Questions for an "almost" Owner!

[Family5LovesDisney]

We are in the middle of the ROFR process of owning points at OKW. (sitting on pins and needles here!) I have a few questions that some of you DVC veterans might be able to answer.

1. We are trying to become DVC members because we like to visit Disney at least once a year. However, in the future we might want to use our points for a week in London or Salzburg. How hard is it to exchange? I saw on another post that someone has been on the waiting list for Hawaii for 10 months.

2. We loved OKW when we rented points to stay there a few years ago. However, we might want to try another DVC Resort sometime in the future. How hard is it to get another resort within the 7 month window? We normally travel in January and even though it's off-season I think that it might be more popular with DVC members because of lower points???

3. Do you always have to book out your vacation 11 or 7 months in advance? DH has a crazy work schedule and we probably wouldn't even be able to narrow down a time for this coming Janaury (08) until October. What are our chances of getting a 2 bedroom villa at OKW?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

 

[dianeschlicht]

We are in the middle of the ROFR process of owning points at OKW. (sitting on pins and needles here!) I have a few questions that some of you DVC veterans might be able to answer.

1. We are trying to become DVC members because we like to visit Disney at least once a year. However, in the future we might want to use our points for a week in London or Salzburg. How hard is it to exchange? I saw on another post that someone has been on the waiting list for Hawaii for 10 months.

2. We loved OKW when we rented points to stay there a few years ago. However, we might want to try another DVC Resort sometime in the future. How hard is it to get another resort within the 7 month window? We normally travel in January and even though it's off-season I think that it might be more popular with DVC members because of lower points???

3. Do you always have to book out your vacation 11 or 7 months in advance? DH has a crazy work schedule and we probably wouldn't even be able to narrow down a time for this coming Janaury (08) until October. What are our chances of getting a 2 bedroom villa at OKW?

1. As long as you plan ahead and can be both flexible and patient, you should be able to travel to those locations. You can deposit weeks in II up to two years ahead, so that gives you some time, and if you aren't specific about dates or resorts, it is easier. For example, giving a wide window of time that involves several months will be more likely to give you an exchange than limiting it to a specific week. To exchange into a specific place, someone else has to exchange out of that place, so it's a bit complicated. We have exchanged to HAwaii and got our exchange in 5 days, even though we did a search 2 years out. It helped us lock in a specific date and made it much easier to get our airfare arranged that way.

2. As long as you plan 7 months ahead, you should be able to try other resorts, and even on shorter notice, reservations are available. During busy times, you might need to waitlist, but that too often comes through. I don't think you would have a great deal of trouble booking later. We just added a May trip about a month ago on short notice.

3. January will be easiest at OKW, and a 2 bedroom will be easier than a studio.

 

[drusba]

Trading out depends on availability. Hawaii can be difficult because...well...it is Hawaii. Many others are not difficult. Don't know about London or Salzburg.

What you can get at others at 7 months out depends on time of year, resort and type of room. High DVC times like any time in December, many times in Nov and Oct, and spring break and holidays, will be more difficult to get than other times. VWL and BCV as the smaller resorts have more limited availability year round, as does BWV standard view or preferred boardwalk view. BWV preferred pool and garden, OKW, and SSR tend to be fairly easy to get at 7 months many times of the year. Waiting to October to make a Jan ressie creates some risk that you will not get what you want at OKW and you should, if you can, reserve your home resort between 11 and 8 months out (and then try to change later). Also when you want to go in Jan makes a difference. If you are talking about first week, like Jan 1 to 7, you are competing with those who are making holiday bookings and thus should do it 11 months out, time around the Marathon (the next weekend), and around Martin Luther King Day can also be somewhat more difficult to get if making late ressies.

 

[Family5LovesDisney]

Trading out depends on availability. Hawaii can be difficult because...well...it is Hawaii. Many others are not difficult. Don't know about London or Salzburg.

What you can get at others at 7 months out depends on time of year, resort and type of room. High DVC times like any time in December, many times in Nov and Oct, and spring break and holidays, will be more difficult to get than other times. VWL and BCV as the smaller resorts have more limited availability year round, as does BWV standard view or preferred boardwalk view. BWV preferred pool and garden, OKW, and SSR tend to be fairly easy to get at 7 months many times of the year. Waiting to October to make a Jan ressie creates some risk that you will not get what you want at OKW and you should, if you can, reserve your home resort between 11 and 8 months out (and then try to change later). Also when you want to go in Jan makes a difference. If you are talking about first week, like Jan 1 to 7, you are competing with those who are making holiday bookings and thus should do it 11 months out, time around the Marathon (the next weekend), and around Martin Luther King Day can also be somewhat more difficult to get if making late ressies.

I can narrow it down to the either of the last weeks in Janaury but my DH can't give me which week until at least October (possibly later) I have read that I can make a reservation and that if I cancel at least 31 days prior, my points would be returned to my account??? I just hate to tie up a week and then have to cancel if someone else was trying to get in.

 

[Family5LovesDisney]

1. As long as you plan ahead and can be both flexible and patient, you should be able to travel to those locations. You can deposit weeks in II up to two years ahead, so that gives you some time, and if you aren't specific about dates or resorts, it is easier. For example, giving a wide window of time that involves several months will be more likely to give you an exchange than limiting it to a specific week. To exchange into a specific place, someone else has to exchange out of that place, so it's a bit complicated. We have exchanged to HAwaii and got our exchange in 5 days, even though we did a search 2 years out. It helped us lock in a specific date and made it much easier to get our airfare arranged that way.

2. As long as you plan 7 months ahead, you should be able to try other resorts, and even on shorter notice, reservations are available. During busy times, you might need to waitlist, but that too often comes through. I don't think you would have a great deal of trouble booking later. We just added a May trip about a month ago on short notice.

3. January will be easiest at OKW, and a 2 bedroom will be easier than a studio.

I am still trying to understand this whole exchange process. Thank goodness I would only want to do it once or twice. I did read something about depositing weeks up to two years ahead but I'm not sure how that works when we have points and not weeks? Does this mean that someone at the timeshare in London would have to come to OKW at WDW during the same week that I would use their timeshare?

 

[dianeschlicht]

I can narrow it down to the either of the last weeks in Janaury but my DH can't give me which week until at least October (possibly later) I have read that I can make a reservation and that if I cancel at least 31 days prior, my points would be returned to my account??? I just hate to tie up a week and then have to cancel if someone else was trying to get in.

I doubt you will have trouble other than MLK weekend itself. I'd just take my chances and book when you know. You can always waitlist too.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I am still trying to understand this whole exchange process. Thank goodness I would only want to do it once or twice. I did read something about depositing weeks up to two years ahead but I'm not sure how that works when we have points and not weeks? Does this mean that someone at the timeshare in London would have to come to OKW at WDW during the same week that I would use their timeshare?

Not necessarily from the same resorts, but from the same system. They would have to trade into II for you to get an exchange at a specific resort. To exchange a week, you deposit a week for the size unit you would require in your exchange. Actually, if you do a search, they will not take the points required for that search out of your account until you accept a trade. You can do it either way...start with just a search or start by depositing a week.

 

[Family5LovesDisney]

Not necessarily from the same resorts, but from the same system. They would have to trade into II for you to get an exchange at a specific resort. To exchange a week, you deposit a week for the size unit you would require in your exchange. Actually, if you do a search, they will not take the points required for that search out of your account until you accept a trade. You can do it either way...start with just a search or start by depositing a week.

Okay, that makes sense. If I want a two bedroom unit in Europe, then I would exchange a two bedroom villa at OKW. After that, it's a matter of luck.

When I did a DCV time share presentation many years ago at DBV, they give me the impression that it would be so easy to switch out because "Who wouldn't want to stay at Disney?! It's one of the most popular vacation destinations." Anything for a sale, huh!

Of course, I will mostly use my points for Disney vacations! I just wanted to make sure I understood everything before I sign all the final papers! IF my ROFR goes through!