I love all things Disney. They have been our best vacations . DVC works in theory financially but , in the UK when you want to book a 2 week holiday, it is virtually impossible, because you will find odd days, typically at the weekend , which mean you can't book. I have been a DVC member since 2006, we book our holidays in penny of time due to work,and school holidays and 9 time-out of 10 we end up going somewhere else because you can't get the whole holiday. We have tried wait listing = waste of time. The staff on the booking line are polite but not helpful. I think its great for short breaks, which means its great for people based in the US. If you are going from the UK, its not a good idea. I am sorry to say it, because i love disney , but the last 2 times we have stayed , we paid cash, because the points don't work for long stays.
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DVC is not good idea for UK residents.
- Thread starter Lisa Charles-Jones
- Start date
JohnWD
Well-Known Member
I am sorry that you've had so much trouble! We may just be lucky, but for over 10 years we've stayed about 3 weeks in the June - August timeframe. We've sometimes have been on a wait list, but that always worked out. This year we are going in September (kids have finally finished school), and I already have 2 weeks reserved. I have to wait till the 6 month window to reserve the third week. Maybe the summer months are easier to book?
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Um, okay...
We go for two weeks in August entirely on points. We go for 10 days in January also on points. Are you booking at the 11 month window? Because if you're trying to book within a few months out, that's not going to work and of course you'll get waitlisted.
FYI, not all Americans go for short stays. We are American DVC members. We go twice a year for longer stays. Personally, we live in Baltimore. It would be a 16 hour drive, or we have to fly, and while not as expensive as flying transcontinental, is still not cheap. So we go for longer stays and make it work. We book 11 months out for home resorts and 7 months for other resorts, and usually, we get what we want. Don't know how that's any different than if you're coming from the UK. And if you didn't want to book 11 months out...perhaps that was something you should have considered and asked about before you bought into DVC.
We go for two weeks in August entirely on points. We go for 10 days in January also on points. Are you booking at the 11 month window? Because if you're trying to book within a few months out, that's not going to work and of course you'll get waitlisted.
FYI, not all Americans go for short stays. We are American DVC members. We go twice a year for longer stays. Personally, we live in Baltimore. It would be a 16 hour drive, or we have to fly, and while not as expensive as flying transcontinental, is still not cheap. So we go for longer stays and make it work. We book 11 months out for home resorts and 7 months for other resorts, and usually, we get what we want. Don't know how that's any different than if you're coming from the UK. And if you didn't want to book 11 months out...perhaps that was something you should have considered and asked about before you bought into DVC.
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
You say that its not a good idea yet you've been a member since 2006 ???
For your first post on the forums (Welcome aboard) this is quite a dig at the Disney Vacation Club (considering your 8 year membership). Who's upset you ?
sxeensweet
Love a little Disney every day!! ;)
Odd because we always go for 2 weeks or 13 days and never having a problem booking on points the whole stay and we even stay at the same resort the whole time too. We only switch resorts because we want to never because stuff was unavailable to stay at solely one resort. And we go usually at very popular DVC times early December and other times in the fall. Very popular for DVC members at those times due to lower points needed etc so do not know why you can't book 2 full weeks.
baggienath7
Well-Known Member
Never had any problems so far & we are from the UK, completely agree with above responses. Maybe you need a bit more Knowledge and teaching about how to Utilise your Points and Booking on your 11 month Window? I must say its a very strange post to single out the UK DVC market as i am very sure the US DVC Market would have the same issues if what you say is correct? But Good Luck, any questions just ask.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
I thought the OP was going to be anti_DVC because there are often deals for UK residents that are so much better than US residents. And if "the points don't work for long stays," why not use the points for a portion of your trip? If you can't get a 2 week stay at your home resort, but you can get a 1-week stay, get the 1 week and spend a week in another resort.
Yeah, that's where I thought this was headed, too.
The missing pieces to OP's comments are "how far in advance are you trying to book?" and "what accommodations are you trying to secure?"
Been an owner for 10+ years and have rarely had problems getting a trip of any duration with proper planning. No, we aren't going to get Standard View BLT studio in early December with our BoardWalk points...but that's why we own at BWV and book that 11 months out.
Making a blanket statement that DVC "doesn't work for UK residents" or "doesn't work for 2-week stays" is just wrong. There's more to this story. Hopefully OP will come back to the forum more regularly and learn from other owners how to overcome her difficulties.
JohnWD
Well-Known Member
Always! We've done early August and late August at Boardwalk villas, Bay Lake Tower, and Old Key West and never had any problem. But I always reserve as soon as I am able to.
JohnWD
Well-Known Member
We have points both at BWV and OKW. So usually half of our stay is reserved at 6 months (which is a total of 3 weeks).
JohnWD
Well-Known Member
Yes - but must reserve 6 months out and be willing to take what's available. If not exactly what you want, still reserve and wait list for your exact wants. My experience with wait lists has been 100%. YMMV!
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
DVC is not a good idea for a number of reasons, but either Im lucky or youre unlucky because Ive always been able to get somewhere for two weeks even at a 7 month window.
Maybe invest in a rabbits foot before going on line or calling next time.
Maybe invest in a rabbits foot before going on line or calling next time.
What time of year?
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
August mainly when we stayed at WL, BW and KV but now during the F&W. Weve lent points to people who went early June, OK they had to stay at the gated community of SSR but they got their 2 weeks. Hell I got 10 days preferred at OKW at the 7 month point.
I have to agree. We've not had any problems getting what we want at 7 months either. Even got a 1 bedroom at BWV during F&W.
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
its a two bed we have this trip, then a two bed savannah view for a couple of nights so the grandkids can see the haminals. The other thing is you can always resort switch during a trip. We used to do that even before we were in the DVC.