Soooo Frustrated!

[kendzee94]

So today is my 11 month mark for the trip I want to take to AKV for a 1BR Concierge. I forgot to call this morning, and it was booked for 10/3/12 already! Seriously MS told me to call at 9 am to get the rest of the nights the to just waitlist the first night! UUGGHHH!

 

[com_op_2000]

I'm sure you know that there are only five possible 1-bdrms available.
If you want one other DISers have reported that you must call right at the opening of your booking window to get one.
Also, some previous bookers maybe staying multiple days and already have your days booked since there are so few rooms.

 

[Sandisw]

Unfortunately, I think those are the hardest rooms to get since there are so few of them.

Hopefully, you will be able to get the rest of your nights tomorrow and then the wait list will come through for you.

Good luck!

 

[PineappleFloat]

I've found within the past year and 1/2 that Availability everywhere is becoming few and far between. I've never had problems getting any room I've wanted on my Birthday for example, but the last 2 years It's been scrounging up whatever I can and resort hopping. Out of the 450 points I've used so far this year, I don't think I've gotten the room I initially wanted a single time... and that goes for studio's through grand villas and even half the time lately I can even get into Saratoga of all places lol!

 

[UtahsGoofy]

Wow, I had no idea there are so few rooms. I guess only those with this as a home resort will ever get these rooms.

 

[com_op_2000]

Wow, I had no idea there are so few rooms. I guess only those with this as a home resort will ever get these rooms.

There are five two-bedroom lockoffs which can be split into 5 1-bdrms and 5 studios. Two face the pool area, three face the savana, and you do not get an option for choosing which one you are assigned.
I got two different two night reservations at 6 and 4 months out last year in a studio. It is possible to book them at under 7 months but you have to be going at an off-peak time and be flexible.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

So today is my 11 month mark for the trip I want to take to AKV for a 1BR Concierge. I forgot to call this morning, and it was booked for 10/3/12 already! Seriously MS told me to call at 9 am to get the rest of the nights the to just waitlist the first night! UUGGHHH!

This is why I think this was Disney's "worst" idea in a while (and that's saying something) Adverstising this place ahs "concerige" is almost "false advertising" with the number of unit vs number of owners.

 

[Kidanifan08]

Concierge level guests can do the sunrise safari on Sundays and Thursdays. Since 10/3/12 is a Wed, the people who have rooms for that day may be checking out on 10/4/12 so they can book the safari. That gives you a chance of getting a room for 10/4. Of course, you would not be able to do the safari on that day and would have to wait until 10/7 if that is something that is important to you. You should call right at 9AM tomorrow and you may get lucky. If you do get 10/4 through the desired end of your stay, you should try doing a WL for 10/3.

We have a 2BR CL for early June of 2012. I was an evil DVC member and walked the reservation for a few days to get CL. I don't usually do that, but it was important for us to get CL and it happened to work this time. I learned about walking the reservation on these very informative boards.

If it doesn't work for you, perhaps you have the option of pushing the trip forward a week or two to try to get CL. Good luck, and don't give up hope!

 

[paults]

I've found within the past year and 1/2 that Availability everywhere is becoming few and far between. I've never had problems getting any room I've wanted on my Birthday for example, but the last 2 years It's been scrounging up whatever I can and resort hopping. Out of the 450 points I've used so far this year, I don't think I've gotten the room I initially wanted a single time... and that goes for studio's through grand villas and even half the time lately I can even get into Saratoga of all places lol!

Hard to believe you got nothing you wanted in 2 yrs. When do you book? If your booking late then you have to take what you can get. I've been a member since 2002 and never had a problem getting what I want at any time, but I do book at 11 months and 7 months and even most late bookings I still get the resort I want. Good luck with future bookings

 

[tjkraz]

I've found within the past year and 1/2 that Availability everywhere is becoming few and far between. I've never had problems getting any room I've wanted on my Birthday for example, but the last 2 years It's been scrounging up whatever I can and resort hopping.

If forum posts are any representative snapshot of member practices, some of this difficulty originated with economic struggles in 2008 and 2009. During the recession, members may have been banking their points in greater numbers due to job loss, financial insecurity and similar factors.

By 2010 and 2011 when confidence is recovering members are traveling again, using not only their current points but those banked points and perhaps even borrowing.

Without the impact of banking and borrowing, the resorts should be near 100% occupancy year-round if all members are using their points. The same is true if the numbers of banked and borrowed points are comparable.

But we are probably in the midst of a phase where there is an inordinately high number of prior years' banked points being used. The net result is resorts cannot accommodate the number of points members' wish to use. That makes reservations harder to come by--particularly for folks who are accustomed to a certain level of availability during their preferred travel time.

 

[Starr W.]

I've not had any problems here in the last year or so booking what I want at the 11/7 month windows.

This year we've had a stay at BLT(no problem booking MK view at 7 months), Beach Cottage at VB for spring break and leaving today for a stay in a GV at SSR. Even called a few weeks later to change this one by a week(school calendar changed by a week). No problem changing dates, even at about 10.5 months.

Those AKV concierge level villas are always hit or miss, they require fingers crossed and calling right at 9am.

 

[supernova]

Whenever this happens to me, I just take what's available, not totally unpack, and then change rooms. If you're at the same hotel, the bell hops can have you change rooms. Heck, I've split my trip between two resorts and Disney offered to move my stuff for me. You can't always get EVERYTHING you want, but it's easy enough to accommodate yourself until you can get to your preferred say portion :thumbs:

 

[OhioDVC]

I feel your pain. I tried to get a studio concierge and it was already booked

 

[matilda]

I called right at 9am at the 11 month window to get a 1 bedroom CL for Thanksgiving and had no problem We also booked the Sunrise Safari right at the 180 day mark. It is our DS 13th birthday Thanksgiving Day this year and we wanted to do something really special. Today I did call and cancel the safari as the discount for DVC's for LaNouba is great and decided to do that the night before instead. Just another reason to book CL another time!! I would book the nights you can and do a studio the night before and move. Just pack one bag with one nights worth of things you need so you can still have all your luggage ready to be moved for you but you don't need to get in it. We have done this before and it works well. GOODLUCK

 

[dizfan]

If forum posts are any representative snapshot of member practices, some of this difficulty originated with economic struggles in 2008 and 2009. During the recession, members may have been banking their points in greater numbers due to job loss, financial insecurity and similar factors.

By 2010 and 2011 when confidence is recovering members are traveling again, using not only their current points but those banked points and perhaps even borrowing.

Without the impact of banking and borrowing, the resorts should be near 100% occupancy year-round if all members are using their points. The same is true if the numbers of banked and borrowed points are comparable.

But we are probably in the midst of a phase where there is an inordinately high number of prior years' banked points being used. The net result is resorts cannot accommodate the number of points members' wish to use. That makes reservations harder to come by--particularly for folks who are accustomed to a certain level of availability during their preferred travel time.

In addition to Tim's comments, another factor is that in 2009 four new properties opened, resulting in far more supply of rooms and the demand based on points sold.

Think of it this way. At the end of 2009, Disney had more supply than the demand. More than 10 million points worth of excess supply. All of these units were not available for booking, but it's reasonable to believe this is a contributing factor in DVC becoming more difficult to book since fall of 2008.

 

[crazybones27]

Last year I called at the 11 month mark at exactly 9am to get the last studio CL for the week after Thanksgiving this year. We're staying from Sun-Sat and the CM said all other rooms were booked except for the one we got. With the CL I think walking the reservation is sometimes the best option unfortunately.