Renting last minute - what's availability like?

[smiller]

We're looking into renting at BCV, BWV, or VWL in September 2006, but most likely won't be able to know for sure until June or July if we can go. While I understand there may or may not be points available for rent at that time, if we luck out and get to rent, what kind of rooms might still be available on short notice? Is is easier to get into one resort than another? Is a certain type of room booked quicker than another? We'd really love a non-smoking 2BR, and are mostly just looking forward to trying out the villas!

Thanks for your input!

 

[dianeschlicht]

September is usually an easier time to book, provided you aren't trying for Labor Day, but we even got that last minute once.

 

[crisi]

studios go fastest, than two bedrooms, than one bedrooms. Grand Villas probably go faster than studios. Small resorts go faster than large resorts - in order of size - smallest first VWL, BCV, BWV, OKW, SSR. Standard View and Boardwalk View often go fast as well.

Renters apparently sometimes have problems finding people who will rent to them on shorter notice. DVC is really set up for planners, and cancellation policies are alot tougher than at regular resorts, points expire. So you may have a difficult time - not finding points - but finding someone to rent to you. However, September is a slow time for DVC (one of the slow times for DVC that overlaps with slow times in general), and I think you'll be successful. October will be a different story, though, because that is a busy DVC time.

Smoking is a request, not a booking type. It used to be requests were filled on book date, but it now appears that there is no real system in place for that. If you need non-smoking and only smoking is available, DVC cannot move you into the regular resort to get you into a non-smoking room, and DVC will not refund points (or the member your rental fees). Its a fairly small risk - most people get what they ask for, and the one time we were in a smoking room, we didn't notice for days until we noticed the lack of a non-smoking sign outside the door, but one you should be aware of.

 

[smiller]

Thanks for the input! This really helps us know what to expect.

 

[Brer_Mike]

well i usually book my vacations about 3weeks or so out (yea im a slacker) but just recently (november) i called a week before hand and was able to get a two br at ssr

 

[dsneygirl]

Dh just rented some points for his boss this week for a 2 bedroom in early March. I was suprised there was still some availablity but they got into OKW.

 

[JimMIA]

I don't think you will have trouble getting accommodations somewhere in September. I would expect to be at SSR or OKW, because they are the largest resorts.

I do think you may have trouble getting a DVC owner to rent to you at all because of the risk of last minute deals for the owner. Frankly, I would be very reluctant to rent to someone on such short notice. The problem is, once the owner makes a ressie for you, if your plans change at all, both you and the owner are really going to be between a rock and a hard place. If you change plans within the last 31 days, the owner could really be in a bind, and may not be in a position to help you at all.

IF you get anyone to rent a ressie to you on such short notice, I think you should expect to pay in full within a few days of the ressie being made, and you should expect the transaction to be completely non-cancelable, unchangeable, and non-refundable.

On the other hand, renters are not the only people who don't (or can't) plan ahead. DVC owners do too. Sometimes, OUR plans change and we end up with points expiring that we can't use. We have to either rent them or lose them, and we are really desperate. In that case, you could find somebody with October use year points expiring on September 30 who would be absolutely thrilled to rent the points to you -- and probably at a substantial discount.

So, you never know.

You might be well advised to check out making a cash reservation as a backup. If you can't find an owner to rent from, you still have a reservation. If you do find an owner to rent from, you can hopefully cancel the cash reservation with little or no penalty.

Good luck and have a great trip.