Value 2 bdrm @ Animal Kingdom

[crvetter]

That is really the issue. You need an owner to probably walk to get the first day, too. Most renters who want a Value are trying to save money, and the amount of fussing to get a Value for two weeks is not something most AKV owners want to do at $14pp.

So the issue is getting a renter willing to rent a value, which I do agree and pointed out this exact issue earlier, but not much to do with the two weeks... I only bring it up because the qualifier on the two weeks would make renters think longer stays mean harder to get reservations, which likely isn't the case as once you have the room blocked as an owner it is easy to extend the days, the work is getting the room on the check-in day. Though I will say with rental agencies longer reservations are harder to get because they don't put out the request until an owner can reserve all the days.

 

[Marionnette]

So the issue is getting a renter willing to rent a value, which I do agree and pointed out this exact issue earlier, but not much to do with the two weeks... I only bring it up because the qualifier on the two weeks would make renters think longer stays mean harder to get reservations, which likely isn't the case as once you have the room blocked as an owner it is easy to extend the days, the work is getting the room on the check-in day. Though I will say with rental agencies longer reservations are harder to get because they don't put out the request until an owner can reserve all the days.

Therein lies the OP’s problem.

• They won’t get what they want by going thru a broker because brokers don’t walk reservations or engage owners to add on additional days beyond the maximum of 7 nights when the 11-month booking window opens.
• They may not find an owner who is willing to walk their reservation, if they can procure it at all. The walk could go across seasons (OP wants November but a walk would start in a higher season - October at the very latest) and that would require tying up points that the owner could use for another reservation.
• In addition to walking, the owner would need to continue logging in regularly in order to add the addition nights the OP needs.
• An owner who does agree to do all of this for a renter is probably not going to settle for “the going rate”. In fact, the owner would likely, if they’re smart, require a non refundable deposit just to ensure that they get compensated for their time in the event the renter flakes out on them in the end.

 

[crvetter]

Therein lies the OP’s problem.

• They won’t get what they want by going thru a broker because brokers don’t walk reservations or engage owners to add on additional days beyond the maximum of 7 nights when the 11-month booking window opens.
• They may not find an owner who is willing to walk their reservation, if they can procure it at all. The walk could go across seasons (OP wants November but a walk would start in a higher season - October at the very latest) and that would require tying up points that the owner could use for another reservation.
• In addition to walking, the owner would need to continue logging in regularly in order to add the addition nights the OP needs.
• An owner who does agree to do all of this for a renter is probably not going to settle for “the going rate”. In fact, the owner would likely, if they’re smart, require a non refundable deposit just to ensure that they get compensated for their time in the event the renter flakes out on them in the end.

I fully understand the problem and acknowledged it many posts ago, and even was the first to lay out the difficulty of grabbing a value reservation (highlighting a few of your bullet points already). Though my concern which I was replying to was making the statement it would be somehow extraordinarily more difficult when asking for 2 weeks, which I don't think is the case at all, if renting directly through an owner (already highlighted the issue with a broker); unless you view difficulty/out of the norm for an owner to even make a two week reservation for an easier to get room during a busier season.

 

[Marionnette]

I fully understand the problem and acknowledged it many posts ago, and even was the first to lay out the difficulty of grabbing a value reservation (highlighting a few of your bullet points already). Though my concern which I was replying to was making the statement it would be somehow extraordinarily more difficult when asking for 2 weeks, which I don't think is the case at all, if renting directly through an owner (already highlighted the issue with a broker); unless you view difficulty/out of the norm for an owner to even make a two week reservation for an easier to get room during a busier season.

Only more difficult in that it requires the owner to take another week (in addition to those already spent walking) in order to add those 6-7 nights following the first 7 booked.

True, if the owner were booking a less-desireable villa for a two-week rental, they would be adding on nights after booking the first seven. Or, given that there is less demand for said villa, they could just wait until they are 2 weeks inside of the 11-month window and be done with it in one visit to the members' website.

 

[crvetter]

True, if the owner were booking a less-desireable villa for a two-week rental, they would be adding on nights after booking the first seven. Or, given that there is less demand for said villa, they could just wait until they are 2 weeks inside of the 11-month window and be done with it in one visit to the members' website.

Agreed though in November some resorts could have holes pretty quickly at the 11 month window even for more plentiful units, for 2 bedrooms and studios (less so for 1 bedrooms). Depending on the resort during busy times (BWV for instance or a number of other resorts over Thanksgiving) a renter might want to split the reservation or look for an owner willing to book at 11 months from check-in and add days every so often.

 

[Cdn Jeff]

Thanks to everybody for all of the input. It’s very informative.
So I think that I’ll abandon the value and move to a standard 2 bdrm. So the next question is “how fast do the standard 2 bdrm villas sell out at AK? Is it reasonable to wait until an owner can book all 13 nights? Or are they likely to be all gone by then?

 

[crvetter]

Thanks to everybody for all of the input. It’s very informative.
So I think that I’ll abandon the value and move to a standard 2 bdrm. So the next question is “how fast do the standard 2 bdrm villas sell out at AK? Is it reasonable to wait until an owner can book all 13 nights? Or are they likely to be all gone by then?

Depends on your checkin date in November. If the first 7 days of your trip cover Thanksgiving for example there is a possibility that if you wait for the entire window Jambo will not be in the picture because it is all lockoffs, thus subject to availability of studios. If you are open to Kidani (which does have benefits of the 3rd bathroom) the availability will be more plentiful. Also if you work with an owner, as other suggested, they might be more willing to book right at 11 months and add days every couple days simply because it is a much easier reservation to get if you want standard at Kidani.

 

[Cdn Jeff]

Depends on your checkin date in November. If the first 7 days of your trip cover Thanksgiving for example there is a possibility that if you wait for the entire window Jambo will not be in the picture because it is all lockoffs, thus subject to availability of studios. If you are open to Kidani (which does have benefits of the 3rd bathroom) the availability will be more plentiful. Also if you work with an owner, as other suggested, they might be more willing to book right at 11 months and add days every couple days simply because it is a much easier reservation to get if you want standard at Kidani.

Thanks. Ya, we’re well ahead of Thanksgiving. We’re looking to check in on the 6th and out on the 19th.

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks. Ya, we’re well ahead of Thanksgiving. We’re looking to check in on the 6th and out on the 19th.

The first nights will probably coincide with the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. Studios will be in high demand everywhere across DVC. As long as you stick to dedicated 2BRs in Kidani, you should be fine. A 2BR lockoff in Jambo may be a stretch but not impossible.

 

[Cdn Jeff]

Thanks. Kidani would be just fine.