Reservation denial

[Currahee]

I'm a newbie here. Has anyone ever been denied a reservation because the rooms are completely full? I'm quite anxious that I will not be able to get a room at the VGC during the 2010 spring break.

 

[Inkmahm]

I'm a newbie here. Has anyone ever been denied a reservation because the rooms are completely full? I'm quite anxious that I will not be able to get a room at the VGC during the 2010 spring break.

Happens all the time, very common. If you book at your 11 month mark, you won't have any problem though.

 

[CarolMN]

Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis. Popular times (which are not necessarily the same times the parks are busy) tend to fill quickly.

Bit I agree with Inkmahm - very rare to miss out if you call at the 11 month mark. In fact, unless you have your heart set on something very limited (like concierge at AKV), you are virtually guaranteed to get your first choice.

 

[DebbieB]

The only time I was denied was when I called 3 weeks before for a Sunday night in October (added night to business trip). There were no rooms, any resort or any room size.

 

[ppony]

So I'm considering buying in and this thought has me pausing. Is it like calling for DVRs where you ahve to be poised over the phone or computer to nail what you want THE day, THE opening hour you can at 11 months? I hate that kind of anxiety. And is 11 months in advance the furthest out you can book?

worried

 

[crisi]

So I'm considering buying in and this thought has me pausing. Is it like calling for DVRs where you ahve to be poised over the phone or computer to nail what you want THE day, THE opening hour you can at 11 months? I hate that kind of anxiety. And is 11 months in advance the furthest out you can book?

worried

Its eleven months out at home - seven for a resort that is not your home.

You SELDOM have issues booking eleven months out - or even ten months out. There are exceptions - for instance, Boardwalk View rooms for New Years Eve are generally gone within an hour or two of reservations opening. But that's one room category on one night of the year.

 

[ppony]

Its eleven months out at home - seven for a resort that is not your home.

You SELDOM have issues booking eleven months out - or even ten months out. There are exceptions - for instance, Boardwalk View rooms for New Years Eve are generally gone within an hour or two of reservations opening. But that's one room category on one night of the year.

AH, I get it. So is that why people buy points at several resorts so they can have more than 1 "home"?
That makes me feel better. We usually plan WAY far out so I know I'd be chomping to get at it anyway. We never go at busy times anyway though I understand some of the none busy times for WDW aren't necessarily ones that coincide w/ DVC business. Early Dec and Jan are good to us.
THANKS!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I was unable to get a SV studio at BWV for the first TH in December, 2009 when I called about 4 hours after MS opened exactly 11 months in advance. I called back the next day and was able to book our trip starting on Friday. -- Suzanne

 

[MinnieGirl33]

... though I understand some of the none busy times for WDW aren't necessarily ones that coincide w/ DVC business. Early Dec and Jan are good to us.
THANKS!

FWIW, early December is one of, if not the busiest time for DVC resorts. Definately book this time at the 11 month mark.

 

[crisi]

AH, I get it. So is that why people buy points at several resorts so they can have more than 1 "home"?
That makes me feel better. We usually plan WAY far out so I know I'd be chomping to get at it anyway. We never go at busy times anyway though I understand some of the none busy times for WDW aren't necessarily ones that coincide w/ DVC business. Early Dec and Jan are good to us.
THANKS!

One thing you should know is that DVC busy and Disney busy aren't the same - Early December is DVC busy - and some rooms will book up very quickly (I know Boardwalk best because its my home, but Boardwalk View and Boardwalk Standard View go fast at that time of year). DVC busy time starts in very early October and runs through early January (Marathon). On the other hand, it can be easy to get a DVC room in July and August.

Another thing to know is that Disney sells enough points to book the resorts pretty much full year round. So while not everyone plans eleven months in advance, short term availability tends to be pretty spotty, and sometimes nothing at all is available short term. Sometime between eleven months out and the day you check in DVC goes from 0% booked to arguably 100% booked - how fast that happens is a matter of what you are trying to book for what time of year.

 

[disneynutz]

Disney also has a history of not declaring all of a new resorts rooms, which means that Disney rents them to cash Guests.

They also retain 3% of the sold out resorts, if there is such a thing.

RCI members can also trade for DVC rooms.

As additional Members are added, getting reservations at the more popular resorts will continue to get more difficult.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The least busy times for DVC are probably early May and mid-Aug to mid-September.

And when you see availability on the DRC website, that means nothing when it comes to availability for a points reservation. Those are different sets of inventory. And they don't "pull back" villas from DRC if a member wants to make a reservation at that time and there isn't any points availability.

 

[ppony]

Hmmm yikes. I will never, ever go in Summer. Heat, humidity, crowds and I are not friends. And Spring is most likely out because it actually gets nice here in the Spring and what I need is a break from 20 below. I just worry about dropping 12K or more and being SOL more often than not. I can be pretty sure to book 11 months out, but if I don't call the hour or even the day it opens, if one can easily be shut out I can see regretting my purchase. We would be buying AKV if we buy. Lots of pondering to do. I don't want to make a move anyway until our DCL cruise in November. I don't want any other regular expenses to get in the way of that fun.

THANKS for being frank (and Debbi and Carol and Krisi and Bill and everyone.... ) with me guys. I know it can be hard to get to hear the facts when you're gung ho. I appreciate it greatly. I still think we'll buy, but I've got more thinking to do. I know when I tell DH about this aspect, he'll take a huge step back.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Hmmm yikes. I will never, ever go in Summer. Heat, humidity, crowds and I are not friends. And Spring is most likely out because it actually gets nice here in the Spring and what I need is a break from 20 below. I just worry about dropping 12K or more and being SOL more often than not. I can be pretty sure to book 11 months out, but if I don't call the hour or even the day it opens, if one can easily be shut out I can see regretting my purchase. We would be buying AKV if we buy. Lots of pondering to do. I don't want to make a move anyway until our DCL cruise in November. I don't want any other regular expenses to get in the way of that fun.

THANKS for being frank (and Debbi and Carol and Krisi and Bill and everyone.... ) with me guys. I know it can be hard to get to hear the facts when you're gung ho. I appreciate it greatly. I still think we'll buy, but I've got more thinking to do. I know when I tell DH about this aspect, he'll take a huge step back.

Since we too like to escape those -20 temps, we find January and early December are our favorite times to do DVC with March and May close seconds. We have to go down and cheer on those Twins in spring training, you know!! Making reservations between the 7-11 month booking windows has never been an issue for us. We usually book at 11 months and for sure before the 7 month mark. We have NEVER been shut out for when and where we want with the exception of concierge level at AKV. We find we prefer the times when WDW is less busy too.

 

[CarolMN]

Hmmm yikes. I will never, ever go in Summer. Heat, humidity, crowds and I are not friends. And Spring is most likely out because it actually gets nice here in the Spring and what I need is a break from 20 below. I just worry about dropping 12K or more and being SOL more often than not. I can be pretty sure to book 11 months out, but if I don't call the hour or even the day it opens, if one can easily be shut out I can see regretting my purchase. We would be buying AKV if we buy. Lots of pondering to do. I don't want to make a move anyway until our DCL cruise in November. I don't want any other regular expenses to get in the way of that fun.

THANKS for being frank (and Debbi and Carol and Krisi and Bill and everyone.... ) with me guys. I know it can be hard to get to hear the facts when you're gung ho. I appreciate it greatly. I still think we'll buy, but I've got more thinking to do. I know when I tell DH about this aspect, he'll take a huge step back.

Unless you absolutely have to stay in a concierge category villa, you will not have a problem booking AKV at 11 months.

You won't have to call the exact nanosecond the 11 month window opens, either.

In fact, you will get something there as long as you call before the 7 month window opens.

 

[crisi]

Since we too like to escape those -20 temps, we find January and early December are our favorite times to do DVC with March and May close seconds. We have to go down and cheer on those Twins in spring training, you know!! Making reservations between the 7-11 month booking windows has never been an issue for us. We usually book at 11 months and for sure before the 7 month mark. We have NEVER been shut out for when and where we want with the exception of concierge level at AKV. We find we prefer the times when WDW is less busy too.

We've booked BWV smack dab in the middle of Food and Wine for years. I always got what I wanted - the coveted Standard View room (although sometimes the reservationist indicated I was getting one of the last rooms) and the only time I made a special effort (calling when MS opened day by day - which for the OP is no longer necessary - DVC reservations are now similar to ADRs - in our case its 11months+7days instead of 90+10) was when I needed TWO Boardwalk view rooms. I did call eleven months out from checkout date and tried to call before lunchtime though.

We we originally bought, our travel week was the week before F&W - then F&W got extended back to the beginning of October.

Its really a minority of rooms and times that are so in demand that a special effort needs to be made. On the other hand, DVC isn't a good choice for "Hey, I got a ding! Lets go to Disney next week!" In both cases there are stories - stories of getting shut down at eleven months or getting a pick of resorts a week out for a string of days - but in both cases, I think that's the exception.

 

[ppony]

Thanks guys.
I've stayed in a AKL concierge level room and while it was nice, it was just kinda, eh, okay. I liked concierge better in other resorts. Though the sunrise safari was GREAT. We got to hear Mr. Lion roar. Might do it again some day BUT, we just love the AKL so much. First time we've ever stayed at a resort and felt so extremely happy. Despite our sore tootsies walking half a mile to our room.

I've been scouring the board for a map of exactly where the new building at the lodge is. I have seen a map of each building, but not in their relation to each other. I even looked on one of those ariel maps and nothing loked like the building I saw a map of other than the original AKL. Where about is it? I'd ask on the AKL thread in the resorts forum but someone just had a death in the family and I didn't want to appear insensative.

I've had a few people give me their guide's names and theirs so THANK YOU MUCH! LOTS of thinking and budget looking to do. But I think I'll call a guide soon.

 

[bumbershoot]

But I think I'll call a guide soon.

I would wait until the cruise....


FYI I think the OP asked b/c s/he's worried about the brand new, and tiny, CA property. And it's during spring break (which I consider to go from mid-March to almost the end of May). Specific set of circumstances.

 

[ppony]

I would wait until the cruise....


FYI I think the OP asked b/c s/he's worried about the brand new, and tiny, CA property. And it's during spring break (which I consider to go from mid-March to almost the end of May). Specific set of circumstances.

OH.
Gotcha

Is it like if you have a realtor, the others can't talk to you? If I spoke to a guide, ANY guide, the people on the cruise wouldn't be able to talk to me or sign anything I bet. AHH. I'll bring referral names w/ me anyway.
Well it's just 3 months away and we have the flight still to pay off and clear off credit cards for extra spending. SO money is spoken for. It's hard to sit on my hands.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

OH.
Gotcha

Is it like if you have a realtor, the others can't talk to you? If I spoke to a guide, ANY guide, the people on the cruise wouldn't be able to talk to me or sign anything I bet.

No, it's not like that. If your guide wasn't on the cruise then someone else would be able to help you. I did an add on at a DL event and even though I have a DL guide she was always busy with someone else so I ended up being helped with the purchase by two different guides.