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How difficult has it been for others to get resorts that are not their home resort using the 7 month out rule. I am a little concerned when it is time for us to finally book what we are looking to book will not be around. So can some one give me the odds of:
Criteria: 8 to 9 nights
When: Mid-June
Type-Studio
Choices in order
1. Beach Club
2. Boardwalk
3. Wilderness Lodge
4. Bay Lake Tower
5. Animal Kingdom
Thank you all so very much!
I was able to book at Boardwalk 7-months out (a few days past 7 months actually) for our upcoming July trip in a studio, standard view. It took awhile as there would always be one or two nights in the middle of our trip that would show up as unavailable (online). But I constantly backed out and went back in and almost every time, it would show a different night as being booked. I kept it up (somewhere around twenty times) over a few days and finally got our 7 nights together as showing available. I quickly booked it.
One thing to note though, I wasn't 100% set on the actual days, I just wanted a mid-week to mid-week block during mid-July. So almost a rigid schedule for booking, but a little flexible.
8-9 nights might be a little more difficult, because don't you have to wait another week after the 7-month window to book the 8th night? If that's true, maybe you could book the 7-night part and then try the 8th and 9th night the following week or even at a second resort?
AK won't be a problem, the rest, as mentioned, you might have issues with consecutive days.
If you're flexible, it will be easier. Studios (especially standard) at BCV are tough, there are only a few. Wilderness lodge is small, BLT is popular. This is why I tell people when selecting point amounts for a contact to think about upgrading either view or size accommodations to give them better flexibility when the time comes to really use them. Don't always plan on getting exactly what you budgeted for.
The good news is, AK is probably cheapest of the resort choices, so if you do have to borrow or whatever for these, you won't waste points if a higher preference resort opens up. It might be that you can cover it with points you can always put back into the pot. That would be great.
If you make the ressie right at 7 months, you should have no problem mid-June getting Boardwalk, Animal Kingdom or even BLT, especially if your dates are a little flexible. As DisneyRox mentioned, BCV and VWL are smaller so are harder to get, at least for the entire stay.
You can only reserve 7 nights at a time. You will have to wait until 7 months out from the 8th night to begin that reservation, and they can be linked by member services after you make the ressies.
Don't forget that if you don't get your first choice, you can always waitlist. If you waitlist at 7 months, your chances of getting what you want for that timeframe are pretty good.
Just to give you an idea, I checked just now for 7 months from today, for 7 nights starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 29), a very popular time. There is studio availability for the Boardwalk, Wilderness Lodge and Bay Lake on that Saturday and a few other days during that week. Animal Kingdom does have studio availability for the whole week. Keep in mind that I'm checking in late afternoon, so making that ressie first thing in the morning at the 7-month mark is important.
Just FYI, if you upgrade to a 1-bedroom, your options widen considerably. For example, a 1-bedroom at the Beach Club for the week I mentioned above is available for 5 of the 7 nights; Boardwalk is available the whole week.
You can call MS the next day after booking the original 7 nights to add the 8th night if available, and the day after that to add the 9th.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aurora
If you're going for a new reservation online that would be 7 months from the 8th night since the online system doesn't offer an option to extend.
Whoops, thanks Lynn! Didn't know that, since I do all our ressies online now. :blush:Quote:
Originally Posted by VWL Mom
Thank you to everyone for your responses!!!!
We just booked yesterday at our 7 month window for our December trip and were very disappointed as the only resort with any consecutive openings was Saratoga Springs. We want Wilderness..but everything was booked..it's the first time this has ever happened to us, usually we get what we want. Lol. Guess we've gotten spoiled the last 17 years..lol
Did you waitlist any choices? I've heard December has become very popular with DVC. Last time we took a December trip was in 2007, and we were able to book easily within a couple of months. But I hear that's very hard to do now.Quote:
Originally Posted by DizNee143
7 months out? I thin it really depends... I usually head down in October (love Halloween time in the parks, plus weather is much nicer)... I have tried, in the past, to get into Boardwalk with no success... I was able to get into Old Key West once... And got my friend into Animal Kingdom Lodge... I usually just stay in my home resorts of BLT and SSR...