Add-on questions - Updated

[Donald is #1]

Hi everyone! I am planning on calling my guide this week and buying a 100 point add-on to my AKV points. Since I just bought my inital AKV points, I have never made a reservation before and I have some questions. To further complicate matters, my sister & I just decided to spend a long weekend over Columbus Day weekend to go to the Food & Wine festival. Since I am doing the add-on and we are planning a trip in October, I have decided to get the double developer's points and blow them on this long weekend. Since October is not too far away, I am willing to stay in which ever DVC resort has availability. Also, since I will have the developer's points, I am flexible about the size the unit. Anywhere from a studio to a 2 bedroom will work for us.

Other background info: I will be getting 2 50 point contracts. Most likely my next trip won't be until May of next year or maybe even fall. So I am planning to bank most (or all) of my 07 points (Aug UY) and use them in my 08 UY.

So here are my questions

1) How long does it take to close on an add-on?

2) How soon will the developer's points be available to me?

3) My guide told me that the developer's points can be used at any DVC resort. Can someone confirm this?

4) Any other advice for someone making their first DVC reservation?

 

[starbox]

So here are my questions

1) How long does it take to close on an add-on?

2) How soon will the developer's points be available to me?

3) My guide told me that the developer's points can be used at any DVC resort. Can someone confirm this?

4) Any other advice for someone making their first DVC reservation?

1. The same amount of time as a normal contract through Disney.

2. If points are available in your UY, you'll be able to access them anywhere from 24-72 hours (during business days).

3. We were told our AK incentive points were only good at AKV, but that was an add-on only and purchased before the current incentive cycle.

4. Food and Wine is an extremely popular time for DVCers to vacation, and long weekeds surrounding holidays are even more popular. Prepare yourself for extremely limited availibility and potentially no availibility. Don't be afraid to waitlist.

Good luck!!! Once you can book inside your window 11-7 months in advance it gets MUCH easier to make reservations, so don't get frustrated if you have trouble 3-4 months out right now. October-January are much, much more popular times of year with DVC folks than Feb-September.

 

[Donald is #1]

1. The same amount of time as a normal contract through Disney.

2. If points are available in your UY, you'll be able to access them anywhere from 24-72 hours (during business days).

3. We were told our AK incentive points were only good at AKV, but that was an add-on only and purchased before the current incentive cycle.

4. Food and Wine is an extremely popular time for DVCers to vacation, and long weekeds surrounding holidays are even more popular. Prepare yourself for extremely limited availibility and potentially no availibility. Don't be afraid to waitlist.

Good luck!!! Once you can book inside your window 11-7 months in advance it gets MUCH easier to make reservations, so don't get frustrated if you have trouble 3-4 months out right now. October-January are much, much more popular times of year with DVC folks than Feb-September.

Thanks so much for the responses! I am still confused on the incentive points because I have heard different responses on the board. So hopefully my guide is correct since I doubt that there will be any AKV rooms available.

Thanks for the suggestion on wait listing! I will definitely wait list if I can't get anything. I am hoping to call tomorrow just to get an idea on availability.

 

[Donald is #1]

Well, I called member services tonight and I found that there isn't much available during Columbus Day Weekend. (Not really a surprise) So I spoke to my sister and we may pick a different weekend or even go during the week. That being said, I have decided to get the developer's points because my sister & I will use them sometime this fall.

By the way, I asked member services and the woman that I was talking to told me that Developer's points can be used at any resort! So WDW here I come this fall! (3 trips in about a year! )

Now all I have to do is get a hold of my guide and buy my add-on (two 50 point contracts, unless I decide to add more points! )

 

[Donald is #1]

Well, I added on last Sunday. I added on 100 points in two 50 point contracts. I ended up taking the developer's points because my sister and I decided to do a long weekend trip in October for the Food & Wine Festival.

By the way, I made my reservation with the developer's points today and I was able to use them for any of the DVC resorts. I ended up using them at SSR even though my home resort is AKV. Since F&WF is so popular, I booked at which ever resort had an opening.

 

[Boston5602]

Congrats on the add on and I'm happy you were able to get a room . I hope you have a great trip!