Resale Purchase Idea--Advice Needed

[Dean]

I'm not exaggerating. My post was based upon information obtained from other DVC members who post on this board. Are you telling me that you have always been able to book where and when you want? Please share your secrets.

It's true that if you book day by day at exactly opening time at 11 months out from each days checkout that you will almost always get what you want. That will change with AKV for the concierge. But there are many options if you miss calling at exactly opening and call later in the day you will not be able to get. You will still usually be successful by wait list if you go that route.

 

[crisi]

Many (perhaps even most when you look at our unscientific survey's we've hosted) people are successful booking a non home resort seven months out - provided they are flexible and/or NOT looking for a low supply room at a high demand time - like Grand Villas around Spring Break, or Boardwalk Villa Standard View rooms at Food and Wine, Hilton Head in the summer. Flexible means "willing to use the waitlist, willing to take a one bedroom over a studio, willing to move their trip by a week, willing to take VWL or BCV."

Moreover, by six months, availability has contracted even further - particularly for low supply rooms at high demand times - any Epcot area room for Food and Wine six months out will be lucky. High demand times start getting "spotty all over" - like early December.

By five months, even at lower demand times, availability may be spotty at smaller resorts - but you should be clear at larger resorts (except small supply rooms - like Grand Villas). It should still be possible to get something using the waitlist, but your probably sunk on those BW Villa standard view rooms or OKW Grand Villas for a whole week in a row (you might pick up a night or two).

Now, some folks are fine with this - they don't mind being flexible, they don't mind the waitlist. Other folks (like us or MG) it doesn't make any difference to - we book eleven months out at home and don't switch around. Other folks are disappointed because they believe there should be more availability for what they want when they want it (like their guide may have led them to believe) than there is and find waitlisting and calling right at seven months stressful.

But, there are less than 200 rooms at BCV - there will (barring an unforeseen expansion) always be less than 200 rooms at BCV. VAK will bring in more members - and DVC won't stop there. And some of those members will occationally say "Hey, lets try BCV" (See SSR folks, it isn't you - any new member buying new points increases the competition). Therefore, many of us believe switching will continue to get harder over time.

We don't know what DVC will do next - they may feel they can expand outside WDW again - we've talked ski resorts and Mexican Riveria and Hawaii and West Coast around here in the past. If that happens, then the pressure on WDW resorts will be even greater.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

If you can't book before the 7 month window the only advantage to owning within WDW vs VB or HH is that it is unlikely your resort will be sold/removed from the DVC group. IMHO that's somewhat more likely with VB & HH but I also suspect Disney may be finding that they are convenient for bleeding off some of the WDW DVC demand.

 

[Plutofan]

If you are not buying HH points to use at HH I would hold off in buying them. The dues for HH wnt up almost the max 15% this past year. Disney had to make a special loan to the HH members to pay for maintenance. The loan needs to be paid back over several years. I would wait to see how this loan effects future MF before buying for none HH stays.

 

[Caskbill]

...But, there are less than 200 rooms at BCV - there will (barring an unforeseen expansion) always be less than 200 rooms at BCV. VAK will bring in more members - and DVC won't stop there. And some of those members will occationally say "Hey, lets try BCV"....

Of course the updside to this is that when an AKV owner uses points to stay at BCV, that opens up more space at AKV since those owners won't be staying there that year...

 

[crisi]

Of course the updside to this is that when an AKV owner uses points to stay at BCV, that opens up more space at AKV since those owners won't be staying there that year...

Sure does - probably not going to free up those concierge rooms though.....

 

[disneynutz]

Many (perhaps even most when you look at our unscientific survey's we've hosted) people are successful booking a non home resort seven months out - provided they are flexible and/or NOT looking for a low supply room at a high demand time - like Grand Villas around Spring Break, or Boardwalk Villa Standard View rooms at Food and Wine, Hilton Head in the summer. Flexible means "willing to use the waitlist, willing to take a one bedroom over a studio, willing to move their trip by a week, willing to take VWL or BCV."

Moreover, by six months, availability has contracted even further - particularly for low supply rooms at high demand times - any Epcot area room for Food and Wine six months out will be lucky. High demand times start getting "spotty all over" - like early December.

By five months, even at lower demand times, availability may be spotty at smaller resorts - but you should be clear at larger resorts (except small supply rooms - like Grand Villas). It should still be possible to get something using the waitlist, but your probably sunk on those BW Villa standard view rooms or OKW Grand Villas for a whole week in a row (you might pick up a night or two).

Now, some folks are fine with this - they don't mind being flexible, they don't mind the waitlist. Other folks (like us or MG) it doesn't make any difference to - we book eleven months out at home and don't switch around. Other folks are disappointed because they believe there should be more availability for what they want when they want it (like their guide may have led them to believe) than there is and find waitlisting and calling right at seven months stressful.

But, there are less than 200 rooms at BCV - there will (barring an unforeseen expansion) always be less than 200 rooms at BCV. VAK will bring in more members - and DVC won't stop there. And some of those members will occationally say "Hey, lets try BCV" (See SSR folks, it isn't you - any new member buying new points increases the competition). Therefore, many of us believe switching will continue to get harder over time.

We don't know what DVC will do next - they may feel they can expand outside WDW again - we've talked ski resorts and Mexican Riveria and Hawaii and West Coast around here in the past. If that happens, then the pressure on WDW resorts will be even greater.

Thank you for your reply. We booked BCV 11 months out. We needed a 2 bedroom dedicated the last week of Nov and the first week of Dec. We got 4 days and are wait listed for the rest. MS suggested a back up reservation at SSR for the remaining days which we did. Other people on the board have told me that we picked the wrong time and or the wrong type of room. My frustration is the our old Guide told us that at 11 months we "shouldn't" have a problem booking any room at our home resort. Guess I should have read between the lines better. Still learning to play the DVC game. Thanks again.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thank you for your reply. We booked BCV 11 months out. We needed a 2 bedroom dedicated the last week of Nov and the first week of Dec. We got 4 days and are wait listed for the rest. MS suggested a back up reservation at SSR for the remaining days which we did. Other people on the board have told me that we picked the wrong time and or the wrong type of room. My frustration is the our old Guide told us that at 11 months we "shouldn't" have a problem booking any room at our home resort. Guess I should have read between the lines better. Still learning to play the DVC game. Thanks again.

You own at both BCV and SSR?

MG

 

[disneynutz]

You own at both BCV and SSR?

MG

Yes we do.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thank you for your reply. We booked BCV 11 months out. We needed a 2 bedroom dedicated the last week of Nov and the first week of Dec. We got 4 days and are wait listed for the rest. MS suggested a back up reservation at SSR for the remaining days which we did. Other people on the board have told me that we picked the wrong time and or the wrong type of room. My frustration is the our old Guide told us that at 11 months we "shouldn't" have a problem booking any room at our home resort. Guess I should have read between the lines better. Still learning to play the DVC game. Thanks again.

Okay, out of curiosity, just how close to the 11 month window did you book?

I know the specialty BCV rooms are tough, but that particular request is hardly typical of the normal reservation.

MG

 

[disneynutz]

January 10th. I should have booked day by day.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

January 10th. I should have booked day by day.

Perhaps you should have for that particular ressie, but overall that lead time is more than adequate in my opinion.

MG

 

[Dean]

January 10th. I should have booked day by day.

There are certain times of the year and certain room types in the system that really must be reserved day by day at 11 months out. BCV and VWL are the most difficult overall certain times of the year due to their very small size COMBINED with their demand plus the fact that it's likely that to date those resorts have the highest percent of owners (by far) that have bought specifically to stay there. I think the bottom line for someone who is already an owner is that if you must have a certain time or room type, book day by day if at all and don't take the chance. Far better to put the effort into it if you don't really need to than to get shut out.

I'd say there's a good chance you'll get the wait list if you listed it day by day however, there are also likely people ahead of you on the wait list that called earlier than you did.

Here is a list of units I'd say do or will generally require day by day booking at 11 months out.

• BWV BW view
• BWV standard view
• BWV GV
• BCV 2 queen beds.
• HH GV
• HH studio or 1 BR
• VB Beach House
• AKV concierge
• AKV value

There are a few more that one might be able to add to this list if one wanted such as all GV and dedicated 2 BR at VWL. Even those above can be had at the 7 months window or less MANY times for off season and for those that plan ahead and reserve day by day at 7 months plus use the wait list appropriately.

Let me warn you about posts you'll see on this board. At times you'll see posts from people that they reserved one of these room types or some other ? difficult resort or option. They're usually posting to try to say that things are not as difficult to reserve as many of us say. If you'll look closely you'll see they are invariably talking about times of the year that are MUCH lower in demand. For example, August is much lower than July for all of the DVC resorts including on property and HH.

 

[Starr W.]

I would add 2br dedicated at VB is one that should be booked day by day. There are only 18 of them. Both my guide and a couple of CM at MS suggested that. Especially for spring break.

 

[Dean]

I would add 2br dedicated at VB is one that should be booked day by day. There are only 18 of them. Both my guide and a couple of CM at MS suggested that. Especially for spring break.

One problem with the dedicated at VB is that it's a choice between possible ocean view and the dedicated as the lockoff's are more on the ocean end while the dedicated units are all on the sides of the building from what I've heard. Plus there are also only 36 lockoff 2 BR there. I don't know their formula for locking them off but assuming they book half as 2 BR and half as separate units, the odds would be the same. I haven't been in a dedicated 2 BR there but my recollection is that they don't have the 2 queens in the second BR either instead having the queen and pull out full, if that's accurate it really wouldn't matter anyway to most people. VB is tough by time for Xmas and from early Feb through mid April. Weeks 7, 9, 51 and the week of Easter should be the most difficult for everything though I suspect Xmas is less so than further south.

 

[Starr W.]

One problem with the dedicated at VB is that it's a choice between possible ocean view and the dedicated as the lockoff's are more on the ocean end while the dedicated units are all on the sides of the building from what I've heard. Plus there are also only 36 lockoff 2 BR there. I don't know their formula for locking them off but assuming they book half as 2 BR and half as separate units, the odds would be the same. I haven't been in a dedicated 2 BR there but my recollection is that they don't have the 2 queens in the second BR either instead having the queen and pull out full, if that's accurate it really wouldn't matter anyway to most people. VB is tough by time for Xmas and from early Feb through mid April. Weeks 7, 9, 51 and the week of Easter should be the most difficult for everything though I suspect Xmas is less so than further south.

Yes the dedicated 2br are a queen and pull out.

Thanks for the info on the lockoff units, I didn't know they might have a better view. Needless to say I'll be calling day by day for Easter for next year, we did buy a small contract there.

 

[sillyguys]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. As usual, the DIS didn't let me down.

 

[crisi]

There are certain times of the year and certain room types in the system that really must be reserved day by day at 11 months out. BCV and VWL are the most difficult overall certain times of the year due to their very small size COMBINED with their demand plus the fact that it's likely that to date those resorts have the highest percent of owners (by far) that have bought specifically to stay there. I think the bottom line for someone who is already an owner is that if you must have a certain time or room type, book day by day if at all and don't take the chance. Far better to put the effort into it if you don't really need to than to get shut out.

I think of the BWV as two resorts (maybe three) - preferred view rooms don't seem to be significantly harder to get than rooms at OKW - and easier to get than VWL or BCV. BWView and Standard View rooms however have a whole different demand profile - and those are the rooms that the owners bought to book and are loyal to.