Kind of desparate to find AKV/AKL DVC availability, anything else I can do?

[Louie7080]

Last night using this link (https://tools.dvcvacations.com/points-calculator) I saw availability for a studio with a value view at AK (jambo house I assume because of the value view?) for 33 points from 09/28 to 10/01 of this year but this moring that same tool says no more availabiility so I started looking at some of the rental sites and no availabity as I feared. Is there any hope? Couldn't someone who reserved it but changed their mind and can't cancel then rent to me? Sorry, new to this, so don't know how to go about searching out any possible option to find a availibility for AKV and points to rent. Would it be worth to post in the wanted to rent section here? I did that at mouse owners but was dismissed immediately. I have some back up weekends if that helps but they are all this year.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It's important to keep in mind you don't rent points, you rent a reservation, made with points.

Realistically, as a renter, there is not hope. Any units that open up are likely to be snatched up by owners or the waitlist within a short time period. That time period has been booked solid for some time.

If you are flexible, David's DVC Rentals lists confirmed reservations for rent. But the odds on getting AKV, the studio and the exact dates you want are low.

The Rent/Trade Board on DIS does not allow wanted posts.

DVC rental for fall is best engaged at 11 months before your desired check-in. You would do best to book something else at this point.

 

[Matty B13]

Anytime this fall in a AKV value room is already booked, so you really have no chance of any weekend this fall.

You need to line up an owner who has AKV points 11 months before you want to book a "value" room at AKV, and is willing to get up and book that room at 8 am. For the amount of money that the owner would be making on such a small point rental it really isn't worth the time and effort.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Even a "normal" studio at AKV is a pipe dream for this fall, though. Fall requires advance planning of 11 months.

 

[Louie7080]

Ok, thanks all for presenting the reality of it all- guess I'll give up. I like to plan but not that far in advance

 

[Matty B13]

Renting DVC takes a lot of planning 13-11 months in advance, especially during the Fall due to the Food & Wine festival. Anytime between January and August not as much planning ahead is needed, but suggested.

For the fall a cash reservation is probably your best bet.

 

[Louie7080]

Renting DVC takes a lot of planning 13-11 months in advance, especially during the Fall due to the Food & Wine festival. Anytime between January and August not as much planning ahead is needed, but suggested.

For the fall a cash reservation is probably your best bet.

Thanks. I only want to go in the fall for the Halloween stuff, not interested in Food and Wine but I hear you. I have some leads on some Travel Angency exclusives for AKL so maybe they'll pan out.

 

[gharter]

If you are looking for a regular room, you should still be able to get a room. DVC rooms fill up very fast for fall, but regualr rooms are often still available.
Good luck in your search.
As others noted, DVC has a lot of benefits to it, but also some downsides. It usually needs lots of planning as opposed to a spur of the moment trip.

 

[Marionnette]

Last night using this link (https://tools.dvcvacations.com/points-calculator) I saw availability for a studio with a value view at AK (jambo house I assume because of the value view?) for 33 points from 09/28 to 10/01 of this year but this moring that same tool says no more availabiility so I started looking at some of the rental sites and no availabity as I feared. Is there any hope? Couldn't someone who reserved it but changed their mind and can't cancel then rent to me? Sorry, new to this, so don't know how to go about searching out any possible option to find a availibility for AKV and points to rent. Would it be worth to post in the wanted to rent section here? I did that at mouse owners but was dismissed immediately. I have some back up weekends if that helps but they are all this year.

Just an FYI about that link your posted - It's not an official Disney website. It is not a real time look at availability. Only owners who know the super-secret handshake (okay, it's just an account with a password) can view availability in real time. By the time that you saw that studio listed on that website, it was probably snapped up by an owner who has been trolling the members' website or it was culled by member services to fulfill a wait list. For a non-owner, that website is pretty useless. Actually, I see no reason for an owner to use it, either.

The rental websites don't have access to a separate inventory of villas from what DVC members can book. They are middle men who pair owners with renters and then they take a cut for their services. So, if some posters on another website told you that nothing was available, they were not dismissing you. They were just stating a fact. It may not have been done in a pixie dust kind of way, but wouldn't you rather know that you are wasting your time? I own at AKV. I see those AKV Value Studios disappearing within minutes right at the 11-month window opens (if they aren't gone before then). There are only 18 of them and they are extremely hard to book.

Hoping things work out with the TA you are in contact with. There should be something available at AKL. You're just not going to find too much in the way of studios available in the fall across DVC. It's THE high time for DVC demand.

 

[larissawbb]

You could check and see if CRO has any cash rooms. With the pool refurbishment, some guests are moving their reservations.

 

[Louie7080]

Just an FYI about that link your posted - It's not an official Disney website. It is not a real time look at availability. Only owners who know the super-secret handshake (okay, it's just an account with a password) can view availability in real time. By the time that you saw that studio listed on that website, it was probably snapped up by an owner who has been trolling the members' website or it was culled by member services to fulfill a wait list. For a non-owner, that website is pretty useless. Actually, I see no reason for an owner to use it, either.

The rental websites don't have access to a separate inventory of villas from what DVC members can book. They are middle men who pair owners with renters and then they take a cut for their services. So, if some posters on another website told you that nothing was available, they were not dismissing you. They were just stating a fact. It may not have been done in a pixie dust kind of way, but wouldn't you rather know that you are wasting your time? I own at AKV. I see those AKV Value Studios disappearing within minutes right at the 11-month window opens (if they aren't gone before then). There are only 18 of them and they are extremely hard to book.

Hoping things work out with the TA you are in contact with. There should be something available at AKL. You're just not going to find too much in the way of studios available in the fall across DVC. It's THE high time for DVC demand.

I did acknowledge here already the reality of not finding this reservation and that it may be a waste of time to keep searching. I had asked a question on *********** about dedicated reservations in my first post as well but that was not addressed by the first 2 or so replies I got, just curt responses. That's ok, they didn't owe me any kind of reply though I always try to say things nicely and don't consider that pixie dust, just common courtesy. I have since been PMed there with 3 AKV studio reservations but they do not work with my dates.

 

[AnnaKat]

Mistake.

 

[AnnaKat]

I did acknowledge here already the reality of not finding this reservation and that it may be a waste of time to keep searching. I had asked a question on *********** about dedicated reservations in my first post as well but that was not addressed by the first 2 or so replies I got, just curt responses. That's ok, they didn't owe me any kind of reply though I always try to say things nicely and don't consider that pixie dust, just common courtesy. I have since been PMed there with 3 AKV studio reservations but they do not work with my dates.

David's DVC Rentals has dedicated AKV September reservations

 

[CMNJ]

FYI in case you didn’t see yet OP. Jambo house pool is going to be closed when you are looking to go so if you do secure a reservation you will have to travel to Kidani to use the pool.

 

[Cyberc1978]

FYI in case you didn’t see yet OP. Jambo house pool is going to be closed when you are looking to go so if you do secure a reservation you will have to travel to Kidani to use the pool.

True but it’s like 2min in a shuttle but still it’s an inconvenience.

 

[Louie7080]

David's DVC Rentals has dedicated AKV September reservations

Thank you, I did try David's for one weekend in September, I'll try others.

 

[Louie7080]

FYI in case you didn’t see yet OP. Jambo house pool is going to be closed when you are looking to go so if you do secure a reservation you will have to travel to Kidani to use the pool.

Thank you for the info! Unlike most though, we don't swim much so not a concern.

 

[Frederic Civish]

DVC Rentals are at an all-time high, from what I have heard, and literally, there is almost nothing left, anywhere, for the period of October 1st until Jan 1st. It honestly is getting so that, if you want a DVC room in the time of the Food and Wine Festival, you need to plan 7 full months ahead, or more.

 

[Cyberc1978]

DVC Rentals are at an all-time high, from what I have heard, and literally, there is almost nothing left, anywhere, for the period of October 1st until Jan 1st. It honestly is getting so that, if you want a DVC room in the time of the Food and Wine Festival, you need to plan 7 full months ahead, or more.

IMO 7 months is not enough, if you want to secure your dates and room type you need to be closer to 9 maybe even 10months. Some dates and room types disappear 11 months out.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I agree. 7 months is MINIMUM. You won't get many properties at 7 months, but you can probably still get a few decent options. Soon after that, you seriously will be left with NO choices.

If you really want a good option, in a typical 'popular' season (and there are no un-popular seasons at Disney World), then you seriously need to plan 11 months in advance, if possible. There are enough rooms for ALL the DVC members, once per year, but the real use is not spread out evenly, and it makes it difficult to just choose a time and place, unless you book very early and beat everyone else to the punch.