kristenrice
NOT just an ambulance driver
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
BFF decided that next year, our annual fall pilgrimage to "The World" will take place in...December! While I have never been in December (and I can't wait to go), I am not willing to use my own allotment of Feb UY points for this trip. I have a fantastic, long-standing transfer arrangement with another DVC member who feeds my addiction (she is my "dealer") and her points are Oct UY which works perfectly.
In the past, when we have travelled in October, we have simply booked at the 11-month window at the BW (usually in 2 parts) and then moved around to a different resort and did a split-stay at 7 months if that's what we wanted to do. For this trip, we have a different line of thinking.
First, we looked at our budget and the cost for "renting"
the points for a 1BR standard at BWV is about $600 more than our quote for a standard room at Grand Destino Tower WITH the military promo. To me, that's a no-brainer! The extra $600 for the week will get us the laundry, kitchen (which we use daily for breakfast) and access to the deluxe extra magic hours, plus the location cannot be beat. So, we've decided to do a transfer of 180 points and we are planning a Tu-Tu trip in December (before Christmas).
Next, we realize that we do not need the 1BR. We would definitely prefer a studio, but I do not want to try to book a studio at the BW during the busiest time for DVC and risk having to waitlist. Trying to move at the 7-month mark is not likely either. The odds of securing a full week at the 7 month mark, in a studio anywhere, are minimal. I would like to break our reservation into two parts, a 3-night and a 4-night stay. That way, we can always do 2 smaller waitlists so that we can move and save some points on the off-chance that a studio becomes available somewhere.
I love the idea of having the "extra" points so that we can waitlist studios. I never have an excess of points and this would give us points to burn and it would feel like entering a contest. We could waitlist the Riviera (stayed there....Loved it), BLT TPV, or GFV. Those are all resorts that we would never consider for a normal trip since I only own 100 points.
The issue I am struggling with is that the transfer is a "one and done" deal. By transferring the 180 points, we can ONLY book the standard 1BR at BWV at the 11 month mark, unless a P/G studio happens to be available. I looked at some DVC availability "prediction" charts and most of them show that the standard 1BR does not book up immediately for that week in December. That gives me hope!
What, if any, resorts may have studio availability for 3-4 consecutive nights at the beginning of December? We are doing a Tu-Tu stay so we could do various splits, even just splitting between a studio and 1BR which we've done many times. Do I have a decent chance of getting the standard 1BR at 11 months? I am scheduled to work the morning my booking window opens so I think I am going to take it off...just to make sure I can make that phone call.
In the past, when we have travelled in October, we have simply booked at the 11-month window at the BW (usually in 2 parts) and then moved around to a different resort and did a split-stay at 7 months if that's what we wanted to do. For this trip, we have a different line of thinking.
First, we looked at our budget and the cost for "renting"
the points for a 1BR standard at BWV is about $600 more than our quote for a standard room at Grand Destino Tower WITH the military promo. To me, that's a no-brainer! The extra $600 for the week will get us the laundry, kitchen (which we use daily for breakfast) and access to the deluxe extra magic hours, plus the location cannot be beat. So, we've decided to do a transfer of 180 points and we are planning a Tu-Tu trip in December (before Christmas).Next, we realize that we do not need the 1BR. We would definitely prefer a studio, but I do not want to try to book a studio at the BW during the busiest time for DVC and risk having to waitlist. Trying to move at the 7-month mark is not likely either. The odds of securing a full week at the 7 month mark, in a studio anywhere, are minimal. I would like to break our reservation into two parts, a 3-night and a 4-night stay. That way, we can always do 2 smaller waitlists so that we can move and save some points on the off-chance that a studio becomes available somewhere.
I love the idea of having the "extra" points so that we can waitlist studios. I never have an excess of points and this would give us points to burn and it would feel like entering a contest. We could waitlist the Riviera (stayed there....Loved it), BLT TPV, or GFV. Those are all resorts that we would never consider for a normal trip since I only own 100 points.
The issue I am struggling with is that the transfer is a "one and done" deal. By transferring the 180 points, we can ONLY book the standard 1BR at BWV at the 11 month mark, unless a P/G studio happens to be available. I looked at some DVC availability "prediction" charts and most of them show that the standard 1BR does not book up immediately for that week in December. That gives me hope!
What, if any, resorts may have studio availability for 3-4 consecutive nights at the beginning of December? We are doing a Tu-Tu stay so we could do various splits, even just splitting between a studio and 1BR which we've done many times. Do I have a decent chance of getting the standard 1BR at 11 months? I am scheduled to work the morning my booking window opens so I think I am going to take it off...just to make sure I can make that phone call.
