what are the chances of getting a room at dvc with no notice.

[kfalsey]

can you get a stand by plane at airport, call from the airport your leaving from and receive a disney resort villa, disney vacation club for the same day? I have a change to get free tickets for airline now and again and have wondered if this is an option.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I hope you aren't counting on a certain size room at a specific resort!!! You certainly are living dangerously!! Now, I do know that DVC often has a room or two available for most nights that aren't near any holidays, but are you planning to go for just a night or two, or are you planning to try to take a week's vacation without notice? If you are going to try to go for a longer vacation, I would not recommend it.

 

[OlderMan]

I called recently for a reservation for about a month later than I called. Naturally, I expected nothing.

The CM put me on hold and when she came back, told me that ALL she had available was a studio at SSR--too small--and a 2 BR at OKW--what we REALLY wanted!

I was surprized to get what I wanted since the time is during Spring Break.

So, it is possible to get reservations on short notice--but not very likely!

 

[DVCconvert]

I called from MCO at 3pm one day and got into a BWV studio by 5pm.
I can happen, but as others have said, do not plan on it. Have a back up plan ready to use.

 

[RumpleMom]

I'm not clear on the exact wording, but what about not being able to book and travel in the last blank months of your use year?(I can't remember the number and don't want to guess) We have always planned way ahead.

Could this be something to be aware of for last minute travel?

 

[Chuck S]

I'm not clear on the exact wording, but what about not being able to book and travel in the last blank months of your use year?(I can't remember the number and don't want to guess) We have always planned way ahead.

Could this be something to be aware of for last minute travel?

That does not apply to DVC resorts, only to trades outside of the DVC system.

Basically you can not book a reservation at a non-DVC resort during the last 4 months of your use year. It used to be 2 months, it changed this year, to match the new booking deadline.

 

[DVCconvert]

RumpleMom- perhaps this is what you're thinking of

Rule of Four
You cannot book and travel on The Disney Collection, (excluding Disneyland© Resort Hotels in California), Concierge Collection and Adventurer Collection vacations within the last 4 months of your Use Year. However, you can travel in the last 4 months of your Use Year as long as you've booked your stay more than 4 months before the end of your Use Year.

 

[dianeschlicht]

As long as it isn't during busy DVC times and you are aren't picky about what size unit or where, there is always a CHANCE, but it is just that...a chance. I wouldn't plan on it on a regular basis. We have called 24 hours ahead to add a day once (it was Labor Day), and we were able to get a studio for that night, but nothing else. It was one of those "our airline is on strike, and we need to change our airline" situations. We ended up driving to an airport 4 hours away and taking a different airline with a plane change, so we needed to add a night.

 

[4Pluto]

I tried last October without success. In August I needed to add an additional day onto an existing trip. The only room available at WDW was at GF. I booked it, but because it was pretty pricey, I was on wait lists and asked about cash room availability at DVC but nothing came up.

Obviously it was a very popular weekend at WDW. I'm guessing those would be the same dates that it would be hard to get free air tickets (?), so maybe the dates you can get those tickets would be the ones most likely to have dVC availability.

 

[Grandbuddy]

That does not apply to DVC resorts, only to trades outside of the DVC system.

Basically you can not book a reservation at a non-DVC resort during the last 4 months of your use year. It used to be 2 months, it changed this year, to match the new booking deadline.

I thought the rule was that you cannot both book a trip and travel on that trip (outside DVC) during the last four months of the UY. (?) I thought you could book a trip that is to take place after the beginning of the next use year. Is this incorrect?

 

[DVCconvert]

Grandbuddy

I thought the rule was that you cannot both book a trip and travel on that trip (outside DVC) during the last four months of the UY. (?) I thought you could book a trip that is to take place after the beginning of the next use year. Is this incorrect?

Please see "Rule of Four" post # 7 above - directly from dvc website.

 

[kfalsey]

my sister is a flight attendant and she gets passes for family during the year but she has to have me go to the airport and if flights are empty, I can go. I was thinking of going for a few days a weekend. I thought on short notice I could always get in to sarratoga since it has so many rooms. only would need a studio

 

[tjkraz]

my sister is a flight attendant and she gets passes for family during the year but she has to have me go to the airport and if flights are empty, I can go. I was thinking of going for a few days a weekend. I thought on short notice I could always get in to sarratoga since it has so many rooms. only would need a studio

Saratoga may have "so many rooms", but it also has an equivalent number of owners. The concept behind DVC (and any timeshare) is for the developer to sell enough points to fill the resort year-round (less an allowance for room renovations.) Certain times of the year are more in-demand than others. Certainly there are days when all DVC rooms are not filled, but we have no way of knowing how many or exactly when those rooms are available.

It's also worth noting that 60 days out all unbooked DVC rooms are made available to Disney's Central Reservations for booking by cash guests. So for the last two months leading up to any given night, both DVC members and cash-paying guests have the ability to book empty rooms.

If you're planning to try this for weekend nights it would improve your chances since the points are so much higher. Many members avoid weekends altogether. But it's still something of a risky proposition. At the very least, I'd suggest making sure you call BEFORE you get on the plane rather than after you land.

 

[Frankiesmom]

please keep us updated; I would love to know how this works out for you! Good luck!

 

[Meliechick]

my sister is a flight attendant and she gets passes for family during the year but she has to have me go to the airport and if flights are empty, I can go. I was thinking of going for a few days a weekend. I thought on short notice I could always get in to sarratoga since it has so many rooms. only would need a studio

I'm not sure how other airlines operate but I work for an airline and fly "standy-by/non-rev" so I can understand the hit or miss on catching a flight. Our airline has a way that employees can log on to an internal system and see the guesstimated passenger load to see what your chances of getting a particular flight are. Maybe your sister has something similar. I usually make sure that I have several options as far as routes are concerned to get to my destination. My DH and I have done something similar to what you are talking about several times and have been pretty lucky at getting a room the day before. If it looks like I have a pretty good shot at making a flight then I call MS to check availability and book. I'm not brave enough to jump on the plane without the room. PM me if you have more questions. Good Luck!

 

[crisi]

I think your real risk is not in not getting a room - so you don't get a room - Orlando has PLENTY of hotel rooms and you may not end up on property (CRO has been selling out!) but you won't sleep in the airport. I think your real risk is not getting a room and then ending up in a situation where your points can no longer be banked, you can't travel, or when you can travel there are no rooms and the points that you paid for go to waste. Timeshares are for planners - non-planners can end up in situations where they can't make use of their timeshare and that year is just gone - it can't be recaptured and used later.

 

[tjkraz]

I thought the rule was that you cannot both book a trip and travel on that trip (outside DVC) during the last four months of the UY. (?) I thought you could book a trip that is to take place after the beginning of the next use year. Is this incorrect?

Technically it is incorrect because the points subject to the "rule of four" would expire at the end of the Use Year.

You can book a trip that is to take place after the beginning of the next Use Year, but it would have to be booked using that next Use Year's points.

Let's say you have a June Use Year. The last four months of the UY are Feb - May. If you want to travel to any destination subject to the "rule of four" in Feb to May 2008, you have to book it before January 31, 2008. The points used would come from your 2007 Use Year (which runs 6/1/07 to 5/31/08.)

Now, if you want to travel sometime after June 2008 as you suggest in your post, you can book that trip pretty much anytime you wish. The distinction is that a trip after June 1, 2008 would use 2008 Use Year points.

 

[CandleontheWater]

2 weeks ago I called the day before and got a studio at the Beach Club, it is possible, the worst member services can say to you is no.

 

[LadyKay]

March 9 of this year we arrived at MCO from our cruise aboard the Wonder only to find that our flight had been cencelled and rescheduled for 4 days later due to 40 cm of snow back home. I was a new mwmber and had not yet used our points, so I called and was able to get a 2 bdrm villa at SSR. Disney's Magical express had us back in the magic within the hour . I was so impressed as I didn't think we would be able to nab anything being spring break. That was our first official stay on points. We love our DVC membership.

 

[kfalsey]

my sister says she looks a head of time at the air schedule, if it looks good the day she is leaving she checks again in the morning if it looks good they head to the airport. I wondered if that morning something may be available in my points thru dvc or it would be a miracle, or do I just have to pay cash for a room in the resorts.