Planning a trip for 12

[dspud]

We just finished our first DVC trip so naturally we are planning for our second. We are planning on taking my Sister and her family who will have a total of 5 (plus 1 child under 3). My family is also 5 (plus one under 3). We haven't decided if we want to do a grand villa or two large studios.

My Question is, if I reserve a grand villa at the 11 month mark at AKL-KV where I own, and later cancel that reservation if we decide to stay somewhere else for less points at the 7 month mark, will any borrowed points go back or will they be in holding and be required to be used sooner. my use year is August and was planning on using booked 2017 points, all of my 2018 points, and some borrowed 2019 points for this stay.

Also, any recommendations on where to stay? We have discussed AKL grand villa. Boardwalk Grand Villa, or possibly 2 Poly studios. Obviously if we decide on the poly studios after booking the AKL villa we would save some points. Thoughts?

 

[Marionnette]

We just finished our first DVC trip so naturally we are planning for our second. We are planning on taking my Sister and her family who will have a total of 5 (plus 1 child under 3). My family is also 5 (plus one under 3). We haven't decided if we want to do a grand villa or two large studios.

My Question is, if I reserve a grand villa at the 11 month mark at AKL-KV where I own, and later cancel that reservation if we decide to stay somewhere else for less points at the 7 month mark, will any borrowed points go back or will they be in holding and be required to be used sooner. my use year is August and was planning on using booked 2017 points, all of my 2018 points, and some borrowed 2019 points for this stay.

Also, any recommendations on where to stay? We have discussed AKL grand villa. Boardwalk Grand Villa, or possibly 2 Poly studios. Obviously if we decide on the poly studios after booking the AKL villa we would save some points. Thoughts?

I think that 5 people plus 1 under 3 would be extremely tight in any studio.

A BWV GV would be a tough one to book at 7 months most times of the year. There are only 7 of them and people who own there tend to book them during the 11-month window. You might find scattered 1-2 nights available but a longer stay probably won't be available. The waitlist can be your friend if you work it right and get lucky. It's just not something that I would count on.

Regarding your points, if you cancel and re-book for fewer points with 31 or more days remaining before your check in date, then any unused points will get returned to your account. Borrowed points would have to be used before the end of the UY that they were borrowed into. By your example, the borrowed points would need to be used by July 31, 2019 (the last night of your Aug. 2018 UY). However, you can designate that you want the banked 2017 and borrowed 2019 points be applied to the new reservation before using any of your 2018 points. Then, assuming that you have not passed your banking deadline, you could bank any unused 2018 points into 2019 if there are no plans to take another trip during the 2018 UY.

 

[dspud]

Thanks. That was another question, how easy would a grand villa be to get at any resort at the 7 month window? We are open to staying other places but some of them wouldn't be possible. I would have at most 593 possible points to use for this trip. So that leaves a few out even if I was able to get them. I am planning it June 3-9, 2018. I don't mind staying at animal kingdom again I just figured we would try something different.

I thought possibly 2 poly studios since the 5+1 in each room was 2 adults one infant and, 3 small children (i think the oldest in either group would be 8). It wouldn't be condo living but it wouldn't exactly be living in a super 8 hotel either. And I would save me a bunch of points for my next trip.

 

[Pirate Granny]

We just did one night in a GV Jambo House. Everyone LOVED it. We are thinking about staying there again for an entire week.

I think two studios would be tight...where would you propose to eat...most meals would have to be done outside the room, as there is little room for that many people, and if I recall correctly the table is part of the Murphy bed. Not sure where the pack and play would fit, outside of putting in the second bathroom.

We have ten on our family trips, none under the age of 3, and we do GVs or at the BCV 1 2bedroom and a studio (no GV there).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

@drusba summary here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/grand-villa-availability-at-all-resorts.3564854/

It really depends on time of year. During Fall Frenzy, you will be at your home resort or perhaps Saratoga. In other seasons, BWV is unlikely without a waitlist that may not come through, OKW is mostly unlikely, especially near HH, and BLT is variable. No data on Copper Creek yet.

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks. That was another question, how easy would a grand villa be to get at any resort at the 7 month window? We are open to staying other places but some of them wouldn't be possible. I would have at most 593 possible points to use for this trip. So that leaves a few out even if I was able to get them. I am planning it June 3-9, 2018. I don't mind staying at animal kingdom again I just figured we would try something different.

I thought possibly 2 poly studios since the 5+1 in each room was 2 adults one infant and, 3 small children (i think the oldest in either group would be 8). It wouldn't be condo living but it wouldn't exactly be living in a super 8 hotel either. And I would save me a bunch of points for my next trip.

I suppose that with connecting studios, you could put all of the kiddies in one studio (3 in the Q bed and 3 on the sofa, plus the babies in the two P&Ps). And then the parents could share the other studio in the evening when the kids go to bed. But even that would not be something that I would want to do. I'm all about saving points when I can but that arrangement would be beyond my limits.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Plus, with 12 and babies, I would want both the in-unit W/D and the in-unit kitchen. You'd get neither at Poly!