How easy to book non-home resort?

[Batphobic]

Hey everyone -

I'd be interested in hearing some stories from people (both good and bad) trying to book at the shorter non-home resort window (7 months, right?). Is it impossible? Only impossible for high season? Easier for certain types of rooms?

I hear stories of people having a few points left over so they book a weekend getaway last-minute... so it can't be that impossible... right?

Thanks!

 

[GoofGoof]

Weekend getaway is probably possible at SSR or OKW depending on the weekend. Unlikely, but not impossible at other resorts. I think booking at the 7 month window is a crap shoot. Depends on time of year, resort and room type. 1 BR villas are usually the easiest to get. Time of year is tricky too. Sometimes the least busy times at WDW are the toughest to get for DVC since the points needed are lower at those times. Trying to book BCV or BWV during food and wine at EPCOT is tough. BLT and VWL seem to be tough to get too.

 

[ParentsOf4]

DVC members have to cancel 31 days prior to check-in date or risk having their points go into holding. Sometimes it's possible to book on relatively short notice when someone else cancels.

As @GoofGoof suggests, It is possible to book last-minute for some resorts sometimes, but with the exception of SSR and OKW, the odds are probably against you.

 

[PineapplePrincess]

We purchased an OKW resale about two years ago. Last summer, we were able to get a weekend AKL club level studio, and the rest of our trip was at BCV. This year, we are staying at BLT for 8 days and Vero Beach for 3. We always go in July and we are a family of 3, so we have only booked studios.
I don't know if it's more difficult to get the 1 and 2 bedrooms.
I imagine that getting into GF or Poly (when it opens) will be impossible if they are not your home resort.

 

[dvcnut]

From my experience, booking a non-home resort at the 7 month window pretty much guarantees that you'll be breaking up your stay amongst 2 or more resorts. The exception that I have seen is OKW and SSR.

 

[BCVTalsJam]

yea i have to agree...you will most likely be splitting up your stay if it is during a busy time. If it is during a slower time you have more of a chance. Good Luck!

 

[Batphobic]

Thanks everyone. That makes a lot of sense. Seems like booking within 7 month window is doable... just probably not for a lengthy stay at a single resort or at a top-pick choice.

 

[Sumrdog]

I agree ith the split stay comment. Three years ago we got 7 nights in a 2 bedroom at BCV about 6 months out for an end of January stay. I am not sure what's changed, more DVC members maybe...

But this year I wanted a 1 bedroom at BCV for the week of the marathon. I ended up having to wait list the first 2 nights and booked AKV, I did get the last 5 nights at the BCV. I booked this reservation at 6 am 7 months out. Studios were not an option at all.

 

[Ralphlaw]

We've been lucky. I've had little trouble at 7 months, and I've also been lucky with waitlisting at my home resort in the meantime. The trick is to jump on the phone AND online at exactly 9 a.m., eastern time at the 7 months. I just did a one night studio at Wilderness lodge for December 29th. When I called, she said it was booked, but online it was still available. She advised to immediately do the booking online while she watched. Lo and behold, it worked.

Our first choice was for Wilderness for that one night (after our cruise). But then, my waitlist for a theme park view studio at BLT (our home resort) kicked in, which we cancelled rather entertainingly while still on the phone, and while my brand new Wilderness reservation danced in and out. Within minutes, all studios at Wilderness Lodge were booked; I probably got the last one. Also, if I would not have been online, it wouldn't have happened.
AND if I hadn't been on the phone, my waitlist at Bay Lake would've gone through and cancelled our Wilderness.

Yeah, it takes effort. I gave up all my other hobbies.

 

[Sumrdog]

Perhaps the enconomy?

3 years ago, perhaps many DVC'ers couldn't afford WDW vacations and so were either banking points or selling their DVC's. Now, DVC resales are hot, so hot that the market has completely dried up for some resorts. Others are stripping their points (meaning they are being used) and then selling stripped DVC contracts.

Your right, I hadn't considered that either.

 

[llrain]

exclude the following times basically: Christmas thru new years, mem week, a few "school" breaks in there too and thanksgiving, you are pretty much guaranteed a spur of the moment booking at only SSR when all else fails
SSR is the goto when you need a last min and never fails to provide.

 

[LivFreeorDisney]

Our home resort is SSR and we've been able to stay at AKV, BWV, OKW, VWL and BCV. Our normal travel time is September or October. Only once a coupe of years ago we couldn't get in BWV and ended up in AKV instead. We've also stayed at our home resort a couple of times.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Our home resort is also SSR, but we have stayed at OKW, BWV, AKV, and VGC all at 7 months. We usually travel in March, October, and/or early December. Only once have we not gotten what we wanted at 7 months in the last 6 years, but YMMV. We do call and/or go on-line at exactly the 7 month mark as well. Any delay, and you probably will not get what you wish. We haven't tried for VWL, BCV, or BLT yet, but will sometime in the future. And of course, the VGF will be on the list some day!

 

[Ralphlaw]

What's YMMV?

 

[Obi]

Your Mileage May Vary.

 

[Ralphlaw]

Ah.

 

[Prince-1]

Just from my experience, whenever we decide to go last minute we have been lucky to get something. It usually winds up being OKW or SS but we are more than happy to stay there. I think we failed only one time and that was in December and we called only 3 days b4 we wanted to go.

 

[trs518]

My family and I have been able to book Aulani and the Grand Californian at the 7 month window. We booked Aulani before it opened and we consider ourselves lucky for booking the Grand Californian.

 

[goodanu]

Our home resort is SSR... We are new owners of two years. We stayed in a 2br at BLT last August and just returned from 8 days in a 1br over the 4th of July holiday at the BCV. So we are 2 for 2. Just as an aside...if you ever plan on going over the fourth of July, book only at the BCV, BWV or BLT IMO. There is no way I would try and fight those crowds trying to get a bus, boat or monorail after the show. Being able to walk back was HUGE.

 

[MaxsDad]

I booked within the 7 months this year. I started booking in February with a split stay between BWV and VWL for the first week of June. I stayed on it by checking most days for availabilty. I eventually massaged it into a non-split stay at BWV garden view studio for a week.

As a generality, I have been able to do well at booking inside of the window.