Using the 7 month window, 2 Questions

[RayJay]

Hi everyone,

As a former member of BCV who sold and now thinking about buying back could anyone tell me how availability is at the 7 month window for the Nov 15th to Dec 15th timeframe and the June 20th to July 20th timeframe.

Do alot of people buy say Vero or HH and try to manage vacations at the othe DVC's using the 7 month window vs having 11 month?

Thanks
RayJay

 

[Deb & Bill]

Buy where you want to stay. Simple as that.

 

[RayJay]

Buy where you want to stay. Simple as that.

If I wanted to stay at 1 resort I wouldn't have asked the question.

I'd like to stay at different places and therefore wanted to know how availability is at those times. If you can't answer the question, please don't respond with an open ended answer.

If anyone else can help me with suggestions or opinions it would be appreciated.

RayJay

 

[LIFERBABE]

I personally would not purchase at Vero or Hilton Head without fully intending on staying there the majority of the time. Only because the 11 month advantage at these resorts doesnt mean diddly when you want to be onsite.

As for the onsites, Yes there are those that will buy a resort because it is readily available for purchase or because it has the lowest dues or longer contract.

Buy where you want to stay only applies if you fully intend to make full use of the 11 month booking window.
Also if you really care what DVC resort you stay at onsite. If nothing but BWV will do, then by all means buy BWV and make sure you book at 8-11 months out.

I personally booked VWL for 10 nights over Christmas 2004 inside of 6 months using the waitlist. There will be more competition as DVC grows, so this may not always work, but I had a backup ressie so my trip was secure whether the waitlist came thru or not. Not staying at VWL was not gonna break my trip because as you can see in my siggie, I like them all enough to own 4 different resorts! LOL

Another thing, I wouldnt own the most expensive DVC, for example BCV if I wanted to stay at OKW all the time. You are paying BCV maintenance to primarily stay at OKW which has the lowest maintenance. For occasional stays I would take my chances at 7 months.

 

[RobDoc]

Hi everyone,

As a former member of BCV who sold and now thinking about buying back could anyone tell me how availability is at the 7 month window for the Nov 15th to Dec 15th timeframe and the June 20th to July 20th timeframe.

Do alot of people buy say Vero or HH and try to manage vacations at the othe DVC's using the 7 month window vs having 11 month?

Thanks
RayJay

Those dates should be readily available if you want to stay at HH or VB, but may be more difficult if you want to stay onsite and reserve 7 months ahead.

Buy where you want to stay if specific dates are important to you. There are certainly times when onsite resorts are more available (September, January) at 7 months. As with most things involving DVC reservations, you'll never really know about availability until you call for the reservation. If you have flexibility when you can go and don't care what room type and resort you have, then owning an off-site resort can be effective at 7 months. Mid-November thru mid-December are very popular times at DVC resorts and may meet with disappointment at times.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[RayJay]

Lifer

Thanks for the post, I'm actually leaning toward a OKW resale or BCV, I use to own there. I am wondering now about the 7 month availability at those times if I wanted to change around. I think I remember postings stating 11/15 to 12/15 is popular DVC time, how about 6/15 to 7/15, anyone know if this is a popular time.

Thanks in advance for responses.

RayJay

 

[RayJay]

Those dates should be readily available if you want to stay at HH or VB, but may be more difficult if you want to stay onsite and reserve 7 months ahead.

Buy where you want to stay if specific dates are important to you. There are certainly times when onsite resorts are more available (September, January) at 7 months. As with most things involving DVC reservations, you'll never really know about availability until you call for the reservation. If you have flexibility when you can go and don't care what room type and resort you have, then owning an off-site resort can be effective at 7 months. Mid-November thru mid-December are very popular times at DVC resorts and may meet with disappointment at times.

Good luck with your decision.

Doc, Yes understand, I do have flexibility, HH and VB were bad examples I believe, while we would vacation there I don't believe I would do home resort there.

How about 6/15 to 7/15, is this considered busy time for DVC?

Thanks again.

 

[tjkraz]

I've never seen the summer months regarded as busier seasons for DVC members.

With regard to your other set of dates, Nov 15 thru Thanksgiving week shouldn't be to overwhelming. But once you hit Thanksgiving week, it's pretty much 100% capacity through New Year's Day. But that's not to say that you would ever have problems getting a room SOMEWHERE 7 months out. Getting BCV or VWL for that period may be difficult at 7 months, but the other resorts won't fill up nearly as fast.

 

[Sammie]

We dont own at BCV and have so far, I know this could change at any time, been able to book summer months at 7 months out. We do exactly on the 7 month date and no later.

I can't speak for the fall months, I would think they would be harder to get at either BCV or BW due to Epcot special events.

Right now if you are flexible with your dates, and where you stay you have a good chance of getting something at WDW at 7 months. This could change though.

So to be completely safe for the future, as the others said buy where you would want to stay most often. Regardless of what anyone us predict about the future of booking at 7 months, no one can forsee the future therefore we truly do not know.

 

[GCM13]

We own at HH and just booked this week and got a 2 bedroom at SSR for June 12-17, so about 3 months out. I've changed my mind now where I want to stay, so I'm calling this morning to try to get BWV. We've never had a problem before getting something at 7 months, a lot of times it was much less than 7 months.

 

[CarolMN]

My opinion -

Very little problem (if any) getting a room at the WDW DVC resorts between June 20 & July 20 at 7 months. May have to spend a little time on the waitlist if you visit the week of July 4, but if you are reasonably flexible with your resort choice, it will not be a problem. That said, you shouldn't count on getting a standard view or a guaranteed Boardwalk view or a Grand Villa at BWV. (It could happen, but it would be a stroke of luck). You would also have trouble getting a grand Villa at OKW. Rooms at BCV will be tougher (but not impossible) to get during this time due to the popularity of SAB.

By comparison, November 15 - December 31 is much more difficult. You should call day by day as soon as the window opens to minimize your chances (and the time) you may have to spend on the waitlist. If you are flexible with dates and resorts at the 7 month window, you will be able to get something. Again, do not count on the room types listed above - those nearly always book up well before the 7 month window opens.

Members do move around at the 7 month window and those who call at that time are seldom (if ever) entirely shut out.

Again, all this is my opinion and reflects the current situation. It is entirely possible that as SSR sells out, it will be more difficult to change resorts if you do not call day by day as soon as the 7 month window opens.

Good luck with your decision.

Best wishes -

 

[klh]

I have HH. I have no problems with the 7 month window. I just added two nights at keywest for May.

 

[JimMIA]

One factor which will affect summer availability is the changes in the school year. A few years ago, schools were letting out in late May and returning just before, or even after, Labor Day. Now many of them are still in session through the first week of June, and returning August 8, so they've lost an entire month of summer vacation. That will compact the timeframe for DVC for parents of school age kids, and will undoubtedly have some impact on availability.

[EDIT: Just got an email from my daughter, who is a teacher in Monroe County (Florida Keys), and their summer break is May 26-Aug 4 for kids, and May 30-Aug 1 for teachers. Each county is a little different. Many central Florida counties may be staying somewhat later if they have to make up hurricane days, but I'm not sure whether they do or not. The middle of the state got hit by three different hurricanes, but I don't know how the school administrators are handling that.]

How much of an impact is hard to say, because I'm talking primarily about Florida schools and many Floridians avoid WDW in the summer anyway. But I would certainly expect WDW to be more crowded in June-July than we are used to seeing.

 

[GCM13]

Just an update...I just called to switch to BWV from SSR for June 12-17. Standard view was available for the 14th and 16th and preferred view all nights but the 14th. I took my chances and booked preferred view for 1st two and last two nights and the std view for the middle night. I waitlisted four different ways - the middle night preferred view, first 2 nights std. view, last 2 nights std. view, and the whole week std. view. I'm hoping one of them will come through. My dh doesn't want to do all that switching. This is for a 2 bedroom. Sounds like SSR had plenty of availibility.

 

[RayJay]

Thank You all for your responses, that is what I needed, the differnent viewpoints and suggestions/opinions.

Now to decide on a resale.

Thanks again
RayJay

 

[mikesmom]

The mid june thru July dates shouldn't be too bad (except for July 4th week). Even Nov 15th up to Thanksgiving week could be doable, although not much of a window there. The Food & Wine Fest is over and Thanksgiving visitors aren't in yet. Starting Thanksgiving Week through New Years I would say would be very difficult. As more and more members are added with SSR, popular times are getting increasingly hard to book. There are just that many more folks trying to get in at the same time. I would want an 11 month window to be sure.