Room Availability Issues??

[cckovach]

I'm sure this has been discussed in the past, but was just wondering.....
Have you seen last minute availability decrease steadily every year? We've been members since 2003 and we used to be able to book a last minute trip (less than 6 weeks out) and at least have OKW, then SS, as options. Over the past 2-3 years, it seems that no rooms are available anywhere for last minute trips, even when waitlisting.
This year, for instance, we booked 4 months out for F&W and got SS for 7 of 10 days of our trip. Luckily, our waitlist for the 3 remaining days came through. However, a fellow DVC member has been trying to book anything anywhere also in October since 2 months ago and everything is solidly booked except for a day here or there.
Also, we booked for marathon weekend in January. If we did not book 7+ months out at our home resort, we wouldn't have a room at this point. Once 7 month booking opened, all rooms sold out everywhere. I'm thinking...really?? Does DVC really have this many members running in marathon weekend to sell out every DVC resort for studios and one bedroom villas from January 6-11???
I've heard a few CMs in the past mention that Disney doesn't keep open all DVC rooms in order to cut down on housekeeping expenses, but if every place is 100% booked, wouldn't they want to open up those rooms because of demand?

 

[WilsonFlyer]

<snip> I've heard a few CMs in the past mention that Disney doesn't keep open all DVC rooms in order to cut down on housekeeping expenses, but if every place is 100% booked, wouldn't they want to open up those rooms because of demand? <endsnip>

If they're doing this, and I seriously doubt they are except for inventory under maintenance, they better not let the membership be able to prove it or we will hang them from a string. It is NOT theirs to "hold out." The DVC inventory doesn't belong to Disney, it belongs to us, legally; at least until 205x.

 

[vicki_c]

You are talking about the most crowded DVC times of the year. Is that what you are comparing your past experiences to? Same time of year?

And I've never heard that about them holding back rooms so I don't think that's the case.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Yea. I was going to go there but decided not to. If you're going at the times you say you're trying to go, my advice would be to book home at 11 IMMEDIATELY when you can and switch IMMEDIATELY at 7 if you can and want to. YES. Those times of the year, especially, are getting near to impossible to get ANYWHERE in the 6-8 week type windows we used to be able to get them in.

 

[cckovach]

You are talking about the most crowded DVC times of the year. Is that what you are comparing your past experiences to? Same time of year?.

Yes. We have gone to F&W almost every year in October since 2003. Even with its super popularity, we were still able to book less than 6 weeks out up until a few years ago.

 

[deedisneydream97]

Yes. We have gone to F&W almost every year in October since 2003. Even with its super popularity, we were still able to book less than 6 weeks out up until a few years ago.

You are talking about being able to get SSR 6 weeks out, right? Not BWV or BCV? I have been doing 11 months out for at least 8 years now for BWV for F&W. I think DVC rooms are harder to come by at the especially busy DVC times because SSR and AKL, both very large resorts, and, I am quite sure,are both sold out for direct sale via Disney. And now that so many owners are now aware of the ability to rent out their points for $$$ instead of banking and not being able to use their points because of other obligations, there is less inventory available. I know I don't explain myself clearly, but if someone banks their points, then that frees up inventory for last minute trips for other members. However, if someone rents those points instead...well, then that inventory will be used. I'm sure someone much smarter than me (Dean?) could either explain my theory better or point out that I'm completely wrong.

What kind of CM's talked about not opening rooms because of housekeeping expenses? I know there are rooms kept empty for emergencies (i.e. a flood in a room, or some kind of damage that requires someone to move to a different room).

 

[Deb & Bill]

Since you bought in 2003, DVC has opened AKV, BLT, GCV, Aulani, GFV, PVB. More competition for rooms at WDW. I would think that newer members would want to use their points at their home resorts or somewhere at WDW for the first few years if not most of the time. Then you have the people who bought VB or HHI because the point price was low and want to use them at WDW. Everyone is getting smarter at seven months out. Plus people who aren't using their points have found the points brokers to rent them for them, make a few bucks and not just letting them go. If every DVC resort was booked to full capacity on owners' points all the time, they would be 95-98% booked.

And everyone wants to go in the fall/early winter. Plus the half and full marathons are hot commodities for Disney and DVC.

Also with the construction at WL/VWL, some of those villas might be closed off during this prime season for going to WDW.

 

[supersnoop]

I was curious, so I checked. You can get a one bedroom at SSR during the International Food and Wine Festival for four consecutive nights. You could get a two bedroom for five consecutive nights, and a Grand Villa for six consecutive nights. And that's all two weeks out. Sure, you don't have much selection, but it's still possible.

 

[crisi]

I was curious, so I checked. You can get a one bedroom at SSR during the International Food and Wine Festival for four consecutive nights. You could get a two bedroom for five consecutive nights, and a Grand Villa for six consecutive nights. And that's all two weeks out. Sure, you don't have much selection, but it's still possible.

Which is an issue with self reporting. There is a huge difference between wide open and closed, and a huge difference between "I'll take anything in October, my schedule is flexible with points to spare" when you can grab the four consecutive nights anywhere and "I need October 11-15th, I only want a studio, and I don't want SSR." And in self reporting land the second can get stated as "nothing is available!"

 

[disneynutz]

60 days prior to any given date, DVC can transfer open room inventory to Disney for cash bookings. In addition to the above reasons, maybe revenue accounting is transferring more rooms.

Bill

 

[Tunseeker1]

I think a lot of members bought offsite and found out it's not a good fit for home resort.

I also see studios gone at the open on 11/7 dates.
1 and dedicated 2 bedrooms usually last longer, hence poly with only studios.
People with kids may have bought points for 1/2 bedrooms are now older and doing solo studio trips.
People may not want to cook on vacation anymore so don't want to waste points on more room then they need.

 

[drusba]

There are likely several reasons for the modern booking patterns
which include (and there are probably others) :

-- Last quarter of the year with Food & Wine and holiday season, and first half of January with marathon weekend with its continuing addition to events (the January marathon weekend is a happenning not just a race), has become even more popular than in the past, including because the population of aging DVC owners that no longer have to match their vacation times to school schedules continues to grow.

-- There are just a lot more members including those from non-WDW resorts demanding time at WDW resorts during that late Sep to marathon weekend period. Moreover, you have the that huge population growth that occurred with selling SSR and AKV that resulted not just in those members wanting to get a near park resorts at 7 months out but also in a huge number of them not being able to get that near park resort at 7 months out and thus staying with their home resort.

-- The 2010 and 2011 point shifts from weekends to weekdays made it easier for members to get Friday and Saturday night for key weekends like marathon weekend, Columbus Day weekend, and Wine & Dine race weekend, currently the three highest demand weekends of the year.

-- The demand for studios has increased at a much larger pace in the last several years than the demand for other rooms. One reason for that is Disney's modern oversell of the studios, e.g., starting with BLT somewhat and continuing to VGF and now Poly in spades Disney raised the point cost per night and price per point so much that a significantly higher percentage of purchasers than in the past have been buying the points applicable to all rooms at a resort with the intent to get only studios rather than other rooms, which results not just in higher demand for studios at the given resorts but a spillover to others at 7 months out because the members decide to go for lower point cost options or are having trouble even getting studios they want at their home resort at 11 months out (like at VGF or for BLT standard view). That effect is further caused by Disney's having lowered the minimum point buys for new purchasers and by the online resale market that was still in its infancy in 2003 and is now a significant force where large numbers have been acquiring lower point contracts that result in higher demand for studios. That studio issue is likely even a cause of the 1BR issue OP has noticed for late reservations because the 1BR at cheaper resorts becomes the choice when members cannot get a studio at their home or that other cheaper resort.

 

[MichelleB]

I just got SSR for Christmas week in a 1 bedroom last Thursday. I'd checked previously and nothing was available but Thursday I was able to get it. So, don't give up. You never know.

 

[crisi]

There are likely several reasons for the modern booking patterns
which include (and there are probably others) :

I'll add one....

Renters are a lot more savvy and a lot better informed. Renting points has been around long enough and has gotten enough traction that there are lots of people (especially in our current much improved economy) looking to rent points - and they know to do it early if they want a certain resort or a busy time of year. And brokers have make the rental market easier to navigate on both sides of the transaction.

 

[pkicinski]

Disney has become a master of putting in an event in off peak times to fill vacancies as well.

 

[tjkraz]

I'm sure this has been discussed in the past, but was just wondering.....
Have you seen last minute availability decrease steadily every year? We've been members since 2003 and we used to be able to book a last minute trip (less than 6 weeks out) and at least have OKW, then SS, as options. Over the past 2-3 years, it seems that no rooms are available anywhere for last minute trips, even when waitlisting.
This year, for instance, we booked 4 months out for F&W and got SS for 7 of 10 days of our trip. Luckily, our waitlist for the 3 remaining days came through. However, a fellow DVC member has been trying to book anything anywhere also in October since 2 months ago and everything is solidly booked except for a day here or there.

A quick look at the Availability Checker suggests there isn't any great conspiracy at work. There are plenty of nights available for October 2015 at both OKW and SSR...but maybe not in the villa sizes you would prefer.

OKW
Studio: 0 nights
1B: 6 nights
2B: 11 nights

SSR
Studio: 2 nights
1B: 12 nights
2B: 12 nights

I suspect many of the scenarios that other posters listed are coming into play: members booking further in advance, savvy renters, members not allowing points to go unused, etc.

Also, we booked for marathon weekend in January. If we did not book 7+ months out at our home resort, we wouldn't have a room at this point. Once 7 month booking opened, all rooms sold out everywhere. I'm thinking...really?? Does DVC really have this many members running in marathon weekend to sell out every DVC resort for studios and one bedroom villas from January 6-11???

Those 6 nights represent less than 2% of the calendar and only about half of the villas at Walt Disney World are Studios and 1B villas. I'd say yes, it's entirely possible that around 1% of all DVC members plan to participate in some WDW Marathon event...or have other reasons for wanting to visit those dates.

 

[rmcildw2m]

I'm sure this has been discussed in the past, but was just wondering.....
Have you seen last minute availability decrease steadily every year? We've been members since 2003 and we used to be able to book a last minute trip (less than 6 weeks out) and at least have OKW, then SS, as options. Over the past 2-3 years, it seems that no rooms are available anywhere for last minute trips, even when waitlisting.
This year, for instance, we booked 4 months out for F&W and got SS for 7 of 10 days of our trip. Luckily, our waitlist for the 3 remaining days came through. However, a fellow DVC member has been trying to book anything anywhere also in October since 2 months ago and everything is solidly booked except for a day here or there.
Also, we booked for marathon weekend in January. If we did not book 7+ months out at our home resort, we wouldn't have a room at this point. Once 7 month booking opened, all rooms sold out everywhere. I'm thinking...really?? Does DVC really have this many members running in marathon weekend to sell out every DVC resort for studios and one bedroom villas from January 6-11???
I've heard a few CMs in the past mention that Disney doesn't keep open all DVC rooms in order to cut down on housekeeping expenses, but if every place is 100% booked, wouldn't they want to open up those rooms because of demand?

Why Yes there is a room shortage , more members than they have rooms for .I am in the same boat as a lott of others booked at seven months because of 2 different contracts and could only get ssr .But its not all bad cause we have never stayed there , but sure would love for akl waitlist to come thru !!!!

 

[supersnoop]

more members than they have rooms for

That's not physically nor legally possible. They have at least 2% more room nights than members. They just might not be the resorts, dates, or sizes that you want, but that doesn't mean they don't have the rooms.