How Successful Booking a DVC Resort Other Than Your Home Resort

Only resort I have ever had trouble booking at 7 months is BC. It is the smallest has SAB and we usually go some time in July or mid to late Aug. when it is hot so it is understandable. When BC has failed at 7 months have never had a problem booking Boardwalk which we like for easy access to DHS and Epcot and we like the atmosphere of the boardwalk itself.
 
I book most of my trips now at the 11 month window, but always book my late spring trips at the 7 month window. I own at Bwv, BLT, SSR. I use my SSR points for the 7 month booking. This is my last October trip. It's so hard to book now even at the 11 month window at 8:00am for standard studio, so moving to September for 2018. I've been going in mid to late October for 20 years and it's just getting too crazy busy for us now. Because we booked a November 2018 cruise, I get that painful task of booking rooms before and after the cruise, which happens to be marathon weekend and veterans/jersey week. Even at the 11 month window I'm scared!
 
My original plan was to book standard studio Jambo at 7 month window for any time first half of May, but was surprised when there wasn't any availability 8 months out for my full stay. I booked value studio Jambo in April instead and I'm thankful that I did that because I would not have gotten a room in May had I waited. Maybe I would have been successful through waitlisting and stalking. Never know what to expect with DVC reservations! ha. It stresses me a little, but I'm very excited for my stay at a value room. If I ever got a standard room at BCV, BLT, or Boardwalk at 7 months I would be over the moon.
 
For Aug 2017 we were able to get two weeks at the BCV in a studio at the 7 month mark. Also managed to get 6 nights at the VGF. But it is pretty hit and miss and I would never count on getting a particular resort.
 


We always travel mid to late August and have never had an issue booking anywhere (that showed availability in the Resort Availability Tool) with one exception. That was the Grand Californian. Although availability was usually open the morning we would try to book 7 months out, it was picked up too quickly for us to grab it. We finally did get a reservation there after 4 mornings of trying at exactly 8am.
 
We swapped out a BLT LV studio booked at 9 mo for a BWV 1br P/G at 7 months. Now waitlisting and stalking either BLT std 1-br (same points, more bathrooms) or BWV 1br std (ha). Will be happy with any of these. I had to waitlist the BLT LV studio, even at 9 mo.
 
We booked a 2 bedroom at BCV in April right at the 7 month mark, it was gone 2 days later. Luckily we were going before the marathon in April. However, we had to book my sister in a 1 bedroom at BWV because we couldn't get here a 1 bedroom at BCV at the same time.
 


I own at BWV and BC, and I've stayed at Jambo, Kidani, OKW, Polynesian, and I've been able to book family members at BLT and Vero. So 7 months out depends on a number of factors, time of year, special events etc. I've travelled in January, May, August and October. The Oct reservations were booked at home resort 11 months out, BWV and BC would be hard to get for Food and Wine Festival at 7 months.
 
I own at Poly but want to book for Christmas week next year for my daughters 16th birthday which is the day after Christmas. She really wants Grand Floridian (standard view studio), do you think there is any chance of getting it? I think Boardwalk would be her second choice.
 
I own at Poly but want to book for Christmas week next year for my daughters 16th birthday which is the day after Christmas. She really wants Grand Floridian (standard view studio), do you think there is any chance of getting it? I think Boardwalk would be her second choice.

IMO it would take a great deal of luck to get a VGF studio for that time. BWV also won't be a slam dunk but it's a larger resort. I'd book PVB to have a room there and then try and switch at 7 months. If neither VGF or BWV is available (and likely won't be) then set up waitlists.
 
Hello Everyone

We are planning our next trip for July 2018.
Our Home resort is the Wilderness Lodge but we would like to switch things up and stay at the Beach & Yacht Club DVC Villas

I know you can only book 7 months out opposed to the 11 month mark as your Home resort

Has anyone had experiences where they ended up being locked out of getting a reservation other than their home resort at the 7 month booking window or have you had success

Thank you
We had success in booking the Grand Floridian for mid-December at the 7 months booking window.
 
We own at AKL and have not had any trouble booking at the 7 month window. We just returned last Sunday and spent the week at the Polynesian resort. I did have to wait list the last 2 nights but they both came through. Last year we went in March and split our stay between the Beach club and the Polynesian.
 
I own at Poly but want to book for Christmas week next year for my daughters 16th birthday which is the day after Christmas. She really wants Grand Floridian (standard view studio), do you think there is any chance of getting it? I think Boardwalk would be her second choice.
I bought VGF points this year and was compulsively checking VGF Dec. availability as I waited to close and your chances are very slim, IMO. Standard view studios at VGF go very fast in Dec.. You might be able to piece together a few nights by waitlisting and stalking the RAT if a split stay would be ok. Have you thought about renting some VGF points before 11 months from a VGF owner? Even so I'd budget for a lake view studio just in case to increase your chances. You could rent out your own Poly points to cover the cost
 
We have never had our home as the ONLY option at WDW. At 7 months there is usually something else in the size we want available somewhere. It might not be where we want to be though.

Not WDW, but the Grand Californian can be a really tough get. Took waitlisting, flexible dates and continuous checking both times that we’ve gone with DVC. I so wish there were more villas there! We love DL and would go even more if it wasn’t so stressful to get a villa. It’s so fun being able to walk right into the park from the inside the hotel.
 
We have had decent luck booking at 7 months over the years. But we always have a backup plan. BCV is fairly small in comparison to most other WDW DVC resorts, so chances become slimmer. Not saying give up on that idea, but have a backup plan. If you can manage your points right, maybe consider booking your home resort soon, then be ready to book BCV at 7 months, but have another resort or 2 in mind that will still get you your reservations. OKW, SSR, AKL Kidani and Jambo all are big enough to probably be available.
 
Our home resort is SSR and of all the times I’ve gone to WDW, I’ve only stayed there once. Just booked 4 nights in a studio at the Poly for May 2018 - so excited :flower:
 
I am under the impression that if you can be online at 8 a.m. at 7 months, you might have a decent chance of having a choice of a few resorts other than your home resort. With the exception being from October to the end of the year.
 
I am under the impression that if you can be online at 8 a.m. at 7 months, you might have a decent chance of having a choice of a few resorts other than your home resort. With the exception being from October to the end of the year.
But if you have to cancel one to use the points to make the other, you might lose both. And DVC is busiest from Sept through the Marathon.
 
But if you have to cancel one to use the points to make the other, you might lose both. And DVC is busiest from Sept through the Marathon.
I guess I would just use the two browser method? It seems as if a lot of people use this and are successful.
 
I guess I would just use the two browser method? It seems as if a lot of people use this and are successful.
Yes, the two-browser method is a pretty reliable method but anything can happen while you are dealing with Disney IT. Every time that I've done it, I hold my breath until I reach the confirmation page.
 

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