What was it like booking Christmas or NYE week?

[cheezNE1]

Anyone want to share what their experience was like booking whether online or thru MS for the Christmas week or New years week? Were you able to get the full week or were you waitlisted for some of the days. Oh, and please include the resort and whether online or not. Just curious to how hard is it for the 11month or 7 month window for those 2 weeks.

 

[davedmaine]

Anyone want to share what their experience was like booking whether online or thru MS for the Christmas week or New years week? Were you able to get the full week or were you waitlisted for some of the days. Oh, and please include the resort and whether online or not. Just curious to how hard is it for the 11month or 7 month window for those 2 weeks.

At BWV, we've never had a problem at the 11-month window..

 

[dvcterry]

You should be fine at 11 months.

At 7 months-if you need something, waitlist.

I waited until middle of August to do this glorious Christmas/NYE trip. Yay! Had to piece together each night by waitlisting and checking inventory. Split stay at BCV & BLT. Crowded, yes, but fun.

 

[momof2disprincesses]

We just got back from 9 nights total between Kidani (1 bedroom standard) and Jambo House Club level (studio). I booked online 11 months out (don't remember the time). I know online booking was new then, but it was a breeze and we got everything we wanted with no waitlist.

AND we had a fabulous trip in 2 beautiful room types.

I'm doing a trip report on it on the DVC trip reports board if you want to see.

 

[cheezNE1]

You should be fine at 11 months.

At 7 months-if you need something, waitlist.

I waited until middle of August to do this glorious Christmas/NYE trip. Yay! Had to piece together each night by waitlisting and checking inventory. Split stay at BCV & BLT. Crowded, yes, but fun.

I'm thinking of doing split stay at BCV & BLT this year also. BLT would be great just to walk back to the resort without having to deal with the bus crowd.

 

[dvcterry]

I'm thinking of doing split stay at BCV & BLT this year also. BLT would be great just to walk back to the resort without having to deal with the bus crowd.

If you can plan your park-to resort stay that would be helpful. I see what you are saying. This is exactly what we did. Another word of advice--adr's. It is very, very crowded and as much as we love using the kitchen and going back to the room--we did NOT. Once we entered the park, we stayed. We layered our clothes, rested, rested, and rested and thankfully had those adr's.

I will be posting a trip report soon. And when I say 4 hour+ wait for Soarin' & long, long lines for bathroom--

Enjoy your trip planning!

 

[cheezNE1]

If you can plan your park-to resort stay that would be helpful. I see what you are saying. This is exactly what we did. Another word of advice--adr's. It is very, very crowded and as much as we love using the kitchen and going back to the room--we did NOT. Once we entered the park, we stayed. We layered our clothes, rested, rested, and rested and thankfully had those adr's.

I will be posting a trip report soon. And when I say 4 hour+ wait for Soarin' & long, long lines for bathroom--

Enjoy your trip planning!

4 hour+ wait..... I hope you're kidding...

 

[drusba]

Calling 11 months out I have always gotten what I wanted at both BWV and AKV, our home resorts, during Christmas week and first week of Jan and that was for, depending on year, 2BR boardwalk view (5 times in the past; all by phone), 2BR AKV savanna view (twice by phone) and an AKV GV (once by phone). Moreover, for a couple of those in the last five years I waited until beyond 11 months out so i could book 9 or 10 nights at one time.

For what happens at 7 months out throughout December to early Jan go here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2919467&highlight=december

 

[Desnik]

I booked Xmas week in July 2012. We booked a split stay to save on points. Dec 22-24 at AKV studio standard view and Dec 24-28 at SSR 1 bedroom. I booked online and didn't have to waitlist. A few weeks before we left I started to check online at availability at other resorts. We were doing our 1st night, Dec 21st at AoA and suddenly my family didn't want to be moving so much. Two weeks before Xmas I was able to get a 1 bedroom at WLV for Dec 21-26. Then we just did AoA Dec 26-28. I booked over the phone because it was complicated with my points. Also, there was a standard AKV 1 bedroom that was available the 21-26th as well. So I had a choice. I couldn't believe it!

 

[belias21]

We got really lucky this year. We planned a spur of the moment trip to WDW over Christmas and were able to book a 4-night stay at AKV Jambo. We made the reservation less than 30 days out. Granted, we had a standard view studio but I was shocked at the availability.

 

[dvcterry]

No, I was not kidding about the wait times. We got there first thing and did everything early while there was only a 5 min wait. By mid morning standby lines were very long. Spaceship Earth had a 75 min wait. I felt so bad for one family because the husband left the park and could not get back in at the turnstiles. We had our blankets and after our dinner at LeCellier we just rested on the grass and waited until midnight. Like I said, once you are in, stay in and just take frequent rest breaks. I will post pics of everything on our trip report this weekend. It was fun, so try it!

 

[tripletsmama]

We booked BWV at 11 months. I booked online right at 8am. We had a 2 bedroom standard view. At the 7 month window we switched to BCV 2 bedroom 2 queens. The only nights we had to waitlist were December 30 and 31. That waitlist came through. I was shocked to get a 2 bedroom 2 queens at BCV for NYE without the 11 month advantage.