December 2018

[Marionnette]

Not trying to be needy, but you seem knowledgeable. Does being flexible on dates help? We would want 7 nights between 11/25 and 12/15. And we can do like 10 different room options between different resorts? Sorry, I know we won't know until we get there.

A bit but it can be a real dogfight for owners to book during those two weeks. An agency can check for the dates and the resorts that you're interested in, but if they don't have owners lined with points at those resorts, it won't matter if there is availability and by the time that the 7-month booking window opens for DVC members who are not owners at those resorts, availability can be extremely limited.

Being willing to do a split stay (spending a few nights at one resort and then moving to another) would actually be better than just throwing out a range of dates and a list of 10 resorts and room types. However, it's not something that I would recommend to someone with small children. Packing up and moving all of your "stuff" and being without a room for a day can be a real pain.

 

[v0mich01]

A bit but it can be a real dogfight for owners to book during those two weeks. An agency can check for the dates and the resorts that you're interested in, but if they don't have owners lined with points at those resorts, it won't matter if there is availability and by the time that the 7-month booking window opens for DVC members who are not owners at those resorts, availability can be extremely limited.

Being willing to do a split stay (spending a few nights at one resort and then moving to another) would actually be better than just throwing out a range of dates and a list of 10 resorts and room types. However, it's not something that I would recommend to someone with small children. Packing up and moving all of your "stuff" and being without a room for a day can be a real pain.

Thank you for all our wisdom!

I have 13 options, ranked in order. What does everyone think? So I may go ahead and reserve the WL std view, and then try for a DVC request at 11 months out. That way I'm not left high and dry. All of these are within my price range without any discounts. If/when discounts are announced for our time period we may be able to switch to a monorail resort given discounts and availability.

1. Bay Lake Tower Std Studio (DVC)
2. BLT Lake Studio (DVC)
3. Poly Std Studio (DVC)
4. GF St Studio (DVC)
5. CCV Studio (DVC)
6. BRV Studio (DVC)
7. BW 1 bd (DVC)
8. Wilderness Lodge std view
9. AKV Val Studio (DVC)
10. AKV Sav Studio (DVC)
11. Animal kingdom Std view
12. AoA Family Suite
13. Fort Wilderness cabin

 

[Marionnette]

Thank you for all our wisdom!

I have 13 options, ranked in order. What does everyone think? So I may go ahead and reserve the WL std view, and then try for a DVC request at 11 months out. That way I'm not left high and dry. All of these are within my price range without any discounts. If/when discounts are announced for our time period we may be able to switch to a monorail resort given discounts and availability.
1. Bay Lake Tower Std Studio (DVC)
2. BLT Lake Studio (DVC)
3. Poly Std Studio (DVC)
4. GF St Studio (DVC)
5. CCV Studio (DVC)
6. BRV Studio (DVC)
7. BW 1 bd (DVC)
8. Wilderness Lodge std view
9. AKV Val Studio (DVC)
10. AKV Sav Studio (DVC)
11. Animal kingdom Std view
12. AoA Family Suite
13. Fort Wilderness cabin

1. Bay Lake Tower Std Studio (DVC) - not too many of these and they tend to get snapped up right away by owners. Not a high probability of getting this one during the first couple of weeks of Dec, IMO.
2. BLT Lake Studio (DVC) - the last of the BLT studios to get booked, better chance of snagging one of these than std. or theme park view. Still going to be difficult to book, especially on nights when there is a MVMCP at the MK. People like being able to just walk back to their hotel after the event is over.
   
3. Poly Std Studio (DVC) - PVB is all studios and then the bungalows. Lots of studios and they're mostly std. view. Probably a better chance here than at BLT on a party night.
   
4. GF St Studio (DVC) - don't even count on it. It's a small resort with a very limited number of studios. Owners there tend to use their points themselves and if they rent, they want more than the $14/pt. that the agencies will pay them
   
5. CCV Studio (DVC) - brand new DVC, very few owners. Those that own there want to use their points to stay there. Very little in the way of DVC inventory because sales just began and not a lot of units have been "declared". Not likely to happen.
   
6. BRV Studio (DVC) - older DVC at WL. More owners and more inventory. Much greater chance of success than CCV but keep in mind that all of WL is very popular for the holidays.
   
7. BW 1 bd (DVC) - Better chance than a studio at BWV. Still not a high probability of getting Std. View but pool/garden view is a possibility
   
8. Wilderness Lodge std view - as good a chance as anyone booking directly with Disney, a good back up plan
   
9. AKV Val Studio (DVC) - Forget it. it's not going to happen
   
10. AKV Sav Studio (DVC) - large resort, high probability of success. Think hard about transportation issues.
11. Animal kingdom Std view - splurge for the savanna view if you can get it, settle for std. view if you can't. Kidani has extremely long hallways. You'll walk and walk and walk from the bus stop to your room if you're at the far end of the resort
    
12. AoA Family Suite - nice to have the kitchenette and 2 bathrooms. Lots of space to spread out. Must take a bus everywhere you go.
    
13. Fort Wilderness cabin - boat ride to MK, buses elsewhere. Full kitchen sans the oven. No room in the bedroom for a pack n play for the baby but the 3 yo might like the bunk bed.

 

[v0mich01]

1. Bay Lake Tower Std Studio (DVC) - not too many of these and they tend to get snapped up right away by owners. Not a high probability of getting this one during the first couple of weeks of Dec, IMO.
2. BLT Lake Studio (DVC) - the last of the BLT studios to get booked, better chance of snagging one of these than std. or theme park view. Still going to be difficult to book, especially on nights when there is a MVMCP at the MK. People like being able to just walk back to their hotel after the event is over.
   
3. Poly Std Studio (DVC) - PVB is all studios and then the bungalows. Lots of studios and they're mostly std. view. Probably a better chance here than at BLT on a party night.
   
4. GF St Studio (DVC) - don't even count on it. It's a small resort with a very limited number of studios. Owners there tend to use their points themselves and if they rent, they want more than the $14/pt. that the agencies will pay them
   
5. CCV Studio (DVC) - brand new DVC, very few owners. Those that own there want to use their points to stay there. Very little in the way of DVC inventory because sales just began and not a lot of units have been "declared". Not likely to happen.
   
6. BRV Studio (DVC) - older DVC at WL. More owners and more inventory. Much greater chance of success than CCV but keep in mind that all of WL is very popular for the holidays.
   
7. BW 1 bd (DVC) - Better chance than a studio at BWV. Still not a high probability of getting Std. View but pool/garden view is a possibility
   
8. Wilderness Lodge std view - as good a chance as anyone booking directly with Disney, a good back up plan
   
9. AKV Val Studio (DVC) - Forget it. it's not going to happen
   
10. AKV Sav Studio (DVC) - large resort, high probability of success. Think hard about transportation issues.
11. Animal kingdom Std view - splurge for the savanna view if you can get it, settle for std. view if you can't. Kidani has extremely long hallways. You'll walk and walk and walk from the bus stop to your room if you're at the far end of the resort
    
12. AoA Family Suite - nice to have the kitchenette and 2 bathrooms. Lots of space to spread out. Must take a bus everywhere you go.
    
13. Fort Wilderness cabin - boat ride to MK, buses elsewhere. Full kitchen sans the oven. No room in the bedroom for a pack n play for the baby but the 3 yo might like the bunk bed.

Wow!!!!! Thank you for the thoroughness! I'll go ahead and book the WL thru Disney as a back up, then try for any possible dvcs at my 11 month window!