Saratoga Springs - an Observation

[MickeyMcMouse]

Still in planning mode due to work commitments etc .. so now looking at end of may for a 10 day or so break.

Flights are not a problem so phoned MS to look for a room - nothing available ... except one bedrooms at Saratoga and when my reply was "oh not again" (we had stayed there in jan) I got a little laugh in reply, as if to say "thats not the first time I have heard that"

Now don't get me wrong, I am not having a grump or anything like that, but it started me thinking .... I wonder if the whole system is getting a little out of balance. We have never had a problem when booking at short notice until the last 18 months, infact we would usually have a choice of at least 2 resorts, but now the last twice or thrice, its been Saratoga only.

I am wondering if there are so many Saratoga members that for some reason or another are booking at other resorts, that they are taking up the slack that there used to be everywhere else and that the slack has now moved to Saratoga ... ie if you are making a booking at short notice, you can pretty much be sure that there will be space at Saratoga.

Just to make it clear, I have no problem with Saratoga, but just wondered what everybody elses feelings are.

Thanks for your comments

David

 

[Pootle]

Hi David, here's my take on it. Even allowing for the fact that probably only a small number of DVC members are aware of the Disboards and therefore many not be that 'savvy' when it comes to booking, I still suspect that more and more members are wising up to booking their own resort within the 4 month exclusion period if that's what they want.

I recently booked November at OKW, a large resort with good availability usually, and normally I would not have worried about when I booked, but this time I thought 'I must book before the 7th month window opens .... just in case. I'm travelling then with a friend, and want the 2 beds in the studio. I know with many OKW is not as popular as the smaller resorts close to the parks, but it's the only place I want to stay .

I can see that Saratoga is a very nice resort, but know I would never want to stay there; likewise VWL and BCV - I own enough points at BWV to satisfy my very occasional need for a Boardwalk View room there .

If more people are reacting as I am - and the posts on the US boards suggest that they are - then I see this trend continuing. I'm sure there will always be anecdotal tales of 'I phoned up today for availability next month and was offered all the resorts .....' but I believe it will be rarer. My two pence worth

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Hi Moira,

I guess you are probably right, and that the days of the short notice bookings are probably comming to an end, ... until there are more rooms available.

I suppose there must be some sort of relationship between amount of rooms available to book at anyone time compared to number of members (points).

Its maybe just at this point in the timeline it must be close to capacity. ie the number of rooms nearly equals the number of members (points), where as in the past there has been more capacity than number of members (points) to book the capacity.

I am now starting to confuse myself - does any of that make any sense.

More coffee is needed I think

David.

 

[Pootle]

More coffee is needed I think

LOL

I've posted this link before, but Crisi's post (no 22 on the thread) illuminates that it's really a numbers issue: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1004552&page=2&pp=15&highlight=Excel

The other thing is, if you are booking really close at a popular time, it could be because Saratoga is still being built and therefore has spare inventory that you've been offered anywhere at all

I should have been flying out to WDW today but my friend shattered her arm and needs an op next week, so reading these boards is my comfort Well, okay, I don't need an excuse really

Off to the kettle right now.

 

[Hilary]

I think this is in line with the perceived 'buy where you want to stay' predictions that, in the long term, it will become more and more difficult to book at your resort of choice due to the larger numbers who might be looking to stay in non-Home resorts.

I don't usually need to book at short notice, but I think our travelling trends may make this more likely for our circumstances in the next few years. Fortunately, it doesn't usually matter too much to us where we end up, although I would be short of points if we were only ever offered the higher points resorts! We will probably most often choose OKW or SSR (despite owning at VWL ) because they suit our requirments best - and, as they're the largest current resorts, I hope I wouldn't have too much problem, but who knows?

I suppose there must be some sort of relationship between amount of rooms available to book at anyone time compared to number of members (points).

Its maybe just at this point in the timeline it must be close to capacity. ie the number of rooms nearly equals the number of members (points), where as in the past there has been more capacity than number of members (points) to book the capacity.
David.

I'm not sure that this is the case (but I'm only basing it on my understanding, certainly not on known fact!). I thought the number of points available to convert into units for reservations was constant, i.e. DVC did not release rooms to the general inventory until the relevant points for those rooms had been sold to members. If that's right, then there members / rooms to rent balance should always be roughly the same.

 

[Hilary]

LOL

I've posted this link before, but Crisi's post (no 22 on the thread) illuminates that it's really a numbers issue: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1004552&page=2&pp=15&highlight=Excel

The other thing is, if you are booking really close at a popular time, it could be because Saratoga is still being built and therefore has spare inventory that you've been offered anywhere at all

I should have been flying out to WDW today but my friend shattered her arm and needs an op next week, so reading these boards is my comfort Well, okay, I don't need an excuse really

Off to the kettle right now.

I was posting at the same time as you posted this, Moira, so I take back my thoughts on the rooms / members equation!

Glad you can find some comfort here to keep you in DVC spirit, if not in person Can you start planning for a replacement trip yet?

 

[Pootle]

Glad you can find some comfort here to keep you in DVC spirit, if not in person Can you start planning for a replacement trip yet?

Hi Hilary, true addict that I am, would you believe I am uncomfortable going on any trip to Florida without having the next one booked too? Therefore, November has been booked for ages with aforementioned friend and next April's trip with DH is in the planning stage

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

I should have been flying out to WDW today but my friend shattered her arm and needs an op next week, so reading these boards is my comfort Well, okay, I don't need an excuse really

Off to the kettle right now.

Snap We should have been going to Gatwick tomorrow night , flying out tuesday for a week, but stocktaking and a grumpy MD put a stop to it , however the end of the month is looking good

David

ps still digesting crisi's post but looks like its much as I thought

 

[Dean]

Its maybe just at this point in the timeline it must be close to capacity. ie the number of rooms nearly equals the number of members (points), where as in the past there has been more capacity than number of members (points) to book the capacity.

DVC declares inventory BEFORE they can sell it. Thus, there will be slightly more availability at resorts actively selling than there are members there. Otherwise, any increase in the number units will be balance by the number of points sold and members vying for those units.

 

[paulh]

we have found that its no problem getting our requests even on wait lists.SSR is a place we like to stay our home is BWV as it starts to get croweded and more people buying dvc the more chane anouther resort will be added.This might be more like SSR or a add on to a delux hotel .the former making the delux add ons harder to get and the opposite way round would elaveate this presure.An addon to a delux would not take as long to build as a styand alone resort like SSR so in my oppion that would be the prefired route villas at AKL?.DVC could build this before SSR was finished or to be finnished at the same time.Disney have recentley been qouted a saying timeshare is a good way forward so they will not stop at SSR.BTW i have banked our points for this year so that will at least relese a room for 2 weeks for someone
Paulh