Christmas vs. 7 month window

[stitchsMom]

I think I know the answer to this question, but I'm going to ask it anyway - because I want to be wrong. To give you a little background info: My children and I normally travel to WDW December 28-ish - Jan 3-ish every year. We are DVC Members, but for this particular trip we book as part of a cheer tour group (I coach a HS Cheer Team and they perform at the Capital One Bowl every year), and use our DVC points for a Spring or Summer trip. This year however, my sister and I thought it would be nice to spend Christmas-New Years at WDW as a family (having had a very stressful and challenging 2013 our family truly needs this break away). However, I still need to be in WDW for my cheer team (12/29-1/2).

We have been looking at using our DVC points for this years trip (Dec 24 - Jan 2), which of course is among the highest point use times to go. We have enough points to stay Dec 24-Dec 29, at our HOME resort (BLT) - but that is not where we want to stay. We would rather stay at OKW, which requires much less points. I have looked into renting points to cover a stay of Dec 29-Jan 2 (so I would have 2 reservations - 1 @ BLT and 1 @ OKW). I wonder however if it makes sense to do that? So, here is where I need opinions:

• Should we book our DVC points now for the first part of the stay at BLT/home resort AND rent points for second part of stay at OKW? Is this likely my best chances of getting our entire length of stay?
• Should we WAIT for the 7 month window and book entire stay at OKW? Do you think I will have any luck getting those dates (Dec 24-Jan2) if I wait til the end of May?
• Am I freaking out that there won't be any rooms available if I wait till May? or am I right about that feeling?
• Has anyone had experience with the "DVC Rental Store"?

 

[slappy magoo]

I've not used DVC Rental Store or any rental store but the one that most people seem to suggest is David's http://www.dvcrequest.com/


I'd book as much of your vacation at BLT now that you can. I'd then rent the points from either David's or DVC Rental that you need at OKW. At the 7 month window, try to make the switch to be all at OKW and have them tie the reservations together so (hopefully) you won't need to switch rooms mid-trip. The good news is OKW and SSR seem to usually be the easiest to book at both the 7 month window AND during the holidays because they're so big. But I wouldn't wait until the 7 month window to make it happen. You have BLT points. Someone out there is probably specifically renting OKW points. If this is something you really want to do, I'd do it quickly. Best of luck.

EDIT: I'd add this - you may want to keep the first part of your stay at BLT anyway. You're a DVC member, so it's not like you don't know the pros and cons of every resort. And you've been to WDW once or twice, and you've heard the horror stories of what it's like to go to WDW during Christmas. When the MK is so packed that they're not even letting people into the TTC parking lot anymore, no matter how efficient the buses are, you're gonna have a wait getting back to your resort regardless of if it's closing time or a midafternoon break or dinner time or 11:30 or whatever. At BLT you can walk back, no waiting. Unless you intend to spend little to no time at MK, I think this will be invaluable. By all means try to get the entire trip at OKW once you hit the 7 month window. But I honestly don't think it'll be an awful turn of events if the first leg of your trip remains at BLT.

 

[stitchsMom]

Thank You for the advice! I appreciate it! It's what I was thinking - just needed someone to tell me I wasn't crazy to worry!