So there's basically no prayer of getting a GV at OKW in early Dec?

[zulaya]

Just bought at BCV, and not that I don't love it - I do, but they don't have GVs and I was thinking about having a group of family members all together at some point and OKW would be more their speed than BWV.

Early December has been our favorite time to go for a really long time, way before DVC came into our lives. Now, I have to convince DH to buy an OKW resale and we would have to wait for the right size contract to come around, but in the meantime, am I pretty much out of luck if I wanted to get a GV at the 7month window? I know a lot of DVCers go at this time with low points and DVC meetings.

Has anyone ever wait listed for a GV for early Dec and ever gotten one? I am not wanting to do it this year, and maybe not even next year, but that is a possibility. I just want to know as much in advance as possible, if I should evenn waste my time on wait-listing.

Thanks for your input

 

[Richyams]

No, I am sorry to say, but you don't have a prayer.

Your best bet is to wait till Dec 03 and trade points with somebody. It is going to require trust, you can't do a real trade since they only allow either one trade in or out per year. You will have to make a reservation for someone and have them make the reservation for you.

By the way, about a month ago, I reserved a weekend in early December and waitlisted for the Thurs night and Mon nights surrounding this weekend. If the waitlist doesn't come through with at least one of the nights, I will be canceling the weekend. Its a shame, because people refuse to use weekend days, weekend days go empty, especially in Grand Villas.

I really wish they would require one weekend night for stays of three or more weeknights.

This would seriously cut down on this problem of weekends going empty.

 

[zulaya]

Thanks for the reply. It was what I expected, unfortunately. That is a shame about the weekends. If people aren't using them, you'd think DVC would lower the point amounts so that they would at least have customers on weekend days and it's a shame that people are so stingy that they use up all the weekday-days leaving none for the people willing to stay a weekend. I can't really see a lot of people paying cash for a GV. It would be better to use fewer points on the weekends and have a customer, using the facilities, restaurants, gift shops, etc. More money coming in that way anyways.

I'd personally like to see fewer points required on the weekends (it won't keep me from staying at a DVC resort on a weekend) - I would be apt to travel on different days of the week, especially since I can get cheaper airfare fliying on Wednesdays instead of weekend days.

Guess I'll just have to wait until that OKW contract comes along for us...

 

[PamOKW]

I don't want to give false hope, but my experience is you never know until you make the call. People's plans change all the time and the impossible sometimes does happen. An option is to make an alternate plan -- book a combination of rooms at BWV for your group and then try for your GV and see what happens.

 

[Richyams]

They really can't lower the weekends. That would have people like me, Floridians, taking weekend trips and make it impossible for others to book full weeks.

I really think the best solution would be to require on weekend day for each three weeknights booked.

 

[Richyams]

Not to minimize Pam's optimism and while things do happen and things can change and the impossible can happen.....when I called last month, they said that there are no weekdays available for the entire period from Thanksgiving to Christmas and the waiting list was closed for most of the days. I took the only weekend with the waiting list open for the Sunday and Thursday nights.

I think your best bet is to plan for '03 and start trying to get someone to trade points with you now.

 

[Terry S]

Richyams... I don't think you could require 3 weekdays for one weekend since a lot of people travel for a week, in that week there is only 5 weekdays and 2 weekend days. I agree with your concept, but I think it would have to be 2 weekdays for one weekend day.

 

[Lisa F]

Originally posted by Terry S
Richyams... I don't think you could require 3 weekdays for one weekend since a lot of people travel for a week, in that week there is only 5 weekdays and 2 weekend days. I agree with your concept, but I think it would have to be 2 weekdays for one weekend day.

Reading what Rich said, I think he'd require the opposite. For every 3 weekdays that you book, you'd be required to have at least one weekend day as a part of your reservation. This would pretty much put an end to people who travel from Sunday-Thursday... they would at the very least have to include a Friday or Saturday night stay in there.

I have to wonder, though, how much of a problem it is for DVC. It is probably a lot easier to rent cash reservations on the weekends than during the weekdays.

Lisa

 

[Richyams]

Any stays three days or longer will include one weekend night.

I think that would be a good idea. I know it would change what many were sold, since sales folk always use the Sun-Thurs example when selling, but I think it would be a good idea.

Evening out the weekday-weekend disparity would certainly have huge drawbacks. People like me, who live in Florida, would be taking long weekends all the time. This would make it very difficult for others to book full weeks.

 

[DownNeckBoy]

Isn't Sunday a weekend day?

 

[SwampFox]

I know it would change what many were sold, since sales folk always use the Sun-Thurs example when selling, but I think it would be a good idea.

Plus, then some people could gripe about those lying sales people.

Isn't Sunday a weekend day?

Sunday night is considered a weekday night as far as DVC point requirements are concerned. Fri and Sat are the weekend nights with DVC.

 

[fkj2]

Let me know if you'd be interested in trading points for a ressie. I'm open to it.

 

[CarolA]

All I can say is if they started requiring a weekend day stay I would raise cain!! I do stay both weekends and weekdays, but I don't want them dictating to me when I can use my points that way.

 

[Beth]

Zulaya - don't give up hope.

There will always be people like fkj2 who will be interested in priority at <i>your</i> home resort.

I made early December GV reservations for a coworker of mine who has her points at WLV. She's going to transfer them to me at the start of her use-year, August 1st - unless I get the itch and need to get over there sooner!

Don't forget, the sister-board here is the Rent/TRADE board - you could always post your desire to trade points to get that priority over at OKW on that board, too!

Good Luck - you'll work it out!

 

[SINK]

I have my fingers crossed, hoping that GV becomes available for our Thanksgiving trip. Currently have ressie for a two bedroom and a studio at OKW. Just maybe, people will switch their ressie to the brand new BCV with their seven month window. Please, oh please.

 

[lindam7]

we have been seriously thinking about buying a resale for okw,
however this is scaring me. We always travel the first week in
December. WE would however, only require a studio, are you
saying that the gv's are imposible to book at that time or the
entire resort?? Your answers may make me reconsider..

 

[PamOKW]

Lindam7 -- Don't be scared. The GV's are what are very difficult to book since there are so few of them. If you wanted one and had OKW as a home resort you'd be advised to call "day by day" at the 11 month mark to ensure getting the GV.

The rest of the resort can also be booked the same day-by-day route or you can call and ask about availability on the first day and work from there. Early December is very popular with DVC members but not impossible to book at all. Even if you called after the 11 month mark, if there was nothing available, chances are the wait list would come through. People book at 11 months and then change their plans along the way freeing up villas for other members.

 

[Richyams]

For anything other than a GV, you can easily call on the last day of your vacation at the eleven month window and book the whole thing. Really, missing a few weekswould be no problem. There is probably still availability for this December in everything but the Grand Villas.