What time does the 11-month window actually open?

[princess124]

I tried to search this, but my computer is being quirky and it's not populating results...so please forgive me is this is a double-post.

We are new DVC members and are looking to book our first trip with our points for NYE 2013. When does the 11-month window actually open. For example, obviously the booking will open on or about January 31, but does it open at midnight that day or 7am when MS opens?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[zavandor]

8am when booking online, 9am when calling MS by phone.

 

[Deb & Bill]

8am when booking online, 9am when calling MS by phone.

And those are Eastern Time.

 

[Dean]

And you can book 7 nights straight starting at that exact 11 month deadline subject to availability.

 

[princess124]

Thank you!!

 

[heynowirv]

Hummmm, and here i thought with on-line booking it would be 12:01 am of that day.

 

[DebbieB]

Hummmm, and here i thought with on-line booking it would be 12:01 am of that day.

Not for the 11/7 month window. The last time I booked, I tried at 7:55am and it errored. I kept hitting enter until it went through right at 8:00am.

 

[lodge]

So to have actual New Years Eve, should OP try to book (meaning reserve the room for) 7 days prior to Jan 31st (Jan 25, 2014 and get online at 8am THIS Jan. 25th) for the best chances to obtain it, even if they don't need to have the first few days? If they then call Guest Services after this booking, say on Jan 26th or 27th (of this year), can they add on more days to the tail end of what was booked and cancel the first few days (and is this what "walking" is)? I'm a newbie and trying to learn. Thanks for your patience, those of you not-so-green!

Not for the 11/7 month window. The last time I booked, I tried at 7:55am and it errored. I kept hitting enter until it went through right at 8:00am.

This is good to know, that hitting "enter" will work eventually ('cause on DCL site, when trying to secure a boarding time, one has to actually LOG OUT and back in after the opening time for it to work... no "enter" as it won't work that way. Some people said they were up at 3am to book a cabana at Castaway Cay and lost it due to this quirk. Me, not so ambitious.

 

[princess124]

So to have actual New Years Eve, should OP try to book (meaning reserve the room for) 7 days prior to Jan 31st (Jan 25, 2014 and get online at 8am THIS Jan. 25th) for the best chances to obtain it, even if they don't need to have the first few days? If they then call Guest Services after this booking, say on Jan 26th or 27th (of this year), can they add on more days to the tail end of what was booked and cancel the first few days (and is this what "walking" is)? I'm a newbie and trying to learn. Thanks for your patience, those of you not-so-green!

This is good to know, that hitting "enter" will work eventually ('cause on DCL site, when trying to secure a boarding time, one has to actually LOG OUT and back in after the opening time for it to work... no "enter" as it won't work that way. Some people said they were up at 3am to book a cabana at Castaway Cay and lost it due to this quirk. Me, not so ambitious.

I didn't even think about doing that. What would all the experienced members do? This is my first time booking and I'm not sure of the tricks. Thanks!

 

[Sandisw]

I didn't even think about doing that. What would all the experienced members do? This is my first time booking and I'm not sure of the tricks. Thanks!

NYE is busy and from what I have read--never booked myself--rooms go fast. However, I think it depends on what you are looking for in terms of room.

As mentioned, you could set up a walking situation if you were trying for something really popular like AKV Concierge, or SV at BLT maybe.

The way walking works is that you book a trip so the last night is really the first night you want. Then the day before the 11 month window opens for your check out day, you call and modify the trip by canceling out the first nights and booking the ones you want.

The glitch, if you want to call it one, of doing this during the holidays is that the points for Christmas week are going to be a lot more than the points for the 1st week in January. You certainly would not want to walk if it included needing to borrow points as those would not be able to be returned.

I have never walked but we also have not traveled at the time you will be so its a tough call.

Good luck!

 

[princess124]

NYE is busy and from what I have read--never booked myself--rooms go fast. However, I think it depends on what you are looking for in terms of room.

As mentioned, you could set up a walking situation if you were trying for something really popular like AKV Concierge, or SV at BLT maybe.

The way walking works is that you book a trip so the last night is really the first night you want. Then the day before the 11 month window opens for your check out day, you call and modify the trip by canceling out the first nights and booking the ones you want.

The glitch, if you want to call it one, of doing this during the holidays is that the points for Christmas week are going to be a lot more than the points for the 1st week in January. You certainly would not want to walk if it included needing to borrow points as those would not be able to be returned.

I have never walked but we also have not traveled at the time you will be so its a tough call.

Good luck!

Thank you for your input. We have a small point, so I'm thinking that the walking thought might not work for us. Thank you for your help!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We arrived on Jan 5 for the marathon week. The parks were still a madhouse on Sat and Sun (Jan 5 and 6), but by Monday, they were more manageable.