VGF members booking now for December

[disney_mood]

I know that December is a busy month, but I’m waking up every morning and logging promptly at 8 am and yesterday and today were already completely gone for all room types! I’ve been checking throughout the day. Any suggestions or is this the norm? This is my first time booking in December. I just became a member and my first trip was in September and booked by an agent as it was our first trip. Any insight is appreciated!

 

[sndral]

I know that December is a busy month, but I’m waking up every morning and logging promptly at 8 am and yesterday and today were already completely gone for all room types! I’ve been checking throughout the day. Any suggestions or is this the norm? This is my first time booking in December. I just became a member and my first trip was in September and booked by an agent as it was our first trip. Any insight is appreciated!

VGF studios in early Dec. have been challenging in the past, see, for example, this 2016 thread https://www.disboards.com/threads/villas-at-grand-floridian-inquiry.3521963/ I’d hoped BPK would ease that pressure & feared it would make it worse. This is the first chance to see what the 11 month Dec. booking window looks like w/ a 100% sold out BPK & it’s not looking good . But, it wasn’t good before & perhaps too soon to know whether it’s better or worse than pre BPK . In the past the 2nd & 3rd weeks of Dec. tended to be a bit easier at 11 months,

 

[SL6827]

I can't imagine buying in here and not being able to get a room at all in December. At the 11 month mark. Wow!!!

 

[CarolynFH]

Reserving VGF for the first two weeks of December has always been highly competitive, especially for studios. Just too many owners wanting that time period in a very small resort. Adding BPK didn’t really help, because many of those buyers want the original building, not BPK, and many want larger villas as opposed to studios, which increased competition for them, too.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Based on my daily experience with checking for studios and 1-bedroom villas, it seems as though members started walking reservations across most view categories two weeks ago, for late November 2024 reservations. Lagoon and Theme Park View Resort Studios were the last to go.

Deluxe Studios, Standard and Lake View, are often impossible at the end of the year without a fixed/favorite week contract.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Historically, because of the values available in the points charts and the Holiday decorations being up, the first two weeks in December have been among the most busy across all DVC resorts. This has been the case since I became a member in 2008 and as I understand it, has always been the case. Something to keep in mind going forward.

 

[disney_mood]

Based on my daily experience with checking for studios and 1-bedroom villas, it seems as though members started walking reservations across most view categories two weeks ago, for late November 2024 reservations. Lagoon and Theme Park View Resort Studios were the last to go.

Deluxe Studios, Standard and Lake View, are often impossible at the end of the year without a fixed/favorite week contract.

Yep this is what I’ve experienced. I was able to check back in and have changed what I currently have to resort studios but originally they were scheduled as lagoon/theme park view. Can I add a favorite week going forward I wonder?

 

[disney_mood]

Historically, because of the values available in the points charts and the Holiday decorations being up, the first two weeks in December have been among the most busy across all DVC resorts. This has been the case since I became a member in 2008 and as I understand it, has always been the case. Something to keep in mind going forward.

Well somewhat relieving I guess that it’s always been an issue. But still annoying!

 

[disney_mood]

VGF studios in early Dec. have been challenging in the past, see, for example, this 2016 thread https://www.disboards.com/threads/villas-at-grand-floridian-inquiry.3521963/ I’d hoped BPK would ease that pressure & feared it would make it worse. This is the first chance to see what the 11 month Dec. booking window looks like w/ a 100% sold out BPK & it’s not looking good . But, it wasn’t good before & perhaps too soon to know whether it’s better or worse than pre BPK . In the past the 2nd & 3rd weeks of Dec. tended to be a bit easier at 11 months,

Thank you for your insight! The second week of December would be an option for us so hopefully those dates will be available if my stalking doesn’t pay off for the first week :/

 

[TCRAIG]

Thank you for your insight! The second week of December would be an option for us so hopefully those dates will be available if my stalking doesn’t pay off for the first week :/

Definitely setup a waitlist -

 

[mamaofsix]

Yep this is what I’ve experienced. I was able to check back in and have changed what I currently have to resort studios but originally they were scheduled as lagoon/theme park view. Can I add a favorite week going forward I wonder?

So there were resort studios available? It sounded by your original post that nothing was available in any category. Or were you only looking at the deluxe studios?

 

[disney_mood]

So there were resort studios available? It sounded by your original post that nothing was available in any category. Or were you only looking at the deluxe studios?

Yesterday and today there were and are no rooms available (December 3&4). I have November 29-December 2 booked—most of which I had to check back and change when they came available to standard view rooms.

 

[disney_mood]

Definitely setup a waitlist -

I think i might end up booking the week before thanksgiving. Then if I can’t get a whole week in the first half of December, just keep the week before Thanksgiving. At least we will be able to go to MVMCP. I’m worried if I waitlist and what I need doesn’t go through, the November dates could be gone and then I’m effectively screwed.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

DVC resorts sell out to 100% occupancy 100% of the time. All timeshares are sold that way, generally. What makes DVC somewhat unique is the fact that most DVC members use most or all of their points all of the time. Why is this different? Most timeshares have a lot more availability almost all of the time because usage isn't anywhere near 100%. People simply don't use as many of their points which leaves more overall inventory available with those timeshares.

One of the beauties of DVC also becomes one of its liabilities. It's the nature of the DVC beast. It's one of the things we don't talk about a lot, like high DVC use weeks in December, marathon weeks, Easter, July 4, etc., but it does matter. And it generally makes DVC harder in general to book than most other timeshares.

A thought, if I may; that I have seen posted here time and again that we mean no harm by. You were promised a room. Not any particular room. At any particular place. Nor at any particular time (days). With most timeshares, this doesn't matter as much. With DVC, nothing is more important than your 11 month advantage at your home resort. Most times, it does get you a room at least somewhere when you want it. Even that doesn't work sometimes. There are a lot of great and often overlooked DVC resorts. 7 months can be your friend as well. Your contract is fairly long. Sleep around. You may find a new favorite, Look at it as new opportunities for new experiences and your DVC journey will be a much more pleasant experience.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

As a sidebar, this is where the very concept of fixed weeks came into play with DVC. People complained about this very issue, and I think the first response with making fixed weeks available for purchase was at GFV if memory serves me correctly. Something to consider going forward if a particular week really matters to you and is going to matter every year for the foreseeable future. They also have flexibility as they are also points contracts like all the others. I won't go into the weeds on fixed weeks here. Just know that may be an option to investigate later on as you evaluate your DVC purchases in the future.

 

[Sandisw]

Yep this is what I’ve experienced. I was able to check back in and have changed what I currently have to resort studios but originally they were scheduled as lagoon/theme park view. Can I add a favorite week going forward I wonder?

You have to buy as a fixed week from the start. Since VGF is sold out again, getting one may be tough if you wanted to buy more points.

And, they can only sell up to 35% of the rooms in that category, but don’t have to sell that many.

 

[CarolynFH]

As a sidebar, this is where the very concept of fixed weeks came into play with DVC. People complained about this very issue, and I think the first response with making fixed weeks available for purchase was at GFV if memory serves me correctly. Something to consider going forward if a particular week really matters to you and is going to matter every year for the foreseeable future. They also have flexibility as they are also points contracts like all the others. I won't go into the weeds on fixed weeks here. Just know that may be an option to investigate later on as you evaluate your DVC purchases in the future.

I could be wrong, but I thought AUL was the first DVC where FW were sold. My understanding was they expected to market AUL to the Japanese, who were more familiar with and therefore more comfortable with the fixed week timeshare model.

 

[SL6827]

I wonder if Disney would convert another building at the Grand into DVC resort studios at some point?

 

[TCRAIG]

I think i might end up booking the week before thanksgiving. Then if I can’t get a whole week in the first half of December, just keep the week before Thanksgiving. At least we will be able to go to MVMCP. I’m worried if I waitlist and what I need doesn’t go through, the November dates could be gone and then I’m effectively screwed.

You can set your waitlist up for first week of Dec to replace your Nov reservation…

 

[SL6827]

If you can't get a reservation at your home resort in early December, are you able to get one at all?