Like AAFrequentFlyer I have had GREAT success at booking FF tickets. Here are my tickets:
CHS-ATL-SFM First 06/02/07 - 06/08/07
SAV-ATL-STT Economy 08/25/07 - 09/01/07
My best find yet!
IAD-LHR-BKK First class on BA 03/03/08 - 03/13/08.

I think AAFrequentFlyer would agree to be flexible and plan early.

<i>Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that AAFF's elite status gives him any edge in booking an award trip like this</i>

Correct, available to anyone.

Speaking personally, though, booking a business class Oneworld award to southern Africa is a major pain, owing to connection point limitations and British Airways' miserly allocation of premium seats to Joburg or Cape Town. I'm trying to book my wife for August/September and am finding the only available routing most days is through Harare, which I really want to avoid for obvious reasons.

I envy you people who can travel during off or sholder season.

Continentals website does say that Elite members may have better luck if they log in first when booking reward tickets.

Mine are not that complex but have redeemed 10 coach tickets from DFW to Maui on AA in the past two years, four coach tickets from DFW to Anchorage last year (each person redeemed his own; two were AA Platinum and two were no status), and have three first class tickets on hold from DFW to Anchorage for later this year.