You're invited to my pity party...*UPDATED*

[MaryAnnDVC]

I know this isn't the end of the world, and things could change, but in light of recent discussions about being misled by guides regarding the 11 month home resort advantage, I could just scream.

I just called MS, and they have my membership number (we closed on BWV resale last Thursday)--that's the good news; but there is only availability for ONE of the 7 nights I want (2 bedroom, preferred view)--the bad news.

This is at 9+ months out. We plan to go the Sunday after Thanksgiving, until the following Sunday; there is NO flexibility in this plan. It's just what our situation is {and is EXACTLY what we told our guide, BTW, when he originally sold us VB knowing our intention was to NEVER go there, and to ALWAYS stay at BWV (obviously, could change in 41 years, but that's our current wishes--and that's exactly how clear we made it to him), and that those exact days are when we plan to go (which, of course, could always change down the road as well, but again, that's what we currently see doing annually, and have done for the past 3 years)}.

I know...I can, and will, keep calling. Everything--the dates and the location--were things my DH and I agreed on completely. Now we've got a dilemma...he has NO desire to stay anywhere but in that area, so he wants to stay at BC or YC...but I want to stay at WLV or OKW--anything with a washer/dryer!! And dishwasher! And ROOM! I couldn't stand the 5 of us in one hotel room last trip--the kids are getting older (will be 13 and 11 year old DDs, and 8 year old DS), and it was ridiculous trying to get dressed in the morning with 5 people who don't want to get naked in front of anyone else! (a little, tiny, pathetic LOL...sniff)

OK, this just happened a 1/2 hour ago, so I need to relax. Just wanted to vent. I'm sure things will work out fine.

I'm off to the school to help out the art teacher.

...plus a thousand posts...

Beach Club, Nov/Dec '97
Holiday Inn Family Suites and Beach Club, Nov/Dec '99
Portofino Bay and Beach Club, Nov/Dec '00
Portofino Bay and BWV, Nov/Dec '01

[This message was edited by MaryAnnDVC on 02-13-01 at 09:28 PM.

[This message was edited by MaryAnnDVC on 02-23-01 at 05:33 PM.]

 

[dianeschlicht]

Keep trying. Did you have yourself put on a waitlist? Maybe if you were flexible about the view it would help. We are hoping to someday get into BWV (we own at OKW), but if I can't get anything in the 7 month window, I will return to my beloved OKW. Love the room and feel there, but woudld like to try the convenience of BW sometime.

I agree, that any room with more space and privacy is better than a hotel room. Maybe your DH will understand this if you can't get your wish in time.

Disneydiane

 

[Richyams]

You have to be doing something wrong...you must be calling a McDonalds and they are goofing on you....obviously, you are calling the wrong place or wrong number. This is VERY obvious because on the other thread we have many people testifying to the fact that the 11 month window doesn't matter.

You should tell the MS person that you spoke with to check that thread because "THE ELEVEN MONTH WINDOW DOESN'T MATTER!!"

You really have to get the right number to call this time....are you hitting option '3' then option '3' again? Maybe you got through to the cruise line and they misunderstood....

Obviously, I am kidding. I guess you see now that the eleven month window does matter. I commend you on the decision to go with a resale at the resort you plan to stay in and wish you luck.

Make sure you are on the waitlist for each day individually and not as a pack. This way when each day frees up, you will get a chance to reserve it. I hope when the seven month window opens at OKW and/or VWL, you can make a back up reservation.

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs", Karl Marx, pretty sick, huh?

 

[LauraS]

You never know, you may luck out. People cancel vacation plans all the time. Don't be too discouraged because you are now an official BWV owner and beginning *next* year you should be able to get exactly what you want!

The time you've chosen to go is very popular with DVCers due to low point useage and all the benefits of a visit at that time of year(Christmas decorations and low crowds).

Next year I would call day by day to get those similar accomodations, especially if you want standard view. You shouldn't have a problem. As for this year, keep your fingers crossed and make alternate plans just in case.

BWV is an awesome resort, but it also happens to be a popular resort.

Laura

 

[Richyams]

One other thing, splitting your vacation between BWV and OKW or VWL wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. There are some poeple that do that on purpose, believe it or not.

I do think moving is a hassle, but the change in scenery and location can have its upside also.

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs", Karl Marx, pretty sick, huh?

 

[kem330]

Dear Mary Ann, My sincere condolences! I know exactly how you feel because my DH is the same way. We don't close until Friday and won't be able to reserve until next week and I'm afraid we will be in the same boat trying to get ressies at New years. I am trying to decide if I want to fork over all those extra points to stay at BC. Well we can cry on each others shoulders this year but just wait till we have that precious 11 mon. window next year!

 

[chris1gill]

Hi Mary Ann,

I really do feel terrible for you!! You did buy at Boardwalk though right? I see you made mention of VB, so I'm not exactly positive. BUT, if you own at BW, if your plans are exactly the same, just call day by day at the 11 month mark to get your dates. The dates you are talking about filled up within about 2 weeks of the booking ability. This is one of the most busy times at the boardwalk.... I would not be entirely sure you will get your dates even calling day by day... that happened to us our first year, and it was only the day be we left that I was able to get a room, but it was a different room type than what we had.... I would plan on doing WL or OKW for this year.... Or, you can stay the the YC or BC, but you are right, you will only have one room... Also, I don't know if you know this, if you book a room at the other Disney non-DVC resorts, you cannot get those points back, lets say if the BWV does open up... so it's a little bit of a slippery slope on that one....

I know how frustrated you are right now.. Just rethink your plans for this one year.... I know you're disappointed, but let's hope at least a week opens up for you!! It will take the sting out of it so to speak....

As for Rich, LOL... I think just about everyone knows how important the 11 month booking period is at the Boardwalk....

 

[Jenn]

Keep calling and don't panic.

We bought at BW last summer and have so far secured the following ressies with the following amount of notice:

Booked Labor Day weekend at Vero in an Inn room with one months' notice (we had a cash ressie and were able to switch to points once our closing took place in August).

Booked 4 nights at Vero in a Beach Cottage for March 2000 in October (5 months out - were told all of February and Easter week were booked and were also told BW was booked for the same time periods).

Last week, we called and added 2 nights onto the March trip. We booked 3 studios at OKW for 2 nights each (one month's notice).

Last week, booked 2 nights at BW in a standard studio for Memorial Day weekend (Friday and Saturday night).

While trying to book the March trip back in October, we checked availablity at WDW and were told nothing was available. Last week we checked back and could have had a GV at OKW or the 3 studios. We took the studios because we literally won't be in our rooms the whole day, so don't really need the kitchen. We really wanted BW or VWL for convenience (only doing MK and MGM in the 2 days) - but with one month's notice we are taking what we can get.

You have a lot of time until your trip. I would keep calling once a day or every other day. Check availability at BW, OKW and VWL and book whatever days you can at whatever resort. Then, each time you call you can see if your ideal (BW) location has opened up and move the reservation over there. Yes - it is kind of a pain to have to do this but if you get what you want in the end - you will breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Jenn

 

[bres@westernMA]

Contact your guide and have him get you this first reservation. If he is of no help, contact his supervisor. A promise is a promise. Our guide, who is a dear, set up our first cash visit to OKW (before we signed on the dotted line) and helped us get our first reservation confirmed (we could only get four of the six days) after we bought in.

 

[Peggy Sue]

Sorry for your distress! We booked our 11/28 - 12/9 2001 vacation day by day this year because it is such a popular time at the DVC resorts!

You can avoid calling day by day if you get onto the waiting list. If a reservation becomes available due to cancellation MS will call the wait list first and will not give the reservation to anyone who might be calling in that day to check availability. When you ask for the wait list, do it day by day and not for the entire time period. You may have better luck this way. If the wait list is already closed, chances of getting a reservation are not too goo..but sometimes if you call just before or right at that 31 day cancellation window rooms do open up.

Good luck!

Have a wonderful day!

 

[Richyams]

Paggy Sue may have said that clearer then I did. It is a very important point, did you get it?

Make your waitlist request for each day, not the entire trip....I am sorry, if you get that, let me know, every time I read it, it looks stupid.

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs", Karl Marx, pretty sick, huh?

 

[Dan Murfman]

I just tried to book a 1 bdrm 11/17 through 11/22(the 22nd being Thanksgiving) all they had was the first 3 nights and the waiting list was already closed. I already had a trip booked for October but we just found a good friend is getting married so we had to cancel and I thought it would be nice to go during DW's birthday but it's not to be.

1976 Fort Wilderness
1987 Off Site
1988 CBR
1996 CBR
1999 Wilderness Lodge
2000 BWV
2001 OKW

 

[jennybobenny]

Sorry you didn't get the week you wanted Mare. I started calling the day after Christmas for our BWV vacation (11/25/01 - 12/1/01). Once it took me over 2 hours to get thru to MS and I was in a panic. We did manage to get a 2BR std view + 1 studio std view but both were made 11 months <u>to the day</u> in advance. This is where I agree with Rich - to me anyway, the 11 month window is very important.

On the other hand, I had some really great luck changing our June reservations. We originally booked a pref. view studio but wanted a 1BR <u>standard</u>. I called every couple of days for well over a month and finally in mid-January (only 5 months in advance) managed to make the switch. Persistance pays off!

Keep in mind the 7 month window for your November vacation is coming up. I've considered the possibility of changing our BWV 2BR + studio into a GV at OKW, providing of course that one is available. I'm torn between impressing my mother-in-law with the location of BWV or the size of OKW. (I'm leaning toward staying at BWV.) Anyway, my point is, there may be other BWV owners who are waiting for the 7 month window in order to check out availability at other resorts. Mark those dates down on your calendar and be sure to call MS then (I'd even go so far as to call a few times a day).

Good luck

<font face="Class Garmnd BT"><font color="ff69b4"><big>Jennybºoº benny</big></font>
<font color="9400d3">~~DVC Member~~
Onsite: Poly '76, Contemp '98, BWV '99, CBR '00, BWV '00, CBR '01
Offsite: '74 '80 '82 '88
Next trip: AKL/BWV~June '01, BWV~Nov '01</font>
<a href="http://people.ne.mediaone.net/jsmith12/jillian&kylecharacterpage.html">Jillian & Kyle's Disney Character Website</a></font>

 

[mikesmom]

Get on the wait list, but also CALL EVERY DAY! This is very important. I had this happen for ressies the week after NewYears - we got a wild hair to go and we were within 2 MONTHS. I called every day and eventually got what we wanted (alright, we spent 1 night at OKW, but it was close).

Sometimes people call at the 11 month window just to "cover themselves" - does this sound familiar, fellow DVCers? Then when they get what they want, they call and cancel the other reservation. My experience is, the waitlist is good, but if you call and REALLY sound like you have to have that date and room, if someone else has just called and cancelled, the CM will see the opening and grab it for you. I've had this happen, and then been called for the waitlist as much as 48 hours later.

It might not work, but it's worth a try. And, as someone else said, it's not too bad splitting the trip - Disney will move luggage for you and it's practically painless.

 

[zurgswife]

I vote for day by day!!My experience has been that I wanted to change from preferred to standard with no luck on the waitlist after 3 months. Once I started calling day by day I was able to get the entire stay switched to a standard view day by day and even add two additional days...

Don't give up....

<IMG src="http://www.geocities.com/BennetDunlap/halloweenMK2.jpg" ></P>
CBR Dec '95, Sept '97
BWV Aug '98, Mar '99
ASM Nov '99
BWV Oct '00, Mar 01
Zurg, Barbie, Buzz, Buzz, Jessie & Tinkerbell
http://members.home.net/dunlapsdisney/

 

[ckr]

"Sometimes people call at the 11 month window just to "cover themselves" - does this sound familiar, fellow DVCers? "

I don't know how many others there are, but I was one of the BWV owners who couldn't make a ressie last year at BWV for TG week and week after. So this year, I locked in a Pref View Studio for both weeks at the 11-month mark. Although it's doubtful that we will use both weeks, until I know for sure which week works for us (TG week = fewer vacation days used, week after = fewer points), I'll sit on them. I hate the fact that this may lock others out of making ressies now, but I got burned and thus learned how to use the system and play by the rules. Depending on how widespread this type of "just in case" stuff is, it may be time for DVC to look at their very liberal cancellation policy. In our other timeshare we have, we lose the exchange fee (but keep the exchange week) if we cancel. Maybe DVC needs to come up with something so that we are all only making ressies for the dates we are fairly certain to actually use. But that's way off topic, and not the way the current system works. Sorry....

So, I guess my advice is to keep trying. As time gets closer, final decisions will be made in homes across the country. And ressies WILL be cancelled. Also, the 7-month dates should be circled in red on your calendar as surely some folks will try to switch to WVL. Good Luck!! :0)

 

[NFalzon]

I think that is a somewhat different practice than what usually happens (which I'm intending to do myself for my next ressie)...

Sitting on two different ressies is VERY different than having an 11-month BWV ressie to change it into a 7-month VWL ressie.

All this being said, the Waiting List sots everything out in the end, so I don't think there is much wrong with either practice...
Nick