Strategy AKL Club Level

[susan137]

Looking for some strategy help....

We own AKL and want to book a stay in early October. Our 11 month booking window is coming up in a little over a week, so I'm looking for the best strategy. We are looking for a 2 bedroom CL, but we can deal with a 1 bedroom CL as there are only 4 of us.

Questions:

Is it better to call or log on and book? What would be fastest first thing on our booking morning?

Is there any chance at a 2 bdr or should I just ask for the 1 bdr to save precious moments on booking day? I'd hate for the member services rep to be looking for a 2 bdr and all the 1 bdr's get booked in the mean time.

I'm very nervous about the booking. I'm celebrating a big birthday with my family, so I'm praying it all works out

Susan

 

[erionm]

Is it better to call or log on and book? What would be fastest first thing on our booking morning?

On-line booking rolls to the next day at 8 AM Eastern, the phones open 1 hour later at 9 AM Eastern.

 

[susan137]

On-line booking rolls to the next day at 8 AM Eastern, the phones open 1 hour later at 9 AM Eastern.

Okay, good to know....I'll be online at 8 am on my booking morning. Thanks so much!

Anyone have an opinion on the 2 bdr vs. 1 bdr?

Susan

 

[kgc07]

I'd book online and try for the 2 bedroom, if it's not available, the system will show you what is.

 

[drusba]

If you want a 1BR, it will likely be available at 11 months out whether you do it on-one or wait to call. 1BR club level is always the category that fills last in the club level.

If you want a 2BR, determine how many nights you can get with the points you have. Then try to walk the reservation, meaning as follows: assume you want Oct 1 to 8 and you have enough points for a week without borrowing. At 8 a.m. Oct 25 go online and see if Sep 25 to Oct 2 is open. If it is, reserve it and then next day call MS and modify the ressie by dropping Sep 25 and adding the night of Oct 2, next day drop Sep 26 and add night of Oct 3, continue to do that daily until you have the reservation you want. If, when you go on-line Oct 25 to start walking you see there are days already full such as Sep 25 and 26, then wait until the first day that is open to attempt to start the walking, e.g., if Sep 25 and 26 are gone, try reserving online on on Oct 27 to get Sep 27 to Oct 3 and walk from there.

Why do it that way? Getting a studio or 2 BR club level can be hard to get exactly 11 months because there are only a small number and you can be blocked out by someone with an earlier arrival date who has your beginning date in his reservation. Walking gives you the better shot to avoid being blocked out. If you can grab your first desired night in the walking process, you then become the person who blocks out your own room for getting nights thereafter. You have to call to modify the reservation daily because you cannot modify ressies online.

 

[susan137]

If you want a 1BR, it will likely be available at 11 months out whether you do it on-one or wait to call. 1BR club level are always the ones that fill last in the club level.

If you want a 2BR, determine how many nights you can get with the points you have. Then try to walk the reservation, meaning as follows: assume you want Oct 1 to 8 and you have enough points for a week without borrowing. At 8 a.m. Oct 25 go online and see if Sep 25 to Oct 2 is open. If it is, reserve it and then next day call MS and modify the ressie by dropping Sep 25 and adding the night of Oct 2, next day drop Sep 26 and add night of Oct 3, continue to do that daily until you have the reservation you want. If, when you go on-line Oct 25 to start walking you see there are days already full such as Sep 25 and 26, then wait until the first day that is open to attempt to start the walking, e.g., if Sep 25 and 26 are gone, try reserving online on on Oct 27 to get Sep 27 to Oct 3 and walk from there.

Why do it that way? Getting a studio or 2 BR club level can be hard to get exactly 11 months because there are only a small number and you can be blocked out by someone with an earlier arrival date who has your beginning date in his reservation. Walking gives you the better shot to avoid being blocked out. If you can grab your first night in the walking process, you then become the person who blocks out your own room for getting nights thereafter. You have to call to modify the reservation daily because you cannot modify ressies online.

Great information!!

Question, I have banked points that I'll be using, current points, plus borrowing just a few from next year. Does that make a difference if I walk the reservation?

Sorry to be so clueless. We've not tried for such a hard reservation before.

Susan

 

[kgc07]

I've had several successful club level bookings (you can see from my sig) and have never had to walk a reservation.

 

[drusba]

You can use banked or borrowed points while walking but borrowed points once borrowed cannot be sent back to their original use year. Thus, if you borrow you just have to be OK with having to use those points no matter what.

As to whether walking is necessary, I have tracked club level and there have actually been many times during the year when you cannot get it exactly 11 months out from date of desired arrival because your arrival date and even one or two thereafter is already blocked out. It is the only room category on site that has that risk many times of year. I particularly suggest it for Oct, the second highest DVC demand month of the year.

 

[susan137]

You can use banked or borrowed points while walking but borrowed points once borrowed cannot be sent back to their original use year. Thus, if you borrow you just have to be OK with having to use those points no matter what.

As to whether walking is necessary, I have tracked club level and there have actually been many times during the year when you cannot get it exactly 11 months out from date of desired arrival because your arrival date and even one or two thereafter is already blocked out. It is the only room category on site that has that risk many times of year. I particularly suggest it for Oct, the second highest DVC demand month of the year.

Got 'ya! Thanks again for all the great info

 

[drusba]

Also, if you go to begin walking and some days are already blocked out in the walking process, for example right now on Oct 25, club level studios and 2BRs are full for Sep 25 to 27, 2014, you should still keep checking daily to start the walking process or even keep checking a little after your 11 month window if you are continuously blocked out. Sometimes days open up that were closed out only a day or two before simply because walking is known by many members who want club level, you really only need less than a handful of members to be seeking studios or 2BRs on club level to close out a day, and odds are at least some of those members are themselves walking, and thus days that you want may open up as the other walkers walk past days you want.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I've had several successful club level bookings (you can see from my sig) and have never had to walk a reservation.

May isn't as popular as October. May (not Memorial Day weekend) is one of the easier times to book nearly anything.

 

[kgc07]

May isn't as popular as October. May (not Memorial Day weekend) is one of the easier times to book nearly anything.

I realize this. The past two trips and upcoming in 2014 have included Memorial Day weekend. I think walking a reservation makes the whole process harder for everyone involved. People try to get reservations and are unable to because they are being held by people who never intend to use them.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I realize this. The past two trips and upcoming in 2014 have included Memorial Day weekend. I think walking a reservation makes the whole process harder for everyone involved. People try to get reservations and are unable to because they are being held by people who never intend to use them.

It just means you need to check the website frequently or set up a waitlist.

 

[kgc07]

It just means you need to check the website frequently or set up a waitlist.

Obviously. Which is harder than just booking it the first try instead of day by day. Setting up a wait list isn't a guaranteed reservation, especially an AKV club level reservation. I guess if someone wants something bad enough, they will do whatever it takes.

 

[drusba]

I realize this. The past two trips and upcoming in 2014 have included Memorial Day weekend. I think walking a reservation makes the whole process harder for everyone involved. People try to get reservations and are unable to because they are being held by people who never intend to use them.

In my tracking of demand times, Memorial Day weekend is also not a high demand time. The highest demand months are 1. Dec, 2. Oct, 3. Nov. It is actually much easier to get Presidents week, Easter, Memorial Day, and July 4 time than to get time during most of those three months. I usually do not recommend walking for anything, but AKV club level with only 5 two bedrooms is the exception because club level is often blocked out at exactly 11 months out except for 1BRs. As I noted above, today is Oct 25 and the 2BRs and studios for club level are already fully booked for Sep 25, 26, and 27, 2014, meaning someone who goes on tomorrow at 8 a.m. exactly 11 months out if date of arrival is Sep 26 is already blocked out.

 

[princessvacg]

If you want a 1BR, it will likely be available at 11 months out whether you do it on-one or wait to call. 1BR club level is always the category that fills last in the club level.

If you want a 2BR, determine how many nights you can get with the points you have. Then try to walk the reservation, meaning as follows: assume you want Oct 1 to 8 and you have enough points for a week without borrowing. At 8 a.m. Oct 25 go online and see if Sep 25 to Oct 2 is open. If it is, reserve it and then next day call MS and modify the ressie by dropping Sep 25 and adding the night of Oct 2, next day drop Sep 26 and add night of Oct 3, continue to do that daily until you have the reservation you want. If, when you go on-line Oct 25 to start walking you see there are days already full such as Sep 25 and 26, then wait until the first day that is open to attempt to start the walking, e.g., if Sep 25 and 26 are gone, try reserving online on on Oct 27 to get Sep 27 to Oct 3 and walk from there.

Why do it that way? Getting a studio or 2 BR club level can be hard to get exactly 11 months because there are only a small number and you can be blocked out by someone with an earlier arrival date who has your beginning date in his reservation. Walking gives you the better shot to avoid being blocked out. If you can grab your first desired night in the walking process, you then become the person who blocks out your own room for getting nights thereafter. You have to call to modify the reservation daily because you cannot modify ressies online.

That is exactly how I did it when I booked my reservation
for July 4 week. It is a bit of a pain to have to keep calling in and adding and releasing a day... but well worth it!

 

[holula]

As much as AK club level is hard to get into (little success at 7 months!) we have managed to book a two night studio stay in October before, at around 2 months out. I think we got lucky.

I agree that you should try for a 1 bed and not a 2 bed.

 

[susan137]

I just wanted to check back in and thank you all for the advice of walking the reservation. So far, I have 3 days booked that I need and I'll keep calling and adding and releasing. I don't think I would have gotten the 2 bedroom any other way. So, thanks much for all the advice!!

Susan

 

[SnowWhite2]

Does MS get annoyed that you keep calling daily to do this? I'm looking for a 1 bd in early-mid Nov. My booking window is when I'm at WDW. Nothing like being at rope drop and calling MS. I guess there are worse problems to have

 

[Disney Dreams]

The entire concept of walking makes sense to me in an isolated situation, but here's what I don't "get" and I am hoping someone can help me understand. Please and thank you.

First step:

...If you want a 2BR, determine how many nights you can get with the points you have. Then try to walk the reservation, meaning as follows: assume you want Oct 1 to 8 and you have enough points for a week without borrowing. At 8 a.m. Oct 25 go online and see if Sep 25 to Oct 2 is open. If it is, reserve it and then next day call MS and modify the ressie by dropping Sep 25 and adding the night of Oct 2, next day drop Sep 26 and add night of Oct 3, continue to do that daily until you have the reservation you want. If, when you go on-line Oct 25 to start walking you see there are days already full such as Sep 25 and 26, then wait until the first day that is open to attempt to start the walking, e.g., if Sep 25 and 26 are gone, try reserving online on on Oct 27 to get Sep 27 to Oct 3 and walk from there....

I completely understand this. I "get" why it works, but what I do not understand is how ANY dates can be available if people are walking reservations.

So... Let's say the desired arrival date is 10/2/2014. Seven days prior to 11 months, 9/25/2013, the person goes online to attempt to book the 25th through the 2nd. They can't get it though because someone who wants their vacation to start on 10/1/2014 has already booked 9/24/2014 through 10/1/2014 with the intention of walking their reservation. So on the morning of 9/25/2013, they can't get the start date needed.

They try again on 9/26/2013, but the person with the "fake" reservation still has 10/2/2014. And on and on.

If only people are doing this, every week of the year is booked by fake dates. So, how does anyone get any dates they need if enough people are walking? I just don't understand how you could ever get what you need if everyone is booking up fake dates. What am I not understanding in this?

Also, if you go to begin walking and some days are already blocked out in the walking process, for example right now on Oct 25, club level studios and 2BRs are full for Sep 25 to 27, 2014, you should still keep checking daily to start the walking process or even keep checking a little after your 11 month window if you are continuously blocked out. Sometimes days open up that were closed out only a day or two before simply because walking is known by many members who want club level, you really only need less than a handful of members to be seeking studios or 2BRs on club level to close out a day, and odds are at least some of those members are themselves walking, and thus days that you want may open up as the other walkers walk past days you want.

In a perfect world, I understand this, but with 1,000s of members, don't you end up with a situation where there is never a start date that gives you seven consecutive dates to book?

Please help me understand why mathematically this does not result is everyone blocking each other and no dates that anyone really wants being available.

Thanks,
Dreams