New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[TLSnell1981]

Dh and I stayed in a BW view the week before Christmas.......ah, beautiful. I have a brother with special needs and I'm taking him down for his 40th birthday. I was fortunate to get the view.

Thanks for verifying that points MUST be used. I thought that was the case.

 

[thepops]

tried for studio concierge at AKV this morning right at 9 for 4 nights. Couldn't get the first night, but the CM said the rest was available. She suggested calling again tomorrow and booking the rest and then waitlisting the first night. I took Kidani for the whole thing, waitlisted for Conceirge, and will call tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get a CM with quick fingers.

 

[DebbieB]

Called for BWV boardwalk view 1 bedroom at 9:00am today for Dec 5 to 11. Got it! I was a little nervous because I always did day by day for this reservation because it's very popular.

 

[zulaya]

Called today (1/5/09) for Dec 5-12 at BCV in a Dedicated 2BR with 2Q in 2nd BR. Was on hold for about 7 minutes, calling at 9am.

Got what I wanted.


So, I guess I'm eating crow. Calling at 9am on the first day, I wasn't shut out of one of the 25 units available and got my whole reservation. I guess it's working if you are calling first thing in the morning.

Call me crazy, I still don't like the concept. But it is working and I guess will be here to stay.

Hopefully the rest of the early December people are having good results and Xmas/New Years will be workable as well.

DebbieB - I wonder if we all "think" things are more popular than they really are?

Now, I personally would have thought studios and 2BR would be reserved quicker and 1BR last. At least for the DVCI resorts, because you technically can only fit 4 in a 1BR and a studio. I would have thought people who want to save points and didn't care about cooking would book the studio and the larger groups the 2BR and then the 1BR are what's left.

 

[tjkraz]

I wonder if we all "think" things are more popular than they really are?

I think that people who frequent websites like this have habits and preferences that are different from the general public. I can't speak for the DIS in particular but I've spoken to a number of other Disney website owners and suspect the number of DVC members who frequent websites and message boards is under 20%. Perhaps well under that number.

So while the DIS may have a lot of folks who are drawn to those early December dates, I doubt that preference is representative of the rest of membership. Sure there is enough demand for the dates to be booked months ahead of time, but not so much that people calling at 9:30am, 11 months out, will already be consistently blocked out.

We've also had several years of Member Services CMs making comments like "good thing you called day-by-day" to help reinforce the habit.

 

[DebbieB]

DebbieB - I wonder if we all "think" things are more popular than they really are?

I know once I booked a standard view for that week using the old day by day system. I forgot to call first thing, called around 2:00pm and the cm said I got the last one.

I think it helps that I am arriving 12/5, which is a Saturday. Sunday arrivals are more popular because of the less points.

 

[snowbunny]

Sunday arrivals are more popular because of the less points.

That's the theory, but I am curious, are there any data to back it up? I got my BW view one-bedroom at 7 months out under the new system, arriving Sunday, July 5.
There is a lot of conventional wisdom floating around that may no longer hold up (starting with, you can't get a room at a popular time unless you call at 9 am day by day, as noted above).

 

[bobbiwoz]

That's the theory, but I am curious, are there any data to back it up? I got my BW view one-bedroom at 7 months out under the new system, arriving Sunday, July 5.
There is a lot of conventional wisdom floating around that may no longer hold up (starting with, you can't get a room at a popular time unless you call at 9 am day by day, as noted above).

1 bedrooms are supposedly more readily available than studios and 2 bedrooms. Also, look how many people to not stay over weekends to conserve points.

I called, probably just a bit after 7 months for a June stay at BCV, a studio, didn't get the Sunday, got the Monday. I'm fine with that. It's a solo trip, only had 50 points to spend, got the BCV for 1 night and SV studio at AKV for the next 3, voila, a 50 point stay!

Bobbi

 

[Dean]

That's the theory, but I am curious, are there any data to back it up? I got my BW view one-bedroom at 7 months out under the new system, arriving Sunday, July 5.
There is a lot of conventional wisdom floating around that may no longer hold up (starting with, you can't get a room at a popular time unless you call at 9 am day by day, as noted above).

Years ago the State of FL require timeshares to publish occupancy issues. The ONE year I saw from DVC did support the theory as does availability postings in the past.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I tried to book a SV or BW view studio at BWV yesterday for 12/3 and both were already sold out by the time I called at about 1 pm. PV studios were available, but not what I wanted. I called today at 9:45 and was able to book 12/4 to 12/11 in a SV studio BWV. I am now WLed for a SV studio on 12/3.

Last year, I booked 12/6-12/20 by calling day-by-day at 9 am and was able to book a BWV studio. So, I am not sure that the new system is better for difficult reservations, but it may be no worse. -- Suzanne

I think I am the first to admit that I ended up "walking" my early Dec reservation. Siince I had to WL for Thu 12/3 SV studio at BWV, I decided to move the trip back by a week. I called today and added the nights of 12/11 -12/15 and cancelled the 12/3 WL and the confirmed nights of 12/4 -12/7. As I expected, no problem adding the nights even though I called at about 11:30 AM. -- Suzanne

 

[dianeschlicht]

I am eating crow too, because I got my CL ressie for 12/8/09 forward without walkin!

 

[Laurabearz]

I am eating crow too, because I got my CL ressie for 12/8/09 forward without walkin!

That's awesome!!!

I had to waitlist at the 7 month window for one of our two 2 bedrooms for Hilton Head in June, where in previous years I had secured both by calling day by day.

I am happy to report that the waitlist came through

 

[n2mm]

All of this latest reporting is making me nervous. I have to call today and was hoping for a BWV-SV. Today is my 11 mo day and I've always had luck calling dbd for the harder times. I'll post back. I had considered walking, but just couldn't bring myself to do it. Since I only need to book 2 days, so many people are ahead of me. I need Dec. 10-12. (The 10th is the day I'm worried about since the 11th is a Friday night.)

 

[Dean]

All of this latest reporting is making me nervous. I have to call today and was hoping for a BWV-SV. Today is my 11 mo day and I've always had luck calling dbd for the harder times. I'll post back. I had considered walking, but just couldn't bring myself to do it. Since I only need to book 2 days, so many people are ahead of me. I need Dec. 10-12. (The 10th is the day I'm worried about since the 11th is a Friday night.)

I think you should have concern starting on a Thursday since anyone booking any days earlier in the week likely also wanted Thursday. Booking the longer time then cancelling part might be the best option for the future though I expect at some point they'll make a cancelation like this a full cancelation and rebooking as most systems do.

 

[n2mm]

I think you should have concern starting on a Thursday since anyone booking any days earlier in the week likely also wanted Thursday. Booking the longer time then cancelling part might be the best option for the future though I expect at some point they'll make a cancelation like this a full cancelation and rebooking as most systems do.

I know, I just wanted to follow the rules. Do you think I will at least be able to get a studio at OKW at the 7 month window if today doesn't work out?

 

[bobbiwoz]

I know, I just wanted to follow the rules. Do you think I will at least be able to get a studio at OKW at the 7 month window if today doesn't work out?

I sure hope so! Pixie dust...go on the waitlist if you need to for the Thursday. Someone here reported a sv waitlist coming to them in just 3 days.

Let us know!

Bobbi

 

[Dean]

I know, I just wanted to follow the rules. Do you think I will at least be able to get a studio at OKW at the 7 month window if today doesn't work out?

Yes and I think you'll get the SV if you wait list. Good luck and let us know. BTW, scheduling more then cancelling is within the rules. I wouldn't personally consider that truly "walking" but others might.

 

[n2mm]

I sure hope so! Pixie dust...go on the waitlist if you need to for the Thursday. Someone here reported a sv waitlist coming to them in just 3 days.

Let us know!

Bobbi

I GOT IT! I was really nervous about it after reading the earlier posts for December. I think the thing that helped me was the folks who were probably waitlisted for the entire week because they had holes earlier in the week. I don't usually go in December, but this reservation is my post-cruise stay with our BFF. Now I get to call next week for my August trip. Then I'll be done booking all of my 2009 trips....whew!

 

[jekjones1558]

Woohoo! Congrats! Have a magical trip!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I GOT IT! I was really nervous about it after reading the earlier posts for December. I think the thing that helped me was the folks who were probably waitlisted for the entire week because they had holes earlier in the week. I don't usually go in December, but this reservation is my post-cruise stay with our BFF. Now I get to call next week for my August trip. Then I'll be done booking all of my 2009 trips....whew!

That's great! I'll be booking for December next week, and then next month I need to book some villas for the 2010 marathon week. THEN I'll be finished using our '09 points (and many borrowed from '10)!

Bobbi