What's with October this year?! And Wait list question

[wendyt_ca]

We go to Disney every year the same week in October and we normally don't even book 7 months out and have never had any issues in the past 5 years getting what we want. This year right around the 7 mark point there are literally no studios available !!! I've been constantly checking availability and still nothing. We are low on points so we were going to rent points for part of the trip and use what we have for the other. I ended up just getting a $200 wyndham certificate for a week and now I have been stalking the website trying to just get 3 days October 5-8th. I don't even get what is going on this year with October.
So now I am trying to decide what to do for my 3 days. I've currently waitlisted old Key west (i figured it would be an easier one and is low points) and AKL Kidani village (AKL tends to have a lot of rooms). So the question I have on this is I need to borrow the points from next year with whatever I book so I can't put those back if I cancel anything so do I need to be concerned with multiple somehow being booked if I put in more waitlist requests? I don't have enough points available to borrow anyway so because of that I would assume if another waitlist came through they wouldn't book it but I would have enough for them to book me a day and I don't want that. I just want to confirm cause I am considering just waitlisting any resort I have enough points for. Then when one comes through cancelling another? So what happens if one comes through and you don't have enough points for it? Sorry I may be over explaining and I think I know the answer but I just want to be sure.

 

[stuartsong]

That is the Columbus holiday weekend. I noticed that it was booked up very quickly.

If you are concerned about getting both waitlists to clear, you could consider focusing on 1 resort and making multiple waitlists for shorter number of days. It's easier to get 1 night waitlist to clear than 3 nights. Put a waitlist for 1 night of 10/7 and another waitlist of 2 nights for 10/5 & 10/6. If and when the waitlist for the 10/7 clears, then split the waitlist for 10/5 and 10/6. This way, you don't have to worry about not having enough points and bette chances of the waitlist clearing.

 

[disneynutz]

Things have changed and they will continue to change, booking is becoming more of a challenge. The only way to guarantee your DVC happiness is to buy where you love to stay and book at 11 months. Who knows, DVC may have also changed the way that they manage availability.

Orbitz seems to have plenty of DVC units available to book.

Bill

 

[wendyt_ca]

That is the Columbus holiday weekend. I noticed that it was booked up very quickly.

If you are concerned about getting both waitlists to clear, you could consider focusing on 1 resort and making multiple waitlists for shorter number of days. It's easier to get 1 night waitlist to clear than 3 nights. Put a waitlist for 1 night of 10/7 and another waitlist of 2 nights for 10/5 & 10/6. If and when the waitlist for the 10/7 clears, then split the waitlist for 10/5 and 10/6. This way, you don't have to worry about not having enough points and bette chances of the waitlist clearing.

I'm surprised even with the holiday that nothing is available. That's the same week we go every year and have never had an issue.

The only thing about breaking it up that way is we could end up in multiple resorts and we don't really want to be moving around every day. We only need one resort for the 3 nights. I was kind of wondering if since we wouldn't have enough points for multiple waitlists if two came through at the same time would only one get booked? The reason I am thinking of putting it in for multiple is because it would give us a better chance of getting a room than if we focused on one and nothing comes up then we kind of miss out on getting a room (if that makes sense).

 

[wendyt_ca]

Things have changed and they will continue to change, booking is becoming more of a challenge. The only way to guarantee your DVC happiness is to buy where you love to stay and book at 11 months. Who knows, DVC may have also changed the way that they manage availability.

Orbitz seems to have plenty of DVC units available to book.

Bill

Yeah that's true. We usually have no issues most of the year. We go to Disney about 2-3 times a year and don't have many issues. I'm still very happy with our DVC Just trying to figure out our best plan of action. If nothing comes up I may just rent out some points and use that money to pay for a room in a worst case scenario. We bought at Bay Lake because that resort can be hard to get at 7 months. We love AKL and usually it's available in the 7mths. Eventually we plan to add on at a couple of other resorts for booking priority but it's not an option right now. We aren't picky about which resort we get for the 3 nights at all...there is just nothing available.

I won't book with Orbitz because of an issue I had with them back in the fall to do with DL tickets...horrible experience. And it's not in our budget to pay the cash prices for deluxe resorts. We are trying to not have to pay any extra out of pocket for the room by using our DVC

 

[alisonslp]

We are in the same boat. I have never had a problem getting a room at least somewhere any time of the year prior to now. But we are trying to piecemeal a trip that same weekend as yours and there is nothing out there! I check 3-4 times a day for all resorts and I have 2 waitlists as well.

 

[wendyt_ca]

We are in the same boat. I have never had a problem getting a room at least somewhere any time of the year prior to now. But we are trying to piecemeal a trip that same weekend as yours and there is nothing out there! I check 3-4 times a day for all resorts and I have 2 waitlists as well.

I know I have been doing the exact same! I have never seen zero availability at any resort even at busy times of year.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I know I have been doing the exact same! I have never seen zero availability at any resort even at busy times of year.

I have - most often in Oct. That and marathon weekend in Jan.

 

[wendyt_ca]

I have - most often in Oct. That and marathon weekend in Jan.

Really?? Cause I have been going to Disney in October for the past 5 years and there is always plenty of availability any time I have checked....I've even gotten the Grand Floridian in October before. And have always been able to get AKL.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Really?? Cause I have been going to Disney in October for the past 5 years and there is always plenty of availability any time I have checked....I've even gotten the Grand Floridian in October before. And have always been able to get AKL.

Funny, it was first in 2011, exactly 5 years ago, that I first ran into this for Oct for a 2BR. Nothing anywhere. Prior to that it was very common for the near park resorts as it still is and as the popularity of F&W has continued to grow so has the room availability tightened even further.

 

[BCV2003]

I know what you mean. I'm booked at BCV 10/22-29 and we always travel in October I originally booked a 1BR and then my husband suggested that we just get a studio to conserve points this trip so before the 7 month window opened up I went to change it and was able to get five of the nights in a studio and the last 2 in a 1BR. I know it's F&W so BCV books up fast. I'm fine with switching rooms and this way I still get a couple of nights in a 1BR. Well last week I was thinking that since we have to switch rooms that I might see what else is available those 2 nights for a 1BR or studio and the only thing that is available is SSR. I won't give up BCV for SSR. I just thought it might have been an opportunity to try Poly or GFV. I've always pretty much had my choice of anywhere other than BCV or BVW at 7 months for October.

 

[dcfromva]

I'm more surprised that you don't usually have any trouble booking at that time.
I always have trouble--even at the 11 month point at home resort.
Hopefully, you'll get some pixie dust and your wait list will come through.

 

[CarolMN]

The Columbus Day weekend and week following the holiday has become more and more popular over the past few years. Many southern school districts have a fall break at this time and it seems more of those families are traveling to WDW during the break.

The brokers have made it much easier to rent DVC accommodations and the population prone to rent has become much more knowledgeable about renting and the need to book early for fall.

In general tourism is UP for central Florida. There are more people traveling. Check out this article in today's Orlando Sentinel:

Visit Orlando hits 66 million tourists in 2015

Best quote from article: ......."expansion at the region’s theme parks positioned Orlando for repeat visitors".

 

[wendyt_ca]

Funny, it was first in 2011, exactly 5 years ago, that I first ran into this for Oct for a 2BR. Nothing anywhere. Prior to that it was very common for the near park resorts as it still is and as the popularity of F&W has continued to grow so has the room availability tightened even further.

Oh yeah I know the F&W festival is very popular. I just can't get over that nothing is there. And I checked at the 7 month mark this year. But I generally book at AKL. But that's where my surprise comes from. There is just nothing at all.

I'm more surprised that you don't usually have any trouble booking at that time.
I always have trouble--even at the 11 month point at home resort.
Hopefully, you'll get some pixie dust and your wait list will come through.

I've never had an issue. Maybe one or two resorts with no availability but never all of them. Cause I would book anywhere. And I usually get a week to a week and a half no problem. This year I only need 3 days and i've been trying since the 7mth mark. Fingers crossed, I check multiple times a day!

The Columbus Day weekend and week following the holiday has become more and more popular over the past few years. Many southern school districts have a fall break at this time and it seems more of those families are traveling to WDW during the break.

The brokers have made it much easier to rent DVC accommodations and the population prone to rent has become much more knowledgeable about renting and the need to book early for fall.

In general tourism is UP for central Florida. There are more people traveling. Check out this article in today's Orlando Sentinel:

Visit Orlando hits 66 million tourists in 2015

Best quote from article: ......."expansion at the region’s theme parks positioned Orlando for repeat visitors".

You know what I bet that is a huge part of it! I have heard of more and more people renting DVC points. I never even thought of that.
Columbus day weekend has always been busy in the parks but we still had availability. I am from Canada and that's our Thanksgiving so I always go then because it takes less vacation time so I wasn't aware about a fall break because we don't have that here. If that's something new then that is probably another factor.
I definitely believe tourism is up based on how much busier the parks have been!

 

[dcfromva]

I've never had an issue. Maybe one or two resorts with no availability but never all of them. Cause I would book anywhere. And I usually get a week to a week and a half no problem. This year I only need 3 days and i've been trying since the 7mth mark. Fingers crossed, I check multiple times a day!

If you book anywhere--that's probably the difference.

I will say that I had more difficulty getting my reservations this year than in previous years, but I chalked it up to a more complicated program this year. We are doing a family trip over Columbus Day weekend (always a trick to schedule for us). And, then about a week later I am doing a girls only trip--it is around a birthday so I didn't have much flexibility (and I needed 2 studios!). It took quite a bit of work to get what we needed.

I don't normally schedule dining reservations at the 180 from check in date, but since this was for a special birthday trip (with some family members who have never been to WDW), I did. I don't know if this is normal at the 180 from check in date, but we were only able to get 1 reservation at the restaurant we wanted for the date (and time) we wanted. We were able to get 2 more reservations at our desired restaurants by swapping the dates. And, then 2 more reservations were our 2nd choices. We were shut out from CRT and BOG (for dinner reservations) for our entire stay. (I keep checking to see if anything opens up, but I don't have much hope.) I don't know if this completely normal or if we are in for it with record breaking crowds!

 

[CarolMN]

I don't normally schedule dining reservations at the 180 from check in date, but since this was for a special birthday trip (with some family members who have never been to WDW), I did. I don't know if this is normal at the 180 from check in date, but we were only able to get 1 reservation at the restaurant we wanted for the date (and time) we wanted. We were able to get 2 more reservations at our desired restaurants by swapping the dates. And, then 2 more reservations were our 2nd choices. We were shut out from CRT and BOG (for dinner reservations) for our entire stay. (I keep checking to see if anything opens up, but I don't have much hope.) I don't know if this completely normal or if we are in for it with record breaking crowds!

Part of this might be an overlap from the free dining offers. Arrivals as late as 10/1/16 can get it and if those guests are staying a week, the dates would include the beginning of Columbus Day weekend.

 

[dcfromva]

Part of this might be an overlap from the free dining offers. Arrivals as late as 10/1/16 can get it and if those guests are staying a week, the dates would include the beginning of Columbus Day weekend.

I actually had better luck with getting dining reservations over the Columbus Day weekend trip than I did for the Birthday trip that is about a week later. (Though, I didn't try for either BOG or CRT for the Columbus day weekend trip.)

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I got everything I wanted for ADRs starting the weekend after Columbus Day, although the 7-month booking window was pretty fierce with availability disappearing for DVC units. Only ADR I didn't get that I want is one that no one has: An AK ADR after 5PM. Waiting on hours, there.

 

[keishashadow]

yesterday noticed my WL for AKV standard studio came thru for 5 nights starting Columbus Day. WL wasn't placed until mid March btw.

haven't even looked @ ADRs, likely will continue to dine majority of meals offsite. Did look this week while @ WDW, surprised to see BoG available mid week for both lunch and dinner.

 

[Donna M]

We were real lucky then I guess, we got a 2 bd at VGF at 7 months for Oct 14 and 15.