Just need to vent on lack of availability for my Nov trip

[kes601]

Yep, things are definitely having some "movement". Two days ago we were able to get an AKL Savanna for 3 nights at Thanksgiving, then had our fourth night come through via waitlist the next day.

Then of course BWV had 4 days come available (2 in BW View and 2 in Garden view) so we grabbed those instead. Now hoping for a waitlist to come through so we can have the same room the whole time.

Moral of the story is if you waitlist and stalk the site you may get what you want -- even if it requires effort.

 

[HawaiiRose]

Points this year are a bit crazy. I couldn't book at our home resort at the 11-month mark and when I tried to get a week at SSR at the 7-month mark (I woke up early just to be online right at 8:00) and could not get an entire week. I have some days that I want and I'm waitlisting some, but I'm wondering if it will happen at all.

Split stay is out for us because there are 22 of us going, including 4 infants, so that's just too much. This trip is one that was being planned for 2 years and I had reservations in 2020 but COVID happened and we couldn't go.

I'm wondering if the waitlists will come through or if I should consider using the points to book at an All-Star so I can be assured we will have rooms. We really would like to have a kitchen though as we have some babies with food allergies.

I'm trying to be patient and think positively.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

I've already booked a vacation using all my COVID points, my current points and some borrowed points from 2022. Over two years worth of points for a family vacation in a GV and 2 bedroom for 11 people. So I've done my part to return the system to normal.

Same for us. In fact, unless we do that add on we're wanting soon, we'll be too short on points for a stay next year.

 

[bobbiwoz]

What resorts have all lock-offs for a two bedroom? Wouldn't that put younger kids in the 2nd bedroom, with it's own entry door.. at risk?

At OKW all studios and one bedrooms are part of a lock-off, but there are also dedicated 2 bedroom units. There are no dedicated studios or one bedrooms.

I'll defer to others to confirm this. I could be wrong, but I thought I've read that some had only lock-offs?

For sure BWV only has lock off two bedrooms.

 

[dcfromva]

We originally purchased our OCT UR BWV points so we could stay in a 2BR over a long holiday weekend in Oct for the Food and Wine festival. We always booked at 11 months.

For the past 5 years or so we have slipped into one week before Thanksgiving week. We still book at 11 months, but we are now empty nesters so we get a studio instead of a 2BR. TBH, it has always been challenging to get a reservation. (We have not been back to WDW since Dec 2019--fingers crossed it will work out this year!)

 

[Heather07438]

I'm wondering if the waitlists will come through or if I should consider using the points to book at an All-Star so I can be assured we will have rooms.

Is there a way to use the points at an All-Star?

 

[CarolMN]

Is there a way to use the points at an All-Star?

Yes - points start at 8 per night.

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.g...t/#/florida,dvc-resorts,disney-resort-hotels/

 

[HawaiiRose]

You sure can! on DVC, check under Disney Destinations, Walt Disney World, then sort points lowest to highest.

 

[Heather07438]

You sure can! on DVC, check under Disney Destinations, Walt Disney World, then sort points lowest to highest.

That’s not bad for 8 points a night. I was surprised to see the family suites at 32pts tho. Hope you find something that works well for your group.

 

[Louis morrell]

Yes - points start at 8 per night.

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.g...t/#/florida,dvc-resorts,disney-resort-hotels/

Lowest I can find the chart is 10 points per night and very few nights.

 

[CarolMN]

I just went by amount stated in link I provided. Didn't check beyond that, so blame DVC website. Not a big surprise if it's not correct, LOL

Lowest I can find the chart is 10 points per night and very few nights.

 

[Blanchey]

Get on the waitlist! For the last 5 years I have used the waitlist frequently at other 7 month resorts. I own at BCV and never really considered other resorts till they renovated and took out the fans and the jacuzzis!! After that I book at BCV 11 months out but waitlist for BWV. At least they still have fans and I love to soak every night. Granted this is an unusual year and everyone knows Oct starts the 50th anniversary but people do cancel. I have always gotten the waitlist at some point.

People definitely do cancel - 3.5 weeks of availability has just popped up for a BCV studio in Oct/Nov

 

[AdamsMum]

But by doing your part, especially by borrowing, someone else now cannot book and will have to bank, or in some cases lose points.

Not blaming just again showing that its really basic math, there are more points than their are rooms....by a large number and Disney keeps making it worse.

Not really a moral issue. Most of us are trying to use points that we couldn't use in 2020. I like many, had points expire. Chuck S isn't circumventing any rules, or even talking about it. I myself am trying to add a couple of days at SSR at the beginning of my vacation to avoid more points expiring. I got one, waitlisted for one. We've all had little control over this and it sucks. IMO DVC did their best with a (hopefully) once in a lifetime situation.

 

[Sandisw]

Not really a moral issue. Most of us are trying to use points that we couldn't use in 2020. I like many, had points expire. Chuck S isn't circumventing any rules, or even talking about it. I myself am trying to add a couple of days at SSR at the beginning of my vacation to avoid more points expiring. I got one, waitlisted for one. We've all had little control over this and it sucks. IMO DVC did their best with a (hopefully) once in a lifetime situation.

I agree. In many cases, they went above what was required for members. Owners still lost points, but a lot less did when they used their own points to cover the extensions.

It is just something we have to deal with the next few years. TBH, I haven’t had any more trouble getting what I normal would so far and am currently booked for all my trips through April 2022...8 of them.

 

[rick1zoo2]

We bought our DVC in July 2020 and since there was a lot of availability fall of 2020, we very quickly used up the 2019, 2020 points and with upcoming DVC trips in Nov 2021 and Feb 2022 we also used all of our 2021 and almost half of our 2022 points. We know that availability like we saw last fall will not happen again.

 

[kes601]

I agree. In many cases, they went above what was required for members. Owners still lost points, but a lot less did when they used their own points to cover the extensions.

It is just something we have to deal with the next few years. TBH, I haven’t had any more trouble getting what I normal would so far and am currently booked for all my trips through April 2022...8 of them.

We just bought in mid-February and honestly had no idea what to expect. Not sure if we have gotten lucky, stalked at the right time, or what. But with our SSR points we were able to finalize our 17 night summer trip with 5 @ BLT, 5 @ RIV, and 7 @ BWV. We were able to just get Poly for 8 nights the week before Christmas (never imagined that would happen) and have SSR as a split stay after that.

I think I said it earlier in this thread. Keep checking the site, waitlist, and be creative.

 

[Heather07438]

People definitely do cancel - 3.5 weeks of availability has just popped up for a BCV studio in Oct/Nov

Easy come, easy go lol. Gone already

 

[Tink Fans]

I am going to cancel a 1 bedroom at Riviera~ Oct. 24-29 in the next day or so.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I see where the Canadian-US border is still closed. That may be a reason for some cancellations.

 

[DebbieB]

Is there a way to use the points at an All-Star?

Yes, if you have direct points. Or resale before 3/2011.