We're almost there, but??

[BigDisneyKids]

This is our 1st post, as DW and I are about to jump into SSR.

I recently saw a thread that DVC members may experience difficulty getting reservations for the first week in Dec. Our last 2 trips were during that time and we will probably do the same time again. I thought that was the slow time of the season?

We tend to plan our trips around the peak times to avoid the crowds. By being a DVC member, should all times be considered peak?

At this point any assistance is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[PamOKW]

The first two weeks of December are very popular for DVC members for several reasons. Of course, many people have discovered it's a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season by heading to WDW when it's all decorated -- and DVC accomodates by offering low point requirements. This is also a popular time for many of the various Internet groups to hold their "meets" and this attracts people to those weeks. And third, the DVC annual meetings are held during this time period and some people incorporate them into their trips as well.

It might be tricky to book this first year, although if you let the wait list "works its magic" chances are very good you will get something. Next year, you can book 11 months out for this time of year that you know that you like to go. If your plans change during the year, you just change the reservation.

 

[Scoootch]

Peak times for the regular resorts at WDW are not quite the same as peak times for DVC. DVC has our slower seasons too - they just tend to be a little different.

i.e. -- Oct. tends to be slower season for the regular WDW resorts but for DVC it's very busy season.

Not sure about Dec. as we usually go in Sept. but I'm sure someone else will chime in and explain better

Welcome home!

 

[mom2rb]

DVCer's love to go when the parks are not very full. Early Dec. has low points. low park attendance, and the whole place is decorated for Christmas.

 

[KathyR]

If you know your dates regardless of when you want to go and book at the 11 month window, you will not have trouble making your reservations anytime of the year at your home resort! During the busy DVC times it is more of a snooze you loose kind of thing. Book early and you won't have trouble. Wait and you may have trouble, but the waitlist works really welll. It sounds like you know when you travel and would be able to book early(right at 11 months for early Dec), so it should never be a problem for you. As stated, this year may be a problem as I am sure it is pretty well booked up, but I may be wrong. There could be some availability left somewhere. I bet if everything is booked up and you waitlist all the resorts, you will get in somewhere. Best of luck to you w/your decision!

 

[dianeschlicht]

It depends on WHICH peak times you are talking about. If you mean holidays, that will be busy and need to be reserved early at DVC as well, but summer and other "peak" times that might have high point costs will not reserve as fast at DVC as you might think. As stated by others, early Dec. is popular, as is October and the Food and Wine Festival. These are popular because fo the low points during that time.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Welcome!

If you haven't yet gathered it from all these posts it's very important to understand the difference between "peak" times for the parks and "peak" times for DVC owners - which sometimes, but not always, overlap. If you don't yet know, there are different point requirements for different times of the year; this tends to make certain times popular with DVCers - such as the first half of December.

If you are a Windows user, I'd suggest that you download Caskbill's DVC Planner; it's a wonderful program which helps you plan your DVC trips - it has all the point charts for all the seasons for all the DVC resorts through 2010! This will go a long way to helping you understand - and apply - the 11/7 rules as well as see the low.point.cost seasons.

Best of luck!

D'oh!!! At the top of this page, there's a link to "DVC Points Chart" - this will show you the seasonal point costs of all resorts.

 

[Disney Doll]

Ocotber and early December are popular times, but you shouldn't have a problem if you book at the 11 month window. That is why it is so important to "buy where you want to stay". If you like your home resort, you will pretty much always be able to book it 11 months out.

 

[jmminarik]

It seems that at the 7 month window for early December there is a lot of resort 'swapping' as people who made 11 month ressies at their home resort try to get into other resorts. From what I've experienced and read, you can generally get a room on property at 7 months, but it may not be the room type you want (GV for example) nor at the resort you want (i.e. not getting into VWL, but OKW having rooms).

What will throw a curve into this year's equation is SSR&S opening. We have many more points to be spent this year for early december, but we'll also have more rooms to rent.

-Joe