What if No Availability?

[Madhattr]

We are considering DVC and just wondering...While we do plan in advance most of the time, other times we like to go down on the spur of the moment. If there is no availability at your home resort can your points be used for the cash resorts?

 

[CMOORE185]

We are considering DVC and just wondering...While we do plan in advance most of the time, other times we like to go down on the spur of the moment. If there is no availability at your home resort can your points be used for the cash resorts?

I believe you can use your points at all the resorts except the value resorts like all-star sports. But the value is not there because any resort outside DVC uses more points than they are worth.

 

[Chic]

It is possible to use your DVC points at most of the cash resorts but it's not wise numerically. A Studio type room requires from 9 to 17 points a weeknight depending on the resort and time of year. A standard room at most Disney World cash resorts requires 30 to 40 points a weeknight and a $95 booking fee, get the picture? Even if you're trying to book at the spur of the moment, you can usually find some type of room at one of the DVC resorts. The only time you may risk no availability anywhere is during Christmas or Spring Break. It's usually quite easy to find availability at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs due to the massive size of these resorts.

 

[Madhattr]

Thanks for this info. From reading posts it looked like you had to plan so far in advance. I do do that for our larger trips, but for just a long weekend it would be nice to be spontaneous. Good to know usually lots of availability at OKW and SSR. We usually go for a week in late April early May, then long weekends during food and wine, and MVMCP.

 

[Lynne M]

Given the times of year that you like to travel, short-notice reservations are not likely to work well for you.

The entire month of December is the busiest time of year for DVC reservations. Even OKW and SSR are often booked up months in advance. The Food and Wine Festival is probably the second busiest time for DVC bookings.

Like all timeshares, DVC is not really designed for short-notice, long-weekend travel. While people certainly have gotten short-notice reservations, it is largely a matter of luck, and definitely not something you can count on.

One other thing - if you plan to do a lot of weekend stays, be sure to carefully review the point charts. Point costs for weekend stays are significantly higher than for weeknight stays.

 

[photobob]

Just to echo what Lynne said. I wouldn't purchase into DVC if short planned spontaneous trips are something you do often. The times you mentioned are pretty heavy times. How short of a window do you mean when you say taking a spontaneous trip? We love our DVC but it doesn't work for everyone's travel habits.

 

[crisi]

The other problem with short notice trips is that points are use em or lose them. You can bank them, but you need to know you want to bank them months in advance.

So if there isn't availability for your trips, and you can't use your points - you are going to lose your points.

Timeshares are for planners.

 

[shelly3girls]

We tend to do one long trip and then a couple short trips. We use DVC for our long trips then find a discount cash room (usually) for the other trips. With the DVC we get a discount on our APs ($100 off) and can usually find some kind of discount on a room. Just buy a smaller contract to cover the long stay. We found this worked great for us.

 

[tjkraz]

Good to know usually lots of availability at OKW and SSR.

I wouldn't say that you can rely on "lots of availability" even at those two on short notice.

The entire concept of a timeshare is for the resort to be full of owners year-round with the exception of periods where rooms are down for maintenance purposes. Less the approx 2% of points withheld for maintenance, DVC sold enough points that even SSR and OKW SHOULD be full of owners 98% of the time year-round.

In reality it isn't always full. But the most direct cause of any vacancy is a member not using his/her points. I'm sure it happens but judge for yourself how often it happens and whether those vacancies will coincide with your needs.

You may get luck on occasion. But other times you will certainly have to compromise in order to find a room. For instance you may have to pay for a One Bedroom even if you only need a Studio. You may have to consider switching resorts mid-trip if you cannot get all of your nights at a single location.

 

[zackiedawg]

I'm a rare bird in that I often book spur-of-the-moment, short-term planning trips for my DVC. Not disagreeing with everyone above - they're basically right, but the short term planning can be done for DVCers. Just not the way the OP was looking for.

Because I live only a 3 hour drive away, I find myself booking trips to Disney with as little as 1 month notice. In fact, just booked a trip for June 3-6 a few weeks ago. The difference is: I don't try that trick during event weeks, high demand times, holiday periods, etc. I mostly take these trips during the cheapest point seasons, and slowest park weeks. When I want to head up for Christmas season, Food & Wine, Thanksgiving, etc...those I plan as far in advance as I can. I also have extreme flexibility when I take these short notice spontaneous trips; I may check on availability at a resort I want, but basically I'll take whatever they got. I may want Boardwalk view at my home resort, but if a studio at SSR is all that's available...I'll take it. I've even split stays several times - moving from a studio at OKW for 2 nights to a studio at SSR for 1 additional night. I'm single, I'm either alone or traveling with a friend, and I pack light - so even moving around is something I can handle and accept, given the extreme short notice I'm exercising.

That doesn't mean not to try - you can waitlist, or call and hope to get lucky. But I wouldn't buy into DVC if my vacations were always likely to be short-notice, short-planning trips during high-occupancy event weeks or holiday weeks. That's not likely to work out vey well!

 

[DebbieB]

The only time I booked outside of DVC was when I had a business trip to Orlando in October a couple of years ago in mid-October. I wanted a Sunday night, I called about 3 weeks before and nothing was available. No resort, no room size. I had extra points so I booked POFQ for 18 points. This was right before the $95 fee, I would not have done it with the fee, I could have had an AP rate for $125 plus tax.

 

[Sandisw]

Booking last minute trips are not impossible, but your choice will certainly be limited.

However, if there was no DVC availability and you are in the last 4 months of your UY, I believe, you can not book a room, with points, at any of the non DVC WDW resorts (the Disney Collection) except Disneyland. There is a a rule that you can not book and stay in the last four months of the UY at resorts other than DVC.

So, depending on when you were planning the trips, you might be prevented from getting a non DVC resort with your points.

 

[minster22]

I just had experience booking a very last minute trip....called less than 2 weeks before travel....all that was available was 1 studio @ BW and a value studio @ AKV. Since this was just a very spontaneous getaway I took what was offered and waitlisted for all 3 nights at the BW which did come thru. This was for 5/4 to 5/7....just last week. This is not a a timeframe in high demand and there was nothing at SSR or OKW, which I was very surprised about. I had also asked about availability for the whole month of May and what was available I took....so lesson here, you have to get very lucky to book a last minute trip...it happens but I would never count on it!!

 

[Kelblum]

I am stressing!! We haven't closed yet on our first DVC (payment & signed docs already in though) and already booked airfare for Oct. 29th to Nov. 6th!! So now I am freaking thinking that I might not get a DVC!!

 

[tjkraz]

I am stressing!! We haven't closed yet on our first DVC (payment & signed docs already in though) and already booked airfare for Oct. 29th to Nov. 6th!! So now I am freaking thinking that I might not get a DVC!!

If you bought direct from DVC, you can book NOW. Your member number should be in your docs. You don't need to wait for the closing.

If resale then you do need to wait. Probably be 1-2 weeks after closing before you are in the computer.

Since you are 5+ months away, you will probably find SOMETHING. Just don't plan on getting a specific resort and use the waitlist if necessary.

But in the future I would recommend securing a room before you spend hundreds on non-refundable airfare.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I am stressing!! We haven't closed yet on our first DVC (payment & signed docs already in though) and already booked airfare for Oct. 29th to Nov. 6th!! So now I am freaking thinking that I might not get a DVC!!

Did you buy direct from Disney or resale? If you purchased direct, you can book now. In fact, I'd call today yet!

 

[Kelblum]

I know!!! Spirit was having such a good sale and we had finally made the decision to buy a DVC and I really didn't think that Disney would take the full 30 days for the ROFR!! So I thought no problem!! Silly me!! My husband will kill me if we can't get a DVC!!

 

[DVCGeek]

I am stressing!! We haven't closed yet on our first DVC (payment & signed docs already in though) and already booked airfare for Oct. 29th to Nov. 6th!! So now I am freaking thinking that I might not get a DVC!!

I don't think that would be a really crowded time so hopefully you'll be OK. Please let us know how you make out and if you get the location you'd prefer!

 

[Kelblum]

I did buy resale, so we can't book right away. Thanks for the support!! Ok, let me get this straight for next time, 1st Reserve the DVC, THEN make the airfare reservations!!

 

[deva]

I wouln't worry too much - you still have lots of time. I just booked a few weeks ago for a June trip. First time I called, nothing for all 6 nights, decided to think about it. (actually during my call with MS the rooms were coming and going and she wanted me to jump on 4 days at OKW). Next morning (called right at 9am) I secured 6 nights straight. It is worth checking every day.