hopefully someone else can give details.

 

[bashuck]

I was closer to 4 months when I closed but had many options as I was looking for end of Jan/early Feb in a 1 bedroom. Got the resort I wanted most (VWL). Studios would be much harder to find but as you are trying to use up points in a short duration this would be the time to want to splurge on a 1 bedroom anyway as you won't be trying to book 10 days.

 

[Msmithmd]

As long as you are willing to split stay, possibly including moving rooms/resorts every day, I think it is very likely you will get something. Agree with PP that Presidents' Day weekend may be completely full, but even that is possible- you will just have to log on and see.

One thing to be aware for extreme last minute booking: inside of seven days before travel, it is possible (not necessarily likely) that MS could pull rooms back from cash side inventory if you call. Inside seven days, they would rather have a room full and get your points used now (rather than in the future), than let a room sit empty if it wasn't bought up by a cash side guest. No idea if this is relevant to your situation, it really only would work for someone who lives driving distance away, or who has already planned their dates and scheduled something last-minute cancellable (offsite) for their lodging.

 

[disprincess2213]

I am in a similar boat as you. DH and I had a trip booked in July for the end of January. We ended up purchasing a DVC in the meantime! Anyways, we have been waiting for the sellers to return their paperwork to close, which is taking FOREVER. By the time we get our member number, it will be about 4 weeks out to the dates we want to go. We are extremely flexible and don't care which resort/view we get (as well as we don't mind having to switch)...as long as we have SOMEWHERE to stay. My anxiety raises every day to complete this process and just get in!! I have my fingers crossed that we will be able to find SOMETHING!! I have my fingers crossed for you as well!!

 

[Dawn68PA]

Same boat here. Just sent out closing docs back Friday and we want to go sometime in January! Fingers crossed for all of us!

 

[com_op_2000]

Can you trade them into RCI for a week at another timeshare? I'm not sure of the rules on this as I'm new as well, hopefully someone else can give details.

If you trade them into the RCI system , you will have an extra year in which to use them. That way you can get some use of the points rather than loosing them altogether.
If you want to go this route, maybe you can get the person you are buying from to agree to transfer them for you before closing and have the docs updated to reflect this change. Maybe discuss with your broker to decide if this is even possible at this point.

 

[lidiglass]

If you trade them into the RCI system , you will have an extra year in which to use them. That way you can get some use of the points rather than loosing them altogether.
If you want to go this route, maybe you can get the person you are buying from to agree to transfer them for you before closing and have the docs updated to reflect this change. Maybe discuss with your broker to decide if this is even possible at this point.

Thank you so much. I will definitely look into this. Our ROFR period started on Saturday and we were given a timeline of about 60 days to close - which would give us about 5 weeks to do *something* with the points. I don't care what we do - they're not going to waste!

 

[lidiglass]

I am in a similar boat as you. DH and I had a trip booked in July for the end of January. We ended up purchasing a DVC in the meantime! Anyways, we have been waiting for the sellers to return their paperwork to close, which is taking FOREVER. By the time we get our member number, it will be about 4 weeks out to the dates we want to go. We are extremely flexible and don't care which resort/view we get (as well as we don't mind having to switch)...as long as we have SOMEWHERE to stay. My anxiety raises every day to complete this process and just get in!! I have my fingers crossed that we will be able to find SOMETHING!! I have my fingers crossed for you as well!!

Same boat here. Just sent out closing docs back Friday and we want to go sometime in January! Fingers crossed for all of us!

If either of you thinks of it, let me know how it goes. I'm so anxious to log in that first time!

 

[skier_pete]

We've recently had our offer accepted on our very first DVC point purchase!! We're so excited. It's a resale contract for 150 points at our beloved Boardwalk with a March use year.

The contract carries 150 points from 2014 and 150 coming in 2015 - and, thrown in and not affecting the cost - 150 points from 2013 that will expire on February 28, 2015. Getting these soon-to-expire 2013 points didn't affect our price but if at all possible we'd love to book a quick trip after we close to use them rather than let them go to waste. The challenge, of course, is that we won't likely close until at least January 15th given the ROFR period, etc. So...my question is...if we're pretty flexible on dates, room type and resort, do we have a chance of using our 150 points from 2013 booking only 3-4 weeks out? If we can't, we can't. But it would be great to know what, if anything, tends to be available booking that close to a trip in February. Will President's week likely be totally booked already? Might we have luck at Animal Kingdom? I don't care if it's a number of nights in a studio or a weekend in a 2 bedroom - it would just be fun to do something that month with our "freebie points".

For last minute usage, you can always look to a 1-bedroom at SSR. You probably have a good chance of getting that for late January, early February. 150 points would get you 4-6 nights in a 1-bedroom at SSR. (More nights in January.) You may also find something at OKW or AKV as well.

I would say your chances of booking anything Presidents week are very slim. I've been tracking that week this year for future vacations, and the 2nd weekend of is practically booked up at the 7-month mark for studios because it is also the marathon weekend. Right now, pretty much everything is booked for that week already, including 1-bedrooms at SSR. So a month in advance what little is left will be gone.

Same boat here. Just sent out closing docs back Friday and we want to go sometime in January! Fingers crossed for all of us!

FYI to both OP and Dawn68PA - if you starting ROFR right now, you probably have about 75 days before you get the points in your account. Yeah, it's about 60 days until the sale closes (30 days for ROFR and 30 days for deed), but it takes another two weeks after that to get the points loaded and your account info. You probably won't have them before the end of January.

Hate to be a poop, but trying to manage your expectations. Good luck!!

 

[Dawn68PA]

If either of you thinks of it, let me know how it goes. I'm so anxious to log in that first time!

We had a hiccup. Sent The closing docs back right away and discovered our notary was invalid. Have to go do it again

 

[Dawn68PA]

FYI to both OP and Dawn68PA - if you starting ROFR right now, you probably have about 75 days before you get the points in your account. Yeah, it's about 60 days until the sale closes (30 days for ROFR and 30 days for deed), but it takes another two weeks after that to get the points loaded and your account info. You probably won't have them before the end of January. Hate to be a poop, but trying to manage your expectations. Good luck!!

We're through ROFR...just gotta get the closing docs in...

 

[lidiglass]

For last minute usage, you can always look to a 1-bedroom at SSR. You probably have a good chance of getting that for late January, early February. 150 points would get you 4-6 nights in a 1-bedroom at SSR. (More nights in January.) You may also find something at OKW or AKV as well.

I would say your chances of booking anything Presidents week are very slim. I've been tracking that week this year for future vacations, and the 2nd weekend of is practically booked up at the 7-month mark for studios because it is also the marathon weekend. Right now, pretty much everything is booked for that week already, including 1-bedrooms at SSR. So a month in advance what little is left will be gone.



FYI to both OP and Dawn68PA - if you starting ROFR right now, you probably have about 75 days before you get the points in your account. Yeah, it's about 60 days until the sale closes (30 days for ROFR and 30 days for deed), but it takes another two weeks after that to get the points loaded and your account info. You probably won't have them before the end of January.

Hate to be a poop, but trying to manage your expectations. Good luck!!

No, that's probably the reality!! We started ROFR last weekend, so late January is probably the most realistic. I'll look into an RCI trade if need be but am hoping we can find a little something at WDW that month.

 

[lidiglass]

We had a hiccup. Sent The closing docs back right away and discovered our notary was invalid. Have to go do it again

Oh no!!

 

[skier_pete]

We're through ROFR...just gotta get the closing docs in...

Then it's probably doable. As I said, if you have the points for a 1-bedroom at SSR you got a good shot at availability there. OKW and AKV are possible, anything else is extremely unlikely unless you are talking 1-2 nights/split stay.

 

[Sleepy425]

With the exception of Feb 14-21 February isn't looking awful. Quite a few things I checked still had openings. January had less open. Good luck! (I only checked 1BR- VWL, AKL, OWK, SSR)

 

[lidiglass]

With the exception of Feb 14-21 February isn't looking awful. Quite a few things I checked still had openings. January had less open. Good luck! (I only checked 1BR- VWL, AKL, OWK, SSR)

Thank you!! Fingers crossed.

Does Disney put almost everything into the pot for cash bookings after 60 days? I'm wondering if that's what will do us in.

 

[nkosiek]

They may but you could call and ask them if there are any they could pull back. They may or may not help you out, but the answer will always be, "No" if you never ask.

 

[Dawn68PA]

Then it's probably doable. As I said, if you have the points for a 1-bedroom at SSR you got a good shot at availability there. OKW and AKV are possible, anything else is extremely unlikely unless you are talking 1-2 nights/split stay.

Thank you for the encouragement.....we're flexible on dates and locations so hopefully there will be anything! LOL