Trip planning question - multiple resorts

[DVCMAUREEN]

As background, I own at AKV and hope to close on a BWV in the next month.

I'm planning for a trip in January 2013 centered around marathon weekend. What I would like to do is spend a few days at VWL, then BWV for marathon weekend, then spend a few days at AKV to relax.

Obviously, I won't be able to book at VWL until 7 months out. I was thinking of booking those days at AKL as a precaution and then transferring those days to VWL at 7 months. So I would be using AKL points, then BWV points, then AKL points again and hope to transfer the first part of the trip to VWL at 7 months.

I've never booked a multiple resort stay or a multiple contract stay before. Would I book these stays as 3 separate reservations and then ask them to link the reservations? The most important thing to me is to get the BWV reservation set and not do anything to mess that up.

I'm not sure if it matters, but we probably won't do DDP this time.

TIA for any info!

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

As background, I own at AKV and hope to close on a BWV in the next month.

I'm planning for a trip in January 2013 centered around marathon weekend. What I would like to do is spend a few days at VWL, then BWV for marathon weekend, then spend a few days at AKV to relax.

Obviously, I won't be able to book at VWL until 7 months out. I was thinking of booking those days at AKL as a precaution and then transferring those days to VWL at 7 months. So I would be using AKL points, then BWV points, then AKL points again and hope to transfer the first part of the trip to VWL at 7 months.

I've never booked a multiple resort stay or a multiple contract stay before. Would I book these stays as 3 separate reservations and then ask them to link the reservations? The most important thing to me is to get the BWV reservation set and not do anything to mess that up.

I'm not sure if it matters, but we probably won't do DDP this time.

TIA for any info!

Linking reservations isn't something you'd need to worry about. Linking works well if you have guests in multiple rooms at a resort, or if you have different reservations for the same room type at a resort for different nights and are trying to possibly avoid checking out and checking back in multiple times during your stay at the resort. In your case, you'll be at three different resorts which will involve three different check-ins regardless. Disney has done away with the concept of creating a single "portfolio" reservation number that includes all reservations on the trip.

The way you describe making your reservations makes sense, and is consistent with advice you'll see here all the time. Book every night you want to be at WDW at your home resort(s) during your 11-month priority booking period. If you want to try for another resort, check availability at the 7-month point, and if available, cancel the nights at your home resort you don't need and rebook at the desired resort. This way you're guaranteed to have someplace to stay for every night of your trip. (Note, if your home resort uses more points for the reservation than the desired non-home resort, be careful of how banking will work at the 7-month booking point. Will you still be in your banking period? Have a plan on what you'll do with those few extra points that go back into your account.)

 

[Deb & Bill]

Just a hint, BWV won't be convenient for the marathon. You'll have to take a bus to the start and back to the resort unless you have a pass with you to get you back to the resort after the race. You won't be able to go through Epcot to get to the start.

 

[DVCMAUREEN]

You'll have to take a bus to the start and back to the resort unless you have a pass with you to get you back to the resort after the race. You won't be able to go through Epcot to get to the start.

Deb&Bill, isn't that true no matter which resort I stay over the weekend? This year, I stayed at OKW for the marathon and took the bus to the start even though OKW is walking distance to the start line. I'm thinking it would be nice to be walking distance to so many dinner options the nights before the races. I'd love to hear other suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Deb&Bill, isn't that true no matter which resort I stay over the weekend? This year, I stayed at OKW for the marathon and took the bus to the start even though OKW is walking distance to the start line. I'm thinking it would be nice to be walking distance to so many dinner options the nights before the races. I'd love to hear other suggestions. Thanks!

We tried to get BLT to be able to use the monorail to get to the start. But our waitlist never came through. In the past, my runners did walk from OKW to the start, but last year there were notices put out not to walk to the start from OKW.