Hi there, Matthew! Welcome back to planDisney. It's great to see you here again, and I'm glad that you are doing all of your homework before joining the coolest club around -
Disney Vacation Club! I'm here to channel my inner Judy Hopps to track down an answer to your excellent question, so let's hop to it!
The guidelines around booking a DVC stay can be a bit confusing, and I am happy to clarify how this works in practice for Members. As you likely know, Members can make a reservation at their Home Resort exactly 11 months before their desired arrival date (the "Home Resort Priority Period"), or 7 months before check-in for any other DVC resort. The information you saw online is correct - on the date that those 11- or 7-month windows open, you can book a stay of up to 7 nights.
However, this does not mean that you are limited to a 7-night stay! Members can enjoy a vacation of up to 30 consecutive nights, provided they have enough Vacation Points to do so. After booking the initial 7-night stay, you would then modify your booking to add on the additional dates as they become available. You can either do this one day at a time as each date opens, or wait until they are all within your window and add them all at once.
Matthew, it feels like you are getting closer and closer to enjoying the magic of DVC Membership, and I hope this information is helpful as you're making that big decision! Thanks so much for coming back to see us, and please don't hesitate to reach out again if we can answer any other questions. No detail is too small!
See Ya Real Soon!
Susan