Where do you have trouble booking at 7 months?

[crisi]

I called on the 7 month mark at 9am for our Oct 6-13 trip this year. I was not able to get a 1BR at BCV, but was able to get a 1bR standard BWV. I have also read that sav. views at AKV and THV have been tough to get into. We love the THV, so we just added on at SSR specifically to be able to stay at the THV and have the 11 month booking priority. We have 2 children and will probably start bringing friends with us soon, thus needing the bigger amenities for everyone.

You may have gotten "someone else's unit" - BW is my home resort and this year we made reservations for our trip 11 months out in a Boardwalk View. We switched (BCV, but could not get two queens in the second bedroom - so the switch happened - late August - but I didn't get EXACTLY what we wanted) right at seven months. If that BW View room didn't hold for the waitlist (and information is conflicting if it does or not - its my opinion based on ancedotes that it doesn't), then the next person calling for a BW View during those dates got lucky - while some person with a preferred view sitting on the waitlist didn't get their waitlist filled. And since it was exactly seven months, chances are pretty good someone would have gotten lucky that day.

 

[DebbieB]

One thing to keep in mind is there are different expiration dates. BWV, BCV, WL, HH,VB expire in 2042. The original OKW contracts expire in 2042, some have been extended to 2057. SSR expires in 2054 I believe, AKV 2058, BLT 2060? If you are under 40, that could be a big difference.

 

[TomD]

I'm trying to decide what resort to purchase as my home resort. I'm leaning towards AKV, BWV, and BCV. (I'd love BLT, but I'd prefer to buy resale). While I undertsand it depends on the time of year, I'd be really interested in hearing where you have had trouble booking at the 7 month window.

Thanks! I love this board.

The smaller resorts are the hardest to get into depending on the time of year you want to go and room type. I got into BCV on year during the F&W and shut out the next. I rectified that by buying there.

I would suggest to buy where you want to stay and plan for it accordingly. DVC is growing everyday which makes it harder to book at the 7 month mark.

I bought on price and 5 years later figured out that we would rather stay at BCV so I bought enough points to stay there in the room type we want during the time of year we travel. I will use my origianl contract for friends and family and the BCV points for our trips

 

[meriface11]

the one think i like about owning at AKV is the 11 month booking window for the value rooms at Jambo house. if AKV is where you think you want to stay and you don't mind the smaller rooms in jambo vs. kidani, it's a great use of points.

 

[Luv4Disney]

Depends on the time of year. For December, we have to stick with our home resort. We own at SSR and BLT. Last week we booked a room at AKV with a Savannah view. We've also been successful with Boardwalk, OKW, and Grand Californian. We have wanted to stay at Beach Club, but haven't been able to secure a reservation there. That seems to be the only one we have problems with.

 

[Petraman]

I'm new here and trying to decide on a dvc purchase. I'm currently looking at BLT and trying to determine if it would be best to just buy from Disney. I'm looking to buy 160 points. The points are currently selling for $120 minus $10 incentive plus any other incentives that they might offer. I would also be getting 100% of the 09 points which I could rent for $9 or 10 per point, which most resales don't offer. That would drop my cost down to around $100 pp. Would I have to pay closing costs to Disney? Am I correct in the way I'm thinking this through? I understand that renting is a little work but aren't there rental sites that are currently paying $10 and doing all the work for you? Am I missing something?

Couple things here, it sounds like this is your first purchase, is that correct?

1) I am pretty sure that is not the current discount from Disney direct. I believe it is now only $6 off of 160 pts. The deals recently changed (7/1?) so make sure that is still the deal offered

2) If this is your 1st purchase, then I am not totally sure about closing... I know if you are buying more points as an addon, there are no closing costs. The closing costs for that many points should be around $500. Chances are they do not charge closing costs direct from Disney, but even if you buy used it works out to less than $4 point

3) The one thing to keep in mind when trying to decide is whether you can pay cash or you need to finance. It can be pretty tough to finance used points. Most people have to take out a HELOC or personal loan. Keep in mind if you buy new and Disney finances, there rates are pretty steep... but this is pretty normal in the timeshare market

4) Good job on paying attention to the extra pints value. This is usually the key in deciding whether to buy used/ new IMO.

 

[Petraman]

To the OP...Can't really add much to the excellent insight you have already been given by many others.

I would encourage you to check out this forum where it literally tracks room availability in every resort for each month. This is where I go to get a sense of what I can and can't do at my 7 month.. I don't know how accurate it really is, but I know that the 2X I booked after watching it, the days it said were open for me were actually available, so it worked for me.
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=168

 

[cseca]

The smaller resorts are the hardest to get into depending on the time of year you want to go and room type. I got into BCV on year during the F&W and shut out the next. I rectified that by buying there.
I would suggest to buy where you want to stay and plan for it accordingly. DVC is growing everyday which makes it harder to book at the 7 month mark.

I bought on price and 5 years later figured out that we would rather stay at BCV so I bought enough points to stay there in the room type we want during the time of year we travel. I will use my origianl contract for friends and family and the BCV points for our trips

I think TomD said it the best...
If you want to be guaranteed a stay in a specific resort you are best to purchase at that resort AND plan in advance.
Without doing both I don't know there's a way to "guarantee" a resort stay.
Even then for the extremely limited # of accommodations (AKV concierge, THV, etc.) there's really no guarantee. You best call at 9am 11mo before your trip.

I hear people post all the time that they don't have trouble booking at X resort at 7,6,5,4 mo out. But what people don't realize is that the person might be extremely lucky. And that is not the general rule.
Then some people would take those posts as a rule and get extremely surprised and disappointed when they can't get the room they want.

The more member join the club the less chance you will get at the popular resorts... that's the just way it will be unfortunately.

 

[dbs1228]

Finding sometimes it depends WHEN you call!(timing can be everything) I called several times in March for Aug studio the 1st 2 times I called OKW, SSR and AKV were the only resorts with studio, then when I called back to actually book something there was a studio at BWV available for the whole week which we grabbed. I called for BLT 10 months out wanting a 2 bedroom any view for beginning of Dec and no go. For May I got OKW (or SSR and AKV 2 months out ) Called today at 7 months (actually 6 months, 3.5 weeks) and asked for BWV, BLT or BCV studio for March daughters spring break and all were available for the entire week (BLT LK not Std or MK and BWV Preferred no BW or Std views) I am pretty happy with availability so far and I am very excited to try all resorts. THV is a must for us so that is why we bought SSR resale.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

I have also book BCV for food and wine, last week in September. I called at 9 am on the morning of our 7 month and got a studio.

I am waiting to make our spring break ressie, last week in March for a 1 br at BCV and will say that I am hoping we get it.

 

[ELKHUNTER]

For our upcoming Dec. trip we had no trouble booking BLT at the 7 month window for our pre cruise stay and our home resort SSR for post cruise. Just called 7 months to the day, first thing in morning

 

[kimberh]

AKV Concierge
BCV had to buy there to get a reservation
BWV Standard view and Boardwalk view.
VWL Dec

 

[lmshaggard]

For this year, mid December dates, I had trouble booking 2 bedroom Savannah view at AKV (in both kidani and jambo, in the same type of 2 BR unit) all in a row for dates leading up to Dec 22. I called a week after the 7 month mark b/c my resale points weren't loaded until that time.

I was waitlisted since May, and only 1 night came through. I cancelled the waitlist and the non-continuous nights in order to make other plans.

I switched from BLT 2 bdrm standard view to AKV Kidani 2 bdrm at 7 month at 9am and got the last 2 bdrm from 12/17-12/23.

 

[Coach81]

BLT so far has been the only resort I have not been able to get at the 7 month window. I am currently on a waiting list for it.

 

[supersuperwendy]

We were able to book 2 bedrooms at BWV standard view for July, SSR 2 bedroom August, 2 bedroom BLT standard view in May all at 7 months or less!

 

[HARVEYSGIRL]

I just booked a one bedroom villa at BWV for the week of Spring Break. March 13-19. I called at exactly 7 months and they had all 3 views available in the one bedroom. I got the value. I don't need a view to be happy at Disney!

 

[LSchrow]

we book BWVs almost consistantly now (own at BWV, BCV, and SSR).
at seven months or less, we are frequently offered BCV b/c BWVs are booked (studio) - we waitlist, and have mostly fortunate in getting what we really want