Not Happy with Availability

[toad611]

We have been DVC members for about 15 years and have done a one to two week stay annually. This past year we retired and moved closer to Florida and hoped that we would be able to make shorter visits a few times a year as we are now in practical driving distance. We were just looking for availability for a 4 or 5 night stay in either a studio or one bedroom at any resort for dates in January or February, there is no availability. These months are some of the slower in the year? Looks like we still need to plan 7 to eleven months ahead and stay for longer, visiting only once a year as in the past.

 

[Micca]

Congrats on retiring and getting closer to WDW! Is there a problem planning several 4/5 night trips 7-11 months ahead? Of course wait-listing is always a possibility.

 

[tjkraz]

Nightly point costs are lower during "slower" times to boost traffic and costs higher during peak periods to reduce demand. Timeshares are based on the concept of 100% occupancy year-round. It's always first-come, first-served. Short notice stays have definitely become more difficult as members have gotten more aggressive about booking.

 

[toad611]

Congrats on retiring and getting closer to WDW! Is there a problem planning several 4/5 night trips 7-11 months ahead? Of course wait-listing is always a possibility.

Thats possible but was hoping we could do some spur of the moment trips.

 

[ptlohmysoul]

There are sometimes last minute cancellations about 30 days in advance. Have you looked at SSR? They seem to have some availability.

 

[tjkraz]

Saratoga Springs has plenty of nights available in a One Bedroom in February.

 

[toad611]

Saratoga Springs has plenty of nights available in a One Bedroom in February.

I will check again but I could not find 4 or 5 consecutive nights.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

In mid-November, I was able to book a 7 day/6 night continuous stay, in a 1-bedroom villa, at BLT in January. Before that, I had been piecing together a week at BRV, in a 1-bedroom villa, and was missing one night.

A last minute reservation ( < 2 months) can be done, you just need to continuously check the website over the course of several days.

 

[GAN]

From what I’ve been seeing over the last couple years is you really need 2-3 months for there to be anything available. At 7-months you can get just about anything, and it goes downhill from there. But I agree ..sure seems more difficult.

 

[bobbiwoz]

It was not easy, but I did get a 3 night stay in a 1 bedroom SSR for Moonlight Magic at the end of January about 3 weeks ago. If you are just looking now, I am not surprised that you are seeing so few available Villas.

 

[AnnaS]

A couple of weeks ago, Disney announced a Wedding Expo being held in Feb. I looked for a DVC studio (even a regular hotel room) and could not get 4 consecutive nights anywhere. Does not seem there are any slow times of the year anymore in Disney. Not surprised you can't find anything.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Then you have the Princess races, Marathon weekend, MLK holiday, Presidents' Day holiday, Mardi Gras, etc that take up weekends.

 

[jlwhitney]

DVC is really not set up for last minute trips, but that is the nature of timeshares in general.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

It looks to me like SSR has a lot of availability in Feb for a 1br and you could possibly piece together a split stay with a couple of nights AKV or BRV if you don't want all nights at SSR.

If you are really that flexible with dates, I would call MS and see what they can help you pull together.

But, I do think that the 60 day rule for points in holding is a joke for this very reason. It's basically a "you don't lose your points but you really can't use them" for some people. Especially if you are a low points owner.

 

[CarolMN]

We have been DVC members for about 15 years and have done a one to two week stay annually. This past year we retired and moved closer to Florida and hoped that we would be able to make shorter visits a few times a year as we are now in practical driving distance. We were just looking for availability for a 4 or 5 night stay in either a studio or one bedroom at any resort for dates in January or February, there is no availability. These months are some of the slower in the year? Looks like we still need to plan 7 to eleven months ahead and stay for longer, visiting only once a year as in the past.

Yes, things have changed over the past few years - it's absolutely disappointing to find that the "old" patterns have disappeared & that you will have to work harder to get what you want when you want it. I feel for you. But unless the economy takes a significant dip, I don't see anything changing back regarding availability.

Hope you can find a way to make DVC work for those shorter trips. Congrats on the move!

 

[tjkraz]

But, I do think that the 60 day rule for points in holding is a joke for this very reason. It's basically a "you don't lose your points but you really can't use them" for some people. Especially if you are a low points owner.

That's a 2-way street, though. Points only go into holding when a reservation is cancelled on less than 30 days notice. It's not really fair to allow owners to tie-up rooms until just 3-4 weeks before arrival, and still give them unfettered access to re-book with those points. The holding rule is as much a deterrent as anything.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you're looking for studios, they've been full 1 to 2 months out for most of the year. That's how it is now. Things are not the same as they were when I bought DVC. Can still do short trips but I can't book them one to two months ahead anymore.

I did just get a BLT studio for Easter weekend, that was probably lucky (and it was still 4 months out). A friend wanted to join in and he could only get SSR for a studio. At least SSR was still available.

 

[William Ades]

Been trying to book a studio for just about anytime in Jan/Feb for months now. Marathon Week/Weekend I get why it's booked, but I had no idea the Art Festival was as big a deal as it is. I've had 2 Wait List requests in since Sept 18, 2017 and I'm still waiting...
It's very frustrating, especially since they keep offering me a cash room every time I call. Just give me one of those, I have no problem staying in a non-DVC designated room...

 

[jlwhitney]

Yes, things have changed over the past few years - it's absolutely disappointing to find that the "old" patterns have disappeared & that you will have to work harder to get what you want when you want it. I feel for you. But unless the economy takes a significant dip, I don't see anything changing back regarding availability.

Hope you can find a way to make DVC work for those shorter trips. Congrats on the move!

It is also true for regular hotel rooms, it is so hard to book last min for disney in general any more.

 

[jodifla]

I remember 15 years ago not being able to get last-minute studios. I'm sure it's worse now, but it's not new. We did end up with something for 2 nights.