Re-joining DVC

[PoohBW]

Hi Everyone...We are former BWV owners from the 90's. We sold our points as our kids got older and didn't want to go, but now with grandchildren we are looking at purchasing again. We loved the BW area but I have to say, the Poly has always been my dream resort. I spoke to a guide yesterday by phone, and a couple of things came up. He mentioned that the Poly now has direct access to Epcot monorail without changing at TTC. Is this true? Also I mentioned that the only thing I disliked about Poly was the lack of 1bdrm units and he said we would be able to get two studios that were joined to each other. Does anyone have experience booking 2 together? We would be traveling with our daughter and her hubby and 2 kids. I would give up full kitchen for the Poly but only if it seems like the connecting door between two units would be guaranteed. Also wondering if the poly standard views will have similar availability as the BWV standard views....hard to book if it isn't our home resort. Any help is appreciated!

 

[erionm]

He mentioned that the Poly now has direct access to Epcot monorail without changing at TTC. Is this true?

Not true. You can walk to the TTC from the Poly, but no direct Epcot monorail access from the Poly monorail station.

Also I mentioned that the only thing I disliked about Poly was the lack of 1bdrm units and he said we would be able to get two studios that were joined to each other. Does anyone have experience booking 2 together?

Adjoining studios are only a request. The odds are in your favor as nearly all of the studios connect to another studio (only 1 doesn't connect to another).

 

[PoohBW]

Thanks! I thought that was the situation with the monorail. Very helpful to know that most studios connect.

 

[drusba]

There are only two non-connecting studios out of the 360 PVB studios (of which 288 are standard view); thus probability of being able to have a request for connecting studios met is high and there has not yet been any report of someone not getting that request.

As far as needing to buy at Poly to get the studios, the pattern that is developing is that they are difficult to get (both standard and lake view) at 7 months out from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan, DVC's high demand season, but (again both views) easy to get from mid-Jan to late Sep, including during holidays in that period.

 

[BillPA]

Keep in mind, He is a salesman, and has some questionable info passes out. The EPCOT monorail is no closer to the Poly than it ever was.
While connected, they will not guarantee you will be able to get connecting units. You can get a 1 BR for the same, or less points, than 2 studios, just about anywhere else.

 

[PoohBW]

You say toughest time to get DVC bookings are Sept to Marathon weekend.....does this apply to all resorts or just Poly?

 

[freediverdude]

As a plug for the two studios, don't forget that with the studios you'll be able to sleep 10 in 2 studios, versus the 4 or 5 in a 1 bedroom, and the two studios would also have 4 separate bathroom areas, although 2 of them yes have the shower and sink without a toilet (but boy is that rain shower nice). And the square footage would be 930 square feet for the 2 studios, which I believe would be larger than most 1 bedrooms except for maybe OKW. And I think the reason the guide mentioned the monorail is because it's a short walk to the Epcot monorail from the DVC buildings, about the same as walking to the Poly monorail station.

 

[suebeelin]

You say toughest time to get DVC bookings are Sept to Marathon weekend.....does this apply to all resorts or just Poly?

All resorts, but in particular the near park resorts (bcv/bw/GFV/blt). It is usually most difficult to get bcv, GFV, and the std or view rooms at bwv and blt.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[hayesdvc]

You say toughest time to get DVC bookings are Sept to Marathon weekend.....does this apply to all resorts or just Poly?

This is one of the best threads on this site which shows booking patterns:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/pr...-some-1-bedrooms-vgc-update-10-21-15.3419112/

 

[drusba]

DVC currently has essentially two demand seasons at WDW, high to extremely high from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan and low to moderate the rest of the year. Near park resorts can be difficult to get at 7 months out the entire high demand quarter, and even AKV standard and savanna view and OKW have issues at times during that period; in fact even SSR can be full at 7 months out for a small number of the nights. If your intent is to regularly go to WDW during the high demand quarter, then you should considering buying where you actually want to stay, particularly for any near park resort.

If your intent instead is to usually go at times from the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan to just before the last 5 days or so of Sep, then purchasing at a resort such as SSR via resale with the intent to stay at a near park resort can work because the following are usually open at 7 months out: BWV pool/garden view, Poly, BLT lake view, and VWL and also 1BRs and larger at VGF. Possible exceptions are a couple of "high" demand times during that almost nine month off-season which are the Princess half marathon weekend in latter part of Feb and the Star Wars race weekend in April. Moreover, BCV is usually open during that off-season but it can have issues for holidays and other special weekends such as Star Wars weekend in May and June. Similarly BLT theme park view is often available but can have issues at times.

To understand how extreme the difference is between that high demand quarter and the rest of the year, one can look at the example of BWV standard and boardwalk view studios (and resulting 2BRs) in last half of July and middle two weeks of Oct. You can get lucky in July and sometimes find standard or boardwalk view studios open for 5 or 6 nights in a row at 7 months out. In October, they are usually booked full less than a minute after the online booking system opens for a date at 8 a.m. at exactly 11 months out from any date of arrival, and sometimes they are full even before 11 months out from a date.

 

[PoohBW]

Thanks so much for your replies!

 

[JPDtheJD]

He mentioned that the Poly now has direct access to Epcot monorail without changing at TTC. Is this true?

He is probably trying to emphasize that the three DVC longhouse are closest to the TTC. We walked today straight to the TTC to go to Epcot. It was nice coming home to get off at the TTC and walk straight to Pago Pago instead of switching monorails at the TTC.

 

[Madame Señora]

You say toughest time to get DVC bookings are Sept to Marathon weekend.....does this apply to all resorts or just Poly?

Applies to ALL resorts. I *just* bought into DVC direct and couldn't get a complete reservation 7 months out for the first week of January. I will never forget my salesperson assuring, "I've never known anybody to NOT get a reservation 7 months out". Here I am as a first-time "reserver" as a brand new DVC member and not only can I not book a vacation anywhere 7 months out, all of the "member-only" events are sold out. It's no different for me than before I bought in, only now I have some points and a tote bag for the awesomely low price of something like $29,000.00 I'm REALLY second-guessing my purchase.

 

[pinklotusflower]

Madame Senora you need to speak to your DVC rep as you've bought direct they usually can get you your first reservation even if when there is no availability showing.

 

[suebeelin]

Applies to ALL resorts. I *just* bought into DVC direct and couldn't get a complete reservation 7 months out for the first week of January. I will never forget my salesperson assuring, "I've never known anybody to NOT get a reservation 7 months out". Here I am as a first-time "reserver" as a brand new DVC member and not only can I not book a vacation anywhere 7 months out, all of the "member-only" events are sold out. It's no different for me than before I bought in, only now I have some points and a tote bag for the awesomely low price of something like $29,000.00 I'm REALLY second-guessing my purchase.

Rescind your contract or threaten to if you are within the recession period- your sales person will then get off his/her buttocks to help with your reservation.

Or rescind altogether and rethink dvc... And maybe look at resales to save $$

 

[ktmo]

Applies to ALL resorts. I *just* bought into DVC direct and couldn't get a complete reservation 7 months out for the first week of January. I will never forget my salesperson assuring, "I've never known anybody to NOT get a reservation 7 months out". Here I am as a first-time "reserver" as a brand new DVC member and not only can I not book a vacation anywhere 7 months out, all of the "member-only" events are sold out. It's no different for me than before I bought in, only now I have some points and a tote bag for the awesomely low price of something like $29,000.00 I'm REALLY second-guessing my purchase.

I think the first booking is the toughest, because you don't have time on your side. And I am finding race weekends are extremely difficult to book, even within the 7-11 month window.

 

[bumbershoot]

I will never forget my salesperson assuring, "I've never known anybody to NOT get a reservation 7 months out".

Never believe anything they say.

But DO call him to see if he can help with this. Buying direct + your first stay = they can at least try to help.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

Applies to ALL resorts. I *just* bought into DVC direct and couldn't get a complete reservation 7 months out for the first week of January. I will never forget my salesperson assuring, "I've never known anybody to NOT get a reservation 7 months out". Here I am as a first-time "reserver" as a brand new DVC member and not only can I not book a vacation anywhere 7 months out, all of the "member-only" events are sold out. It's no different for me than before I bought in, only now I have some points and a tote bag for the awesomely low price of something like $29,000.00 I'm REALLY second-guessing my purchase.

How many points do you have? For the first week of January 2017, the main problem is 1/5 and 1/6, however there is availability at SSR for a 1 bedroom preferred. You could book a week there, or just do 1/5 and 1/6 there and spend the rest of the week somewhere else (SSR studio preferred, OKW studio, among other options).