7 month availability getting more difficult

[Aron1012]

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 think it may have more to do with the Fall demand. We booked 2 studios at Poly for June at the 7 month mark and felt lucky to get them. Looked out of curiosity last week and our dates were still available now 60 days out. In total about 12-13 days during June were showing Studio availability. So wasn't as lucky as I thought. Last year our Oct trip everything was booked 5 months out.

 

[Chuck S]

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.

I think whoever set the original number of points for SSR overestimated its popularity. OKW was, and remains, fairly popular because of the spacious rooms, the tropical feel and overall "apartment" feel. But tastes have changed away from the apartment style to interior hallways, and the other good points about OKW did not translate to SSR, the rooms are not huge, the theme is a bit generic, though kind of early 20th century NY. If the points were closer to OKWs points, it would be more popular.

 

[Dean]

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.

The lowest demand AND a lot of points because it's a larger resort. Compared to say VGF one or two 2 BR from SSR likely have as much impact as the entire VGF resort. But that's the way it is and it works well for those of us who exchange in.

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.

It really isn't a question of sitting empty since there are X points that are designed to reserve the entire system yearly with minimal surplus for maintenance and the like. The issue isn't sitting empty but whether those staying wanted that option or were pushed into it because of the availability options. If the demand is too far off, they are contractually required to adjust but they need enough info over time to do so. They'll usually drag their feet until sales are mostly done.

 

[DVCDisneyRunner]

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.

Are we looking at the same thing?

 

[CarolMN]

Are we looking at the same thing?

View attachment 317327

No, we're not.

I'm looking at the "Resort Availability: Stays in the next 60 days".
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/vacation-planning/resort-availability-stays/

Compare bungalow nights listed there with everything else that is still available. That context doesn't look so terrible to me. Note that there's also still availability at Aulani & SSR.

To get a true comparison, we'd have to know how many of each villa booking category is still available, and we don't. I just think the whole "bungalows have ruined availability" is over emphasized. Even if they weren't built, getting a studio at 7 months at the near park resorts would be a challenge. JMHO. YMMV.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

RAT might be showing 1 bungalow.

 

[SL6827]

Are we looking at the same thing?

View attachment 317327

Oh lawd, I have yet to even look at that chart. Made me laugh.

 

[Roxyfire]

No, we're not.

I'm looking at the "Resort Availability: Stays in the next 60 days".
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/vacation-planning/resort-availability-stays/

Compare bungalow nights listed there with everything else that is still available. That context doesn't look so terrible to me. Note that there's also still availability at Aulani & SSR.

To get a true comparison, we'd have to know how many of each villa booking category is still available, and we don't. I just think the whole "bungalows have ruined availability" is over emphasized. Even if they weren't built, getting a studio at 7 months at the near park resorts would be a challenge. JMHO. YMMV.

Good point, the point cost is so high that I wonder if the average DVCer would splurge last minute on a long weekend but I guess if your points are in holding you may not have a ton of choice.

 

[DVCDisneyRunner]

No, we're not.

I'm looking at the "Resort Availability: Stays in the next 60 days".
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/vacation-planning/resort-availability-stays/
.....

Carol,

That is the same availability just looking at it from a "different angel". The days are still available no matter where you look.

Compare bungalow nights listed there with everything else that is still available. That context doesn't look so terrible to me. Note that there's also still availability at Aulani & SSR.

To get a true comparison, we'd have to know how many of each villa booking category is still available, and we don't. I just think the whole "bungalows have ruined availability" is over emphasized. Even if they weren't built, getting a studio at 7 months at the near park resorts would be a challenge. JMHO. YMMV.

Now if you are wanting to compare availability that is another conversation.

 

[WaywardMemphian]

Resale buyers also don't always have a complete picture. If you think about it - even the best informed of us don't have a complete picture - in part because we don't know what Disney will do next or how members will respond to it. Will Riveria pull BCV/BWV people (I doubt it, I think it will be a distant third - at best - as a F&W choice)? Will Disney add a large DVC resort in the future? Will it add more offsite resorts? Will they add an event that will create a draw to a different time of year? Will F&W still be running ten or fifteen years from now?

Just two or three years ago we said "yeah, if you are flexible with where you want to stay, and don't travel the last three months of the year, its pretty easy to get even the most popular resorts - just don't count on the standard views or values at BWV/BLT/VAKL, book right at seven months, and stay flexible with your choice." Now we are saying "yeah, well - studios could be tough year round at the Poly/GF/BWV/BCV".......To some extent that isn't an owner thing - its a people who own different resorts learning over time they've got to get that reservation ASAP or it will disappear, making the window of opportunity much smaller.

I wish they went through with National Harbor. They need several more in high tourist areas that DVC members would book. We are pretty sure we want to buy into DVC, but have been renters for some time. Our kids are a bit older and being in a studio this last time was a bit cramped. We don't stay for a week or more but for two to three nights when we come. My problem trying to decide just how many points to buy from Disbel and augment it with a resale. We were offered 75 points to buy in at Copper Creek. We love Wilderness and being that our home resort would never disappoint us. As the kids are entering their teens, we want to travel internationally and with upstarts like Norwegain Air, Orlando is a good place to catch Lower cost tickets. That allows us quick visits and we would actually be interested Bungalows and cabins for just a night or two. If we bought now our 11 month at Copper Creek we were told was Oct. If we brought in there at the min85 bit wanted to add a resale where would you look, Boulder Ridge with OCT date too? If I did that could I transfer the points over to my CCV and use at the 11 month window? Some may hate this, we want to get enough points to rent out to at least cover our yearly fees and just to toss us a few bucks back. We would not be financing.

 

[WaywardMemphian]

I would also add the theme parks, not just Disney has learned to make the slow times in demand. The explosion of Halloween and Christmas has done this and not just at warm weather parks. My home park is Silver Dollar City, it know gets a third of it's annual visitors for the Christmas season(Nov and Dec) if they ever decided to do a full blow Halloween thing ( so far they have not) they'd get even more in. Also, more school continue to move to continous learning calendars and that gives families weeks off in Feb and Oct as well as spring break and the typical holidays.
How many of these rooms are Disney holding back to sell themselves. During our spring break stay at Copper Creek, I looked online and they had studios on the hotel site for nearly 700 a night to show how much I paid to rent vs Disney direct. The thing is that they had one for any night that week if I actually wanted one.

Everyone just wait until Star Wars opens up.

 

[marivigi]

I think whoever set the original number of points for SSR overestimated its popularity. OKW was, and remains, fairly popular because of the spacious rooms, the tropical feel and overall "apartment" feel. But tastes have changed away from the apartment style to interior hallways, and the other good points about OKW did not translate to SSR, the rooms are not huge, the theme is a bit generic, though kind of early 20th century NY. If the points were closer to OKWs points, it would be more popular.

I agree.

Also in our case I find such a large resort daunting. With young children and no car, it doesn't seem relaxing, and just thinking about multiple bust stops within the resort makes me not want to stay there.

 

[marivigi]

Are we looking at the same thing?

View attachment 317327

a bit ridiculous

 

[CraigInPA]

If we bought now our 11 month at Copper Creek we were told was Oct. If we brought in there at the min85 bit wanted to add a resale where would you look, Boulder Ridge with OCT date too? If I did that could I transfer the points over to my CCV and use at the 11 month window? Some may hate this, we want to get enough points to rent out to at least cover our yearly fees and just to toss us a few bucks back. We would not be financing.

CCV and BRV are considered separate resorts. Your points at BRV can be used at 11 months to book BRV. To use those points elsewhere, you have to wait until 7 months. Likewise, CCV. If you are an adventurous type, you could book CCV at 11 months and BRV at 11 months, using the points from each, and plan a switch in the middle of your vacation, or book each and then try to switch one of them to the other at 7 months.

In general, if you want to pay back your annual maintenance fees out of a rental, you'll need buy about twice the number of points you actually need. That's not a particularly good strategy, economically, as it ignores the income you might receive on investing the money you'd spend purchasing those extra points.

 

[SL6827]

I just don't understand why a lot of people don't seem to care for SSR, but I have yet to stay there. From what I have seen from Disney Springs it looks beautiful on the outside. I actually think that it might be possible that I will like it more than OKW, but I haven't stayed there yet either. I am looking forward to trying out both resorts in the future.

 

[crisi]

Its distant from the parks, everything is a bus ride. There are only exterior hallways. The way that the units are arranged can leave you with a long walk to grab food.

But its biggest issue isn't that people don't like it - its that they don't like it enough. Some resorts have both a supply issue and a demand issue - BCV is small and its popular. SSR is large, and while there are people who enjoy it, there are not nearly enough people for whom its a first choice, or even a second or third choice - which means that its usually the last to get booked up.

 

[Chuck S]

I just don't understand why a lot of people don't seem to care for SSR, but I have yet to stay there. From what I have seen from Disney Springs it looks beautiful on the outside. I actually think that it might be possible that I will like it more than OKW, but I haven't stayed there yet either. I am looking forward to trying out both resorts in the future.

I don't think there is anything "wrong" with SSR or OKW, I love OKW. I haven't stayed at SSR, I don't think there is any major problem with the resort. It is simply a matter of personal preference. I prefer exterior hallways...while most prefer interior hallways. I've always felt exterior hallways were safer in the event of a fire. The bus transportation doesn't bother me, remember that both SSR and OKW are connected by boat to Disney Springs, but by bus to the parks. SOme folks prefer monorail and watercraft to busses...as long as I don't have to driver everywhere I'm happy.

 

[Dean]

I just don't understand why a lot of people don't seem to care for SSR, but I have yet to stay there. From what I have seen from Disney Springs it looks beautiful on the outside. I actually think that it might be possible that I will like it more than OKW, but I haven't stayed there yet either. I am looking forward to trying out both resorts in the future.

Every resort has it's supporters and detractors. It really doesn't matter how many like it or not, if they like other things better to put effort into not staying there percentage wise, it's the same effect. At the same points OKW would likely be in less demand and it's not that much smaller but it's cheaper to stay there overall.

 

[crisi]

Every resort has it's supporters and detractors. It really doesn't matter how many like it or not, if they like other things better to put effort into not staying there percentage wise, it's the same effect. At the same points OKW would likely be in less demand and it's not that much smaller but it's cheaper to stay there overall.

And the rooms are larger - cheaper points, larger rooms makes it a good value choice. I also think that OKW swings to older owners rather set in their ways - they bought DVC when it first came out - early adopters, and I think that - comparatively - a surprising number of them still own. They went in with the knowledge that only OKW might be a possibility and are comfortable with that. Where SSR had a number of people who bought to get into the system as it existed when SSR was built - i.e. they might like SSR, but they bought so they could stay places in addition to SSR.

 

[NJOGRE]

I was going to start a new post but I will ask all of you first. What is going on the first week of Dec. I looked at the resort availability and there is almost no inventory anywhere except the SUPER HIGH END bungalows and cabins