11 month stress.... mini rant

[Jelly563]

In researching resale, the most often term used was "Buy where u want to stay". Ok, I did (BWV). Now with an 11 month advantage, it feels like I am a longshot to secure reservations. Granted, I am interested in one of the busiest times of the year (Nov), So I have been practicing "walking" Oct of '18 and I am either still too green to work the website or my computer is significantly slower than the rest of the general population. Is there something I am missing ?? I am constantly hitting refresh from 07:58. All that seems to surface is spotty days and no full weeks. Can I get some tough love advice ? I have thick skin... Thanks Disboard

 

[BillPA]

You can't log in early, it's been reported that you will get blocked by the system, wait until 8:00AM.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I've never tried refresh. Just had everything set up to search for the room and then hit enter at 8 am. If I happened to be slow I'll keep trying for a little bit but always by backing out to search again. And check back in a few days in case people are walking and cancelling although if you're looking to set up for walking that won't help you - it only helps to book the actual room.

And yes, you can log in a bit before 8 am. I've never done anything more than 5-10 minutes just because I'm west coast and it's way to early to be getting up as it is.

 

[todd sawicki]

Here's a thread with some great advice over on ***********.com with some tips on sniping an 8am 11-mo BVW - I spent a week trying then tried the suggested technique and *bam*

 

[CarolMN]

Getting a standard view studio at BWV in the fall is always going to be a challenge. You won't always be successful. Too many others want the same thing. Best to plan on a Pool/Garden view if that time is a must for you.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

P/G at 11 months between 8-9am is not a long shot.

 

[mustinjourney]

I just successfully got a week standard view at BWV for Oct 2018 and I had to call in everyday since my points were transfers.

 

[crisi]

P/G at 11 months between 8-9am is not a long shot.

When we book F&W (which we haven't for years) we always PLAN for BW Preferred (which as you said isn't a problem if you are a member booking at eleven months), and HOPE for standard or BW View. We've always looked at Standard View as a nice way to stretch our points when available instead of something we counted on being available every trip. And BW View is a nice view when its available, but not having it won't ruin a trip. As I said, we haven't booked F&W for years - last time was when my kids were still in elementary school and my son is 19 - so nearly ten years ago. And more people have bought BWV specifically for F&W in those years, so its gotten even tighter, but even back then we never counted on it.

None of the real DVC bargains (BWV Standard, BLT Standard, and VAKL Value) are guarantees even for owners booking right at eleven months.

We bought for October, because that was when our kids had a break, not because of F&W - and F&W moved back to our week. When we bought, that third quarter rush didn't really start until mid October, by which time we were gone. Almost immediately F&W moved back and we dealt with that rush until we couldn't pull them from school for three days to get eight of vacation.

 

[gatordoc]

I guess we're fortunate in that we're so spoiled by 1BRs that that's what we always book. We did a small add-on to our original BWV contract a few years back to have enough points to book each year, and we've never had problems getting either standard or boardwalk view in October at 11 months.

 

[AdamsMum]

I've booked 2 food and wine trips at boardwalk, one standard view studio 2012 and one standard 1 bedroom 2017. Booked both at 11 months out, no walking necessary. Was I just lucky? I sometimes think all this talk of walking just increases stress in planning a disney vacation, which is already an intense experience.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I've booked 2 food and wine trips at boardwalk, one standard view studio 2012 and one standard 1 bedroom 2017. Booked both at 11 months out, no walking necessary. Was I just lucky? I sometimes think all this talk of walking just increases stress in planning a disney vacation, which is already an intense experience.

It's gotten harder on studios since 2012. The 1BR will be markedly easier than a studio, for last year. 1BR is always easier, as a universal rule, even for such unicorns as the AKV CL.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I've booked 2 food and wine trips at boardwalk, one standard view studio 2012 and one standard 1 bedroom 2017. Booked both at 11 months out, no walking necessary. Was I just lucky? I sometimes think all this talk of walking just increases stress in planning a disney vacation, which is already an intense experience.

1BR's have always been easier and that hasn't changed. Booking studios, especially the ones that require lower points at BWV has become more difficult in the most recent years.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I've booked 2 food and wine trips at boardwalk, one standard view studio 2012 and one standard 1 bedroom 2017. Booked both at 11 months out, no walking necessary. Was I just lucky? I sometimes think all this talk of walking just increases stress in planning a disney vacation, which is already an intense experience.

For most of October 2018, all standard studios at BWV have been gone within 1 minute. Many days in less than 30 seconds. Boardwalk views have been sticking around for 20-30 minutes. Do some days reappear in a few days? Yep. But usually not for long and usually not more than 2-3 days in a row.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

For most of October 2018, all standard studios at BWV have been gone within 1 minute. Many days in less than 30 seconds. Boardwalk views have been sticking around for 20-30 minutes. Do some days reappear in a few days? Yep. But usually not for long and usually not more than 2-3 days in a row.

I am curious as to how much of that is driven by rental demand? My first rental experience was F & W at VGF. Sold us completely! Now the word is def out!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I am curious as to how much of that is driven by rental demand? My first rental experience was F & W at VGF. Sold us completely! Now the word is def out!

Probably very little, on the Standard View side. The agencies aren't lining people up to pull triggers at 7:59AM, and those owners working via agencies aren't walking reservations. I think the percentage of owners who are doing spec bookings (and renting confirmed reservations) or who are making private deals that include walking or playing connection speed games at 7:59 is very low.

 

[Jelly563]

Tried again this morning, as soon as the 29th lit up on the calendar, I clicked over for a 1 week stay. Got to the next screen & the 29th (1st day) was x'd out. It didn't even take 5 seconds to sell out. SMH

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Tried again this morning, as soon as the 29th lit up on the calendar, I clicked over for a 1 week stay. Got to the next screen & the 29th (1st day) was x'd out. It didn't even take 5 seconds to sell out. SMH

It's like calling in - whomever got in the queue first and had a quick typing CM got the hard to book rooms first. I had that happen more than once back before online booking. Now with online it just happens faster because no phone call and prompts etc. Whomever gets thru online first holds the rooms(s). And with booking check in plus 7 days not all the rooms are even available. Walkers will factor in but also legitimate stays that start before yours.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

Probably very little, on the Standard View side. The agencies aren't lining people up to pull triggers at 7:59AM, and those owners working via agencies aren't walking reservations. I think the percentage of owners who are doing spec bookings (and renting confirmed reservations) or who are making private deals that include walking or playing connection speed games at 7:59 is very low.

Good point!

Probably very little, on the Standard View side. The agencies aren't lining people up to pull triggers at 7:59AM, and those owners working via agencies aren't walking reservations. I think the percentage of owners who are doing spec bookings (and renting confirmed reservations) or who are making private deals that include walking or playing connection speed games at 7:59 is very low.

Good point. You couldn’t pay me enough per point to do that for a stranger- ok, well you’d have to pay me A LOT lol.

I also wonder though, as prices go up if people buy fewer and fewer points per family which will add stress to the 11 mo window for them. Especially as the new props are requiring more points per night. Seems like BCV, BWV, BLT would be the hardest hit?? Which means what, no 7 mo window for studios at non home in the future?

 

[DisBuckMan]

In researching resale, the most often term used was "Buy where u want to stay". Ok, I did (BWV). Now with an 11 month advantage, it feels like I am a longshot to secure reservations. Granted, I am interested in one of the busiest times of the year (Nov), So I have been practicing "walking" Oct of '18 and I am either still too green to work the website or my computer is significantly slower than the rest of the general population. Is there something I am missing ?? I am constantly hitting refresh from 07:58. All that seems to surface is spotty days and no full weeks. Can I get some tough love advice ? I have thick skin... Thanks Disboard

"Buy where you want to stay" is rule #1.
"Buy enough points so that when standard view at BWV or BLT or value at AKL aren't available, you can still book a stay" is rule #2.

Rule #2 is just as important as rule #1.

Looking at the RAT, Garden/Pool view is absolutely WIDE OPEN for the entire fall, except for the 18th and 19th of October. If you bought just enough points to book standard view at BWV for a week, then that was a mistake. Those rooms are very hard to book any time of the year, much less during F&W.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

"Buy where you want to stay" is rule #1.
"Buy enough points so that when standard view at BWV or BLT or value at AKL aren't available, you can still book a stay" is rule #2.

Rule #2 is just as important as rule #1.

Looking at the RAT, Garden/Pool view is absolutely WIDE OPEN for the entire fall, except for the 18th and 19th of October. If you bought just enough points to book standard view at BWV for a week, then that was a mistake. Those rooms are very hard to book any time of the year, much less during F&W.

It's like those back in the day who bought just enough points for the low point weekday rooms - usually standard view. Then DVC reallocated and left a lot of people without enough points for the stays they had bought for. It's always good to have some cushion since no particular rooms are guaranteed.