Xmas 2004 w/ family, plan of attack help!!!

[Geoff_M]

My wife and her sister have decided that our two families, plus Mom and Dad (that's 11 total), are gonna do Christmas 2004 at WDW. We'd like to pull out all of the stops and leverage our DVC membership. We have 60 points left that we can use in 2004. We'd like to stay in a DVC property Dec 19-24.

We're looking at two possible options now:

1) Book a 2 BR unit at VWL (our home resort) for us (family of 5) and grandparents (2) using the rest of our 2004 points and renting the balance. Plus an additional studio or discounted (hoping for a code or AP) WL room for my SIL's family of 4.

2) Try for a Grand Villa at OKW. However, this isn't our home resort, and have no idea of the likelyhood that one would still be available for the time period we'd want at seven months out.

Feedback? Ideas? What are we missing?

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

Pixie Dust for you!! I'm new @ this but I would try & get the 2 bedroom @ your home resort that way you could have an 11 month window instead of 7 months trying to get a GV. But that's just me!! Good Luck!

Allison an associate

 

[spiceycat]

are you going to borrow all your 2005 points?

I would definitely go ahead and make the 2-bedroom as soon as possible.

then at 7 month try to change to a GV at OKW. If you can't then get on the wait list - or big up and spend the money to rent a studio.

Does your sister have to stay at the resort that you are staying???

 

[Geoff_M]

Thanks, that basically agrees with our initial feelings... go with VWL first. My SIL doesn't have to be at the same resort, per her comments, but her parents really want them to be with us.

One more question on renting points... and I confess I haven't read any FAQs on the topic. If we're DVC members and rent points from another member, does DVC put the rented points in our "bucket", or does the renter have to make the reservations for us like with non-members??? One of the reasons I ask is I was wondering how renting points would affect our flexibility to switch resorts if an oppertunity presented itself.

 

[spiceycat]

the problem with transferring points is - that you can only do it once a year - so if your renter - rents regularly - they might not like this situation.

so they might want to go the reservation route.

plus some of the renters on the site aren't DVC members - they got a great exchange through II and are trying to sell it - they can't change no matter what - you can tell these because they are also asking you to pay for the $95 exchange fee that DVC charges II members.

this is against the rules but until II starts banning these members - they are going to continue to do this

 

[RobDoc]

If you can find someone willing/able to transfer points to your account- they will be your points to use as you wish along with your own. They will retain their original Home Resort and Use Year.

Otherwise, you'll need to have someone make the reservations for you using their points.

If you can do a transfer, that would be my preference- that way you have full control over the entire situation. If you can find someone to transfer OKW points, you could tyr to make the GV reservation 11 months ahead- otherwise, booking at VWL at 11 months and trying to switch to OKW at 7 months would be wise.

Good Luck!