DVC Availability

[hcarman]

We are looking at purchasing a small amount of Disney Vacation Club points to add to our portfolio of other timeshare brands.

Recognizing that only the home (deeded) property can be booked 11 months out, just wondering which properties are the hardest to trade into at the 7 month mark? From looking at the DVC site, it appears as though studios are harder to come by than larger units?
Also, Polynesian Villas, Disney Animal Kingdom, Grand Floridian, and Bay Lake do not appear to have much availability at all - Aulani not great either - I assume this is due to the relative newness of these properties? But this was just based on the close in booking section of the DVC site - not being a member I couldn't truly check the 7 month availability.

Thanks!

 

[vacationhopeful]

DVC fans ... the true fanatics ... will book the cheapest unit in order to stay the MOST nights in their dream world. I found it difficult to believe until I chatted up a decent sampling of guests while waiting for the Disney buses to & from the resorts and parks.... on my many RCI exchanges to DVC... during the easier years for exchanging into DVC.

That is WHY the studios units book so fast and so early ....IMHO

 

[chalee94]

If you are not a member, you are not really checking DVC points inventory.

If you are picky, the best rule is to buy where you want to stay (and book at 11 months out). If you want a Grand Floridian studio, a fixed week is even better.

If you are less picky, buy where you don't mind staying. Then see how things go at the 7 month window. Worst case scenario is that you are stuck at your home resort.

The hardest trades are for the resorts closest to the parks and for the smaller resorts. SSR, OKW and AKV are the largest resorts and only offer bus transportation to the parks, so those are the safest bets inside of 7 months.

 

[littlestar]

I second what has already been said by chalee94. I have found the most availability at the seven month window to be Okw, SSR, and Animal Kingdom Lodge.

If you have your heart set on Boardwalk or Beach Club during food and wine, you better own some points there. Also in my experience of being a DVC member for 14 years, one bedrooms are the easiest units to book within the seven month window.

 

[alwysonvac]

We are looking at purchasing a small amount of Disney Vacation Club points to add to our portfolio of other timeshare brands.

Recognizing that only the home (deeded) property can be booked 11 months out, just wondering which properties are the hardest to trade into at the 7 month mark? From looking at the DVC site, it appears as though studios are harder to come by than larger units?
Also, Polynesian Villas, Disney Animal Kingdom, Grand Floridian, and Bay Lake do not appear to have much availability at all - Aulani not great either - I assume this is due to the relative newness of these properties? But this was just based on the close in booking section of the DVC site - not being a member I couldn't truly check the 7 month availability.

Thanks!

Here are discussions about DVC Resort availability at the 7 month window.
This one provides a good high level overview - http://blog.dvcrequest.com/successful-booking-at-disney-vacation-clubs-7-month-window/
This one provides a very good detailed analysis - http://www.disboards.com/threads/an...r-days-7-11-months-out.3281173/#post-51506136

The number of rooms at each DVC resort is another factor that impacts availability as well. For example, the Wilderness Lodge, Grand Californian and Jambo house have very few DVC rooms compared to the other DVC resorts.

From the DIS DVC Resource Center
888 villas in SSR (360 Dedicated 2BRs, 432 Lockoff 2BRs, 36 GVs, 60 THV)
531 villas in OKW (274 Dedicated 2BRs, 230 Lockoff 2BRs, 27 GVs)
324 villas in AKV @ Kidani Village (140 Dedicated 2BRs, 168 Lockoff 2BRs, 16 GVs)
383 villas in BWV (97 Dedicated Studios, 130 Dedicated 1BRs, 149 Lockoff 2BRs, 7 GVs)
295 villas in BLT (148 Dedicated 2BRs, 133 Lockoff 2BRs, 14 GVs)
208 villas in BCV (36 Dedicated Studios, 20 Dedicated 1BRs, 78 Dedicated 2BRs, 74 Lockoff 2BRs)
136 villas in VWL (20 Dedicated Studios, 27 Dedicated 1BRs, 44 Dedicated 2BRs, 45 Lockoff 2BRs)
134 villas in AKV @ Jambo House (46 Dedicated Studios, 82 Lockoff 2BRs, 6 GVs)
48 villas in VGC (23 Dedicated 2BRs, 23 Lockoff 2BRs, 2 GVs)

 

[rickandcindy23]

The hardest for me to book is Grand Californian, no matter what size I need. A day or two here and there, but if you want 4-5 days, it's tough.

 

[AnnaS]

What everyone else has said.

Also might be hard to book if not way in advance (11 months)
Concierge at AK - must own here to even try to get one at 11 months
Grand villas
BWV & BCV for F&W
Many of the resorts for early December (7 months or less)

There is a chance but you have to really be flexible, keep checking/waiting list, etc.

 

[elleny76]

I own in SSR and AKV . If you want the value weeks studios those are hard to get if you don't own that resort. In 2017 _SSR will have awesome points (reduce) for studios! I love SSR!....

We are looking at purchasing a small amount of Disney Vacation Club points to add to our portfolio of other timeshare brands.

Recognizing that only the home (deeded) property can be booked 11 months out, just wondering which properties are the hardest to trade into at the 7 month mark? From looking at the DVC site, it appears as though studios are harder to come by than larger units?
Also, Polynesian Villas, Disney Animal Kingdom, Grand Floridian, and Bay Lake do not appear to have much availability at all - Aulani not great either - I assume this is due to the relative newness of these properties? But this was just based on the close in booking section of the DVC site - not being a member I couldn't truly check the 7 month availability.

Thanks!

 

[blondietink]

We own at SSR (11 years) and have never stayed there! We usually book a 1 bedroom as we are a family of 4, now all adults. We have been able to book at the 7 month mark at every place we have desired to go because every place had one bedrooms available at the 7 month mark. What we usually do is book at our home resort before the 7 month mark and then move the reservation at 7 months. We have had good luck with 60 day reservations also and have been able to snag AKV on short notice as well as OKW, both studios.We have been able to get BWV and BCV during both the Food & Wine Fest, Flower & Garden and the first 2 weeks of December (high demand).

However, we usually travel during the off-season; late August or September, November before Thanksgiving, January, early February, after spring break/Easter, etc. What you need to decide is when you would usually want to stay at DVC and what type of villa you would want. Then you can figure out how many points you would need. As others have said one bedroom units seem to be the most widely available.

April we are going to Aulani for the 2nd time! Had no problem getting the view and villa we wanted at the 7 month mark. Last time we went to Aulani was September 2013 and we also had no problems booking at 7 months.