7 month availability getting more difficult

[bobbiwoz]

Not that there’s any incentive for them to do it, but if they slightly reduced the amount of points needed for a one-bedroom while giving the studios a corresponding increase it would probably level-off demand for both. For the most part they both sleep the same number of people so it really just comes down to price-point for most people.

Interesting! Would help me, since I really like 1 bedrooms.

 

[jimim]

Renting of DVC has done a number on DVC availability. There are at least 3 main rental sites that are continually looking for member points as the secret of renting DVC is no more. This is a main leading reason that DVC availability is gone, even at 7 months.

I totally agree

 

[SL6827]

I wonder if Disney will ever put an end to the rental market? Or could they even do that?

 

[Dean]

Not that there’s any incentive for them to do it, but if they slightly reduced the amount of points needed for a one-bedroom while giving the studios a corresponding increase it would probably level-off demand for both. For the most part they both sleep the same number of people so it really just comes down to price-point for most people.

As I've said many times, the study being half the 1BR is not c/w the timeshare world and likely not ideal but it is the current lay of the land and changing things midstream always causes consternation. In reality they would be required to adjust if the demand were too far off.

I wonder if Disney will ever put an end to the rental market? Or could they even do that?

It's a legal and contractual right so I don't think they could stop it. Could they affect it in some ways, likely so.

 

[Chuck S]

Renting of DVC has done a number on DVC availability. There are at least 3 main rental sites that are continually looking for member points as the secret of renting DVC is no more. This is a main leading reason that DVC availability is gone, even at 7 months.

I disagree, renting may increase seasonal demand, but I doubt it makes for lower availability year 'round. If they weren't being rented, those points would need to be used by someone, or lost. And most people aren't going to lose a lot of point year after year.

 

[Eastcoast02]

When we became members last year and our points were loaded we were about 5.5 months out from our anticipated vacation dates. We were able to book a split stay with some luck and RAT stalking. There seemed to be a lot of frequent changes to availability. So far 7 months out from our October vacation has been dead still. Do you start to see more movement as it gets closer? I know there may be some last minute cancellations before points go into holding and that may be the next realistic chance of grabbing something.

 

[Chuck S]

With food and wine at EPCOT and the MK Halloween parties, I think October will be tough if you didn't book it at your home resort.

 

[DVCDisneyRunner]

When we became members last year and our points were loaded we were about 5.5 months out from our anticipated vacation dates. We were able to book a split stay with some luck and RAT stalking. There seemed to be a lot of frequent changes to availability. So far 7 months out from our October vacation has been dead still. Do you start to see more movement as it gets closer? I know there may be some last minute cancellations before points go into holding and that may be the next realistic chance of grabbing something.

You may find some have just in case reservation and may have a banking deadline ahead of the 30 day mark and will drop the reservation. I do not suspect this will be a large number and there will be a lot of folks on the wait list. So it may or may not hit the RAT when you checking it.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Not that there’s any incentive for them to do it, but if they slightly reduced the amount of points needed for a one-bedroom while giving the studios a corresponding increase it would probably level-off demand for both. For the most part they both sleep the same number of people so it really just comes down to price-point for most people.

Originally our first purchase was a VWL resale contract of 200 points. That was exactly what was required to get a one bedroom during adventure season. During the reallocations in the 2011 timeframe I thought certainly they would do that and increase studios a bit and decrease one-bedrooms a bit. What ended up happening? Our 200 point one bedroom now required 204 points. They increased it! And one bedrooms we're always available while studios would be booked.

 

[DenLo]

I think part of the problem is that DVD allocates more points for a 1BR than a studio when determining how many points to sell. It involves the square footage of the rooms. Also it didn't help matters when DVC added a murphy bed to studios and not to the larger 1BRs. So many recent buyers since VGF and the Poly purchased a minimum number of points to cover a studio which sleeps 5 five. So you have all these members with 100 points or less needing to stay in a studio. The Poly really shows the problems involved with too many small contract owners because there are often gap days available. And those PVB owners that want a full week are forced to use points elsewhere. It is definitely a resort for the owners that want to stay longer at PVB, they need to book at the 11 month mark.

 

[Chuck S]

I think part of the problem is that DVD allocates more points for a 1BR than a studio when determining how many points to sell. It involves the square footage of the rooms. Also it didn't help matters when DVC added a murphy bed to studios and not to the larger 1BRs. So many recent buyers since VGF and the Poly purchased a minimum number of points to cover a studio which sleeps 5 five. So you have all these members with 100 points or less needing to stay in a studio. The Poly really shows the problems involved with too many small contract owners because there are often gap days available. And those PVB owners that want a full week are forced to use points elsewhere. It is definitely a resort for the owners that want to stay longer at PVB, they need to book at the 11 month mark.

I agree, but there are those of us "of a certain age" that appreciate the extra room and comfort of a one bedroom, even on a solo trip. When I was younger, studios were great, even with 3 or 4 people, but now, I enjoy the room. That is one advantage of having purchased during the first year DVC existed, we could afford enough points to really do that, and the free park passes helped!

 

[marivigi]

People buy not knowing what they are buying. Many bought at a resort because that is what DVD was selling or they bought resale not knowing which resort they really would end up liking. Some bought SSR or OKW due to price, many will report that they have never stayed there. Most of these people will end up fighting at 7 months to book a room somewhere else. Also the total points sold at a resort includes expensive rooms like bungalows, cabins, and grand villas, if those rooms are not booked every day of the year, the resort was oversold and people who bought points there will have to use their points somewhere else once the other rooms there are booked. Also many bought to stay in studios, there are only XX amount at their resort so they will be looking at other resorts at 7 months.

Bill

Yes Bill! Especially with the bungalows at Poly. You can find availability for those even on the same week! And Im guessing many Poly owners who didn't book studios at 11months are scrambling at 7months to find somewhere else to stay.

 

[marivigi]

We have been going to Disney every year since my DD was 5. Every year, but one, we stayed at the GF RPC. My husband always said that the only way he would buy into DVC was if they built one at the Grand. We were not interested in staying anywhere else. Sure enough, in 2014 he came prepared and didn’t blink...We love VGF and look forward to coming every year. We bought enough points as to not worry if we want to stay in a one bedroom villa for the four of us.

The same happened to us.

We took the tour when they were selling AKV and SS, then we almost bought into BL, but we really wanted GF, so a year later we were contacted about it and immediatly bought into GFV. We don't always stay there, but it's nice to have the 11month advantage.

 

[marivigi]

7 months, 3 months or 1 month out.... SSR has openings. That means the SSR owners are not booking SSR. They go ANYWHERE else. Since it is a bigger resort, there are more owners trying to go elsewhere and they clog up all of the other resorts.

I agree with this. Many SSR owners are booking elsewhere, otherwise, there wouldn't be so much availability, even with it being a large resort.

 

[marivigi]

High point cost leading to smaller contract purchases is creating high demand for studios. Those Bungalows are close to the park, but they seem to be available at the 7 months mark all year long.

They are usually available for same week stays

 

[marivigi]

Wow! The DVC gods were smiling on me this morning. I've been looking at availability for a studio for the Friday of Wine & Dine weekend forever and have watched it shrink and shrink to nothing. We couldn't book at our 11 month window because we had no points, and our resale didn't close until our home resort was already booked. I've been crossing my fingers, and shockingly a standard studio at the Poly became available a few minutes after I logged in this morning! Our resale contract had just enough expiring points that we could book it. And since the Poly is so close to the MK parking lot, we might even get a few more minutes of sleep before the 10k!!! Whoo-hoo!!

Laurie

Wow!

congrats!

 

[marivigi]

I wonder if those buying small contracts understand the competition they can run into when looking for a standard studio.

I don't think so

And with DVC guides probably suggesting they can book "anywhere" at 7months, it's a rough awakening

 

[marivigi]

I do think a lot of buyers direct are told by guides how "easy" it is to switch at 7 months, and don't get complete pictures, especially where studios are concerned. You see a LOT of angst about that in places like the infamous DVC Neighborhood on Facebook, where people get really upset that they couldn't get BWV Standard at 7 months for Jersey Week, and how this is an outrage and how we need to burn all the resale buyers like witches and etc.

yes!

There's a lot of misinformation when buying into DVC

 

[Roxyfire]

Yes Bill! Especially with the bungalows at Poly. You can find availability for those even on the same week! And Im guessing many Poly owners who didn't book studios at 11months are scrambling at 7months to find somewhere else to stay.

I gotta wonder how many bungalows sit empty at a given time due to those point costs. They look beautiful and a great place to stay in but someone like me with minimal points (studio each year or 1bd every other) would never be able to stay there. It seems so impractical to have that many of them.

 

[CarolMN]

I gotta wonder how many bungalows sit empty at a given time due to those point costs. They look beautiful and a great place to stay in but someone like me with minimal points (studio each year or 1bd every other) would never be able to stay there. It seems so impractical to have that many of them.

Not as many as some might assume. I've been keeping an eye on the 60 day availability tool. The bungalows don't show up as available very often.