Questions re: Booking in Other DVC/WDW/DL Hotels

[Lawrence Cooper]

Debating my potential purchase at SSR during my upcoming (Jan. 2-9) trip. One question I had concerned the 7/11 month window. Basically, what I wanted to know is if I plan a trip and use the 11 month window at SSR to book, but want to try another resort, can I then transfer that reservation somehow (or rebook it) within the 7 month window at another resort? (e.g., if I book in January for December at SSR, can I call back in May to try to get OKW or BCV or something else?) Hope this makes sense.

Also, from reading the boards it looks like you can book at other, non-DVC, WDW and DL properties. I wasn't aware that you could use points for these. Does someone have a link to a full list of what D properties this works for? Does it pay to do this or does it eat up too many of your points to be worth it? Is there a transfer cost?

Sorry about so many questions, but I am trying to get as many facts as possible before I part with my 15 grand! Thanks.

 

[Pa@okw95]

Your first paragraph is correct. As for using points at other than DVC properties it really gets expensive, the points required are very high.

 

[rugelus]

I have had no trouble (yet) booking within the 7 month window. I usually can determine when i want to go a year in advance so at the 11 month window I always book a home resort. If I want to try another resort I call at the 7 month window and request it.

Even when a resort I want is not available immediatly I keep calling and have always gotten the room size and resort I want for the dates I've set.

Maybe I'm lucky but I think not.

Enjoy!

 

[Disney Doll]

If you book at your home resort at 11 months, you can then try to book at another resort at 7 months. If nothing is available at the 7 month window in the resort you want, you can go on a waiting list for that resort, and they will contact you as the days become available.

I have done this quite a few times, and usually always get my 2nd request. Soemtimes it gets down to the wire...in ocotber, we went to the F&W Fest at Epcot and wanted to spend the whole time at the BWVs and we got the last night of our reservation on the day before we travelled ...but we did get it.

 

[buckylarue]

Using your points to stay at a non-DVD resort at WDW, DL, DL Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, DL Hong Kong, or the Disney Cruise Lines is not the most cost-efficient use of points, but is an option if you want to try one of those things and have the points to spare. There is no transfer fee for using points at these resorts (not sure if there is a fee for the cruise line; haven't done that yet). They did just lower the point requirement for DL hotels, so it's a better deal now than it used to be; also, DL Paris trips booked with DVC points include admission to both parks for the length of the stay, which makes it a pretty good deal too!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Debating my potential purchase at SSR during my upcoming (Jan. 2-9) trip. One question I had concerned the 7/11 month window. Basically, what I wanted to know is if I plan a trip and use the 11 month window at SSR to book, but want to try another resort, can I then transfer that reservation somehow (or rebook it) within the 7 month window at another resort? (e.g., if I book in January for December at SSR, can I call back in May to try to get OKW or BCV or something else?) Hope this makes sense.

Also, from reading the boards it looks like you can book at other, non-DVC, WDW and DL properties. I wasn't aware that you could use points for these. Does someone have a link to a full list of what D properties this works for? Does it pay to do this or does it eat up too many of your points to be worth it? Is there a transfer cost?

Sorry about so many questions, but I am trying to get as many facts as possible before I part with my 15 grand! Thanks.

Just to add-it's done all the time! MS is so used to it. When I reserved one year at 11 months, I told MS that I was going to try to switch at 7 months. She was nice enough to check availability at the resort I planned to switch to, and told me it was already booked (this was a couple days after the 11 month window opened). So when I called back at 7 months, I expected to go on a long waiting list. Much to my pleasant surprise, the resort I wanted was open then. "There's so much movement around at 7 months," she said. If what you want isn't available at 7 months, there's always the waiting list. That's one advantage over CRO-they don't have a waiting list if the resort you want is full. And I think others will agree-I've had great luck with the waiting list. In about 6 tries on the waiting list, I've had it come through all but once. And that once, I didn't even go on the waiting list until about 45 days before the trip (real last minute).