What is going on with SEPTEMBER?

[Goldilocks07]

Yes, I realize the 'slow months' don't exist anymore (sigh), but I think we can all agree September tends to be the 'least busy', as summer ends, it's hot as the Earth's core, and school get's back in the swing of things.
That being said, I'm looking to book a DVC room the Sept 22nd weekend (no alarming holidays except Yom Kippur that Monday) and the entire month is empty for studios. SCRATCHING MY HEAD...... Is there a race? Something on Disney property I'm not aware of? As of now, Saratoga and OKW are the only ones with availability, but we want to stay at a resort that has a connected, central lobby -so my teeny bopper daughter can walk on her own to pin trade, grab a snack, etc. Plus we don't care for the resorts that feel more isolating. Don't get me wrong, we recently stayed at Saratoga, twice last year, and enjoyed ourselves, but we didn't care to stay again. We have never stayed at OKW but have heard similar things about the set up.
Any thoughts? Just suck it up and waitlist and pray? Some resorts have a night or two here and there. We are trying to conserve points, and stay in standard or garden or the lowest 2 tiers of rooms. SIGH.
Everything is so darn expensive these days.

 

[Marthasor]

You may want to post this on the DVC Resorts board.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Halloween parties
Parents with small kids or kids
Halloween horror nights... UO
Not 'as' crowd
Not 'as' hot
Food and wine

 

[Nabas]

In terms of DVC, September is the least expensive (i.e. fewest points per night.)

Also, Food and Wine Festival is now in full swing for the entire month.

As a result, September is popular among DVC members.

In terms of overall difficulty to book DVC, I’d say August is the easiest followed by July.

 

[JodyK]

BWV also going through a refurb so rooms are offline that is causing less availability.

As for advice id probably book what is most favorable to you and wait-list and stalk to try to find something better.

 

[Genie+]

It is a huge drop in cost for DVC. Sept has its own point season which is the absolute cheapest. Add to that DVC people visit WDW frequently enough they don’t mind as much putting a trip in the hot with potential hurricane zone, where infrequent cash visitors may think otherwise. On top of all that, low point seasons have become a favorite for confirmed reservation businesses, because the profit margins can be much healthier.

DVC and onsite cash rooms don’t follow the same patterns for cost or popularity.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Halloween parties
Parents with small kids or kids
Halloween horror nights... UO
Not 'as' crowd
Not 'as' hot
Food and wine

Funny that you mentioned this as my mom just booked a studio for a weekend in September a week ago just for Halloween Horror Nights. We're not planning on stepping into a Disney park at all. I wonder how many people are doing the same.

Also don't agree with September being "as hot" as I've been during September and it was VERY hot.

 

[Genie+]

Also don't agree with September being "as hot" as I've been during September and it was VERY hot.

Haha, yeah it’s like a car having the biggest baddest boomin’ system turning the volume down from 10 to 9. If it’s parked in front of your house, your house is still rattling regardless.

 

[CarolynFH]

ALL BWV Boardwalk view villas were blocked from booking starting about your dates in September through sometime in November. It’s believed that it’s due to work on the exterior of the building scheduled for that time. And recently, availability for BCV villas in September has disappeared; it’s suspected that either there’s some delay in the refurbishment that’s going on now and was supposed to be completed by April, or they’re taking those rooms to use as overflow in case they have to move guests from BWV villas that are already booked. So availability at those two resorts is even less than would be normal, trying to book them at 7 months. Late September is the start of Fall Frenzy, when DVC as a whole is hardest to book, and now that the month of September is the cheapest points-wise, having those two resorts with reduced availability is making it even worse.

 

[Apiary]

it does seem like availability changes pretty frequently for DVC in September. It’s probably worth booking a back up room, and then checking fairly frequently to see if anything better pops up.

 

[Goldilocks07]

wow thank you for all this insight. VERY helpful!

 

[blistex]

Yes, I realize the 'slow months' don't exist anymore (sigh), but I think we can all agree September tends to be the 'least busy', as summer ends, it's hot as the Earth's core, and school get's back in the swing of things.
That being said, I'm looking to book a DVC room the Sept 22nd weekend (no alarming holidays except Yom Kippur that Monday) and the entire month is empty for studios. SCRATCHING MY HEAD...... Is there a race? Something on Disney property I'm not aware of? As of now, Saratoga and OKW are the only ones with availability, but we want to stay at a resort that has a connected, central lobby -so my teeny bopper daughter can walk on her own to pin trade, grab a snack, etc. Plus we don't care for the resorts that feel more isolating. Don't get me wrong, we recently stayed at Saratoga, twice last year, and enjoyed ourselves, but we didn't care to stay again. We have never stayed at OKW but have heard similar things about the set up.
Any thoughts? Just suck it up and waitlist and pray? Some resorts have a night or two here and there. We are trying to conserve points, and stay in standard or garden or the lowest 2 tiers of rooms. SIGH.
Everything is so darn expensive these days.

No one's mentioned yet but at least three of Atlanta area's largest counties have fall break starting that week, pretty much half of the people I know are in the car on the way to Disney the second school lets out that Friday. I imagine that's got some impact. I've been considering going but I'm concerned about the whole hotter than the Earth's core part.

 

[Jennasis]

Are there any Moonlight Magic events that week?

 

[gharter]

there is remodeling going on at that time as well. BWV has a significant number of units unavailable due to renovations. Getting rooms in September and October was difficult. Those people need to go somewhere.

 

[DebbieB]

Disney has done a good job of spreading out festivals and events so that there’s really no slow time.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

but I think we can all agree September tends to be the 'least busy', as summer ends, it's hot as the Earth's core, and school get's back in the swing of things.

No, I have never felt that way about WDW in August/September. To me, it just feels like summer, and I like summer. I much prefer swimming when the daily high is 75 or above. I also prefer warm WDW evenings, and feel that WDW's attractions are designed for warm weather. WDW in winter it is often too cold to enjoy rides like Kali, for example.

Perhaps people are booking that time of year because they enjoy visiting that time of year?

 

[john7994]

I have done this and would recommend: booking a safety reservation at what is available (if you really want to go in this timeframe) and doing a replacement reservation waitlist(s) on where you aspire to stay - there are likely to be point differences in the upward direction - so be sure to have points available to cover.

I am sure there are many other strategies like booking partial, stalking and waitlisting, which I have also done with success especially this far out. With this, you again need to make sure that you have points to cover especially if you are both booking aggressively and waitlisitng in small stay increments.

 

[Goldilocks07]

No, I have never felt that way about WDW in August/September. To me, it just feels like summer, and I like summer. I much prefer swimming when the daily high is 75 or above. I also prefer warm WDW evenings, and feel that WDW's attractions are designed for warm weather. WDW in winter it is often too cold to enjoy rides like Kali, for example.

Perhaps people are booking that time of year because they enjoy visiting that time of year?

HA! As my grandmother said, "that's what makes horse racing!" I absolutely hate the heat and regret moving to Florida. Put me in the mountains and cold weather any day.

I will say, that the majority of the North Easterners, who aren't used to satans temperatures, don't tend to travel to Orlando in the summer months. Obvioulsly one must travel when the kids are off- but I know of all my friends, no one wants to be here.

Anyway, to stay on topic, I saw a few rooms opened up, I scored BLT and I'm happy with that. I will waitlist the other resorts or stalk the site. I just found it so odd that September was extremely booked up.

 

[Goldilocks07]

I have done this and would recommend: booking a safety reservation at what is available (if you really want to go in this timeframe) and doing a replacement reservation waitlist(s) on where you aspire to stay - there are likely to be point differences in the upward direction - so be sure to have points available to cover.

I am sure there are many other strategies like booking partial, stalking and waitlisting, which I have also done with success especially this far out. With this, you again need to make sure that you have points to cover especially if you are both booking aggressively and waitlisitng in small stay increments.

Yes, this is exactly what I'm doing. Thank you for the advice.

 

[Goldilocks07]

No one's mentioned yet but at least three of Atlanta area's largest counties have fall break starting that week, pretty much half of the people I know are in the car on the way to Disney the second school lets out that Friday. I imagine that's got some impact. I've been considering going but I'm concerned about the whole hotter than the Earth's core part.

Get ready.
Oh, and another fun weather issue to deal with in September: RAIN
So bring 2 pairs of sneakers because one will likely get soaked, and add in multiple socks per day.
Nothing better than satan's armpit heat and humidity and getting wet.

Thankfully Disney World itself, keeps me in cheery spirits. My saving grace!