Which DVC Resorts Book the Fastest?

One of the mantras of Disney Vacation Club ownership is that you should buy where you intend to stay. We believe this philosophy because we know from experience that some of the best DVC properties can and do sell out before the seven-month window opens. 

Which DVC resorts book the fastest? Let’s examine the likely culprits and discuss how you should utilize this knowledge to your advantage. 

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort 

Courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog

When you use the DVC reservation tool, one of the boxes you can check enables you to check all open DVC reservations at Walt Disney World. That tool exists because 75 percent of all DVC properties reside in Orlando, Florida.

Obviously, most DVC members buy into the program so that they can stay at Walt Disney World. Where’s the most appealing place to book? That answer lies in the eye of the beholder, but monorail resorts will always remain high on the list.

Disney anticipated this fact, which explains why the first two official Disney hotels opened on the Magic Kingdom monorail line in 1971. Both of them remain in operation to this day, and Disney has since introduced a third. 

Had I written this article a couple of years ago, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa might have earned a spot. However, the recent conversion of Big Pine Key into DVC buildings has vastly increased inventory here.

Now, the most challenging monorail resort to book has become Bay Lake Tower. That’s understandable due to its proximity to Magic Kingdom. This hotel features the shortest walk to the park, and it comes with the added bonus that you can ride the monorail when you don’t feel like exercising. 

The pro tip for booking here circles back to the room types. You’ll probably have a better chance at snagging one of the costlier views, Lake View or Theme Park View. The standard rooms typically book first. 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas 

Something we should keep in mind during this discussion is that some room types book quicker than others. That statement particularly applies to Animal Kingdom Villas.

At the seven-month window, you’ll possess very little hope of booking some of the room types here. Specifically, the Value Accommodations and Kilimanjaro Club Concierge rooms won’t be available, barring something unforeseen.

In fact, some of these rooms go quickly when the 11-month window opens at Animal Kingdom Villas. You’ll want to own at this resort to gain a realistic chance at booking one of these desirable room types. 

On the plus side, standard Studios at Animal Kingdom Villas are often available at the seven-month window. Sometimes, you’ll catch a break and snap a reservation even closer to your travel dates. 

Overall, I wouldn’t consider this property as challenging to book as some of the others on the list. Its most popular room types are among the quickest to book in the entire inventory, though. You should set your sights on the rooms with less demand when you’re waiting until the seven-month window to reserve your hotel stay. 

Disney’s Beach Club Villas

If we polled 100 DVC members, I suspect that this resort would appear the most. Everyone with extensive experience within the DVC program knows about the demand for Beach Club.

Over the years, the price of Beach Club contracts has steadily increased as members have recognized the obvious. When you want to stay at Beach Club frequently, you simply must own a contract here. Otherwise, you’re leaving your entire vacation up to chance, and the odds aren’t in your favor. 

The only pro tip I can give you for increasing your odds at Beach Club is to buy here. Beyond that, we’re back to basics. You must know your arrival date, figure out the date your seven-month booking window opens, and then be ready the instant the reservation system becomes available that morning. 

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas

The appeal of BoardWalk is eerily similar to that of Beach Club. You won’t gain access to Stormalong Bay, the beloved pool here, but everything else is similar.

Staying at BoardWalk entitles you to quick access to the Disney Skyliner and the International Gateway. You’re also a reasonable walk away from the front gate to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 

Of course, the chief draw here is that DVC members can visit EPCOT’s various festivals quickly. Since most dates on the annual calendar feature festivals now, BoardWalk remains in demand throughout the year. 

However, some room types book quicker than others here, and you can use that knowledge to your advantage. Standard Studios book quickly, with BoardWalk View rooms not that far behind them in terms of demand. 

So, the room type you should target is Pool View. You’ll pay a bit more for the view, but it’s quieter than BoardWalk View. More importantly, you’ll maintain that tremendous proximity to the International Gateway. The DVC Points Chart is generally more favorable than Beach Club’s as well!

The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Here’s the other obvious choice on this list. For more than a decade now, DVC members have fought to reserve rooms at the Grand Californian. 

To DVC owners, the Grand Californian has been the only game in town at Disneyland. Even worse, the limited inventory makes the battle for bookings that much more intense. 

That situation will change in late September. The Villas at Disneyland Hotel will become the more popular choice for many guests. That’s because newer is better. Also, the historical prestige of the Disneyland Hotel matters, even if this expansion tower isn’t really a part of that history. 

I’m speculating here, but you may be able to take advantage of this knowledge. Theoretically, demand for the Grand Californian should decrease when the new expansion debuts. At this point, booking at the Grand Californian could feasibly become easier. 

Conversely, the Grand Floridian’s new Resort Studios proved easy to book during the early days of its existence. If the Grand Californian remains challenging, go with the new hotness of The Villas at Disneyland Hotel for now!

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