Yikes I'm Stressed - 11 Months Out/Thanksgiving at the Poly

[Newsies]

Hi all. I'm new to the DVC boards, so I'm not sure if this is covered in a board other than Mousecellaneous but Mousecellaneous seems all-encompassing so I went here first!

My (extremely excited) family recently jumped on the DVC bandwagon. Bought when we went on vacation in August, closed in September, can't wait to start booking! Being so new to DVC, we haven't booked a vacation yet but we're looking to book our first trip at our home resort, the Poly, for Nov 18-24. Thanksgiving week 2018.

I decided to check out these boards because I was stressed about booking a DVC trip during such a high volume time of year. Big mistake. Just found out about walking, don't know how to do that, not quite interested in learning how. Now I'm even more stressed about booking this trip because if we can't go Thanksgiving week next year, we most likely will not be able to go at all.

Does anybody have any advice/words of comfort for a first time DVC planner scared out of her mind?

 

[crazywig]

I would not stress. I've booked Thanksgiving week for the past few years and have never had to walk it (and I book BWV 2br boardwalk view). I do book right at 8am at my 11m. Poly at 11m should not be an issue.

 

[Newsies]

I would not stress. I've booked Thanksgiving week for the past few years and have never had to walk it (and I book BWV 2br boardwalk view). I do book right at 8am at my 11m. Poly at 11m should not be an issue.

You rock for this. Thank you for this response, makes me feel MUCH better! Congrats on your success with BWV!

 

[kboo]

I am a newbie as well, and will be booking our 2nd trip for Thanksgiving 2018. Since we aren't planning to stay the whole week, we will likely be walking. I learned a bit from booking our 1st trip, over President's week. Another high volume time though not as high as the winter holidays, it seems. I will say that we considered moving to Poly at 7 months, and there was full availability in everything until the 7mo window opened, so I am guessing that at 11 mo, you *should* be ok.

On the crazy off chance that you can't get it right at 11 months, waitlisting and adding the missing days one by one is another option if you do don't want to walk. If people are walking, the days will open up pretty quickly and you can add them in later. We closed on our BLT contract 9mo before our trip and all the standard rooms were gone. I booked 4 out of 5 desired nights in a LV studio and then got the last night off the waitlist. Then switched to a BWV 1br pool/garden at 7 months, and then pieced together a 5 night stay, one night at a time, in a 1br std at BLT in the 5-7 mo window.

 

[crazywig]

I should note my Thanksgiving dates start the Friday before so that helps. I would probably not get it if I was looking to book starting the Wednesday before BUT there just isn't the competition at Poly like there is at BWV or the standard rooms at AKV and BLT. I still think you'll be fine.

 

[Newsies]

I am a newbie as well, and will be booking our 2nd trip for Thanksgiving 2018. Since we aren't planning to stay the whole week, we will likely be walking. I learned a bit from booking our 1st trip, over President's week. Another high volume time though not as high as the winter holidays, it seems. I will say that we considered moving to Poly at 7 months, and there was full availability in everything until the 7mo window opened, so I am guessing that at 11 mo, you *should* be ok.

On the crazy off chance that you can't get it right at 11 months, waitlisting and adding the missing days one by one is another option if you do don't want to walk. If people are walking, the days will open up pretty quickly and you can add them in later. We closed on our BLT contract 9mo before our trip and all the standard rooms were gone. I booked 4 out of 5 desired nights in a LV studio and then got the last night off the waitlist. Then switched to a BWV 1br pool/garden at 7 months, and then pieced together a 5 night stay, one night at a time, in a 1br std at BLT in the 5-7 mo window.

Thank you so much for this! President's week is pretty bad, when I was working at MK during the Fall 2016 season the crowds were ridiculous. I also feel SO much better knowing that Poly had full availability until the 7 mo window last year! We're definitely going to wait list if we can't get the week.

I should note my Thanksgiving dates start the Friday before so that helps. I would probably not get it if I was looking to book starting the Wednesday before BUT there just isn't the competition at Poly like there is at BWV or the standard rooms at AKV and BLT. I still think you'll be fine.

Again, thank you again for your responses. I'm so glad to hear that Poly isn't as competitive as BWV/AKV/BLT, especially BLT because I know BLT can get pretty crazy! I still have a lot to learn about DVC, but hearing all of this now takes a lot of stress off my back!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Poly has several hundred studios. They don't dry up at 11 months exactly. Inhale.

Walking tends to be a factor for units with less inventory.

 

[kboo]

I should note my Thanksgiving dates start the Friday before so that helps. I would probably not get it if I was looking to book starting the Wednesday before BUT there just isn't the competition at Poly like there is at BWV or the standard rooms at AKV and BLT. I still think you'll be fine.

And I am planning to do BLT std Wed-Sunday over Thanksgiving, so I'm pretty much resigned to walking. sigh.

 

[Newsies]

Poly has several hundred studios. They don't dry up at 11 months exactly. Inhale.

Walking tends to be a factor for units with less inventory.

Thank you SO much for this explanation! Really sorry for an unnecessarily panic-y thread. I still have a LOT to learn and these boards are... ~overwhelming~ for a DVC newbie

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would even daresay you needn't be finger on the trigger at 7:59 for a Poly studio at 11 months for that week.

If your dates are firm, I wouldn't dilly dally, sure, but I wouldn't freak out, and if you need coffee to function, it'd be okay to make a cup before booking.

 

[Crystal824]

We did Thanksgiving at the Poly last year. We didn't have a problem booking. I think we actually booked 6 months out. You should be fine.

 

[lisaviolet]

Hundreds of studios. No issue.

Have fun! Gorgeous resort.

___________________________________________

I booked two weeks over Christmas and NYE, after the seventh month window, last year. I stalked like crazy and booked in chunks but there is way more movement in Polynesian inventory than people realize.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I personally would have zero concerns about booking PVB at 11 months. LOTS of studios.

 

[Newsies]

We did Thanksgiving at the Poly last year. We didn't have a problem booking. I think we actually booked 6 months out. You should be fine.

Hundreds of studios. No issue.

Have fun! Gorgeous resort.

___________________________________________

I booked two weeks over Christmas and NYE, after the seventh month window, last year. I stalked like crazy and booked in chunks but there is way more movement in Polynesian inventory than people realize.

I personally would have zero concerns about booking PVB at 11 months. LOTS of studios.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all! I really appreciate it!

 

[MinnieGi]

We are THanksgiving DVC veterans for years now - have NEVER had an issue booking our home resort at 11 months out!! Have even booked 7 months out for switch of resort and again have been able to do, now sometimes I have to piece the trip together by stalking the reservation dates online but have always gotten what I wanted. Do not stress if you are booking 11 months!!!!

 

[DebbieB]

I just booked June 29 to July 4 at the Poly this morning at 7 months. No problem.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

There is a lot of high demand in November and December due to the low point cost of rooms during this period. However, Thanksgiving Week is a high point cost week, so it tends to be more available.

 

[drusba]

Poly is not a resort that has had any issues at 11 months out for any time of year. For Thanksgiving time in 2015, 2016, and 2017, Poly studios were still available for all applicable dates at 9 months out.

 

[Jelly563]

Poly has always been able to handle my waitlist request (at least 5x). One time it was the same week as we were leaving, but they still pulled thru.

 

[JFox]

Add me to the Poly November 2018 anxious list. We are going the same dates and need to book 2 studios and borrow points. Hoping for a smooth transaction.

What is "walking"?