The classic 7 month question, for 1BR and 2BR

[caffeinegirl47]

Hello! We are a large family seriously considering purchasing a DVC contract. Our extended family is in Japan and to visit, we meet halfway in Hawaii, so we are targeting Aulani as our home resort, and the main reason we are purchasing the points is to use them at Aulani . However, we do not go to Hawaii every year, so other years we would want to use the points at WDW.

Which WDW resorts realistically have availability for 1BR and 2BR at the 7 month booking window? We would be fine with SSR or OKW, and understand that a lot of the competitive resorts near the parks simply won't have availability at 7 months. However, since we would be looking to book shorter trips and are flexible on timing (usually travel in January, May, or August) I'm wondering if we would have a possible shot at any MK or Epcot-area resorts, for 1BR and/or 2BR reservations. Any perspective / info booking at 7 months recently would be appreciated!

 

[kilik64]

1 bedrooms are usually just about the last thing to go at most resorts due to them being more points. 2 bedrooms can be harder to get if the resort is lockoff heavy (the 2nd bedroom on those is a studio which when that gets booked, the 2bed is now just a 1bed left, which also works in your favor if 1bed works...)

Generally, its mostly studios and certain GV that are super hard to book, 1 bed and 2 bed at 7 months is usually much easier.

 

[intamin]

The order of general demand booking goes studios>2BR>Grand Villas>1BR.
SSR and OKW as you stated have easy availability at 7 months. If you're flexible about which views you're okay with paying for then it becomes a lot simpler. For example a 1BR standard view at 7 month at BLT might not be there but a 1BR lake view likely will be. It really depends on the resort. The only one I'd say you're likely consistently not going to get would probably be Beach Club. Boardwalk can be somewhat difficult as well but it's definitely doable at 7 months. All the rest I'd say you have a fair shot at 7 months if you're good about booking when the rooms come online.

 

[Her Dotness]

Buy enough SSR points to book the Poly bungalows or Copper Creek cabins. You'll have NO problem booking those at 7 months. (Don't we all wish we could do that!)

Seriously, one MK area resort that might be fairly easy to get the 1-2brs would be BRV, except in the holiday season because WL is noted for its gorgeous lobby decorations. I actually preferred the BRV lobby tree to the WL one people rave so about the year we stayed a few nights in BRV. The recently completed refurb has DH shopping for a resale there to add to our collection--and me reminding him who said no more points after our add-ons last year.

I do agree with the prior poster that most everywhere other than BCV is pretty likely outside of the usual concerns about nearby special events. But, your typical months don't fall solidly into those if you plan well.

Have fun deciding and getting the best contracts you can. Yes, it will ultimately be plural. That's addonitis for ya.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Hello! We are a large family seriously considering purchasing a DVC contract. Our extended family is in Japan and to visit, we meet halfway in Hawaii, so we are targeting Aulani as our home resort, and the main reason we are purchasing the points is to use them at Aulani . However, we do not go to Hawaii every year, so other years we would want to use the points at WDW.

Which WDW resorts realistically have availability for 1BR and 2BR at the 7 month booking window? We would be fine with SSR or OKW, and understand that a lot of the competitive resorts near the parks simply won't have availability at 7 months. However, since we would be looking to book shorter trips and are flexible on timing (usually travel in January, May, or August) I'm wondering if we would have a possible shot at any MK or Epcot-area resorts, for 1BR and/or 2BR reservations. Any perspective / info booking at 7 months recently would be appreciated!

If you’re going at non-peak times 1 bedroom units are not hard to get at all. SSR & OKW will definitely be available almost year-round (even at peak times). But even things like BLT lake-view 1 bedrooms, GFV lake-view 1 bedrooms, BWV Garden/Pool View, AKV Savannah view 1 br are all pretty easy to get. The only one that is basically consistently impossible to get is BCV.

 

[gharter]

Have rarely had a problem getting a q or 2 br at 7 months UNLESS it is during F&W. Then all bets are off.

 

[RamblinWreck]

Hello! We are a large family seriously considering purchasing a DVC contract. Our extended family is in Japan and to visit, we meet halfway in Hawaii, so we are targeting Aulani as our home resort, and the main reason we are purchasing the points is to use them at Aulani . However, we do not go to Hawaii every year, so other years we would want to use the points at WDW.

Which WDW resorts realistically have availability for 1BR and 2BR at the 7 month booking window? We would be fine with SSR or OKW, and understand that a lot of the competitive resorts near the parks simply won't have availability at 7 months. However, since we would be looking to book shorter trips and are flexible on timing (usually travel in January, May, or August) I'm wondering if we would have a possible shot at any MK or Epcot-area resorts, for 1BR and/or 2BR reservations. Any perspective / info booking at 7 months recently would be appreciated!

Depending on the time of year, you can get a 1 bedroom at every resort at 7 months

 

[mamaofsix]

If those are the months you are travelling, you likely won't have a problem getting a 1 or 2 bedroom at most resorts (if you're willing to go with the points-heavy views).

 

[RoseGold]

Those dates are off peak for WDW DVC. Most 1BRs will be easy to book, with the exception of a handful: BLT value (has an extra bathroom), BW view and standard, sometimes BLT lake view can be tight, and AKL club/value, always impossible. You might not get exactly what you want, but you'll get something. August will be wide open, even Beach Club. The room I book most in DVC is BW 1BR garden view. Heck, you can book it right now for all of July and August (4/5 months).

2BRs have a much weirder booking pattern, because there are a lot fewer of them. But it's not impossible. I booked BC 2BR for this summer, and it still has some availability for July/Aug now (4/5 months). If OKW/SSR will suffice, you won't have a problem. I doubt you actually have to book OKW/SSR. I haven't had to yet.

 

[drusba]

WDW DVC's have basically two seasons: the mostly moderate season that runs from the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan to the third week of Sep, and the high to extremely high demand season that runs from late Sep to Marathon weekend in Jan. The demand difference between the two season is often extreme, e.g., the first week of Dec, the highest DVC demand week of the year when many room categories can disappear within seconds after the 11-month booking window opens at 8 a.m. eastern, makes Easter week look like a slow off-season. Rooms that are typically available in the moderate season at 7-months out are often gone before 7-months out during the high demand season, e.g., even 2BRs at SSR and OKW can fill before 7-months out at times during the high demand season, while during the moderate season they are always open, often even until five months out; another example, BWV boardwalk view 1BRs which are often open at 7-months out during the moderate season, can disappear within seconds after the 11-month booking window opens at 8 a.m. eastern for the first week of Dec.

For charts that have tracked availability at 11 and 7 months out, throughout the year, go here https://www.dvcfieldguide.com/availability-tables