7 month conundrum...

[Wakey]

Ok! That makes me feel more relaxed. Sometimes I read these boards and think that I bought in for choice and won't get it. We strategically purchased enough points to be able to book 1 week in a 1 bedroom every other year with a few points left over to squeeze a small studio trip (or two) in between... Your post makes me feel like it was still a decent move. Getting an itch to buy direct to get "perks" and discounts and a 7 month window somewhere... but I think I can hold off until after our first official DVC trip this July. Wish me luck for December 8th - when my 7 month window opens.

If you go summer it was a very decent move as in a 1 bed as Drusba says you can stop anywhere. For your room type and travel time there is no reason to pay more.

 

[ClosetDisMom]

I'm the same as you, 1 bed and an SSR owner. You will be able to book any of your choices at 7 months, no problem as long as it's not 4 July weekend. SSR 1 beds will still be open at 3 months in summer. I am staying either BWV or CCV next year and didn't bother booking home resort at 11 months. Would have done if had been going mid Sept to end first week Jan though.
Just cancel your SSR and be ready to book 8am online at 7 months.
Also see attached.

Wakey: The attachment is AMAZING! Thank you!

 

[Wakey]

Wakey: The attachment is AMAZING! Thank you!

It's 2015 data and historical, but I keep a very close eye on 7 month availability for a 1 bed and it's still pretty accurate and also accords broadly with Drusba's observations. I am exactly like you, 1 bed summer every 2 years, you will have no problems.

 

[Spartan86]

It's 2015 data and historical, but I keep a very close eye on 7 month availability for a 1 bed and it's still pretty accurate and also accords broadly with Drusba's observations. I am exactly like you, 1 bed summer every 2 years, you will have no problems.

Thank you for sharing the data! We are empty nest 1BR folks. We do longer more leisurely stays and bought/are buying enough to do 1BR’s.

 

[crisi]

Ok! That makes me feel more relaxed. Sometimes I read these boards and think that I bought in for choice and won't get it. We strategically purchased enough points to be able to book 1 week in a 1 bedroom every other year with a few points left over to squeeze a small studio trip (or two) in between... Your post makes me feel like it was still a decent move. Getting an itch to buy direct to get "perks" and discounts and a 7 month window somewhere... but I think I can hold off until after our first official DVC trip this July. Wish me luck for December 8th - when my 7 month window opens.

Many people buy in to save money - which you don't do by staying in one bedrooms. So we generally assume people are trying to book studios unless they state differently. One bedrooms aren't terribly popular because they are a lot more points for the same number of people as a studio (they are a wonderful value add though). Two bedrooms become popular again for larger groups or people who want to spread out. And Grand Villas are popular for big family trips, and there used to be not many of them, so they'd book fast. We've added a lot of GVs to the system between SSR (plus treehouses) and VAKL - it used to be just OKW and BWV that had them, and BWV only has seven - so availability is less tight on those as well.

People who buy only enough points to book studios, then expect to be able to get into BWV/BCV/VGC/VGF at seven months whenever they want it are probably in for disappointment. All those resorts will be available at seven months for studios sometimes, but none of them will be always available. And you'll have to get lucky to book them if you wait much past seven months year round.

 

[ClosetDisMom]

Many people buy in to save money - which you don't do by staying in one bedrooms. So we generally assume people are trying to book studios unless they state differently. One bedrooms aren't terribly popular because they are a lot more points for the same number of people as a studio (they are a wonderful value add though). Two bedrooms become popular again for larger groups or people who want to spread out. And Grand Villas are popular for big family trips, and there used to be not many of them, so they'd book fast. We've added a lot of GVs to the system between SSR (plus treehouses) and VAKL - it used to be just OKW and BWV that had them, and BWV only has seven - so availability is less tight on those as well.

People who buy only enough points to book studios, then expect to be able to get into BWV/BCV/VGC/VGF at seven months whenever they want it are probably in for disappointment. All those resorts will be available at seven months for studios sometimes, but none of them will be always available. And you'll have to get lucky to book them if you wait much past seven months year round.

Crisi:

That makes a lot of the worried posts make sense. We bought in because my husband declared taht we would be going back to Disney but ONLY if we did not stay in a tiny, one-room hotel room. So, I went on the hunt for the best way to book a "suite" and stumbled onto the DVC resale market, calculated what the amount of points it would take for 1 week every other year, and bought so we'd have a pick across all DVCs. We will be using our points for 1 bedroom primarily, with a 1 or 2 short studio weekend trips. So, it looks like for our large trip that we should be just fine, but that if we want to squeeze in 2 short trips in studios - be open to any place to stay and don't set my heart on one resort. Got it!

Thanks!

 

[Wakey]

Yeah, there is no way my wife would stay in a studio with 4 of us, if we stay Poly we would get 2. No doubt 1 beds are comparatively pricey, CCV for example, 2 studios are cheaper. However, we love the space and it’s why we bought in. I went in also knowing I may as well buy SSR as I certainly don’t mind staying there (and when the kids are grown I can see it being a preferred location), but it’s by far the best value in all of DVC in terms of ownership cost, and when I travel now, that one bed lets me stop anywhere. Resale prices are going up, but when I bought it was at least half price, I’m happy paying the extra dues, so I can stop in a 1 bed at places like VGF for less than half the buy in compared to what it would have cost me there. The 1 bed makes it possible with ease.