# Anyone else wish that DVC was 13/10 instead of 11/7?



## Culli (Jul 3, 2010)

We are going to Hawaii in 2012 for Wife's birthday and with the opening of the DVC there I thought hmmmmmmm that could be cool.  But to try and use FF tickets or just time tickets not to mention trading into Hawaii you need to know usually well in advance of 7 months.

Heck I already have an ongoing search in for 2/2012 which might be overkill but can't hurt.  However, if I plan on going I want to have things esepcially the accomidations nailed down well before 7 months out.  I guess I just can't chance that there will be availability at 7 months.  Going to WDW 7 months is not that big of a deal as I know something will be available more than likely plus I can plan my home resort at 11.  But HH and Hawaii are something if you want to go you usually want to nail down early especially if it is a possible peak situation thing.

Just a thought that annoys me about DVC.  I know a lot of people don't like to plan that far out.  I find the farther out I plan the better chance I get for a nice trade.  Not to mention I can find DVC in RCI pts at 10 months out but can't use my DVC pts until 7 months if not my home resort.   Nothing like seeing BWV and BCV at 10 months out in RCI but I have to wait 3 more months to try and get those with DVC pts.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jul 3, 2010)

I am very sure the Disney resort will be very nice, but I would rather go to Maui or Kauai any day than Oahu.  I think Oahu is beautiful, but it is approximately the same size as Kauai and has 1.8 million people, where Kauai has 64,000 people (or maybe that's 46,000).  Such a difference between the two!  We have only been to Oahu a couple of times, but the second time was a full week, and we stayed downtown.  I thought it felt like downtown Denver.  The DVC won't be downtown, but it's not that far from there, so I just wouldn't want to spend my points there, if I was trying to save points for Disney. 

That's my 2 cents, Joe.  YMMV.

Are you taking all of the kids along, or is it just you and your wife?  If it's just you two, there is a good chance for a Westin, when the Starwood preference is done.  There are LOTS of 2 bedrooms at the Westin on Kauai for many dates.  I don't know if February is still there....


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## Culli (Jul 3, 2010)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I am very sure the Disney resort will be very nice, but I would rather go to Maui or Kauai any day than Oahu.  I think Oahu is beautiful, but it is approximately the same size as Kauai and has 1.8 million people, where Kauai has 64,000 people (or maybe that's 46,000).  Such a difference between the two!  We have only been to Oahu a couple of times, but the second time was a full week, and we stayed downtown.  I thought it felt like downtown Denver.  The DVC won't be downtown, but it's not that far from there, so I just wouldn't want to spend my points there, if I was trying to save points for Disney.
> 
> That's my 2 cents, Joe.  YMMV.
> 
> Are you taking all of the kids along, or is it just you and your wife?  If it's just you two, there is a good chance for a Westin, when the Starwood preference is done.  There are LOTS of 2 bedrooms at the Westin on Kauai for many dates.  I don't know if February is still there....



Well I have my II request based on your previous email to me about recomendations!!!  Just a thought to check it out while it was still newer, but doubt we will ever go there as a II trade is MUCH MUCH cheaper that using my pts.  Oh and no we are not bringing the kids no way could we afford airfare.  We are going with some friends so I need a min of a 2br.  Told a few friends first to commit gets free accomidations as I will pay for the 2br.  Our neighbors jumped on it ASAP before my other friends could even open their mouths hehehe.


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## Carl D (Jul 3, 2010)

No, I like the current booking windows. I know my work vacation 8 months ahead, and if there was a 10 month non home window I would lose my home resort advantage.


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## mj2vacation (Jul 4, 2010)

The Ko'Olina area is very different than Waikiki.

I would not stay in Waikiki, nut love Ko'olina.  Love Maui and Kauai as well, but they are different experiences.   .

As to any comparison between the Marriott at Ko'Olina, which is one of their nicest resorts and Aulani, I feel that the pool and total resort experience will be much better at Aulani.


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## Culli (Jul 4, 2010)

mj2vacation said:


> The Ko'Olina area is very different than Waikiki.
> 
> I would not stay in Waikiki, nut love Ko'olina.  Love Maui and Kauai as well, but they are different experiences.   .
> 
> As to any comparison between the Marriott at Ko'Olina, which is one of their nicest resorts and Aulani, I feel that the pool and total resort experience will be much better at Aulani.



Thread is changing some but interesting as we are planning for Hawaii!  Just my DVC MF's alone at Aulani for a 2br will cost me $1500-2000 (rounding MF's to $5 pt which is a little high but makes math easy) depending on view for a week.  If I can get a nice trade through II that cost is about $750 

This will be interesting for non WDW/WDL resorts as competion for DVC is totally different.  Now I know I'm paying that to stay on WDW too but that is different as nobody can offer me the onsite advantages DVC does, but in Hawaii why pay a premium to stay at a DVC?  If you figure $10 or more for pt rentals that $1500-2000 doubles, it will be interesting to see how that unfolds.  I admit I'm no Hawaii TS expert so I don't know if DVC buy in and MF costs will be reasonable for comparable Marriotts etc.


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## ralphd (Jul 10, 2010)

Carl D said:


> No, I like the current booking windows. I know my work vacation 8 months ahead, and if there was a 10 month non home window I would lose my home resort advantage.



I Agree with Carl! One year is normal in the industry.


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## spiceycat (Jul 25, 2010)

Carl D said:


> No, I like the current booking windows. I know my work vacation 8 months ahead, and if there was a 10 month non home window I would lose my home resort advantage.



agree

besides Disney did it on their parks. generally most WDW visitors make their first reservation between 11 and 6 months. say first reservation not all the changes.

so dvc went with 11 and 7.

13/10  is not the same as 11/7

you would have to be 13/9 to make it fair.

also would disagree have made my reservation at 7th month - of course trying to change that one - with BLT they are generally gone by the 7th month.


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## Merilyn (Jul 25, 2010)

I like the 11/7 rule. It is easier for me to calculate. I surely don't want to worry about next years vacations that far out.


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## ciscogizmo1 (Aug 25, 2010)

I'd love that (at least at this point in my life).   We pretty much only vacation during our children's school vacations so, that means we have to plan out far in advance for airfare, car rentals, etc... Because if we don't we pay through the nose or there are no frequent flyer points left without paying extra points.   I agree that 11/7 months works great at WDW because you can reserve at your home resort if it is at WDW and then, switch at 7 months.   The 11/7 months works for us at Grand Californian as we live in CA and can drive down.  But it is a bit of challenge with Hilton Head and Vero beach and now Oahu.   Before timesharing we use to book trips last minute but that's when we didn't kids.   With kids you have to worry where were sitting on the plane and getting the best price or frequent flyer points; reserving tours, etc....  Or reserving the largest car.  It is much more difficult to reserve an SUV or mini-Van if you wait too long.   Or reserving around our children's sports schedule.   Anyways... I find during the popular months if you don't plan ahead you might lose out on getting in.   In fact this past summer my dh had some extra vacation time and we were going to take off and there were no last minute deals.  Everything was booked solid or required mucho funds to complete (I'm talking about driving distance within California).   It just isn't worth if for us to pay full retail for anything with a family of 4 to think about.


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## glypnirsgirl (Aug 25, 2010)

> Just a thought that annoys me about DVC. I know a lot of people don't like to plan that far out. I find the farther out I plan the better chance I get for a nice trade. Not to mention I can find DVC in RCI pts at 10 months out but can't use my DVC pts until 7 months if not my home resort. Nothing like seeing BWV and BCV at 10 months out in RCI but I have to wait 3 more months to try and get those with DVC pts.



I guess I am a glass half-full kind of person because this has never occurred to me before. I have always been thrilled to see Boardwalk or BCV because I would never spend enough of my DVC points to stay there. I won't use my DVC points anywhere other than OKW because I am a DVC points cheapskate.

So anytime that I see the BWV or BCV, I am thrilled.

Now back to the original poster about the reservation windows for DVC. I have always found the reservation window to be just right for going to Florida. I have never used DVC for HHI, so I don't have an opinion there. Because there are so many flights to Orlando, getting the room was more important than getting the flights. It is the opposite for going to Hawaii, so the reservation window may be a little short for that.

I know I made my April reservations for Hawaii in June and it was perfect for getting frequent flyer first class seats. Which would be 10 months - great for the home resort reservation, not so good for non home resort.


elaine


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