No rooms in October?

[mimi78]

I called yesterday to see what would be available for a short trip sometime during the first 2 weeks of October, and I was surprised to find there was NOTHING. Not even OKW or SS, which is what I was expecting since these are the larger resorts. I am very flexible with dates, room size, etc. because I have points I need to use up. I know it's the first week of the F&W festival but still I was shocked. Am I missing something? :confused:

I'm not sure if I should do the waitlist because then my flights might increase in price and then it wouldnt' worth it. Very frustrating!

[JPL]

There is something strange going on lately because I had problems booking in December at a time I normally go and usually book much later. Makes me wonder if it has something to do with the RCI and DVC relationship?

[Dsnygirl]

Can I ask - I'm just curious - what do you guys do when you can't get a DVC room for when you want to go? Do you then have to pay OOP for a regular room, if you are still sure you want to go during that time frame?? Or do you use your points at a non-DVC resort? (And if you do have to use your points, or can use them, at a non-DVC resort, do they wave the fee associated with it since you couldn't get into a regular DVC resort??)

[mimi78]

I’ve never had this happen before to be honest, but that’s because I usually book at my 11-month window. Our home base is BCV and we love the proximity to Epcot, so we usually try to plan so we can stay there. This was a spur of the moment decision to get away for a few days. I guess I was just shocked because I figured that since I wasn’t too specific on the dates or resort location there would be a room somewhere.

Using DVC points at a non-DVC resort isn’t worth it in my opinion. Since your points are yours to use as you see fit, I doubt that Disney could do anything when you can’t get a reservation. I don’t necessarily mind paying for a cash room (especially with free dining if we could get it), but then we might as well consider going someplace else. Our whole decision to get away was based on the fact that we should be able to get a room somewhere and wouldn’t have to pay much extra besides airfare, food, and park tickets (which we are also flexible on—I love to sit by the pool just as much as I love the parks).

I’m just really frustrated so thanks for listening. I feel a little better knowing that others have experienced similar problems. I do plan on calling back next week to check again, I’m hoping some of that ‘magic’ will happen and a room will be available. Does anyone know if they open up more rooms at a later date?

[pox24]

Its Food and Wine Festival time and Halloween, plus the fact that most locals are vacationing closer to home because of the bad economy.

[NY GOOFY]

I once tried getting a last minute reservation for a 2-bedroom and was told there was nothing available. Then, for the heck of it, I checked the Disney website and they had 2-bedrooms available at Boardwalk and other DVC hotels as well. I learned that I couldn't book these with my points because DIsney sells many of the "DVC" rooms through central reservations. I wonder if disney is selling more of these DVC rooms to non-DVC members to make more money.

[Joannelet]

I was told by DVC that legally they have to leave some DVC rooms open to general public.
I wish that this wasn't the case.
I am wondering if there is anyone that a group of us who are fustrated can write to them? I have tried calling and said my complaints (like the free dining plan offers that are not extended to us) and got no answers except that they won't be offering these offers soon (that was 2 years ago).
If we have trouble booking when we want to go and where we want to stay why is it worth it to be a member?
I also wish that if they don't extend the free dining offer and have to pay for it then we should be getting priority dining reservations before free dining people get it.
This would cost them NOTHING to do and it would make the members so happy. Right now we pay for the dining plan and still we have to fight for ressies the same way those with free dining do. It's just not fair.

[Belster]

I was told by DVC that legally they have to leave some DVC rooms open to general public.
I wish that this wasn't the case.
I am wondering if there is anyone that a group of us who are fustrated can write to them? I have tried calling and said my complaints (like the free dining plan offers that are not extended to us) and got no answers except that they won't be offering these offers soon (that was 2 years ago).
If we have trouble booking when we want to go and where we want to stay why is it worth it to be a member?
I also wish that if they don't extend the free dining offer and have to pay for it then we should be getting priority dining reservations before free dining people get it.
This would cost them NOTHING to do and it would make the members so happy. Right now we pay for the dining plan and still we have to fight for ressies the same way those with free dining do. It's just not fair.

I agree that as a DVC member you should either be able to take advantage of the free dining deal or have priority reservations. I noticed that the value time for DVC points is 9/1-9/30...interestingly during the historic free dining period.
I also wish that if they don't extend the free dining offer and have to pay for it then we should be getting priority dining reservations before free dining people get it.
This would cost them NOTHING to do and it would make the members so happy. Right now we pay for the dining plan and still we have to fight for ressies the same way those with free dining do. It's just not fair.[/QUOTE

[Belster]

Sorry...my post above was messed up...:mickey:

[NewmanFamily6]

Wow that it makes booking difficult for people who don't even know if they can get off work at 11 months out:( Hope it works out next year when I need to book.

[mimi78]

I am happy to report that as I hoped, the Disney ‘magic’ came through (somewhat). I called on Sunday and I was able to get 2 nights in a studio at BLT! I put our name on the waitlist for the other nights but then after talking to my husband and looking at our vacation time, we decided to take our name off the waitlist and instead pay for 2 nights at the BWI (Sat/Sun) and then move to BLT (Mon/Tues). So we’ll split our stay between the Epcot and MK area which is fine with us, and we’re excited about getting to stay in BLT! We may consider adding on there if we like it.

I should add that the reason we ended up at the BWI is because when I called to see what was available there wasn’t much to choose from for a regular room either! I hope it’s not super crowded during that time but what can you do?

I agree, as DVC members we should have access to free dining or priority reservations as someone suggested!

[Loweschevy]

BLT is packed apparently during the first week of Oct. We tried to switch from a 2 bdr to a 1 bdr, but it not available, probably also because that happens to be the more popular size room.

[O'MalleytheAlleyCat]

We have a 2 night reservation in a 2BR at SSR for Friday and Saturday night the 8th and 9th of October. We're on the waitlist to change to either BCV or BWV but don't expect that to come through. I called a couple of days ago to see if there was a 2BR ANYWHERE on property and was told "no", not even at OKW! I'm sure the Food and Wine Festival has a lot to do with it.

[LynneM]

Random thoughts....

Like all timeshares, DVC works best for those who can plan well in advance. Most members book at 7-11 months out, so especially for the most popular times of year like F&W, trying to find a reservation inside of 6 months can be very difficult. I've owned DVC for nearly 10 years, and I've never been able to get a short-notice booking for F&W. If you can't book at least 6 months out because of work schedules, etc, you're likely to find any timeshare ownership to be a frustrating experience.

DVC members are never going to get free dining on points stays. Ever. That discount is offered by a different division of the Disney company, on rooms that they own. We don't book those rooms, so they're not getting money from us. They're not about to give us hundreds of dollars of free food.

Members can, of course, book a cash reservation for a villa and get free dining. But do the math first. You'll see that FD is a spectacularly bad deal compared to staying at a villa on DVC points.

[O'MalleytheAlleyCat]

OK...posting here must have been some kind of good luck charm! I just looked at the DVC member website and found out our waitlist came through the 2 nights (Fri/Sat) in October for the Beach Club!! Yeah, us!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[faline]

OK...posting here must have been some kind of good luck charm! I just looked at the DVC member website and found out our waitlist came through the 2 nights (Fri/Sat) in October for the Beach Club!! Yeah, us!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Congrats!

[wildernesslady]

Thats great news. Enjoy your stay.

[greengeen]

"Free Dining" is an oxymoron. There's nothing free about it - it's for folks who book resort rooms at the highest rate going (rack rate). They are giving up the 20-45% room discount that's available.

DVC owners already got their discount up front, for the next 50 years! So of course they don't get "Free Dining". Unless they decide to book a room at ridiculously high rack rates.

[locutus]

I just got back from Disney. We drove down and because I made better time ( I didnt have to stop and was able to drive straight through from Jersey ) We got there a day early --5 30 pm-- so I went to our home resort..Saratoga Springs, and asked if we could get a room for the 1 night till we checked in the next day. They said there was nothing open at any DVC resort. I looked online on the laptop and there were plenty of rooms available ( this was Disneys main site on their reservations page ) if I paid cash. After making a stink at the front desk I was told something opened up. They say 2% of the rooms need to stay open for last minute cash customers. At 530 at night if there are any open rooms they should be given to us members. And if thats there policy why arent 2% of the other resorts kept open to us. One of the nice selling points when I joined, was told you could book anytime if you wanted to come for a long weekend last minute. Latley it seems if you dont book at least 6 months out you cant get a room. Seriously considering not keeping my points. Any anyone staying at the treehouse villas, be forwarned. in order to get anywhere using Disney busses give yourself plenty of time. Busses that pick you up in the treehouses take you to the main resort where you have to transfer to another bus going to Downtown or any of the parks. Took at least an hour to get to any theme parks (and that was good timing with the transfers). Had dinner at the Polynesian one night and took 1hour 50 minutes to get there.

[FiggyFan]

As far as getting rooms for cash at DVC resorts, remember that Disney owns some of the rooms themselves, and those are only available for cash ressies. From the member inventory, Disney will offer them as cash ressies 30 days in advance, but not sooner.

I believe that what is happening is that as DVC gets bigger, more people want the popular times and they are indeed filling with DVC members. F&W festival is a big draw, so I am not surprised that the resorts are full.

[Darbylew]

I agree that there is something going on. I am
staying at a moderate and I understand that all
the moderates are booked as well as other
resorts. This is crazy. I thought I was going at
a less crowded time. We are going the first
week in October. I can't even get a discount
on my room as I am a passholder. There is still
a chance if a Florida resident code comee out.
Since everthing is booked I bet they won't come
out with one. We will just go and make the best
of the crowds. Just being in the Magic is worth
it. :thumbsup::mickey:

[Aurora]

My theory is that because the economy has been so bad, people may have put off their vacations in the last 12-18 months, including DVC members, who may have banked their points and now need to use those points (or rent them) or they will expire.

I know we still have banked points to use before February, plus all of this year's points, because we really cut back a lot in the past year. We'll use them, but we did postpone a bigger vacation this year.

[locutus]

The problem I see is that if you go last minute..as in my case..if its evening and a room is vacant for cash--as I mentioned it came up online.. they should let us members use it. As it stands the room we inquired about went empty that night. There was no reason any member should be turned away in that case. And I do object to resorts shutting sections down. When they say all resorts are full, they dont tell you that the open sections are 100% full. I spoke to one of the bus drivers andd he told me that Disney sshuts down sections of the resorts at times. This past trip he told me only half of the Carribean beach and port orleans wereclosed ( That explains why the parking lots of theose resorts were half empty).