What are the 5 hardest resorts to book at the 7 month window?

[ianbikes]

Thinking of buying another contract, and Im curious if the resort we we want to stay at will require us buying a contract as the home resort.

 

[Ruttangel]

My personal impossible list is
1. AKV Club all
2. AKV Value all (1BR slightly easier)
3. BCV Studios
4. VGF STD Studios (this will soon change)
5. CCV Studios

 

[Her Dotness]

No idea what the 5 hardest at 7 mos. may be, but you'll certainly have trouble getting more than 1-2 nights at VGF until the new resort studios open as small as it currently is. Unless, perhaps, you've enough points for a 1br or more.

I'm guessing you'd get put in one of the new resort studios at 7 mos. because longtime owners have glommed onto the original villas at 11 months. That may not be a concern for you. I've seen some say they'd prefer a Big Pine studio, don't need a kitchenette.

Beach Club and BoardWalk are also problematic during the Epcot festivals for sure and can be other times because of easy access to both EP and DHS.

Others, I dunno. We're confirmed VGF lovers.

 

[bwvBound]

I love that @Ruttangel broke it down to unit types ... but I'd put VGC (all) somewhere in that top 5. Perhaps bumping AKV Value?

 

[lions1995]

If you are asking about resorts and not specific room views I would say:
1) Beach Club
2) Grand Floridian
3) Bay Lake Tower
4) Copper creek
5) Boardwalk

Animal Kingdom value and club are nearly impossible to get even at 11 months. But there is usually standard or savanna view around at the 7 month mark.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

If you are asking about resorts and not specific room views I would say:
1) Beach Club
2) Grand Floridian
3) Bay Lake Tower
4) Copper creek
5) Boardwalk

Animal Kingdom value and club are nearly impossible to get even at 11 months. But there is usually standard or savanna view around at the 7 month mark.

Grand Cal is probably the worst of the bunch, but I think you're spot on for Walt Disney World.

 

[lions1995]

Grand Cal is probably the worst of the bunch, but I think you're spot on for Walt Disney World.

I assumed they were looking at Disney World. Grand Californian would be the top of the list

 

[dvc lover 1970]

BCV GFV standard, AKV club and value, CCV studio

 

[Sandisw]

If buying resale, this doesn’t apply, but RIV SV studios, tower studios, and 2 bedroom SV are tough at 7 months as well.

 

[rubybutt]

If buying resale, this doesn’t apply, but RIV SV studios, tower studios, and 2 bedroom SV are tough at 7 months as well.

RIV SV studios can be tough at 11 during certain times.

 

[Sandisw]

RIV SV studios can be tough at 11 during certain times.

Definitely! Gotta be an owner to get those most of the year!

 

[Nabas]

BWV Standard View Studio belongs on the list. It's tough to get those even at 11 months. The Boardwalk View Studio is almost as difficult.

It's a matter of numbers and points per night. There are:

• 29 BWV Boardwalk View Studios
• 52 BWV Standard View Studios
• 164 BWV Water/Garden View Studios

Consider some the other numbers:

• 47 VGF Studios
• 65 BRV Studios
• 78 CCV Studios
• 110 BCV Studios
• 133 BLT Studios
• 210 RIV Studios (most have not been released for DVC booking)

Of course, a BWV Studio costs roughly 1/3 less points per night than a BCV, BWV Boardwalk View, or BWV Water/Garden View Studio. All put you close to Epcot.

The BWV Standard View Studio costs less per night than almost every other room at WDW. OKW costs around the same, and only AKV Value Studios cost less.

And BWV also puts you within walking distance of Disney's Hollywood Studios.

 

[Littlelulu01]

Aulani hotel rooms and standard grand villa. I think there’s 5 hotel rooms. They’re as low as 112 points per week for the hotel rooms and imo a great location. I think there’s only one or two of the standard grand villas at Aulani and it’s very difficult to get one.

Akv value and club levels.

 

[ianbikes]

Funny no one has put the hardest of them all. At least from my experience. Grand Californian???

 

[Brett Wyman]

We book GF 1 bedroom standard all the time at 7 months. AKV value, club, and those darn BW with BW view rooms are the hardest I think. We don’t book studios though.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

I love that @Ruttangel broke it down to unit types ... but I'd put VGC (all) somewhere in that top 5. Perhaps bumping AKV Value?

Grand Cal is probably the worst of the bunch, but I think you're spot on for Walt Disney World.

I assumed they were looking at Disney World. Grand Californian would be the top of the list

Funny no one has put the hardest of them all. At least from my experience. Grand Californian???

huh?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If you have a resort you almost always want to stay at you probably should just purchase there.

When you travel matters a lot too. And whether you are just concerned about getting a room or if looking for a particular room type - the most difficult have been mentioned.

Only looking at WDW, in general the largest resorts almost always will have availability at 7 months and you don't have to own there to stay there - in most cases. That is SSR, OKW and AKV. I'd put Poly, BLT and BWV in the next easiest but probably worthwhile owning at them for ease. For the rest I'd say you might as well own at them if you want to consistently stay there though with flexibility you will be able to stay everywhere. Riviera doesn't have much history yet to fully see where it will go but of course you need to buy direct to be able to book there and if it is the location you're wanting to stay you should purchase there although I feel like availability is easing now that it's been open for a bit. Still need to wait until it's sold out to really see where it settles into availability though.

In all cases you would want to be able to book in the home resort window if you're doing a buy where you want to stay otherwise buy the most economical and book what's available in the 7 month window.

 

[Her Dotness]

We book GF 1 bedroom standard all the time at 7 months.

This is good news as that's precisely what we're hoping to do with an OKW resale pending (nooooo ROFR) added to our current VGF points.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[TikiRob]

I love that @Ruttangel broke it down to unit types ... but I'd put VGC (all) somewhere in that top 5. Perhaps bumping AKV Value?

I struggle to get AKL Value at 11 months.. I did luck into VGC for 3 nights this summer! VGC has scattered availability between 7-11 months, but AKL is always cleared out during that period.

 

[suebeelin]

It really depends-- what are your priorities? For example, I would never stay at AKL even if there was a club room available. These club rooms are purportedly really hard to snatch....

My personal opinion based on my preference would be:
BWV standard studios/2 bedrooms
BLT standard studios/2 bd lockoffs
Beach Club studios

These are really the only places that I personally enjoy, with the exception of Poly, which isn't a difficult. So its up to your preference!