VGC stay for mom - 7 month mark booking when possible and walking help!

[AlanBradley]

We are looking to book a 3 or 4 night stay(if possible, would love more - but that seems very, very unlikely from what I've read on the boards) at VGC in the first two weeks of December 2022.

This is my Mom's dream stay and as a former frequenter of the Penny Sleeper(no disrespect - she made trips to the Happiest Place on Earth possible for us by strict budgeting) it would blow her mind to stay at the Grand. I can still remember walking by the Grand Californian and Disneyland Hotel as a kid thinking that everyone staying there were multi-millionaires. If I could only get back to those remote controlled boats... never did get a chance to captain one of them. Anyhow,

I have been looking the last few weeks as a test to see whats available to book online at the 7 month mark and I have had luck with three nights in a row in a one or two bedroom a couple of times.

Questions I have are:
*Is early December going to be very competitive? - looking at the points chart is shouldn't be horrible..?
*When you are able to book day 1, 3 and 4 of your selected 4 night stay is it possible to book all but day 2 and wait list for that specific day?
*Is there any possibility of successfully walking through thanksgiving weekend?
*Is there any specific browser/website strategies or musts that I will have to do to make this reservation happen?

As new RIV owners who have only booked over the phone and done so at the 11 month window any help would be appreciated. I am sure this topic is well covered, but I did a search for these answers but couldn't find them - apologies in advance if this is repetitive.

 

[Imkarlawithak2005]

I have booked 7 days in a 2 bedroom at the GC 2 times in early December. I am always online right when you are allowed to make reservations. It’s a blink and you‘ll miss it kind of thing. I didn’t walk it or do anything special. But this was pre-Covid without the extra points in the system. If I had to walk it, I’d start after Thanksgiving weekend, using as many points as I could. I didn’t even realize the first two weeks in December were high demand for DVC until I came here. Be flexible and be fast. That’s my advice.

 

[AlanBradley]

I have booked 7 days in a 2 bedroom at the GC 2 times in early December. I am always online right when you are allowed to make reservations. It’s a blink and you‘ll miss it kind of thing. I didn’t walk it or do anything special. But this was pre-Covid without the extra points in the system. If I had to walk it, I’d start after Thanksgiving weekend, using as many points as I could. I didn’t even realize the first two weeks in December were high demand for DVC until I came here. Be flexible and be fast. That’s my advice.

Wow, 7 days at the 7 month mark, well done. I didn't think that would be possible.

At what screen are you at waiting for the clock to strike 8? I want to make sure I understand where I should be once the booking window opens.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Is early December going to be very competitive?

VGC is always competitive because there are so few units, and there may only be 1-2 open for any given check in.

When you are able to book day 1, 3 and 4 of your selected 4 night stay is it possible to book all but day 2 and wait list for that specific day?

No. You could only book night 1. You could not even waitlist the second night until the following day.

Is there any possibility of successfully walking through thanksgiving weekend?

probably not.

Is there any specific browser/website strategies or musts that I will have to do to make this reservation happen?

Not really. It's all connection speed and luck.

 

[AlanBradley]

VGC is always competitive because there are so few units, and there may only be 1-2 open for any given check in.



No. You could only book night 1. You could not even waitlist the second night until the following day.



probably not.


Not really. It's all connection speed and luck.

Thanks for the reply.

Hopefully I get lucky.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

2 bedroom lock off is super unlikely as those studios will be gone. But the dedicated… who knows! Another option would be to rent points if there’s a VGC owner renting theirs and then rent out your Riviera points.

 

[AlanBradley]

2 bedroom lock off is super unlikely as those studios will be gone. But the dedicated… who knows! Another option would be to rent points if there’s a VGC owner renting theirs and then rent out your Riviera points.

I have thought about renting/trading points, but to be honest it makes me a little nervous. I am sure all would work out well - but I am a bit of a control freak planning wise, so it makes me a little uneasy.

Maybe I will have to rethink that option...

 

[DebbieB]

I have that week this year and to be honest, I walked it at 11 months (studio). It was gone by the end of the actual week.

 

[MouseOfCards]

I have booked 7 days in a 2 bedroom at the GC 2 times in early December. I am always online right when you are allowed to make reservations. It’s a blink and you‘ll miss it kind of thing. I didn’t walk it or do anything special. But this was pre-Covid without the extra points in the system. If I had to walk it, I’d start after Thanksgiving weekend, using as many points as I could. I didn’t even realize the first two weeks in December were high demand for DVC until I came here. Be flexible and be fast. That’s my advice.

Agree with other poster - 7 days is unbelievable. Congratulations! Maybe you should be buying lottery tickets.

 

[Rick195275]

We are looking to book a 3 or 4 night stay(if possible, would love more - but that seems very, very unlikely from what I've read on the boards) at VGC in the first two weeks of December 2022.

This is my Mom's dream stay and as a former frequenter of the Penny Sleeper(no disrespect - she made trips to the Happiest Place on Earth possible for us by strict budgeting) it would blow her mind to stay at the Grand. I can still remember walking by the Grand Californian and Disneyland Hotel as a kid thinking that everyone staying there were multi-millionaires. If I could only get back to those remote controlled boats... never did get a chance to captain one of them. Anyhow,

I have been looking the last few weeks as a test to see whats available to book online at the 7 month mark and I have had luck with three nights in a row in a one or two bedroom a couple of times.

Questions I have are:
*Is early December going to be very competitive? - looking at the points chart is shouldn't be horrible..?
*When you are able to book day 1, 3 and 4 of your selected 4 night stay is it possible to book all but day 2 and wait list for that specific day?
*Is there any possibility of successfully walking through thanksgiving weekend?
*Is there any specific browser/website strategies or musts that I will have to do to make this reservation happen?

As new RIV owners who have only booked over the phone and done so at the 11 month window any help would be appreciated. I am sure this topic is well covered, but I did a search for these answers but couldn't find them - apologies in advance if this is repetitive.

I have never successfully booked GC so I don’t have a ton to add other than you can’t walk a reservation at the 7 month mark. This is because at anytime an owner could jump over your 7 month priority with their 11 month window and take the days you need before you’re able to get them.

 

[starry_solo]

You might want to consider a transfer of points from someone. There are DVC points brokers - I think I remember reading about one - that acts as an escrow company for a fee.

Like if you find a VGC owner willing to transfer for $20/point, you would likely pay $23/point to the broker...

 

[Jmazzuca243]

With the amount of extra points in the system, I doubt any studio or 2 bedroom will be available in December. In past years, I could not book any studio in Nov/Dec. There are only 23 rooms so it doesnt take a lot to fully book.

In reality, you will need to find a VGC owner and either rent or transfer points for your stay.

 

[AlanBradley]

I have that week this year and to be honest, I walked it at 11 months (studio). It was gone by the end of the actual week.

Yikes. Good to know

 

[AlanBradley]

I have never successfully booked GC so I don’t have a ton to add other than you can’t walk a reservation at the 7 month mark. This is because at anytime an owner could jump over your 7 month priority with their 11 month window and take the days you need before you’re able to get them.

That makes sense… too bad for me.

You might want to consider a transfer of points from someone. There are DVC points brokers - I think I remember reading about one - that acts as an escrow company for a fee.

Like if you find a VGC owner willing to transfer for $20/point, you would likely pay $23/point to the broker...

That seems more secure. I’ll have to look into that option.

With the amount of extra points in the system, I doubt any studio or 2 bedroom will be available in December. In past years, I could not book any studio in Nov/Dec. There are only 23 rooms so it doesnt take a lot to fully book.

In reality, you will need to find a VGC owner and either rent or transfer points for your stay.

The points pool problem definitely does worry me.. maybe I will have to rethink my dates.. September should be easier to book? I hope.

 

[Imkarlawithak2005]

Wow, 7 days at the 7 month mark, well done. I didn't think that would be possible.

At what screen are you at waiting for the clock to strike 8? I want to make sure I understand where I should be once the booking window opens.

I am usually on my iPad on the screen where you hit book. When I was booking a 1 bedroom for a friend in 2019 for the week before Halloween I missed it but got it the next day. Its super quick and nerve wracking. So i guess technically we’ve done 2 seven day stays the first week of December in a 2 bedroom, a 7 day stay the 3rd week in October in a 2 bedroom and a 1 bedroom. We also were able to get a studio the first week of May for 4 days. These were all at 7 months. Best advice is be flexible and keep trying.

 

[Imkarlawithak2005]

Agree with other poster - 7 days is unbelievable. Congratulations! Maybe you should be buying lottery tickets.

I use all my luck booking DVC!

 

[ddlar]

This year is tougher than normal due to banked points and pent up demand, even as an owner there. I had to jump on a 2BR reservation right at the 11-month window. January - February looked much easier, but I see that all but 1BRs are all booked at the 7-month window, and even those are few and far between. As someone who was watching bookings for December and January super closely, days do pop up now and then, but you need to browse the booking calendar almost like a second job.

Hard to say if Dec. 2022 will be any easier - but the resort is always hard to book for non-owners. Walking might be the best option. Keep trying day by day to get a room right at the booking window, then walk it. (I'm more of a crumb collector, grabbing days behind walkers, but I did manage to get one AKL Value Studio right at the 11-month mark. The following days were not available, so I had to check frequently and then stretch the reservation forward as crumbs popped up. Such is life when booking high-demand rooms.)

One other option is to befriend a VGC owner and see if they are willing to "reserve" the days you want, and then coordinate on cancellation at the 7-month window where you grab it as soon as it becomes available. No guarantees, but it *could* work. You also have to find someone with enough points that they plan to roll forward or use at a less popular resort.

 

[Zurezo]

I own at VCG and so many of us owners there have tons of extra points because resort was closed for full year. I would plan on renting points. You can befriend me, but my VCG points are staying with me . haha

if you rent then it will be stress free and then rent/sell you points to cover the cost

 

[Orsino]

My suggestion is to practice a week or two ahead of your 7 month window. If VGC is already booked up so you can't practice, simply practice with SSR or something open. The goal is to understand the booking process and all the screens involved. Importantly, figure out which screen (A) you want to 'sit' on to wait for whatever-o'clock is the right time to click and which screen (B) 'locks' the reservation as yours. You need to get from A to B as quickly as possible. I think A and B are only one screen apart (one click) now, but in the past it has been two (check for yourself so you know for certain). Everytime I book DVC it seems that the screens are slightly different (or maybe my memory is just terrible), so I suggest looking at it a week or two ahead.
Last time I was booking at 7 months I clicked at 8AM but apparently was too early and my only choice was to do the search again (i.e. start over). You don't want that to happen. I haven't checked if this is a persistent thing or just a random thing that happened to me. I suggest you 'click too early' during practice and see what happens. For VGC if you make any mistake you've pretty much lost already.

 

[AlanBradley]

I'm more of a crumb collector, grabbing days behind walkers

That’s something I was wondering about as well - could be a good plan B tactic if reservations don’t pan out.
Also - too bad I already picked my user name, ‘crumb collector’ has a nice ring to it.

You can befriend me, but my VCG points are staying with me . haha

Lol, fair. Feel free to throw me some scraps(or crumbs) if you change your mind.

My suggestion is to practice a week or two ahead of your 7 month window.

I think that’s good advice. Being on the west coast means I need to be online at 5 in the morning, which isn’t my favourite hour of the day.. but VGC is worth it for sure.