Just booked 7 months out

[lovin'fl]

We have OKW, but wanted AKL to conserve points(really would love to do BCV, but we had @200 points to work with). I called right at 9am, exactly 7 months out. I need a 2BR and could not get the cheapest view (V). I could get the (S) view, but could not get the Jambo house, but got the very last 2BR in Kadani village (sp?) for the (S) view. I called DVC about 2 months ago, to try and get a 1BR for the end of January and they had nothing but SSR and we only wanted to use 95 points. My inlaws are staying at OKW in a 1BR and we wanted to get another 1BR there or share a 2BR with them. I kept calling from about 3 months out until about 1 month out and nothing. I heard Disney wasn't doing as well as in the past and some folks have told me that the parks are empty, yet I'm having trouble booking. We bought our membership in 2006 and have booked about 7 or so vacations with it in the past...with no problems getting what we wanted until recently. Hmmmm? Anyway, we are waitlisted for the cheaper (V) view as that would save us 32 points. My inlaws book a 6 night vacay for every Jan with our points and currently they have 95 points for 2012's trip and if we get the (V) view, they will have 127 points. What's the likelihood that we'll get the cheaper view? Sorry for the rant...just wondering why now is there difficulty in booking.

[sassafras]

We're in a similar position. I called yesterday at the 7 month point to try to book a value studio at AKL as we are trying to save points also. I could get 4 nights at Jambo in a value, but would have to call back on the 17th to see if they had any more nights open up. My other option is to use more points and stay at Kidani which we love, but we're trying to do this cheaply and would have to purchase points. They suggested I stay at the BCVs, our home resort, but don't have anywhere close to what we need in points. I figure I'll give it til the 17th, checking each day to see if we can rebook and then break down and book the rest of the week in a regular studio. They said I could then be put on a waitlist for the value, but if it comes open, since I would have to pay for the extra points at the time of booking, I basically would eat the cash I paid. Frustrating!

[Horizon93]

There aren't that many value villas. They only occupy one side of the Ostrich and Giraffe trails with the exception of 2 2br lockoffs.

They are very difficult to get unless you own points there. But there is always hope for a waitlist and well worth doing,

[jonahbear2006]

we had trouble too. we were told there was nothing at the end of january except for saratoga and OKW. whats the deal? january is a low time of the year. Why is there nothing???? And if I can go on disneyworlds website and book a 2 bedroom villa with blt as a nobody as soon as the ressies open up, then why do we have to wait till 11 months out to book it as our home resort or 10 mths out for any other resort? this is aggravating. It seems that by buying dvc you are being put on the back burner and shipped to saratoga and okw a lot. I know a family who goes all the time dvc and they end up at saratoga the majority of the time. How much does this happen? please tell me not a lot!

[lovin'fl]

I called today to switch from (S) view at AKL to (S) view at BWV(only 18 points more). 7 months out was 1/14, so I'm 6 days past that and they told me they didn't have availability. We've done BWV twice, once in a 2BR in Sept(booked at 3 months) and once in a 1 BR at July 4th week(booked at 6 months). I suspect Disney is keeping more units in the regular booking system for paying non-DVC customers. They want the $$$$ for the rooms. I asked and was told they put a unit in the regular system when DVC members book a non-DVC vacay (like trade into RCI, cruise, etc.). Hmmm...I call BS. With $$ being tight and folks not taking vacations or trying to take the cheapest vacay...do you really think they are going to be using DVC points for cruise, RCI, world passport, Disney collection(non-dvc villa resorts cost a ton of points)? NO!!! They are screwing DVC members who have already handed over the $$$ and keeping the units for paying customers. And now I read the thread about them changing the terms of contract for folks buying resale. That's going to do 2 things: A- make it difficult for me to sell my membership and B- make it so that more folks are forced to book the 11 DVC places only and we'll all be stuck at our home resorts. Screwing DVC members again. And get this...when I booked our stay I aasked to add the DDP and was told that now we have to pay in full when we add it (not when we check in). I was also informed of the new price...$46/person...yikes. I remember when you paid $30something and apps and tips were included. What a joke!!! No more DDP for us. More cooking and eating off resort. They blew it. They should be lowering prices or offering DVC members 1/2 off DDP or something (since paying customers get free DDP all the time). Again DVC members get screwed.

[jonahbear2006]

whats this 7 months out stuff? we were told to book 11 months out. this is horrible. we are home at BLT and we just wanna stay there and cant. If you wanna book your home resort you should be able to, regardless of what they WANT to keep for the paying customers! really upsetting. we usually do dining plan but we have learned not to but for the folks that will affect, that is horrible! They are really starting to aggitate me with their changes.

[faline]

whats this 7 months out stuff? we were told to book 11 months out.

You can book 11 months out if you want to stay at your home resort. If you want to stay at a resort other than your home resort, you need to wait until 7 months out to book that.

[jonahbear2006]

ok, still learning here. thats why i didnt realize that. we havent inquired about other resorts yet. we are arriving saturday and though we have walked the grounds at saratoga, we havent stayed there before.

[lovin'fl]

Booked another trip yesterday. Booked home resort, OKW, for Dec. 21-26 in a studio. When I called I said I wanted to book a vacation for Dec at my home resort and the lady said "let me check availability". I waited with baited breath. It would have put a nail in the coffin if she had told me there was no availability. But, I got the booking.

[NH Disneyfan]

At 11 months out, you should have NO problem booking your home resort for whatever you want. I've never tried special views, but at OKW it was a no-brainer for 8/17-27 (had to call a few times as you can only extend for 7-days at the exact window).

At 7 months out for this same trip, I was able to book 1 night in a MK view studio at BLT and 8 nights in BCV. Day 2 we go to Universal for a night.

I have always heard that the "low cost" rooms at popular resorts sell fast because of the less points. I have also heard that good views (MK view at BLT) go early too, guess I got lucky. Then again, I am staying on a Wednesday night.

If you want DVC to work in your favor, I think the bottom line is that you need to call exactly at 11 and 7 months and if you want to get a different resort, be a little bit flexible on the specific room.

[DizneyRox]

If you want DVC to work in your favor, I think the bottom line is that you need to call exactly at 11 and 7 months and if you want to get a different resort, be a little bit flexible on the specific room.
Yep...

When considering DVC, I have always said you need to account for season changes and/or accommodation changes. Don't assume that you'll be able to actually get a Value room at AKL If you NEED a 1BR value, you should probably buy your points based on a 1BR standard. We've had trouble int he past getting the "cheaper" rooms. There doesn't have to be many of them. And, the way DVC works, you won't book a lower room and automatically be upgraded to a better view. If the category is sold out, you are out of luck.

Booking early is the key...

Also, there ARE a certain percentage of rooms that are never sold for points, it's the law for timeshares I believe. So, it's very possible that rooms may be sold out to DVC members points, but the same category room IS available for cash. I can't tell you what percentage or is/how the rooms are put into that state, but it's the law. Non members MUST be given the opportunity to stay there.