All About Fixed Weeks (RIV/CCV/AUL/VGF/POLY/TOWER/VHD/FWC Charts)

[sethschroeder]

When we were first looking into buying DVC there was a FW CCV week 52. I kick myself every day for not buying it but I didnt really understand how FW and I thought you were obligated to travel that time each year. CCV is a great buy!

Its why I started this thread. It was such an unknown I felt back in the day and I was pulling information from everywhere trying to figure it out.

 

[emchen]

We’re not worthy!

This thread is my fave!

Oh I said that already…starting to sound like a broken record hahaha!

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Today is the Sunday after Thanksgiving, which is always an extremely busy travel day. And that is one of the reasons that I chose FW49 instead of FW48 for one of my fixed weeks. FW48 almost always begins the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but every once in a while such as 2029 & 2035, FW47 follows Thanksgiving.

Similarly, if anybody wants a FW that usually includes Thanksgiving, FW47 would be great for that. It will hit Thanksgiving a lot more often than my other FW which sometimes hits & sometimes misses my birthday.

 

[Lorana]

Today is the Sunday after Thanksgiving, which is always an extremely busy travel day. And that is one of the reasons that I chose FW49 instead of FW48 for one of my fixed weeks. FW48 almost always begins the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but every once in a while such as 2029 & 2035, FW47 follows Thanksgiving.

Similarly, if anybody wants a FW that usually includes Thanksgiving, FW47 would be great for that. It will hit Thanksgiving a lot more often than my other FW which sometimes hits & sometimes misses my birthday.

Yeah, at some point, I will own FW49. I thought I'd pick it up at Poly Tower, but the lack of incentives + no Magical Beginnings meant I went resale instead. And because I thought we'd get it with Poly Tower, our FW at RIV is actually FW 46, so we can hit the end of F&W Festival and lead into Thanksgiving week.

I own FW48 (and FW46) primarily because we also own FW47 and go to WDW for Thanksgiving every other year. SO having the option of 2 (or in the future even 3 weeks) and swapping out before/after, was definitely the goal here.

 

[jennypenny]

Normally my fixed week (#45) is booked almost a year out. This year it's still not there even though the 11 month window opens this weekend. Has anyone else had issues? I let it go last week because of the holiday but I think if I don't see it tomorrow I'll call.

I'm actually thinking of changing it altogether next year. Jersey/veterans day week is becoming a nightmare. It's our anniversary, but it might be more fun in early Dec or early Feb.

 

[JackosinDIS]

Normally my fixed week (#45) is booked almost a year out. This year it's still not there even though the 11 month window opens this weekend. Has anyone else had issues? I let it go last week because of the holiday but I think if I don't see it tomorrow I'll call.

I'm actually thinking of changing it altogether next year. Jersey/veterans day week is becoming a nightmare. It's our anniversary, but it might be more fun in early Dec or early Feb.

Yes, my fixed week 39 has not been booked yet. The calendar shows no availability for some of the days as well. I’ve called MS several times but they assure me it will be booked, but may not be until the start of my UY… which is June!

 

[jennypenny]

I’ve called MS several times but they assure me it will be booked, but may not be until the start of my UY… which is June!

That makes no sense.

I'm calling today. I'm curious to see if they tell me the same thing. (if not, they're just blowing smoke)

 

[sethschroeder]

Bookings have been delayed at times but never heard it being delayed that long. Instead of calling I would submit a comment on the DVC site. It goes to a different team it seems and they might look in to it more.

Who you get on the phone likely just have a call script saying if someone is fixed week it will be taken care of and nothing more.

 

[JackosinDIS]

Bookings have been delayed at times but never heard it being delayed that long. Instead of calling I would submit a comment on the DVC site. It goes to a different team it seems and they might look in to it more.

Who you get on the phone likely just have a call script saying if someone is fixed week it will be taken care of and nothing more.

Took your advice and emailed via the DVC site. Got an even stranger response saying I had opted out of my fixed week contract by using the points for an October 2025 booking!

I have not touched the 2025 UY points though… only 2024 banked points were used for the October res and I have been careful not to use 2025 points at any time during the booking.

These guys are all over the place right now!

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Took your advice and emailed via the DVC site. Got an even stranger response saying I had opted out of my fixed week contract by using the points for an October 2025 booking!

I have not touched the 2025 UY points though… only 2024 banked points were used for the October res and I have been careful not to use 2025 points at any time during the booking.

These guys are all over the place right now!

That is very strange. You can login to DVC, go to My DVC -> My Vacation Points, select the year, select your FW contract, "View Contract Activity Summary", and "View Complete Activity Statement" and see what really has gone on with that contract. I may not have done that before, but it looks like I got a bonus point when the normal reservation takes more points than my contract. My contract is for 122 pts:

 

[JackosinDIS]

That is very strange. You can login to DVC, go to My DVC -> My Vacation Points, select the year, select your FW contract, "View Contract Activity Summary", and "View Complete Activity Statement" and see what really has gone on with that contract. I may not have done that before, but it looks like I got a bonus point when the normal reservation takes more points than my contract. My contract is for 122 pts:
View attachment 917727

Yeh I did that. I have 114 current UY points (the full amount for my fixed week contract) and 114 points have been used for a reservation (banked from the June 2024 UY). There’s no way using banked points could cause me to opt out of the fixed week as far as I know!

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

I also had a pretty bizarre CM interaction a few weeks back about FW 39. I asked them to cancel for 2025 and she said she’d put a note in my account. Then as I was thanking her and getting ready to hang up she told me that in all likelihood it would be booked anyway, so I’d have to call back and cancel again.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Yeh I did that. I have 114 current UY points (the full amount for my fixed week contract) and 114 points have been used for a reservation (banked from the June 2024 UY). There’s no way using banked points could cause me to opt out of the fixed week as far as I know!

Correct. The FW will only use current UY points, and can never use banked or borrowed points. Obviously you didn't use your FW one year to have banked points. Making a reservation using only banked points shouldn't affect your next FW. Sorry you're going through this, but definitely press them.

 

[Sandisw]

Yeh I did that. I have 114 current UY points (the full amount for my fixed week contract) and 114 points have been used for a reservation (banked from the June 2024 UY). There’s no way using banked points could cause me to opt out of the fixed week as far as I know!

Are you sure the system took the banked points when you booked it? Id go back and look and make sure.

If it shows it correctly, then contact them back and point it out.

 

[jennypenny]

And just like that, my week 45 reservation for 2025 appeared on my dashboard. (Hadn’t called yet.)

Hi DVC

 

[JackosinDIS]

Are you sure the system took the banked points when you booked it? Id go back and look and make sure.

If it shows it correctly, then contact them back and point it out.

As sure as I can be. All the banked points are gone and at the time I booked it showed that 114 points (banked) would be used in the usual order points are taken.

I contacted them back and got a response saying ‘due to the nature of guaranteed weeks contracts, we invite you to contact member services who can assist you further’… the email was from member services

 

[Sandisw]

As sure as I can be. All the banked points are gone and at the time I booked it showed that 114 points (banked) would be used in the usual order points are taken.

I contacted them back and got a response saying ‘due to the nature of guaranteed weeks contracts, we invite you to contact member services who can assist you further’… the email was from member services

I’d snap screenshots then of your point activity statement showing you had banked the points and then made the trip showing the system took them.

And se d that back to MS!!

 

[JackosinDIS]

I’d snap screenshots then of your point activity statement showing you had banked the points and then made the trip showing the system took them.

And se d that back to MS!!

I did this today, and they finally agreed that I hadn’t used any 2025 points from the FW contract.

They said that they had got confused by the other (non fixed week) contract in the membership which I had used, and decided that I had opted out of my guaranteed week!

Anyway, after a 45 mins call with MS I finally have week 39 booked. Hurrah.

 

[Lorana]

Ooof! What a hassle, but glad it is all fixed for you now.

My annual pain with DVC is with my runDisney week and getting my early booking for the runs that is part of my runDisney week membership benefits. They always forget, and I always have to email back and forth to get it done.

 

[sethschroeder]

Ooof! What a hassle, but glad it is all fixed for you now.

My annual pain with DVC is with my runDisney week and getting my early booking for the runs that is part of my runDisney week membership benefits. They always forget, and I always have to email back and forth to get it done.

I would ask for a point of contact either on your recent booking or future one that you can directly reach out to if its not done.

You might find someone is willing to take that on but not sure.

Separately if nothing else I would save the previous email chain and just email back on that one the following year saying you need help again with this same issue.