VGF members booking now for December

[TCRAIG]

Since I'm so green..I didn't know walking was a thing. I'm not entirely sure how people do it

With a Dec UY - you can’t walk a Dec reservation.

 

[disney_mood]

With a Dec UY - you can’t walk a Dec reservation.

Yep! I know from booking November 29-December 2, I had to use the two different use years and book those separate. I just was curious how people did it, since I was unaware this was a “thing”. No judgement for those who do, but just didn’t know how it worked.

 

[DisnutDave]

It’s not just VGF, this morning at 7:00 am central I tried getting a studio at VBR from the 8th-14th and the 8th was gone at my 11 month window I also noticed that their was no studio availability for the 8th at BLT, Boardwalk, BCV. I know it’s a popular time but I was shocked by BLT, so I booked the Poly and waitlisted Boulder Ridge. We usually go the first or second week of December (since 2002) this is the first time I haven’t been able to get a resort at 7a at my 11 month window.

 

[disney_mood]

Oh

It’s not just VGF, this morning at 7:00 am central I tried getting a studio at VBR from the 8th-14th and the 8th was gone at my 11 month window I also noticed that their was no studio availability for the 8th at BLT, Boardwalk, BCV. I know it’s a popular time but I was shocked by BLT, so I booked the Poly and waitlisted Boulder Ridge. We usually go the first or second week of December (since 2002) this is the first time I haven’t been able to get a resort at 7a at my 11 month window.

Oh man! Sorry to hear that. I guess we better brace ourselves for busy park days! I am up all hours of the night with a newborn so I was able to piece together my trip day by day from Nov 29-Dec 8. Sometimes I would check at 3-4 am and land something randomly. The first half I’m in a standard view and second half with lagoon view.

 

[DisnutDave]

Glad to hear you were able to piece together your vacation. Congrats! Just FYI, just because DVC is super busy, doe mean the parks are. Enjoy your trip!

 

[disney_mood]

Glad to hear you were able to piece together your vacation. Congrats! Just FYI, just because DVC is super busy, doe mean the parks are. Enjoy your trip!

Good to know!!

 

[CarolynFH]

Good to know!!

Yes, those first two weeks of December historically have lower crowds. That’s what made them so popular for DVC owners - low points cost (before the reallocation was the cheapest time of year), low parks crowds!

 

[disney_mood]

Yes, those first two weeks of December historically have lower crowds. That’s what made them so popular for DVC owners - low points cost (before the reallocation was the cheapest time of year), low parks crowds!

Makes sense!! Most kids still in school and people probably like the festivity of going closer to the holidays.

 

[sndral]

Oh

Oh man! Sorry to hear that. I guess we better brace ourselves for busy park days! I am up all hours of the night with a newborn so I was able to piece together my trip day by day from Nov 29-Dec 8. Sometimes I would check at 3-4 am and land something randomly. The first half I’m in a standard view and second half with lagoon view.

Keep checking/stalking to try to replace those lake views in the second half w/ standards, one day at a time & put a wait list in.
We’ve done early Dec. several times & it has become more crowded through the years, or at least it feels more crowded, likely because MK shuts down early for the parties so many nights, & now DHS has introduced parties too. MK is probably the least crowded on party days, so when staying at the VGF we’ll often do MK during the day of a party & then hop to another park once they start letting the party people in at 4.

 

[kboo]

Just for yuks I did a search for VGF in any room category starting Dec 9 (11 months from today). It's evening, and there is not a single room in any category available for Dec. 9.

 

[Liquidice]

It’s not just VGF, this morning at 7:00 am central I tried getting a studio at VBR from the 8th-14th and the 8th was gone at my 11 month window I also noticed that their was no studio availability for the 8th at BLT, Boardwalk, BCV. I know it’s a popular time but I was shocked by BLT, so I booked the Poly and waitlisted Boulder Ridge. We usually go the first or second week of December (since 2002) this is the first time I haven’t been able to get a resort at 7a at my 11 month window.

With BLT, its could be that some inventory is offline during that time of the year for the refurb. I noticed at the condo association meeting BLT's refurb had been moved out from 2024 to 2025 and IIRC they said while the refurb would start in 2024 it wouldn't complete until early 2025 meaning December timeframe maybe smack in the middle of it.

I know for Dec 2023, I had no trouble booking a BLT Lake View studio 8 or 9 months out, we didn't plan to go in December and changed our minds. I waitlisted a BLT Standard studio and it ended up coming through. So it is surprising that its so difficult to get a BLT studio this time around, which is why I suspect refurb has something to do with it.

 

[davidhr]

Oh

Oh man! Sorry to hear that. I guess we better brace ourselves for busy park days! I am up all hours of the night with a newborn so I was able to piece together my trip day by day from Nov 29-Dec 8. Sometimes I would check at 3-4 am and land something randomly. The first half I’m in a standard view and second half with lagoon view.

The good thing is high DVC season doesn't necessarily means high crowds. The first two weeks of December are not particularly busy in my experience.

 

[grahf1234]

it’s not a new problem and it’s not anyone’s fault. But I’m still frustrated and feel it’s entirely warranted. Sigh.

I feel your pain. Newly bought into vgf as well, and didn't realize how competitive december bookings will be even with an 11 month advantage prior to the purchase. I also have a december UY which is not great for walking something from november into december.
Good thing though it's been a learning opportunity, I feel I understand the demand extremes and how timeshares really work much better than when I did my initial research. It's also been good in killing the urge to add any more points. Before I do anything like that now, I will need to re-assess if this UY, home resort, or dvc in general is something that I want to throw more money at.

Hopefully all of these availability threads will help a potential buyer in understanding the availability issues at high demand times so that they can set their expectations accordingly, or help them figure out if this product is something that would work for them. I was definitely overly optimistic a few months ago

 

[DisnutDave]

Sorry, I re-read what I posted. I meant to say just because DVC is busy - doesn’t mean the parks are. Historically as previous poster‘s have said park crowds are lower.
Yeah, I thought the BLT refurb had something to do with it, but BCV, BWV, BLT, VGF, BRV, CCV studios all gone by a minute or two passed 7a at the 11 month. We own at a few places so we got the Poly. We’ve gone almost every December since 2002, this was the first time I experienced so many properties being unavailable for my first day at the 11 month window.

 

[SL6827]

So if you want to go in December before Christmas, buy a fixed week now?

 

[SL6827]

Could the trust make this even worse in the future?

 

[tx911]

I feel your pain. Newly bought into vgf as well, and didn't realize how competitive december bookings will be even with an 11 month advantage prior to the purchase. I also have a december UY which is not great for walking something from november into december.
Good thing though it's been a learning opportunity, I feel I understand the demand extremes and how timeshares really work much better than when I did my initial research. It's also been good in killing the urge to add any more points. Before I do anything like that now, I will need to re-assess if this UY, home resort, or dvc in general is something that I want to throw more money at.

Hopefully all of these availability threads will help a potential buyer in understanding the availability issues at high demand times so that they can set their expectations accordingly, or help them figure out if this product is something that would work for them. I was definitely overly optimistic a few months ago

Yep, it's very sobering when you try to make your first booking in those high-demand periods.

Every time I've been to WDW before DVC was at Halloween or Thanksgiving or Christmas. I never had the slightest problem booking a cash room during those times.

Even now, you can go in and get a great cash room right over Christmas of 2024. That's not going to happen with DVC! That definitely had me blinded to how difficult these reservations would be. That and my mistaken assumption that the 11 month home booking advantage all but guaranteed you whatever room you wanted.

As you say, very much a learning opportunity. Going forward I suppose it's always an option to rent already booked reservations at the high-demand times, and just use DVC points for the off-peak times. Not what I was seeing through my rose-colored glasses when I bought in!

All food for thought, and certainly gives pause to buying more points!

 

[Sandisw]

Could the trust make this even worse in the future?

Not for the current resorts because I don’t believe they can put units from sold out resorts into the trust.

Thst means trust owners don’t get access until 7 months.

 

[SL6827]

Not for the current resorts because I don’t believe they can put units from sold out resorts into the trust.

Thst means trust owners don’t get access until 7 months.

Oh ok. That's good then. So the trust will be all brand new resorts then? Wait, sold out. So it could affect RIV owners then?

 

[SL6827]

Yep, it's very sobering when you try to make your first booking in those high-demand periods.

Every time I've been to WDW before DVC was at Halloween or Thanksgiving or Christmas. I never had the slightest problem booking a cash room during those times.

Even now, you can go in and get a great cash room right over Christmas of 2024. That's not going to happen with DVC! That definitely had me blinded to how difficult these reservations would be. That and my mistaken assumption that the 11 month home booking advantage all but guaranteed you whatever room you wanted.

As you say, very much a learning opportunity. Going forward I suppose it's always an option to rent already booked reservations at the high-demand times, and just use DVC points for the off-peak times. Not what I was seeing through my rose-colored glasses when I bought in!

All food for thought, and certainly gives pause to buying more points!

I feel for you. I really do.