2015 planning - help!!

[akl-fan]

I am planning my 2015 trip and am thinking about the THV or staying in a 2 bed at AKV or BC. I own at AKV. This will be the first year, that we will be tied to the school holidays so our trip will be mid October as opposed to the beginning of September (my favourite wdw time).
There will be 6 of us on the trip 2 couples each with a child. My dd will be 6 and their ds will be 2.
So here are my questions:
1.Will the THV be impossible to book at 7 months, I don't want to suggest it to our friends if it is unlikely to be available.
2.I assume booking BCV or BWV would be a complete no go at 7 months? I am not a big fan of BC but from what I can gather from the boards it is great to stay there for F&W.
3.Does food and wine make all the parks crazy busy or just EPCOT?
4.Is October going to be warm enough to swim?
5.I love AKV does SSR have the same chilled out vibe?
6.Have any of you stayed on the THV's and found them a bit isolated?

Thanks in advance

Katrina

 

[drusba]

1. THV should likely be available at 7 months out. Since they raised the points effective January 1, 2013, THV's have been available at 7 months out most times of year and they were available at 7 months out for any time in Oct 2013 despite that Oct is a high DVC demand time.

2. Probability of getting BCV or BWV is significantly less. Likely will find at 7 nights out that some but not quite all the nights you want are blocked out even for BWV pool/garden view and waitlist may be required if you really want to try for one of them.

3. Middle of Oct is a heavy but not unbearable park crowd time with the weekend and holiday times being heavier than weekday. Epcot does seem to get the larger of the crowds even during the week especially after about 3.

4. Weather is usually ideal that time of year, mid-80s in the day, mid to high 60s at night with less humidity than the summer months.

5. I also like AKV but SSR is a completely different resort, but undoubtedly calm and quiet at the THVs. My personnel preference at SSR is Congress Park area for view.

6. Have not stayed in a THV but they are themed and located to give an isolated feel, i.e., that is the feeling you are supposed to have, although you have fairly easy access to activity areas.

 

[browniemtb]

We were just talking about a 2015 April trip......we were wondering if any of the Polynesian would be done at that point and time. Love to stay in the water bungalows. But we will still book our home resort with hopes of changing at 7 months.

 

[drusba]

I would not plan on Poly being open by April 2015, more likely latter part of 2015, assuming there will be a Poly DVC, which is always subject to question before Disney files official documents allowing it to be sold as a timeshare.

 

[akl-fan]

1. THV should likely be available at 7 months out. Since they raised the points effective January 1, 2013, THV's have been available at 7 months out most times of year and they were available at 7 months out for any time in Oct 2013 despite that Oct is a high DVC demand time.

2. Probability of getting BCV or BWV is significantly less. Likely will find at 7 nights out that some but not quite all the nights you want are blocked out even for BWV pool/garden view and waitlist may be required if you really want to try for one of them.

3. Middle of Oct is a heavy but not unbearable park crowd time with the weekend and holiday times being heavier than weekday. Epcot does seem to get the larger of the crowds even during the week especially after about 3.

4. Weather is usually ideal that time of year, mid-80s in the day, mid to high 60s at night with less humidity than the summer months.

5. I also like AKV but SSR is a completely different resort, but undoubtedly calm and quiet at the THVs. My personnel preference at SSR is Congress Park area for view.

6. Have not stayed in a THV but they are themed and located to give an isolated feel, i.e., that is the feeling you are supposed to have, although you have fairly easy access to activity areas.

Thanks for all that great information - very helpfull.

 

[Dean]

I am planning my 2015 trip and am thinking about the THV or staying in a 2 bed at AKV or BC. I own at AKV. This will be the first year, that we will be tied to the school holidays so our trip will be mid October as opposed to the beginning of September (my favourite wdw time).
There will be 6 of us on the trip 2 couples each with a child. My dd will be 6 and their ds will be 2.
So here are my questions:
1.Will the THV be impossible to book at 7 months, I don't want to suggest it to our friends if it is unlikely to be available.
2.I assume booking BCV or BWV would be a complete no go at 7 months? I am not a big fan of BC but from what I can gather from the boards it is great to stay there for F&W.
3.Does food and wine make all the parks crazy busy or just EPCOT?
4.Is October going to be warm enough to swim?
5.I love AKV does SSR have the same chilled out vibe?
6.Have any of you stayed on the THV's and found them a bit isolated?

Thanks in advance

Katrina

I agree with drusba overall. Obviously your personal preferences come into play. Personally I'd approach this with my guest to find out their preferences since it seems they play into your decision. I'd come up with a priority list starting at AKV 11 months out since you own there. A 2 BR at most resorts that time is likely workable. So you might book AKV at 11 months, then change to THV at 7 months and if not available, wait list BCV or BWV. You'll have a better chance of getting BWV preferred view over other views and BCV. Then if you match BWV, you could wait list BCV and/or a different BWV view. Just as one example of how to approach this. As you've described it, I would likely go with OKW and if you want to treat them, likely get two 1BR units instead so everyone has a King and master bath.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I agree with starting at your home resort and then switching if it's available. I don't recall you saying the makeup of your groups, but I do agree with Dean that two 1 bedroom units at OKW would be a space luxury in this case. You can still request "traveling with" and ask the two units be in the same building. That will allow you to use one kitchen if you want to share meals etc. It's not as big a deal to have living room sleepers in two 1 bedroom units as it would be in one 2 bedroom unit.