What's it like on a 7 month window at BWV, BCV, VWL?

[Disneymooners93]

I'm having a dilemma. I've been reading many, many posts to help decide where I most want to buy. Obviously the best advice has been "Buy where you want to stay." My problem is I don't have a place where I "want to stay" most. I've sort of decided on SSR for several reasons but not "where I want to stay". I do like the Downtown Disney location of SSR, but I would like to use other DVC as well depending on the trip. What is it like getting reservations in BWV, BCV, VWL on a 7 month window? I gather OKW would not be that difficult.

 

[Sammie]

At certain times of the year right now, it's as easy as picking up the phone at 7 months and booking it. At other times, almost impossible and you go to wait list.

I have no crystal ball that will predict whether this will change. This has just been our experience for 5 years.

 

[Granny]

As Sammie said, there are many times of the year where reserving any DVC resort is not particularly difficult, especially if you really don't have a resort you have your heart set on. Then there are the heavy DVC demand seasons that may be more difficult.

BCV and VWL are the two smallest DVC resorts, so booking them at 7 months will be relatively more difficult than booking other resorts. BWV is a large resort, but I wouldn't count on getting Standard View or Boardwalk View rooms at the 7 month window. It's possible, but not something I would count on.

As for OKW, I'm not sure that it will be as available all the time as it has in the past. No one knows how many people have the same strategy as you and intend to buy SSR to stay at other resorts. OKW is a great resort, has upgraded their pool with a nice slide, and is the lowest point per night structure...all things that could make demand there continue to increase.

Good luck to you.

 

[Disneymooners93]

I wouldn't say our strategy is to buy SSR to use to other resorts. I would plan to use SSR a lot, but will like to go to others as well. DW and I have thought we would like to stay in different resorts, but have always ended back up at Dixie Landings (POR now, can't get used to that) in part because we would always end the day at DD or PI and the boat ride back was the best way to end the night. Now with kids we again think it would be nice to stay around the world (close to MK now - EPCOT later), but I'm sure would think SSR is "home". Thanks for the comments!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

We bought SSR, but always seem to want to stay elsewhere. BUT, the times we could only get SSR we have not been disappointed with having to stay there at all.

 

[Scoootch]

Well...the stratagey of "buy where you want to stay" is because you may only be able to book that resort at certain times. The theory is that you don't want to buy SSR with the intention of always staying elsewhere and if you had to stay at SSR be disappointed. Sounds to me like you'd be perfectly happy at SSR if that was all that was available to you. If you are booking less than 7mos out, all points are equal though and it's really a game of who gets the ressie first where you try to book. So it depends on how far out you intend to book too. If you plan to book further out than 7mos home resort definetly is a major help...just make sure where you do decide to buy into is a resort you'd be happy with if it were all that were available to you

So I'd say if you'd like to stay at just about all the DVC's with no particular favorite and know you'd love SSR as well...than go for it and buy SSR. If however, you know you'd be disappointed if you can't get BWV's or BCV's or anyplace else at the most popular times without the 11mos advantage than you should go re-sale and buy there instead.

Best of luck!

 

[SoCalKDG]

If you don't really care where you stay, I'd do one of two things.

1) Buy the cheapest resort at WDW as a resale. If you get a cheap OKW, you can always stay at SSR(its going to be huge) plus get the same 7 month chance at BWV, VWL, or BCV.

or

2) Buy at BWV, VWL, or BCV. This way you guarentee yourself one of these resorts, plus OKW and SSR are huge, so you should be able to get in at the 7 month time.

 

[BillM]

Ressies at the 7 month window depend on a lot of things, such as the type of villa, the time of the year etc. I would suggest you weigh the time of year you would be making the ressie. If its high demand time I would suggest you buy resale at BWV or OKW. The latter would give you the boat ride to DD, plus lowest points per stay, the largest villas. BWV would give you a shot at the Standard or BW view rooms. Also the great location.
I made a 3 night studio at BWV at the 1 1/2 month window for the first part of March. I also tried to cancel a 2 BR for March at OKW at the 32 day window and change to a 1 BR. There was no availabilty but they offered me WLV and SSR. You never know.

 

[married@wdw]

We own at OKW and rarely have a problem booking rooms at other DVC resorts. We've stayed at BWV twice and VWL three times. We've skipped BCV up to now because we just don't like it as much -- no offense to anyone here -- there's something for everyone which is what I love about DVC. We usually travel at off-peak times though.

I actually made a mistake last year and thought I was calling at the 7-month window to plan a very special 5-year anniversary trip -- I'd miscounted and it was actually 6 months out! I wanted a BWV 1-bedroom with a preferred view. I got a 1-bedroom standard view and had to wait list for the preferred, but it came through.

We chose OKW, and decided to stick with it when we added on, because we could get a Grand Villa much easier there. We have a large extended family and do a big trip together about once every three years.

 

[Synonymous]

We own most of our points at BWV and haven't stayed there since our first trip. So far (knock on wood) we haven't had any trouble getting in where we want, even at much less than 7 months. Of course, your mileage may vary.

 

[Greg K.]

A friend of mine bought at Vero, and only stays at BWV. He's never had a problem -- but flexibility, he tells me, is key. If you are willing to shift a day or two or three in one direction or another, you can probably get what you want, where you want, at 7 months out.

Or so I've been told

 

[SoCalKDG]

Makes me wonder how many members actually realize they can stay at other resorts.


It will also be interesting as we gain another 10-20K members.

 

[Degli]

I own a resale at OKW. My intention was to buy with the least expensive dues. Knowing that we probably would not need to stay at the in demand times of the year, this suited us just fine. I made my latest ressie for VWL 5 months out for a 1br. No problam at all. We should mainly stay late spring, fall, or summer. I didn't see any problem for these times at less than seven months out. Hope this helps.