When is it easiest to book 7 months out?

[Dawn68PA]

We usually travel a week in September, a week in early December and a week in January. We own at 2 resorts. We have enough points at each resort to book 11 months out - one trip. So one of our trips we need to wait until the 7 month window because we need to used combined points.

Which of these times is best to book at the 7 month window?

Thanks!

 

[drusba]

Easiest times of year are Feb 1 to the Thursday before Presidents' Day and about July 8 to the end of July. Of the times you mention, January after marathon weekend, and all of Sep before about the last five days, are two moderate DVC demand times when much is available at 7 months out. Earlier in Jan and late in Sep are during DVC's high demand quarter of the year which runs from late Sep through marathon weekend in Jan. "A week in early December" would be seeking a room during THE highest DVC demand week of the year and little to nothing may be left at 7 months out -- even SSR has some risk of having a day or two filled before 7 months out.

Even as to that January and September moderate time you can have problems at 7 months out for certain usual suspects which can be gone by 7 months out any time of the year: AKV value and club level rooms, BWV standard and boardwalk view studios (and resulting 2BRs), VGF studios, and BLT standard view. Also possible issues at times for BCV studios and 2BRs and BLT theme Park view.

 

[disneynutz]

My guess is September, bad weather and storm season.

Bill

 

[Anal Annie]

We rarely book prior to 7 months but will book our home resort at least by 10 months for the first week of January due to limited availability. First, the holiday season is ending then by the end of the week the marathon people come so it's best to book early if you want consecutive nights without split stays. For other times of the year we have successfully booked a long (4 n) weekend over MLK weekend 2 or 3 times and we just got back a few days ago from 5 nights in Sept at OKW. We booked that at about 5 1/2 or 6 months out and availability was already getting sketchy (F&W & MNSSHP both start in Sept). (Also note that we only book studios - larger units may have different booking patterns.) When booking MLK weekend we've usually been at AKV (and prefer Jambo). AKV is one of our fav resorts. We have never gone the first week in Dec. but I hear it's a tight one to book less than 7 months out.

 

[n2mm]

My guess is September, bad weather and storm season.

Bill

Only if it's before F&W.

 

[Dawn68PA]

Thank you for the insight! December I did know was heavy and I always try to book at the 11 month window. We vary our dates year to year for September and January so I'll keep this info in mind and address accordingly. We never vaca during the summer - too busy and we have summer in PA so why leave summer for summer? We always go when business is slower for my electrician husband and the weather is chilly.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

September if it's early (before food & wine festival). January only if it isn't around marathon weekend. December, probably not.

 

[Sammie]

Depends on which week you want and size of unit and where.

 

[ton80]

For us, the 7 month window around Thanksgiving for Late June has always worked.. BWV,BCV, 1 Br's have never been a problem.

 

[dwight16]

i say May i am doing it right now in about 5 minutes......OCT is ok if you dont go BWV or BLT OR BVC lol....AKL is almost always has rooms at 7 months....you will always get something just might be OKW or SSR

 

[lovesdumbo]

Would another option be to borrow points from next year on one contract while banking the other contracts points? Then the next year you would have enough points to stay twice at the resort with banked points?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

i say May i am doing it right now in about 5 minutes......OCT is ok if you dont go BWV or BLT OR BVC lol....AKL is almost always has rooms at 7 months....you will always get something just might be OKW or SSR

I did a 7-month booking this year, and would have been waitlisting several nights had I wanted a studio at AKV that was not savannah. 1BR was more available at 7 months, but Saratoga had holes by 10:30 the morning I switched my 11-months-at-Saratoga booking.

I don't think guaranteeing "you can always get Saratoga!" at 7 months is 100% accurate, although if you're willing to book a 1BR it increases your chances.

 

[dwight16]

yeah studios is a whole different ball game at 7 months out. i have only ever booked a studio at 7 months once before and that was the last week in august.....

 

[DieHardJoe]

We booked right at the 7 month window for a 1-BR Standard view at BWV for 5 nights from 9/21-9/26 which was a week into F&W. We were a little surprised there was availability, but it could have been because last year F&W didn't start until Sept 25th, so maybe people were not aware of the earlier starting date.