Won raffle for 500 points- looking for suggestions!

[Craig A]

Some friends and I won a raffle for 500 DVC points! I'm not a DVC member and have never used points in the past. I have a few questions:

1) We'd like to go for a week the last week of Sept 2015 or first week of Oct 2015. Do weekly bookings need to start on a certain day? (ex. Saturday to Saturday?)

2) Any suggestions for where to spend our 500 points? Standard novice WDW preferences apply: monorail track preferred; or AKL, WL, BC a close second.

3) We will have maybe 8-10 people. Are the 3-bedroom villas within our point-range?

Thanks! Sorry if all these questions are answered in a resource that I've missed somewhere.

-Craig

 

[bwvBound]

Congratulations! It may be best to seek these answers from the party from whom you won the use of these points as the raffle may carry its own restrictions/guidelines.

Generally speaking ... (without regard to the raffle's rules/guidelines):

• DVC points do not carry any specific check-in/out dates. You are not restricted to any specific duration (i.e. 7 night stay). Points may be used for any size unit, any length of stay and any arrival day.
• My favorite "points calculator" is found: https://www.dvcrequest.com/cost-calculator.asp (pick the option for "Show Point Amount" rather than "Show Dollar Amount")
  The calculator will show you how many points are needed for various dates, resorts and unit sizes. Have fun with it!

 

[jekjones1558]

Just so you know, this is actually quite late in the game to book those dates. You will find that some of your preferred rooms are fully booked. So have as many options as you can. Congratulations!

 

[wench]

Unfortunately, most 3 bedroom villas are going to be over 500 points for a full week. And I'm pretty sure the only resort left open that you could get a full week in that time frame is Saratoga Springs. I guess the good news is that you could afford a week in a 3 bedroom there, if you're open to making the resort change.

 

[sndral]

Just to explain most DVC owners book around 11 months before their trip which is when their points have home resort advantage. At 7 months you can book at any DVC resort. You are 5-6 months from your desired vacation so most of the inventory is booked. That said, I just checked and SSR still has 3 bedroom Grand Villas for the last Sat. in Sept. thru' the first Friday night in October - 7 nights for 495 points.
Realize that you do not have to stick with one villa with DVC - you can split those 500 points up and book 2 or 3 villas, so you book a 2 br. Plus a 1 br or studio villa, for example. AKL Kidani still shows availability for your preferred weeks for studios, 1 br.s and 2 brs. (the 3 br.s are taken, tho'.)
Do decide soon! The longer you wait the less choice you will have.
Oh, and if you find yourself a few points short you can buy up to 24 points @ $15 per point - so you could grab 1 standard view 2 br. and 1 savanna view 2 br. @ AKL for 503 points by paying $45 for those 3 extra points you need.

 

[DisFanatic]

Congrats! Make sure they are paying your dues as well!

 

[suebeelin]

That's like winning $5500-6000 worth of Disney hotel rooms!! Lucky you!!! Congrats

 

[Craig A]

Thanks all! Thank you sndral for the availability search. Without a DVC login, it's proven difficult to determine our options. Thanks bwvBound for the point calculator - big help! We definitely need to hurry - but so excited.

 

[heynowirv]

Oh, and if you find yourself a few points short you can buy up to 24 points @ $15 per point - so you could grab 1 standard view 2 br. and 1 savanna view 2 br. @ AKL for 503 points by paying $45 for those 3 extra points you need.

Not

Not being a DVC member you cannot buy any points from DVC. It is only available if you are one and a little short of points for your reservation.

 

[sndral]

Not

Not being a DVC member you cannot buy any points from DVC. It is only available if you are one and a little short of points for your reservation.

Can't the owner of the 500 points buy a few extra points when they make the reservation(s) for them?
CraigA good luck and let us know where you decide to stay! And welcome to the Disboards.

 

[heynowirv]

The owner can ,but the winner of the lottery cannot. I was merely reminding both you and the OP that only the DVC member can buy points.

 

[Sandisw]

First of all, congratulations!!! You really do need to contact the owner of the points directly as they are the ones that will be doing everything for you. Points, themselves, have no value. They can be used by a DVC owner to book rooms and they are the only ones who will be able to coordinate that for you. The sooner you can lock down dates for the owner to book, the better. As mentioned, your timeframe is the beginning of the busiest DVC time and many things are booked. A gentle reminder to all that posting specific availability is not allowed as things change too often with DVC and what is there today, could be gone in a hour and vice versa.

Have fun planning!!!

 

[holden]

There are a few resorts that generally have availability a few months out. I'm not sure if you will have success with getting a GV though. You mentioned AKL - that might be the easiest out of your preferences. OKW generally has availability within your booking range, but nothing is guaranteed. Maybe 2 rooms would work?

Best advice (which was stated before)...book ASAP.

 

[skier_pete]

Agree with the "get it done fast" idea.

Also, people on the DISboards aren't supposed to check availabilty for others, I've gotten in trouble for posting info that wasn't even requested, so I won't do it at all anymore. However, there is a DVC facebook group that I've seen people post questions about availability if you want to find someone that can check for you.

 

[Craig A]

Thanks everyone. I solved the availability problem by finding a family member who had DVC and checking things through there. I'm *very* happy with the rooms we ended up with. One night in a bungalows at the Poly for 8 people (how do they fit 8? looks like 6 to me) and 3 nights at Bay Lake Tower in a 3bd MK view villa! Had some points leftover for overflow- we're going to bring friends down there and I think we'll have more than the 8 and 12 occupancy can hold. You all were right that 500 points was huge... feel so lucky. Have gone to WDW many times, but never thought I could stay in such nice rooms.

 

[apple9117]

that is so awesome, congrats!

 

[suebeelin]

Nice! Poly bungalow and BLT grand villa!!

 

[sndral]

Sweet - great choices! Hope your group has a blast

 

[deedisneydream97]

Wonderful! You will love the MK view at BLT. Now you will never be able to "go back" and I predict you will start haunting the disboards for resale contracts.

I just watched a video of the bungalows. Google you tube videos of Disney polynesian bungalows. The master bedroom sleeps two, the 2nd bedroom sleeps three (in addition to the bed, there is a pull-down thing in the dresser I think), the living room has a queen pull out couch and also a pull-down bed.

 

[skier_pete]

Good for you on the Bungalow. That would be the only way I would spend the points on a night there - if I won it.

I do have to say though - I think sleeping 8 in those Bungalows will be pretty cramped, but for one night I don't think it'll be a big deal.