Trading into Disney property during Food and Wine

[magjeff98]

We are Marriott timeshare owners and are trying to trade into a Disney property for the 1st week in November. We didn't realize it was during the popular Food and Wine Fest. What do you think our chances are? Should we just opt for an offsite Marriott property or hold out for a Disney spot? We are in for OKW, SSR, WVL, BWV, BCV. We don't want to end up with nothing at all but would prefer to stay on site. Help!

 

[Lynne M]

October/November is very popular at the DVC resorts, due to F&W. Many members book their trips at the 11-month mark.

At this point, I would say it's very, very unlikely you'll get BCV or BWV. I tried to book BCV in March for an October trip, and there was nothing available. VWL tends to go next, since it's a small resort. Not sure about AKV's availability, but I'd say your only option would be OKW or SSR. IF they're even available for trade - as you know, that would depend on how many OKW/SSR owners traded out.

I don't know how Marriott's system works, but can you book a Marriott property, and continue to look for a trade into DVC?

You might want to post this question on the DVC Planning board. There are lots of good folks there who are very knowledgeable about trades.

 

[magjeff98]

Thanks, Lynne. I will post this on the DVC board.

 

[ilisao]

We are Marriott timeshare owners and are trying to trade into a Disney property for the 1st week in November. We didn't realize it was during the popular Food and Wine Fest. What do you think our chances are? Should we just opt for an offsite Marriott property or hold out for a Disney spot? We are in for OKW, SSR, WVL, BWV, BCV. We don't want to end up with nothing at all but would prefer to stay on site. Help!

I'm a Marriott owner, and IME, we've only ever seen available DVC properties within a month or 2 out and never in November. We did trade last year in May into BWV but we booked it about a month and a half in advance on a whim once we saw it available. I've seen OKW and SSR come available a lot last minute, but again, never in October/November.

Incidentally, we just got back from a stay at Horizons by Marriott in Orlando. Fantastic!

 

[magjeff98]

Thanks for the DVC information and the recommendation of Horizons in Orlando. What did you like about it? Do they have a shuttle to the parks or did you rent a car? I am also looking at the Marriott Grand Vista. Any thoughts on this property as well?

 

[ilisao]

Thanks for the DVC information and the recommendation of Horizons in Orlando. What did you like about it? Do they have a shuttle to the parks or did you rent a car? I am also looking at the Marriott Grand Vista. Any thoughts on this property as well?

Horizons was great for the kids. It was relaxing and we found plenty to do. We loved the pools there. There is one pool with a waterslide - my kids have yet to meet a waterslide they didn't like - and one with a pirate ship. My daughter who is 9 at first said that was babyish. But, wouldn't you know it? She fell in love with it. They also have a water playground (fountains and stuff). They have a mini golf course we played several times during the week. There was an ice cream social every day. We bought ice cream cups at the front desk which gave us unlimited ice cream at the social.

The resort has a very relaxed, residential feel. The accomodations are typical MVCI ones. Large, comfy.

They're doing construction there and next year will have completed a building with food court, movie theater, arcade and more. In the next few years they're also going to add another pool. Seriously, if we had the money, we'd love to own a week there.

They don't have a shuttle, but we had our own car anyway. It took us maybe 10 minutes to get to the parks. Oh, and it's located almost directly across from Sea World.

I've never been to the Grand Vista, but a friend of mine was there last year and loved it. It's actually right up the road from Horizons, I believe.

If you end up at a Marriott, don't forget to do the tour and get your points! We got 15,000 points this time around. You can probably also check out Horizons.

 

[magjeff98]

Thanks again for all the information. If you don't mind, I may PM you later if I have additional questions as time gets closer.

 

[ilisao]

Thanks again for all the information. If you don't mind, I may PM you later if I have additional questions as time gets closer.

Sure, no problem.

 

[safetymom]

Moving to DVC planning for more information.

 

[Dean]

For this Nov I'd bail and take a Marriott week. If you do, here's how I'd do it. Using that week you're searching with, see if there are weeks online at II that would suit you. If so, cancel FIRST then search again and take the Marriott week for $99 instead of the regular exchange fee. You should also be able to get a 2 BR with a studio if one is available. If you don't cancel first, you'll pay the higher regular fee even if it ends up Marriott to Marriott, a point many Marriott owners don't understand. You can also keep your week and still look online yourself and take a match later if you see fit.

IMO Grande Vista is the best with Horizon's and Cypress Harbour a close second but it does partly depend on the makeup of the group.

 

[Lisa P.]

I've been checking II online almost daily for the WDW DVCs and certain other resorts since late April of this year. These sightings would not include weeks that people have secured with ongoing searches. In a way, they're just the "leftovers." The only WDW DVC sightings with that weekend check-in that I've seen were studio weeks at SSR, checking in on 10/31/08, spotted online on June 3 and on June 6 - could actually have been the same unit. These were seen between 4.5 and 5 months out.

BCV has had no 2BRs sighted with ANY check-in dates, very few 1BRs and nearly all of the studios from this resort have shown up early, between 11 and 7 months out. So DVC is probably only using BCV deposits when BCV owners are trading to tough destinations. I suppose after the 7-month mark, it's all booked by members so there aren't full week reservations to give to II. Or, by the time later BCV deposits are made, there are enough II searches for them, to snatch them up before they are sighted online.

BWV - similar to BCV, with a handful of (studio/1BR) deposits showing up, under 2 months out, last minute flexchanges.

So for your first-week-of-November exchange into an Epcot resort, it doesn't look good at all. Sorry. An ongoing search may luck out for a small unit at one of the other DVCs though. IMHO, if you REALLY want to stay onsite, there's probably little risk in waiting for a 45-60 days out cancellation.

Meanwhile, keep watching the online availability of your alternative resorts. When it dwindles to just a couple units, it's time to act and confirm one. Currently, for your weekend check-in, there's plentiful availability in 2BRs or larger at these Marriotts:

Horizons
Cypress Harbour
Royal Palms
Sabal Palms
Grand Vista
(as well as the lovely Sheraton Vistana Villages)

Given that and the fact that you've included the other II WDW DVCs in your ongoing search request, you're probably fine to sit tight for now, IMO. You never know if you'll catch a later cancellation or deposit from one of those resorts.

If your dates are flexible, you may be interested to know that there have been some DVC "leftovers" sighted since late April for other times during this year's F&WF:

SSR - 09/26/08 - 1BRs
OKW - 09/26/08 - 1BRs
SSR - 09/28/08 - 2BR
OKW - 09/28/08 - Studios, 1BRs
SSR - 10/03/08 - Studios
SSR - 10/25/08 - Studios, 1BRs, 2BR
SSR - 10/26/08 - Studios, 1BR
SSR - 10/31/08 - Studios
BWV - 11/08/08 - Studio
SSR - 11/08/08 - Studio
OKW - 11/08/08 - Studio

Those last ones would only include F&WF on the evening of check-in and the day that follows. There were a couple more w/check-in on the 9th. Anyway, if you were able to broaden your search dates a bit, it may increase your chances somewhat. HTH!

 

[magjeff98]

You folks on DIS boards are so great! Thank you for all the help with this. Dean, I may PM you if I can't figure out how to take the Marriott week for $99, if you don't mind.

 

[Lisa P.]

BTW, it was mentioned above that a trade into DVC in November is rarely seen. Actually, there's one week in November 2008 that has had TONS of availability in II recently. It's the full week before Thanksgiving week. Check it out:

Nov 14th:
SSR - Studio
OKW - Studio
VWL - 1BR

Nov 15th:
BCV - Studio
SSR - Studios, 1BRs, 2BR
OKW - Studios, 1BRs
VWL - 1BR

Nov 16:
BCV - Studio
BWV - 1BR
SSR - Studio, 1BR, 2BRs, 3BR
OKW - Studios, 1BRs, 2BRs

That must be a quieter week for DVC, with relatively low points, when few members are making reservations. It's after F&WF but before the big holiday festivities. Some of the resorts are beginning to put up holiday decorations but it's not yet in full swing. I guess it's a good time for DVC to give these reservations to II on behalf of DVCers who want to trade out. But if someone wants to trade into multiple DVC rooms (families traveling together) at WDW, that's a good time to get these trades. It surprised me.

 

[Dean]

You folks on DIS boards are so great! Thank you for all the help with this. Dean, I may PM you if I can't figure out how to take the Marriott week for $99, if you don't mind.

OK, not a problem.