RAT - A lot of availability between 7 and 11 months??

[SarahInMN]

I usually start stalking the RAT about a month before booking at our home resorts (BCV and VGF) for F&W. We usually book a 1 BR. I've noticed there is a TON of 1 BRs available at both resorts currently for 7-11 months and even a lot up to the 7 month window. I got curious and changed my search to a studio: same pattern.

I have never seen this much open-ness at either resort over summer to early fall. Does anyone have the sense of is this just a normal booking/travel pattern variation that happens some years? Or (more concerning) is there a sense that the RAT is not wholly accurate in what is actually open/available?

 

[js]

Not sure but I went to F&W September 5-12 this year and booked BWVs studio, Pool/Garden view at 7 months.
I did try GFVs, for a studio/one bedroom, but couldn't get full week although if I booked, I am thinking I could have stalked and
got it since missing only 1-2 days. I also could have gotten the Poly or CCVs. Could have gotten a 2 bedroom at GFVs, but knew we wanted to go 2-3 times this year and wanted to save points.

Going again next September so hoping this trend continues but not hopeful LOL

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Late summer and early September is before the madness starts. Some may be waiting on Moonlight Madness dates or hoping for Galaxy's Edge dates.

 

[disneynutz]

Policy changes and higher costs may be starting to decrease Disney vacations. Also September is the beginning of hurricane season.

Bill

 

[SarahInMN]

Thanks for thoughts- I was just so surprised to see availability through the whole summer. We usually do F&W in late October but are going earlier this year. I really had never seen so much availability. Guess I won’t stress about getting my 9 nights at VGF.

 

[Bing Showei]

Thanks for thoughts- I was just so surprised to see availability through the whole summer. We usually do F&W in late October but are going earlier this year. I really had never seen so much availability. Guess I won’t stress about getting my 9 nights at VGF.

Summer is DVC low-season. Point charts are more expensive, so much more 7-month friendly than October to Mid-Jan (where you will likely have to stay at your home resort). Additionally, 1BRs, as a category across all resorts, don’t book as quickly as studios or 2BRs.

 

[zavandor]

Thanks for thoughts- I was just so surprised to see availability through the whole summer. We usually do F&W in late October but are going earlier this year. I really had never seen so much availability. Guess I won’t stress about getting my 9 nights at VGF.

At 7 months at the VGF there can be some availability but it quickly disappears. For last September I was ready to book right at 8am but I entered the wrong day by mistake. By the time I got the error, hit back on the browser, fixed the day the hit enter again, it was gone. In something like 10 seconds.
I later got the room thanks to a waitlist.
So be ready to book exactly the millisecond the clock hits 8am.

 

[js]

At 7 months at the VGF there can be some availability but it quickly disappears. For last September I was ready to book right at 8am but I entered the wrong day by mistake. By the time I got the error, hit back on the browser, fixed the day the hit enter again, it was gone. In something like 10 seconds.
I later got the room thanks to a waitlist.
So be ready to book exactly the millisecond the clock hits 8am.

Thank you for this information. Is there a specific place to get ready to book on the site. Is there a place we can get up to and hit refresh and begin or do we need to start at the very beginning at 8:00 am.

Thank you.

 

[Louis morrell]

Policy changes and higher costs may be starting to decrease Disney vacations. Also September is the beginning of hurricane season.

Bill

Actualy June is the beginning of hurricane season. September is the peak of the season. It all ends at the end of November. Oh what a fun time to live in South Louisiana

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

With the RAT you can’t tell if there is one unit available or if there are 20 units available. You just know there is at least one.

VGF is interesting. There are 6 GVs, there are 47 dedicated 2BRs. There are up to 47 lock off 2BRs. But the lock offs can also be configured as a 1BR plus a Studio. So every time someone books a lock off 2 br it takes a studio and a 1 br out of inventory. Conversely, every time someone books a studio, it takes a 2BR lockoff out of inventory, and leaves a 1BR available.

VGF was a fairly expensive resort, so there are a lot of people with only enough points for a studio. This means that in the fall frenzy thru December, studios and lock offs go really quickly. The dedicated 2BRs and the 1BRs last a little longer, but are also quite popular. To muddy the waters further, you have LAke view vs Standard View. Standard views tend to go first because of the lower points chart.

If you know you want VGF you are wise to book it as soon as you can. But you are right: at certain times of the year, you can find availability up until the 7 month mark. Here is Skier Pete’s great post that shows this. Predicted DVC booking patterns - Studios & 1-bedrooms (June 2018 Update)