Last Minute DVC Booking Success Stories

[DVCRSheridan]

Hey all... so my wife and I have been thinking about a last minute, end of summer trip this year. We've been checking the Resort Availability Tool for anytime between now and the end of August and have seen some interesting things opening up sporadically.

As of now the only thing really consistently open is SSR 1 bedroom Preferred. SSR 1 bedroom Standard has pretty good availability also. VWL (BR) has 3 nights available in a 1 bedroom. Same at OKW. Then there's a bunch of 2 night and 1 night openings all over (even VGF). Tomorrow night (8/10) has actually had a ton of openings all over the place the past day or 2). At 1 point we saw 4 nights open up in a BWV G/P view 1 bedroom (unfortunately it was 1 day too late for what we can do).

This all got us to thinking and sparked our curiosity as to what everyone's best last minute (last second even?) booking success story is.

 

[disneynutz]

There are several aspects to room availability, time of year, economy, school schedules, special events, national security, and Disney's revenue accounting.

Availability seems to come and go.

Bill

 

[DVCRSheridan]

There are several aspects to room availability, time of year, economy, school schedules, special events, national security, and Disney's revenue accounting.

Availability seems to come and go.

Bill

Yea I understand all of this... I wasn't really asking for our chances of getting a room in particular. Just thought it would be interesting to share some Last Minute Booking success stories in general.

 

[com_op_2000]

DW and I several times have been at DTD (now DS) for the day and decided we wanted to stay the night. Called the resorts directly (back before MS was open on Sundays) or MS and checked in within 15 minutes.

At MK for the day in Feb ’14 for our anniversary, called MS @09:00, and booked a room at BLT for that night. Checked-in @11:00 and the room was ready. We did not plan on this day going like this until @05:00 while still at home in bed.

 

[DVCRSheridan]

DW and I several times have been at DTD (now DS) for the day and decided we wanted to stay the night. Called the resorts directly (back before MS was open on Sundays) or MS and checked in within 15 minutes.

At MK for the day in Feb ’14 for our anniversary, called MS @09:00, and booked a room at BLT for that night. Checked-in @11:00 and the room was ready. We did not plan on this day going like this until @05:00 while still at home in bed.

That's awesome. Few years ago, DW and I decided last minute that we wanted to get away the following week (DW's school spring break)... by the end of that day (and about 4 calls to MS later lol) we had pieced together 8 nights at BWV over Spring Break.

 

[Luv2trav]

I don't know if this really counts because it's not technically last minute but I just snagged 4 days in a row at Poly Lake View Studio for Christmas week. Not really sure how it opened up. The only thing we saw available first few times looking at all resorts were scattered days here and there. There was nothing even 2 days in a row for studios.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

We were already going 3 times on our 13 month annual passes, so when DisBoards announced their 20th Anniversary, with private party at Epcot, unlimited Soarin, Test Track, and private showing of Iluminations, we were going to skip it.

Then they added a private concert by Jodi Benson (the Little Mermaid). I checked the RAT at 7 weeks out and found a studio at AKL-Kidani. We decided to go.

It turned out great, because unknown to us, we were at AKL the week that Pandora opened, so it was easy to get over there to enjoy the new rides. The Epcot party was great, and we got a great Savannah room on the 2nd floor right off the lobby.

Besides, it drove the cost of our annual passes down to $24/day.

We were lucky to get a studio at AKL. Our other choices were 1BR at SSR, and we didn't want to spend that many points.

 

[DVCRSheridan]

We were already going 3 times on our 13 month annual passes, so when DisBoards announced their 20th Anniversary, with private party at Epcot, unlimited Soarin, Test Track, and private showing of Iluminations, we were going to skip it.

Then they added a private concert by Jodi Benson (the Little Mermaid). I checked the RAT at 7 weeks out and found a studio at AKL-Kidani. We decided to go.

It turned out great, because unknown to us, we were at AKL the week that Pandora opened, so it was easy to get over there to enjoy the new rides. The Epcot party was great, and we got a great Savannah room on the 2nd floor right off the lobby.

Besides, it drove the cost of our annual passes down to $24/day.

We were lucky to get a studio at AKL. Our other choices were 1BR at SSR, and we didn't want to spend that many points.

That's excellent, especially considering how difficult studios in general have been to find lately.

 

[cvjw]

Booked a concierge studio at akv for the week after Christmas only a couple weeks before the trip. We have had really good luck snagging last minute villas by stalking the rat, but this was our best booking

 

[Tauwillow]

We realized we had forgotten our banking window 4 weeks before our use or lose date! We decided we had to take an 'emergency' Disney trip. (oh the hardship!). We booked a Saratoga Springs 2 bedroom two weeks before our trip. Since we had the extra space, we invited friends to join us and we had a BLAST.

 

[DSNYFRK4EVR]

Was able to book a 2 bedroom at Kidani for three nights about one week in advanced for the Pandora passholder preview! Also had success booking at 2 bedroom over Labor Day weekend last year at the Grand Floridian about a month out.

 

[DVCRSheridan]

So to follow up on this... the other day while checking, 6(!!!) nights opened up at VGF in a standard view studio for THIS Sunday. We were all set to book and then we realized we had some commitments next week that we couldn't miss, but wow! 6 nights at VGF in a Standard Studio just 3 days in advance! Someone got themselves an awesome last second surprise!

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

So to follow up on this... the other day while checking, 6(!!!) nights opened up at VGF in a standard view studio for THIS Sunday. We were all set to book and then we realized we had some commitments next week that we couldn't miss, but wow! 6 nights at VGF in a Standard Studio just 3 days in advance! Someone got themselves an awesome last second surprise!

I would really like to hear the experts' comments on that one. It sounds like a terribly sad situation to me--family emergency, death, something bad that you would cancel 3 days out. They would lose those points, or they would go into holding, with little chance of using them. If it was DVC member inventory turned over to CRO for a trade, it wouldn't appear back on the RAT, would it?
I would really like to hear knowledgeable people explain how this happens and what happens next.
As to "awesome last second surprise!"---very few people in rare circumstances would be able to jump on that open inventory, short driving distance, nothing on schedule for 2 weeks, etc. I can't imagine who would be in those circumstances.

 

[DVCRSheridan]

I would really like to hear the experts comments on that one. It sounds like a terribly sad situation to me--family emergency, death, something bad that you would cancel 3 days out. They would lose those points, or they would go into holding, with little chance of using them. If it was DVC member inventory turned over to CRO for a trade, it wouldn't appear back on the RAT, would it?
I would really like to hear knowledgeable people explain how this happens and what happens next.
As to "awesome last second surprise!"---very few people in rare circumstances would be able to jump on that open inventory, short driving distance, nothing on schedule for 2 weeks, etc. I can't imagine who would be in those circumstances.

Or someone who already has a trip booked for these days and was now able to make the unexpected switch to VGF.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Or someone who already has a trip booked for these days and was now able to make the unexpected switch to VGF.

I think the points they have tied up in the "already booked trip" would not be just changed over to the VGF res, but rather go into holding, since it would be canceled in 30 days or less. More knowledgeable people will correct me if I am wrong.

 

[DVCRSheridan]

I think the points they have tied up in the "already booked trip" would not be just changed over to the VGF res, but rather go into holding, since it would be canceled in 30 days or less. More knowledgeable people will correct me if I am worng.

Unless it was less points than their already booked trip, it would simply transfer. VGF are the most expensive studios, so likely it would be more points than what they've already got booked and therefore they would simply add the difference and not lose anything.

 

[bobbiwoz]

10 days before arrival on August 8, we got 2 nights SSR preferred studio. It was a wonderful last minute trip. I do not frequently try to get to WDW within less than a month of the decision to go, but I have always gotten either SSR or OKW, and we have always been pleased.

 

[KNC43]

We had a spring break trip planned to HHI last year and while packing the car to leave I received a call that my grandmother had died. They let us bank the points. In June, I realized we needed to plan our summer vacation and all that was available for a full week was SSR. We had a lovely time, although August in FL is hot! Still, I was grateful to get one bedroom for the whole week.

 

[com_op_2000]

Along the lines of what happens in emergency situations:
DD(Adult) was scheduled to go with us on a family cruise. The week before the cruise the war in Iraq started and her BiL was KIA. The funeral was scheduled for the week of the cruise. We had to cancel her out of our room. We had booked her cruise on DVC points, DCL & DVC refunded the points without restrictions once I provided proof.

 

[DVCRSheridan]

Along the lines of what happens in emergency situations:
DD(Adult) was scheduled to go with us on a family cruise. The week before the cruise the war in Iraq started and her BiL was KIA. The funeral was scheduled for the week of the cruise. We had to cancel her out of our room. We had booked her cruise on DVC points, DCL & DVC refunded the points without restrictions once I provided proof.

I had a situation similar to this. A few years ago my wife and I had a trip planned. I'm a firefighter and a day before our vacation, a member of my squad was killed in the line of duty. When we called and explained the situation, Disney refunded our points without restriction. They were incredibly kind and helped make an extremely difficult time a little easier and less stressful. As a side note, JetBlue was fantastic as well and refunded our airfare completely without any restriction.

This was actually the same year that we had our last minute booking success. After everything settled down with the funeral and everything else, we needed to get away for a while. This was the day that we were able to piece together the 8 nights at BWV for the following month during Spring Break.