Studio Availability

[crazycatlady]

I pretty much had my DH onboard with buying DVC but I have hit a snag. A little background on us;

We are empty nesters with two adult children who love Disney as much as we do. We currently visit a Disney Park at least once or twice a year for about 10 to 12 days each trip and stay in moderates because of the price compared to deluxes (I'm frugal), except at DLR because we love the GCH so much. We typically travel in early December and May/June and cannot travel January through April, July and October.

I thought we were perfect candidates for DVC and DH has agreed to start with a small resale contract, most likely 150 pts at CCR because we love WL, especially in December, so know that I need to own there to get the 11-month booking. I love all the resorts and would like to be able to stay at every one at some point. We would like to mainly stay in studios since it is only the two of us for now, although will probably want some larger units once we have grandkids.

Now to the snag: I turned on a DIS podcast about people who shouldn't buy DVC and the first one was "Studio People" because it is so hard to book studios. I looked up and of course, my DH was listening and now he is not so sure we should buy in. I know prices are good right now on resale and I would like to take advantage of that. If we decide we like it we would probably grab resale points at GCH and maybe a 150 pt direct contract for Poly2 or GF2 further down the line. But I know that DH won't like it if we have no choices at the 7-month mark.

So are we bad candidates for DVC since we would like to stay in mostly studios and also what resorts have availability at the 7-month mark in early December and any part of May? If we will be mostly left with SSR and OKW I think we may not buy because the whole idea of buying in is to try a bunch of resorts, not just 2 or 3. I'm not saying I don't like those resorts, just that AKL and GF are magical in Dec. and the BC and BW are so close to Epcot/DSH that I think getting to stay at some of those would convince DH that we should buy more points and really commit to DVC.

Help!

 

[TinkB278]

I’ve been able to get a studio at most resorts except vgf1 and haven’t ever tried for the wilderness lodge rooms or BLT. I own at riv so I’ve gotten those but they can be limited at 7 months but if you buy resale that won’t be an option anyways. AKV, pvb, SSR, okw, boardwalk garden/pool view, are all fairly easy to get at 7 months but you might have to book what’s available and waitlist the rest. We’ve been able to stay multiple nights at AKV, pvb, bwv, bcv on our RIV points. I don’t think it’s hard to get a studio at all except for certain resorts or certain times of year….

 

[SLThomas318]

Do you have flexibility with dates? Are you looking to do 10-12 nights, because 150 points won't go that far in DVC. You should be fine in May/June as long as you aren't locked into specific dates... we like switching at 7 months and a lot of times after if I happen to be checking the site and something pops-up, but it might mean adjusting our dates slightly. You also need some extra points because the studios that go last tend to be the point heavier categories.

 

[RoseGold]

Early December is peak DVC because it's becoming peak in general and the DVC chart in particular.

CCV is underweighted in studios, DVC members book out studios fast, and WL is popular for December. All of this means a December CCV studio is difficult, but not impossible.

May/June is fine. You can book all kinds of stuff. I've even gotten BC studios.

 

[sethschroeder]

You are not getting a December and May stay on 150 points likely unless they are shorter trips. Have you looked at the point charts to understand what you can actually book for 150 points?

I would never buy CCV expecting to get a studio its by far the worst resort to get a studio of anything out there. Anywhere else and I would say you are fine especially if you are a tiny flexible with dates and are good with getting up right at 8am EST 11 months out to book your room.

 

[crazycatlady]

Sorry, I should have mentioned that while we only have 150 pts we would probably stay the first two or three nights for cash at moderates and only stay 7 or 8 nights at DVC, depending on how many pts we have banked the year before. We definitely have flexibility since we take longer trips so could switch out the dvc days vs the moderate days.

 

[Rick195275]

Especially if you dont mind moving, which I assume you don’t you are a fine canidate for dvc but maybe not at CCV. Maybe brv if you really love wilderness lodge, shorter contract but easier to book studios and cheaper on the resale market. December it is much more harder to book a non home resort at 7 months than it would be in may and June. I own blt and have only stayed there twice lol but we love split stays and checking out all the resorts.

 

[crazycatlady]

You are not getting a December and May stay on 150 points likely unless they are shorter trips. Have you looked at the point charts to understand what you can actually book for 150 points?

I would never buy CCV expecting to get a studio its by far the worst resort to get a studio of anything out there. Anywhere else and I would say you are fine especially if you are a tiny flexible with dates and are good with getting up right at 8am EST 11 months out to book your room.

I also should have mentioned that while there are no APs, we will only be taking one trip a year so we don't have to buy tickets more than once a year. If they start selling APS again, we will probably fast-forward decisions on more points.

I have obsessed about the point charts and figure that for my 150 points and dedicated 11-month booking plus a little "walking" (thanks Dis helpers!), I should be able to get my CCR studio for early Dec plus a few nights at the front or tail end of the trip. Or maybe bank the balance of the points for the next year to use at a more expensive resort.

 

[crazycatlady]

Early December is peak DVC because it's becoming peak in general and the DVC chart in particular.

CCV is underweighted in studios, DVC members book out studios fast, and WL is popular for December. All of this means a December CCV studio is difficult, but not impossible.

May/June is fine. You can book all kinds of stuff. I've even gotten BC studios.

It's a relief to hear that May should be easier to get some of the "tough" resorts.

 

[crazycatlady]

Does anyone know what studios are available in early December at the 7-month mark? Is AKL or GL ever available?

 

[Rick195275]

Its not unusual for studios to be booked solid at 7 months for early December. With that said through stalking I got 2 nights at poly and 2 at CCV first week of December 2018 by stalking. It’s never impossible but I wouldn’t count on anything but your home resort as a studio in December. But if you bought CCV I’m not sure I would want to stay anywhere else in December lol

 

[sethschroeder]

Does anyone know what studios are available in early December at the 7-month mark? Is AKL or GL ever available?

It would be impossible to say as point charts just went through a shift as historically early December was CHEAP but now its averaged priced. You also had multiple years impacted by COVID and the restrictions on travel.

You likely can piece something together if nothing else. I suspect you would never be shut out as long as you checked daily the open rooms and booked things as rooms became available and put in a waitlist places with lots of rooms.

 

[supersnoop]

Now to the snag: I turned on a DIS podcast about people who shouldn't buy DVC and the first one was "Studio People" because it is so hard to book studios.

That seems like a "nobody drives there anymore because the traffic is so bad" argument.

 

[crazycatlady]

Its not unusual for studios to be booked solid at 7 months for early December. With that said through stalking I got 2 nights at poly and 2 at CCV first week of December 2018 by stalking. It’s never impossible but I wouldn’t count on anything but your home resort as a studio in December. But if you bought CCV I’m not sure I would want to stay anywhere else in December lol

I think you are right and I should just be thrilled to be able to stay at the glorious WL in December.

 

[Rick195275]

I think you are right and I should just be thrilled to be able to stay at the glorious WL in December.

It really was amazing with all the Christmas decorations! We got extremely lucky and were upgraded from a studio to a one bedroom it was an incredible trip! Planning to go first week of December 2023 so presumably there will be some days at bay lake tower days opening up if we can switch haha

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I have obsessed about the point charts and figure that for my 150 points and dedicated 11-month booking plus a little "walking" (thanks Dis helpers!), I should be able to get my CCR studio for early Dec plus a few nights at the front or tail end of the trip.

Even walking an early December studio at CCV is a hard thing. There are more members trying to walk studios than there are studios there.

 

[crazycatlady]

Haaa! I just realized I've been typing CCR instead of CCV all this time.

Anyone know if AKL is just as difficult for owners to book a studio at for December? Maybe I should buy smaller contracts at both and try at each?

 

[SLThomas318]

Haaa! I just realized I've been typing CCR instead of CCV all this time.

Anyone know if AKL is just as difficult for owners to book a studio at for December? Maybe I should buy smaller contracts at both and try at each?

AKL should be more then fine… between Kidani and Jambo and standard vs savannah there are tons of studios.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

AKL should be more then fine… between Kidani and Jambo and standard vs savannah there are tons of studios.

So long as youu don't have hopes n dreams of either Club or Value, of course.

 

[Sammie]

Prior to the Pandemic, we were able to get studios at AKL, OKW and SSR in early December. Anything else was gone before 7 months. May/June is much easier.