When can you see availability?

[mjc2003]

You should be ok at the 7 month window getting what you want (studio would be tougher, everything else should be available) but just remember that you can't book 10 days at the 7 month window, only 7.

 

[erionm]

Online booking at the 7 month window opens at 8 a.m., Member Services opens at 9.

Eastern Time

 

[rlovew]

I want to go May 1-10 or 11, 2013, split stay, 5 nights each (or 4 and 5 nights) 1-br. My preference for split keeps changing but I think BLT and BCV. I doubt she has BLT points, which is the first weekend. We'd move to BCV (or BWV) sunday to friday (or saturday). BCV is all the same points. BWV has 3 levels of points, as does BLT.

So what I'm really looking to see is if the cheaper rooms are booked up at 8 months-ish.

At BLT the cheaper rooms are normally booked up at 10 months out if not before. I have never been able to get more than 2 nights in a row when I call after 10 months looking at standard view. I haven't found that the time of year makes a difference if I am booking after 10 months (sometimes at 11 months their is barely any room available in standard view.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Sorry, I don't think I explained it correctly. If I see that something is already booked up and gone long before my 7 month, I'll transfer more points in to be on the safe side, because I can only do one transfer per year. True, if I see it's available then it's gone, I'm sorta stuck. But I was looking more for the worst case scenario rather than the best. As in, what's definitely gone and what are my costliest options at this point. And if I saw Standard Views at BWV booking fast within the 8-11 month window, I'd assume they won't be available and will transfer in more points.

I just wanted to clarify that our ability to check availability on the web site is a simple available/not available. We can see if a specific resort/room size/view is available to book on any given date for which we have applicable points, but we can't see, for example, that there are 10 rooms left or just 1. You wouldn't know, therefore, if they were booking fast, you'd just know when they were gone.

 

[AllieV]

I just wanted to clarify that our ability to check availability on the web site is a simple available/not available. We can see if a specific resort/room size/view is available to book on any given date for which we have applicable points, but we can't see, for example, that there are 10 rooms left or just 1. You wouldn't know, therefore, if they were booking fast, you'd just know when they were gone.

Oh that makes sense, of course. Not sure why I thought you could see inventory. Duh.

So I'll plan on having enough points for preferred bwv and lake blt; bcv is all the same. Thanks everyone.

 

[Sammie]

But if you want to stay in all different places, you can't always buy at all of them. What I really want to see is what's sold out, not what's still open, like what DebbieB said.

Even then it could change, some of those booked at their own resort could be wanting to change to something else at 7 months.

Between 11 and 7 months, people lose their jobs, become sick, get divorced, change their minds etc. etc. etc.

The bookings are only accurate when you are ready and able to book. Before that it is just tilting at windmills.

 

[princesscinderella]

It is my understanding that points that are transferred in need MS to make the reservation as they do not show up online. Therefore you would be an hour behind all the members who go online at the 7 month window to secure their reservations, which could render your choice unavailable unless you use the priority booking window advantage of the points transferred in.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It is my understanding that points that are transferred in need MS to make the reservation as they do not show up online. Therefore you would be an hour behind all the members who go online at the 7 month window to secure their reservations, which could render your choice unavailable unless you use the priority booking window advantage of the points transferred in.

Exactly. You can't use points that are transferred in to book on line. You can only use them when you call. Good call.

 

[crisi]

But if you want to stay in all different places, you can't always buy at all of them. What I really want to see is what's sold out, not what's still open, like what DebbieB said.

Even that moves around a LOT minute by minute at the seven month window. Last week someone posted that they got a BWV standard view room in early December - I know that those were booked solid before the seven month window opened, I was browsing and watching and am a BWV owner. But someone either canceled for their nights, or at seven months they switched their own reservation over to a different resort, making it possible for some lucky DISer to sweep in and get an "unlikely" reservation.

 

[Sammie]

Even that moves around a LOT minute by minute at the seven month window. Last week someone posted that they got a BWV standard view room in early December - I know that those were booked solid before the seven month window opened, I was browsing and watching and am a BWV owner. But someone either canceled for their nights, or at seven months they switched their own reservation over to a different resort, making it possible for some lucky DISer to sweep in and get an "unlikely" reservation.

Exactly. I have seen it happen often with online booking. A lot can happen between 11 and 7 months.