Reservations for Holidays

[monique5]

Still learning the ropes to owning DVC. Planning trip for next October then looking for 2017. When are points charts generally released, 2017? Do we receive email? Also, seen several posts about walking reservations. What's this?

TIA!

 

[disneynutz]

The points usually don't change much if at all. If DVC changes the changes the points in one place, that have to change points somewhere else to off-set the first change. Total points can not increase.

Walking a reservation is making a reservation starting days prior to the date you really want. Then you drop a day and add a day until all of the dates that you really want are covered.

Bill

 

[com_op_2000]

Points charts have had 3 major adjustments in over 20+ years of DVC. As PP said, they do not change much except for yearly adjustments for holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, etc) dates.
The 2017 charts will be posted on the member's website first.

 

[monique5]

Thanks!
Is online or phone the best?
I booked my last stay by phone, had many problems @ check-in.

 

[Minniesgal]

Thanks!
Is online or phone the best?
I booked my last stay by phone, had many problems @ check-in.

Its generally a personal choice. I prefer to do it all online hate if I have to call.

As a general rule it is unlikely check in problems are related to how you booked.

 

[monique5]

The points usually don't change much if at all. If DVC changes the changes the points in one place, that have to change points somewhere else to off-set the first change. Total points can not increase.

Walking a reservation is making a reservation starting days prior to the date you really want. Then you drop a day and add a day until all of the dates that you really want are covered.

Bill

Thanks

 

[monique5]

Its generally a personal choice. I prefer to do it all online hate if I have to call.

As a general rule it is unlikely check in problems are related to how you booked.

Thanks! Good to know.

 

[drusba]

In the past point charts for DVC resorts have been released anywhere from just under 14 months to 11 1/2 months before the year to which the charts apply. And they do not send an email but they do appear on the DVC member site. When closer to that 11 1/2 months out, it has usually meant that some change of significance is being made. For a description of changes of signigficance made in the past, which is more than the three mentioned above, see my post in this thread http://www.disboards.com/threads/dvc-point-reallocations.3443405/#post-54337848.

For a discussion and description of walking go to this thread:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/grand-villa-at-bw-how-to-improve-my-chances.3428795/#post-54042346.


As to calling to do a reservation or instead doing it online, the major difference is that when you are reserving exactly 11 months out (at home resort) or 7 months out (at other resorts), doing it online gives you a one hour advantage because you can do it beginning at 8 a.m. eastern rather than 9 when the phones open. That can be a difference of significance for some times of year and some room categories. Also, the phone system can often have very annoying wait times.


As an example, from the subject of your post, "Reservations for Holidays," and your mention of going next October, that indicates you may be going around Columbus Day weekend. That weekend, the Thurs to Mon, is one of the highest DVC demand weekends of the year. If you own at any of the following and are seeking the rooms designated, you should plan to be online at 8 a.m. 11 months out from arrival date to make the reservation because if you wait to call when MS opens at 9, there is some risk these rooms may already be gone for Columbus Day weekend: (a) VGF studios, (b) BLT standard view, any size room, (c) AKV value studios and 2BRs; and (c) BWV standard and boardwallk view studios and two bedrooms. In fact, particularly for the VGF studios, BLT standard, and AKV value rooms, you should consider walking the reservation because the rooms have some risk of disappearing before 11 months out for that time period, taken by those who reserve up to 7 nights with an arrival date shortly before yours. That 11 month issue can exist for some other extremely high demand times during DVC's high demand quarter, which runs from late September to marathon weekend in Jan, and for AKV values and VGF studios there can even be issues at 11 months out for some times during DVC's low to moderate demand season, which runs from mid-Jan to late Sep (when even during holidays many things can be found open at near park resorts at 7 months out). Moreover, if you are planning to do reservations at 7 months out for anything at any near park resort during that last quarter of the year, you should consider doing it online at 8 a.m. because if you find anything open at those resorts, it may disappear before 9 a.m. when the phone lines open.

 

[monique5]

For a description of changes of signigficance made in the past, which is more than the three mentioned above, see my posthttp://www.disboards.com/threads/dvc-point-reallocations.3443405/#post-54337848.

For a discussion and description of walking go to this thread:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/grand-villa-at-bw-how-to-improve-my-chances.3428795/#post-54042346.

As an example, from the subject of your post, "Reservations for Holidays," and your mention of going next October, that indicates you may be going around Columbus Day weekend. That weekend, the Thurs to Mon, is one of the highest DVC demand weekends of the year. If you own at any of the following and are seeking the rooms designated, you should plan to be online at 8 a.m. 11 months out from arrival date to make the reservation because if you wait to call when MS opens at 9, there is some risk these rooms may already be gone for Columbus Day weekend: (a) VGF studios, (b) BLT standard view, any size room, (c) AKV value studios and 2BRs; and (c) BWV standard and boardwallk view studios and two bedrooms. In fact, particularly for the VGF studios, BLT standard, and AKV value rooms, you should consider walking the reservation because the rooms have some risk of disappearing before 11 months out for that time period....

Thanks a bunch! Just what I needed. Yes, trying to decide which weekend in October. Now leaning towards the weekend after Columbus Day.