September 2023 - Why no availability

[Adrii]

Hi

Am I being silly and missing something obvious here?
Theres always plenty of availability in september for most resorts, (always can get at least Saratoga/Old Key).
I've been looking at the 7 month window from 9th September onwards and been checking every day (as planning to book for 15th Sep) and there practically nothing at all available.

So confused as to why theres nothing left.
Ive been checking at 8am eastern time (1pm for me UK time) and am now worried I wont be able to pick up anything

TIA

 

[Sandisw]

September is now the lowest points season so I think you may be seeing people who used to go in October shifting a little bit to save points?

I think it’s just getting harder and harder to secure 7 month or less reservations during the busy DVC fall frenzy time.

 

[Chuck S]

Remember that September is also a time when some resort rooms may cycle down for a soft goods refurbishment. But there really isn't a "slow Season" for DVC since the Pandemic restrictions ended, and the 50th anniversay hype started. I think things will slowly get back to a more "normal" booking pattern in a couple of years, Remember that there are three "major" celebrations running concurrently right now. EPCOT 40th, WDW 50th, and Walt Disney Company 100th.

 

[bp2412]

I noticed the same too. We were considering another trip this year 9/10-9/15, just a resort stay hopefully at one of the AKL resorts, figured most likely Kidani (our home is SSR). I've been checking over the last few weeks and there was always availability until a couple of days ago. Today is the 7 month mark and only 2 days were available at Kidani and I couldn't book the full 5 days at any WDW resort (I wasn't on at 8AM with daycare drop-off and work so I was a little late to the game- but I noticed Wednesday 9/13 is the date booked for even the large resorts like SSR and OKW so I wonder if something is going on that day). I understand studios, which is what I was trying to book, are the first to go and fall is the busy DVC season, but I was still optimistic going into this week. We aren't big fans of split stays so with booking studios we have had a pretty difficult time trying new resorts at 7 months since we became members in 2020. I also just found out this morning my wife doesn't have the PTO anyways for this trip but I had still wanted to check availability anyways.

Good luck with your booking and hopefully if you need to waitlist it comes through!

 

[kes601]

We were considering another trip this year 9/10-9/15

September 13 is Moonlight Magic at HS.

 

[vpusey]

Hi , September 8 ,9 & 10 are the D23 Expo dates being held at the Contemporary

 

[bp2412]

September 13 is Moonlight Magic at HS.

Ahh got it, thanks for letting me know. That was bugging me I couldn't understand why that is booked everywhere, I even just Googled that date and couldn't find it quick. Living in CT and going down typically once a year I never even look at the dates for those cause I figure what are the odds. Well happy we can't go anyways cause my plan was to waitlist but doubt that would have ever filled then.

 

[zackiedawg]

I booked 3 trips for this year on 1/15/23 - the first for 3/10 4 nights, second for 6/9 4 nights, and the 3rd for 9/15 5 nights. I was able to book the September trip at Boardwalk as it's my home resort - but availability was good - no problem getting a 1-bedroom preferred/garden view. Not sure that helps at all - I know Boardwalk has been rumored to be working on the standard view refurb, so that may blank out some options there.

 

[sethschroeder]

Just want to point out this is the reason you buy where you want to stay and very least buy on WDW property. Those with flexible plans will be fine but if you have limited options you might strike out even trying to piece something together.

 

[zavandor]

September 13 is Moonlight Magic at HS.

I wish Disney won't publish in the future dates for MM earlier than 7 months. It creates huge issues with availability.

 

[kes601]

I wish Disney won't publish in the future dates for MM earlier than 7 months. It creates huge issues with availability.

While that is true, it also gives those of us who have to ask for time off, travel from a good distance, etc. the ability to plan. I'm not going to try to go to it, but I'd rather know about them early enough so I can make plans vs. having to scramble.

 

[CarolMN]

I wish Disney won't publish in the future dates for MM earlier than 7 months. It creates huge issues with availability.

Not sure why earlier is a problem. I also like knowing as early as Disney is willing to announce.

We all have priority for those dates at our home resort(s). I don't feel any obligation to save availability for members who don't want to book their home.resort.

 

[zavandor]

While that is true, it also gives those of us who have to ask for time off, travel from a good distance, etc. the ability to plan. I'm not going to try to go to it, but I'd rather know about them early enough so I can make plans vs. having to scramble.

And what happens after you've booked your tickets and took time off and you cannot get a ticket to the event?
Or maybe it's not as good as you expect? (See a resent report on the DLR MM).
MM are a nice bonus if you happen to get in, but I don't think they should be planned for.

Not sure why earlier is a problem. I also like knowing as early as Disney is willing to announce.

We all have priority for those dates at our home resort(s). I don't feel any obligation to save availability for members who don't want to book their home.resort.

I've been trying to piece together a stay at 7 months for September and noticed the 13th has been the only night sold out at many resorts, with the adjacent nights free. Even large categories like Kidani Savannah! This tells me a lot of people booking just that night to hope to get into the event. This causes two problems.
The biggest is higher housekeeping costs and worst service: if the number of one night stays is higher than normal, rooms may be ready later or cleaned more in a rush. And/or extra time needs to be paid for, which means higher MF for everyone.
The second is making more difficult for people to book longer stays, before or after 7 months.
MM is a marketing event and it shouldn't disrupt the system for people who want to use the product just to book a room for a longer stay.

 

[kes601]

And what happens after you've booked your tickets and took time off and you cannot get a ticket to the event?

I enjoy a visit to Disney World -- or I cancel my requested time off and the room (I have an AP so tickets aren't relevant to me)?

Personally I wouldn't plan a trip around a MM event. We went to one at HS last year and it was fine, but not worth an extra trip or extending a trip (which we did).

I'm just playing devil's advocate. For everybody who wishes things were done one way there are others who are happy with the way they are done. See the umpteen hundred recent threads on renting as an example.

 

[kandlsutton]

The DVC Member Cruise is 9/4-9/8 (our first one) and 9/3 has had limited studio availability for the last month+. We have bookend stays the weekend before/after the cruise and I had to do a lot of points juggling, waitlisting and modifying to get us through Moonlight Madness on the 13th. Booked the weekends at 11 months out. A waitlist for a studio to replace a 1BR came through (less than a week after the 7 month window opened) to free up some points. So I booked 9/13 last week with home resort points and was able to modify this morning to get 9/11-13.
Also had to make my January 2024 reservations this month, and now I’m done with ressies for a few months.

 

[n2mm]

I would never plan around an event either. For TL one date is the week after we leave and the other date is the week before we arrive. I have added one day last year and this year will try again. My grands are coming in on 7/12 for a cruise, so I booked 7/11 to align with the AK event. We were arriving on 7/9 already. My grands don’t have park tickets so if I can get them into AK that would be fantastic. But I won’t tell them in case I can’t get them in. we are on the fantasy 7/13 Souther Caribbean cruise to celebrate graduations so the AK MM would be a little extra, plus a BFF is also coming and never been to AK before. Plus little sister is celebrating her Sweet 16th birthday.

 

[sethschroeder]

And what happens after you've booked your tickets and took time off and you cannot get a ticket to the event?
Or maybe it's not as good as you expect? (See a resent report on the DLR MM).
MM are a nice bonus if you happen to get in, but I don't think they should be planned for.

So booking for the event should be at 10 or 11 months? I agree with that.

 

[SL6827]

And what happens after you've booked your tickets and took time off and you cannot get a ticket to the event?
Or maybe it's not as good as you expect? (See a resent report on the DLR MM).
MM are a nice bonus if you happen to get in, but I don't think they should be planned for.


I've been trying to piece together a stay at 7 months for September and noticed the 13th has been the only night sold out at many resorts, with the adjacent nights free. Even large categories like Kidani Savannah! This tells me a lot of people booking just that night to hope to get into the event. This causes two problems.
The biggest is higher housekeeping costs and worst service: if the number of one night stays is higher than normal, rooms may be ready later or cleaned more in a rush. And/or extra time needs to be paid for, which means higher MF for everyone.
The second is making more difficult for people to book longer stays, before or after 7 months.
MM is a marketing event and it shouldn't disrupt the system for people who want to use the product just to book a room for a longer stay.

Some very good points.

 

[beccasmom]

We normally don’t visit in September, but did last year and found it to be an enjoyable time - still hot weather, but no surprises there. I was finally able to pin down dates for our trips this year (working around two other non-Disney trips in July and August - lots of travel planned this year ). I was able to book a one-bedroom at BRV for the week of 9/10, although we would have been okay with any resort. We‘ll be excited to see the renovations at that resort; they were just getting geared up with them when we were there last year (construction across the hall). We weren’t planning around any events and just chose the dates at random within our availability.

 

[bp2412]

We normally don’t visit in September, but did last year and found it to be an enjoyable time - still hot weather, but no surprises there. I was finally able to pin down dates for our trips this year (working around two other non-Disney trips in July and August - lots of travel planned this year ). I was able to book a one-bedroom at BRV for the week of 9/10, although we would have been okay with any resort. We‘ll be excited to see the renovations at that resort; they were just getting geared up with them when we were there last year (construction across the hall). We weren’t planning around any events and just chose the dates at random within our availability.

That's a great time to go. Even before we owned DVC we would always head down the week after Labor Day, so the week you will be there. Like you said its hot, but for us coming from the northeast and fall approaching it felt like we were extending summer 1 more week, you have Food and Wine going on, schools mostly just started back up so we always thought it was maybe less crowded (maybe its not and we're just trying to convince ourselves of that though). One issue we ran into once was its right in the middle of hurricane season. We were there in 2017 during Irma staying on a coworkers BCV points and although parks were closed for 2 days, once everything opened up again the parks were empty from all the people that changed their trips. Enjoy your week at BRV!