Is it possible to book a deluxe resort in the $300 range? And can you have more than one room reservation?

[MissingDisney]

I think it is different when you have different travel dates. That just looks like 2 separate trips. Having 2 at the same time looks like you are booking 2 rooms with no intention of using them both.

A friend just did this at Christmas. Same dates, same people, same everything. Literally just couldn’t decide where she wanted to stay and couldn’t decide. The rep on the phone actually recommended she book both, if she was able to pay the required deposit on each, that is, so she wouldn’t risk losing the rooms, until she could decide. (There was a promo) She did right then, with the same rep on the phone with Disney directly. No issues.

 

[correcaminos]

What are your dates. Honestly at this point of the year booking for November 2018 trip with DVC is not wise. That time of year books up really fast. You're still inside the 7 month window but already there are lacking dates for studios.

Also while Bay Lake Tower has the most availability in June, they are smaller studios. But if you were go book now because soon there will be nothing available at all.

 

[flounder21]

What are your dates. Honestly at this point of the year booking for November 2018 trip with DVC is not wise. That time of year books up really fast. You're still inside the 7 month window but already there are lacking dates for studios.

Also while Bay Lake Tower has the most availability in June, they are smaller studios. But if you were go book now because soon there will be nothing available at all.

We can go pretty much anytime from around the beginning of November up until just before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, we really can't book anything non-refundable at this point because we're still waiting on confirmation from my husband's job that he can get the time off. Within a month or two, I think things should be more certain one way or the other.

helenabear, do you think it's possible we might be able to get a room at Animal Kingdom, for example, through DVC rentals in a month or two? I'm lowering my expectations that a monorail resort will likely be sold out, but any of the deluxe resorts at a better price than booking directly through Disney would still be nice upgrade to Pop Century.

 

[correcaminos]

We can go pretty much anytime from around the beginning of November up until just before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, we really can't book anything non-refundable at this point because we're still waiting on confirmation from my husband's job that he can get the time off. Within a month or two, I think things should be more certain one way or the other.

helenabear, do you think it's possible we might be able to get a room at Animal Kingdom, for example, through DVC rentals in a month or two? I'm lowering my expectations that a monorail resort will likely be sold out, but any of the deluxe resorts at a better price than booking directly through Disney would still be nice upgrade to Pop Century.

I totally get it. Just know that what we see now will change. For fall time as soon as that 7 month mark opens up, the rooms in the MK and Epcot IG area are booked up. With maybe the exception of Swan and Dolphin which I find to be a fantastic deal! They are my go to locations when DVC isn't good for us.

Generally speaking SSR is the last DVC to book. It's the largest and has the most studios. Next up is OKW followed closely by AKL. Right now BLT has a couple of weeks open for a lake view studio but it'll likely diminish to nothing in the next month or two. AKL - Kidani savanna view is *wide open* for availability all around Oct-December (save 1st week) right now. So that is a great option. Standard view is more sporadic. Kidani is similar for their savanna view which I am not surprised about. Same with standard view. It's just smaller numbers there to pick from. Feel free to tag me when you're ready to book and I can help figure out what might work.

I'm not a huge Pop Century fan. It's great though, but I would say AKL would be a massive upgrade IMO if you can get it.

 

[flounder21]

I totally get it. Just know that what we see now will change. For fall time as soon as that 7 month mark opens up, the rooms in the MK and Epcot IG area are booked up. With maybe the exception of Swan and Dolphin which I find to be a fantastic deal! They are my go to locations when DVC isn't good for us.

Generally speaking SSR is the last DVC to book. It's the largest and has the most studios. Next up is OKW followed closely by AKL. Right now BLT has a couple of weeks open for a lake view studio but it'll likely diminish to nothing in the next month or two. AKL - Kidani savanna view is *wide open* for availability all around Oct-December (save 1st week) right now. So that is a great option. Standard view is more sporadic. Kidani is similar for their savanna view which I am not surprised about. Same with standard view. It's just smaller numbers there to pick from. Feel free to tag me when you're ready to book and I can help figure out what might work.

I'm not a huge Pop Century fan. It's great though, but I would say AKL would be a massive upgrade IMO if you can get it.

Thanks so much for that information. Obviously there aren't any guarantees, but it helps to know how things generally develop and what I might be able to expect from availability in a month or two. Thanks for that offer to tag you when the time comes to book. That would be really helpful Oh, and yes - I think our five-year-old would be perfectly happy at Pop, but staying at AKL would be a lot more enjoyable for us, I think!

 

[correcaminos]

Thanks so much for that information. Obviously there aren't any guarantees, but it helps to know how things generally develop and what I might be able to expect from availability in a month or two. Thanks for that offer to tag you when the time comes to book. That would be really helpful Oh, and yes - I think our five-year-old would be perfectly happy at Pop, but staying at AKL would be a lot more enjoyable for us, I think!

My son was 6 when we first did AKL with him. He just loved it! Especially with the savanna view. Such a great way to begin and end our days. Truly glad to help in the future too. If takes 2 minutes to look things up and is kind of fun to see what is out there.

 

[jbguitar62]

Thank you so much for looking that up for me. I had had a quick look, but couldn't see where to search dates and price tags. Those rates look great; I'm definitely going to that website today to try and lock in one of those rooms!

Being a DVC member I can tell you the rooms are very nice.

 

[tnolan]

Because of unsure financial circumstances, I currently have a reservation at the Polynesian for mid Nov (my original res), and at the same time have a deposit down on a reservation at the Pop Century for the same exact dates, just in case I can't make the payments on the Poly reservation. As the time gets nearer, and my situation clearer in terms of money, I will be canceling one and keeping the other. So yes, you can defintely have 2 reservations for the same time frame. Good luck!

 

[slappy magoo]

Thank you for that additional information, and for having a look at other dates around that time. I've spoken to my husband, and I think for now we're going to hold off on going for a DVC rental because of the no refund policy. We're still a little too far off from our target date to be 100% sure everything is going to fall in place. I might go for it in a month or two to see if we can get anything for five nights in November (knowing it almost certainly won't be a monorail resort, but still something nicer than Pop Century) and see what happens. Not sure how quickly everything typically sells out with the DVC rentals, or if it's changing to some extent with new availability popping up now and then? At any rate, I might try and see what happens. Thanks everyone for sharing this information; I wouldn't have looked into it otherwise!

Well at any point some reservations might get canceled. I wouldn't bet on it, but it's possible if you do win up looking again in a month or two, Poly or GF opens up.

Don't know how much you know about DVC, but when it comes to members booking a room, they're allowed to book at their "home resort" at the 11 month window, but at any other DVC resort at the 7 month window. Example, my upcoming trip, 11 months out, I booked a room at my home resort, Saratoga Springs (which probably wasn't necessary, there's always room at Saratoga). Once I was within 7 months of the date I wanted, I switched it to a Lake View at Bay Lake.

I bring this up because if you're planning to go in November, then April will become the 7 month window for DVC members to try to book outside of their home resort. That's when you'll really start to see inventory get scarce. But even then you'll have a fighting chance of at least getting a room at Saratoga Springs, Old Key West...and probably even Kidani Village @ Animal Kingdom Lodge. These 3 tend to be less popular because of their locations, not on the monorail, no boat access to MK (Wilderness Lodge) or Epcot/Hollywood Studios (Beach Club and Boardwalk...both of which also have walkways to the 2 parks so you don't even need a boat). I'd rather stay at Saratoga, Old Key West or Kidani Village than at Pop any day of the week...especially at those prices that are in the image I posted earlier. Sure Pop is whimsical, a lot of eye candy. But the rooms are very small (260 sq. ft) with double beds. The DVC rooms are 355, 366 or 390 sq. ft (SSR, OKW, Kidani) with either 2 queens or a queen and sleeper sofa. They tend to be quieter (which could be handy with a little one especially at nap time). Sit down restaurants, not just a food court. More amenities. If you decide you want a DVC rental after all and monorail resorts are booked, these are hardly "just" consolation prizes

 

[nickys]

I bring this up because if you're planning to go in November, then April will become the 7 month window for DVC members to try to book outside of their home resort. That's when you'll really start to see inventory get scarce. But even then you'll have a fighting chance of at least getting a room at Saratoga Springs, Old Key West...and probably even Kidani Village @ Animal Kingdom Lodge.

I agree with @slappy magoo's reply, but I want to temper expectations. October to December is peak time for DVC. Even at these resorts, if you're wanting a studio room the chances are slim if you wait another month. Even now, Old Key West and Jambo House @ AKL have patchy availability for studios. At the 7 month mark your chances will approach zero rapidly.

 

[slappy magoo]

With the current refurb at POP, they now have queen beds instead of double beds.

News to me, thanks. Of course with the rooms being so small, I wonder if bigger beds make them seem even more cramped.

 

[slappy magoo]

I agree with @slappy magoo's reply, but I want to temper expectations. October to December is peak time for DVC. Even at these resorts, if you're wanting a studio room the chances are slim if you wait another month. Even now, Old Key West and Jambo House @ AKL have patchy availability for studios. At the 7 month mark your chances will approach zero rapidly.

True, but since the OP specified that they might rethink their plans "in a month or two" I was hoping bringing up the 7 month window might impress upon them to not waste time making the decision (even though their decision seems mainly hinged on whether or not they can get the time off versus their own indecisiveness).

 

[slappy magoo]

This thread has a video of the new rooms https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/video-pop-century-refurbished-room-tour.937182/#post-8029994

Thanks for the link. The rooms are still too small for my tastes beyond an overnighter, unless maybe I was traveling alone. But for all the crap I hurl at the Values, it feels like they did what they could to maximize living space. Nice.

 

[disneygurl]

There will be promotions for Deluxe resorts later in the year. You can reserve & put deposit on Pop Century, then upgrade to a Deluxe if there's a promotion. Disney reservations will move your deposit to the Deluxe resort & collect any difference in room rate. Just be alert to cancel policies. Disney has capacity controlled inventory/room rates. Holding a Deluxe rack (non-discounted) rate now might not help much because when the 'promotional' rate comes out it has to be re-booked in the inventory/rate type specific to that promotion.

I'm throwing in a nod for a moderate, Port Orleans Riverside. It would be under $300 night and it is so lovely. It is a very romantic, landscaped, super kid friendly, sprawling themed resort. You don't have the benefit of the monorail, however, the boat to/from Disney Springs is a bonus. The ride on the Sassagoula River is fun. The Mansion section is close to the main bldg and buses. The themed pool is great for kids and there is a fishing hole. They have a few quiet pools too. They have lots of activities for kids. They have bicycle rental & Surrey rides as well as horse/carriage rides. The playground is nice too. There is a lounge called the River Roost and there is a nightly sing a long with Yee-ha Bob, kids & adults love him because he's so fun. You really get the Disney experience. It has some really unique features.

If you do end up at Pop Century I'm sure that you'll enjoy your stay. Try for a refurbished room, they are so nice! I was a guest there as recently as last Sept. in a new room. Every stay I've had there has been a pleasure! You save tons of money. You are a stone's throw from Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Even if you pay for a Minnie Van ride service, which is a flat $25, you'd get the convenience of door to door service to the magic kingdom and save tons of money on the room. If you'd like, you can ask the Minnie Van to drop off at Contemporary at the walkway closest to Magic Kingdom, its an easy walk. More money for dining experiences, photo pass, tour options, souvenirs &/or recreation.

I hope it all works out for you. If you need photos of Port Orleans Riverside or Pop let me know, I have tons.