Booking at 7 Months

[mirandasue133]

Good morning! We just got into the system on our first contract and the 7 month window for when we are hoping to book opens on Tuesday. There are several resorts open currently but I am trying to determine the fastest way to book to snag what we want. Is it quicker to book it online or to call Member Services? 8 am eastern for both?

Thanks for any help!

 

[bobbiwoz]

On line begins at 8 AM eastern, but calling begins at 9 AM. So, if you can do it on line earlier, do it!

 

[mirandasue133]

Thanks! Keeping my fingers crossed no one else grabs it in the next 48 hours .

 

[n2mm]

Good luck. Sometimes it's like winning a lottery! You gotta be fast! They give you 20 minutes to complete the transaction once you select it!

 

[weswife]

Hi. I am reaching my 7 month window this week! 1st time not staying at our home resort. My question is how many nights can I book starting at the 7 month window? For example Nov 13 and 14 and Nov. 18-22 ... Looking at this it looks like it will be 2 reservations with 2 different booking windows? Or am I wrong??? I have been watching availability at 2 resorts for the last 2 months and so far so good!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Hi. I am reaching my 7 month window this week! 1st time not staying at our home resort. My question is how many nights can I book starting at the 7 month window? For example Nov 13 and 14 and Nov. 18-22 ... Looking at this it looks like it will be 2 reservations with 2 different booking windows? Or am I wrong??? I have been watching availability at 2 resorts for the last 2 months and so far so good!

Yes. Two reservations, two booking windows.

 

[weswife]

Thanks so much!

 

[southerngirl528]

MirandaSue, you don't say where your home resort is, but if it's a WDW resort and if you are going at a high demand time, I always recommend you book your home resort as far in advance as possible even if you are wanting to stay at another DVC resort. Then at that 7 month booking window (and you got great advice on this above), try to snag the resort you really want. In a worse case scenario this gives you a nice backup and you can get on the W/L immediately if your 1st choice resort isn't available. Hope that makes sense. Good luck and Welcome Home!!!

 

[mirandasue133]

MirandaSue, you don't say where your home resort is, but if it's a WDW resort and if you are going at a high demand time, I always recommend you book your home resort as far in advance as possible even if you are wanting to stay at another DVC resort. Then at that 7 month booking window (and you got great advice on this above), try to snag the resort you really want. In a worse case scenario this gives you a nice backup and you can get on the W/L immediately if your 1st choice resort isn't available. Hope that makes sense. Good luck and Welcome Home!!!

Thanks for the tip- our home resort is BLT but they do not have any full weeks available in November for a 2 bedroom. I am wait listed there but hoping to pick up something else Tuesday.

 

[Goofy G]

November is brutal this year. I have a split stay for a 4 day trip around thanksgiving.

 

[bisney]

MirandaSue, you don't say where your home resort is, but if it's a WDW resort and if you are going at a high demand time, I always recommend you book your home resort as far in advance as possible even if you are wanting to stay at another DVC resort. Then at that 7 month booking window (and you got great advice on this above), try to snag the resort you really want. In a worse case scenario this gives you a nice backup and you can get on the W/L immediately if your 1st choice resort isn't available. Hope that makes sense. Good luck and Welcome Home!!!

We typically like to try various resorts so personally I'm always hesitant to book at my home resort first as I don't want to borrow points from the next year and have them sitting in my account if I decide to change my reservation for a lower point reservation at the 7 month window. We only go once a year so I just take my chances at 7 months.

That said, we're looking to go this November and availability has been TERRIBLE.

 

[mirandasue133]

Yeah, we ended up just booking at BLT last night. 6 of the 7 nights were available, so we booked those and a 1 br for our arrival,with a wait list for a 2 br. Not the most convenient to move rooms but I was getting nervous on our odds of grabbing anything other than SSR (which is nice but not as convenient with 2 toddlers who need daily naps and MK access )

 

[River Country]

Yeah, we ended up just booking at BLT last night. 6 of the 7 nights were available, so we booked those and a 1 br for our arrival,with a wait list for a 2 br. Not the most convenient to move rooms but I was getting nervous on our odds of grabbing anything other than SSR (which is nice but not as convenient with 2 toddlers who need daily naps and MK access )

Wait toddlers need naps....thought it was just us adults. LOL November has gotten crazier each year, I have abandoned ship for November this year

 

[bisney]

Wait toddlers need naps....thought it was just us adults. LOL November has gotten crazier each year, I have abandoned ship for November this year

If we don't get our desired one week standard view Poly reservation, we may abandon ship as well! And by abandon ship I mean we might rent out our points and use the cash to stay at Port Orleans for free dining in the Fall.

 

[cdnjason]

I've never been successful getting what I want at the 7 month window. Thankfully, we love our home resort and book at the 11 month window. We sometimes try to change to a different resort at the 7 month mark, but haven't been successful yet.

That said, we're relatively new members.

 

[southerngirl528]

We typically like to try various resorts so personally I'm always hesitant to book at my home resort first as I don't want to borrow points from the next year and have them sitting in my account if I decide to change my reservation for a lower point reservation at the 7 month window. We only go once a year so I just take my chances at 7 months.

That said, we're looking to go this November and availability has been TERRIBLE.

I still very much stand by my recommendation but you bring up a very important point, Bisney. I would NOT borrow points that I would not need for my first choice resort (if available) to book at 7 month window. But short of that, I like having a nice WDW resort booked (in my case OKW) well before the 7 month window especially for those busy times of year. That way if I call/book at 7 months for a preferred non-home resort and it is NOT available, I have a great place already booked so I can book air, vacation days off from work, etc. *** And ALWAYS get on the W/L immediately at the 7 month window if your choice is not available!*** You can set up the W/L where if it comes through, they would cancel your former rez. I have had very good luck with waitlisting over the many years I've been a member. But here is the catch I think: I waitlist right at the 7 month window in most cases.

I've never been successful getting what I want at the 7 month window. Thankfully, we love our home resort and book at the 11 month window. We sometimes try to change to a different resort at the 7 month mark, but haven't been successful yet.

That said, we're relatively new members.

cdnjason, please see my reply to Bisney above as it also applies directly to you. In your case, I would get on the W/L right at the 7 month release if the resort you prefer is not available. And hang onto that home resort booking in the meantime. Good luck!!

 

[cdnjason]

cdnjason, please see my reply to Bisney above as it also applies directly to you. In your case, I would get on the W/L right at the 7 month release if the resort you prefer is not available. And hang onto that home resort booking in the meantime. Good luck!!

Thanks. That's exactly what I've done. Booked my home resort at 11 months, and waitlist a different resort at 7 months. Honestly, we love our home resort, so not concerned. Eventually, we'll get try different resorts.

 

[gharter]

MirandaSue, you don't say where your home resort is, but if it's a WDW resort and if you are going at a high demand time, I always recommend you book your home resort as far in advance as possible even if you are wanting to stay at another DVC resort. Then at that 7 month booking window (and you got great advice on this above), try to snag the resort you really want. In a worse case scenario this gives you a nice backup and you can get on the W/L immediately if your 1st choice resort isn't available. Hope that makes sense. Good luck and Welcome Home!!!

You weren't kidding about Food and Wine being a high demand time. We recently closed and got our number and just got our first reservations done. We were unable to get all the days we wanted at our home resort and had to wait for the 7 month window for the remaining days at a different resort. At that point, unless you wanted a 2 BR, mainly only SSR was left. Watching for 3 weeks, a few options came and went. I missed a few opportunities due to website issues. It seems to go down at the worst time. i also needed to be able to hold a new reservation while cancelling a previous one. Hints on this board were incredibly helpful. In the end, it all worked out.

Looking forward to booking next year starting at the 11 month window.

 

[southerngirl528]

Good work, cdnjason! I don't know what dates or room type you are trying for, but I can tell you this... keep working it this way and you WILL get your choice resort one of these days. I've even been able to book GV's at non-home resorts so it CAN be done if you move at the stroke of 7 months and use that W/L! (and as other recommend you can keep checking availability too, but I have gotten my W/L's fulfilled many times over 2+ decades)

 

[southerngirl528]

You weren't kidding about Food and Wine being a high demand time. We recently closed and got our number and just got our first reservations done. We were unable to get all the days we wanted at our home resort and had to wait for the 7 month window for the remaining days at a different resort. At that point, unless you wanted a 2 BR, mainly only SSR was left. Watching for 3 weeks, a few options came and went. I missed a few opportunities due to website issues. It seems to go down at the worst time. i also n

Yes, F & W has gotten to be an epic event it seems. And DVC Members are savvy and know to grab quickly those high demand seasons. Going forward if there are website issues (& we know there will be unfortunately) PLEASE give MS a quick call & see if you can snag any of that availability you are seeing. Good luck!