Waitlist vs Stalking...and waitlist wins!

[disdad19]

We’re heading down in January. We had the whole trip reserved with the exception of a single night in VGF standard studio. For the last 5-6 months I have been stalking like no other (10+ tries/day EVERY day) with no luck. Then 2 days ago I got an email that the waitlist had come through! I was beyond shocked but happy nonetheless. If only I could have back all that time I wasted.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I don’t know exactly how the waitlist works. Perhaps it is a cast member doing it, or perhaps it is a computer program that runs continuously or intermittently. My money is on a computer program. Anyway, I have seen it work almost instantly. One morning, when trying to book at 8 AM Eastern time, the day I wanted, exactly at 11 months, wasn't available. Gone within 5 seconds, and I wasn’t fast enough. But the same thing had happened the day before, and I had created a waitlist for that day. Well, several people who were ‘walking’ reservations apparently suddenly freed up the day before, which I had placed on the waitlist the previous morning. So I went in to cancel the waitlist and grab the room, and it had already been filled, almost within seconds of it becoming available.

 

[jerseygal]

CONGRATS to you! Yes, I was equally surprised when a waitlist came through for 2 nights at the Poly about 6 weeks in advance from our recent October trip! I was so happy! Great for you!

 

[Marionnette]

Congratulations! I just experienced a waitlist fail, of sorts. I had a single night waitlisted for a BWV Std. studio in Sept. I wasn't stalking because I figured that if it didn't come thru, no big deal. Imagine my surprise that the night showed availability when I was checking another date for a friend! Why, oh why wasn't it grabbed for my waitlist?

 

[disdad19]

Congratulations! I just experienced a waitlist fail, of sorts. I had a single night waitlisted for a BWV Std. studio in Sept. I wasn't stalking because I figured that if it didn't come thru, no big deal. Imagine my surprise that the night showed availability when I was checking another date for a friend! Why, oh why wasn't it grabbed for my waitlist?

Yes, this is the kind of story that made me so surprised my waitlist got filled. I've read numerous stories on here where people say their stalking was more effective than waitlist. Oh well, I'm just happy to have it!

 

[disdad19]

I don’t know exactly how the waitlist works. Perhaps it is a cast member doing it, or perhaps it is a computer program that runs continuously or intermittently. My money is on a computer program. Anyway, I have seen it work almost instantly. One morning, when trying to book at 8 AM Eastern time, the day I wanted, exactly at 11 months, wasn't available. Gone within 5 seconds, and I wasn’t fast enough. But the same thing had happened the day before, and I had created a waitlist for that day. Well, several people who were ‘walking’ reservations apparently suddenly freed up the day before, which I had placed on the waitlist the previous morning. So I went in to cancel the waitlist and grab the room, and it had already been filled, almost within seconds of it becoming available.

Interesting. It certainly sounds like a computer doing it. But I don't know how that explains so many stories of people claiming that stalking beat the waitlist. Maybe the computer will fill a waitlist when certain parameters are met but otherwise it won't. Oh, the mysteries...

 

[lakohls]

Congrats! I just logged in for my semi daily stalk for 2/21-22.

Low & behold a waitlist for 1 night at AK Kidani Savannah View come through for Feb 21 to add to our original week (7 nights 2/14-20) - hurray! Though no email notification.

I actually had both a 1 night and a 2 night option & now that the 1 night came through have cancelled the 2 nighter and replaced a new waitlist request for 1 night only on 2/22. Vey hopeful that since it is only for the 1 night it will come through and we can stay 9 nights at Kidani watching the giraffes. Back-up plan is a reservation at the Swan - but I'm going to wait to edit that reservation (deleting 2/21) until closer in case the last waitlist comes through and I am canceling both 2/21 & 2/22, but will still be staying 2/23-24 no matter what as we have used up all of our available DVC points if (when!) 2/22 comes through.

 

[n2mm]

Congratulations. You give me hope. Still waiting for a 1 night waitlist Bwv standard studio. Set to end 7 days prior. Booked at okw as backup. Hoping to see movement in a few weeks asi get closer to the 30 day mark. I stalk throughout the day. I do believe the waitlist is catching better. I’ve released a few reservations throughout this year and promptly check and they never show up on the RAT board

 

[disdad19]

Congrats! I just logged in for my semi daily stalk for 2/21-22.

Low & behold a waitlist for 1 night at AK Kidani Savannah View come through for Feb 21 to add to our original week (7 nights 2/14-20) - hurray! Though no email notification.

I actually had both a 1 night and a 2 night option & now that the 1 night came through have cancelled the 2 nighter and replaced a new waitlist request for 1 night only on 2/22. Vey hopeful that since it is only for the 1 night it will come through and we can stay 9 nights at Kidani watching the giraffes. Back-up plan is a reservation at the Swan - but I'm going to wait to edit that reservation (deleting 2/21) until closer in case the last waitlist comes through and I am canceling both 2/21 & 2/22, but will still be staying 2/23-24 no matter what as we have used up all of our available DVC points if (when!) 2/22 comes through.

Congratulations on getting the one night. Hoping the 2nd one works out for you!

 

[disdad19]

Congratulations. You give me hope. Still waiting for a 1 night waitlist Bwv standard studio. Set to end 7 days prior. Booked at okw as backup. Hoping to see movement in a few weeks asi get closer to the 30 day mark. I stalk throughout the day. I do believe the waitlist is catching better. I’ve released a few reservations throughout this year and promptly check and they never show up on the RAT board

Best of luck for getting your waitlist. Since this was my first time ever reserving with DVC I didn't know what to expect. Thanks for the feedback about your experience. Maybe next time I won't stress so much about stalking and just try to patiently wait it out.

 

[Halle]

I wait listed a 1 bdrm standard at SS for February break last week. Imagine my surprise when I logged in yesterday to see it had been fulfilled...received email 5 minutes later.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I am waitlisted for WL CC studio for May 1 and May 2, trying to get the same kind of studio for a 6 night trip. I have nights 1-4 and 6 on one type, and night 5 in the other type. I am more or less ok switching once, but would prefer not to switch twice, so I WL May 1 for one type and May 2 for the other. Best case, I get all 6 the same of course. I check several times a day, too, depends on my work schedule.

 

[2theCastle]

Wait list just came through today! I was lucky to scoop up March 22-24 at 7 month window for Boardwalk Standard View Studio and wait listed March 24-26. Just got the Welcome Home for Standard View Studio today! I had been stalking but no movement, especially not two nights together and then today it fell into place! Can bank some points for the future! I checked back on the Garden View I cancelled and looks like it went to someone else's wait list because it was gone. Multiple people happy today!

 

[murphy7573]

I never understood "walking" a rez. I've been an owner for almost 9 years. I have 2 contracts with one at BWV. I'm going to try to book at the the 11 month window for the first week of Dec. 2019. Should I be concerned or even attempt this "walking a reservation" (even though I don't know how to do it) ?

 

[zavandor]

I never understood "walking" a rez. I've been an owner for almost 9 years. I have 2 contracts with one at BWV. I'm going to try to book at the the 11 month window for the first week of Dec. 2019. Should I be concerned or even attempt this "walking a reservation" (even though I don't know how to do it) ?

Which view would you like? Only standard has problems at 11 months.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I never understood "walking" a rez. I've been an owner for almost 9 years. I have 2 contracts with one at BWV. I'm going to try to book at the the 11 month window for the first week of Dec. 2019. Should I be concerned or even attempt this "walking a reservation" (even though I don't know how to do it) ?

With the way that Disney has now set up the online reservation program, it appears that they WANT us to walk reservations. Otherwise, why did they make it so simple? And it also appears that many many people are walking reservations. You see it every day at both the 11 month and 7 month windows, for the more popular reservation categories. I honestly think that Walking Reservations is something that people are going to need to learn, if they want the best chance of getting what they want.

To walk a reservation, just go to the online member website. Choose Dashboard. Look down on your Dashboard until you see your reservation. Click on it and choose MODIFY. Then, step on through the reservation, searching for what you want, and shifting days off from the front and onto the back of it. You can reserve up to 7 days INTO the reservation window, if you have a reservation of 7 or more days. You MUST make the reservation modification, adding the new days on the end, while you still have one or more days extending into the window. When you get to the end of the process, it will show you your current reservation info at the top of the page and the new reservation info a bit farther down on the page. Choose CONFIRM and click on it. Your reservation has changed.

 

[Disneyepcot]

Wait list just came through today! I was lucky to scoop up March 22-24 at 7 month window for Boardwalk Standard View Studio and wait listed March 24-26. Just got the Welcome Home for Standard View Studio today! I had been stalking but no movement, especially not two nights together and then today it fell into place! Can bank some points for the future! I checked back on the Garden View I cancelled and looks like it went to someone else's wait list because it was gone. Multiple people happy today!

I also got lucky today! I’ve been stalking the website months for a Feb 9 Value studio to replace my standard studio at AKL.
I checked several times today but still nothing. My waitlist must have been filled directly without giving anyone else a chance to grab it.
Waitlist won this time!

 

[jamiecarr@dvcstore]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I always like to hear what members find more effective and what works. I have always had great success with waitlists and it seems like from the other replies, that others have as well. Have a great trip!

 

[murphy7573]

Thanks Frederic, for the tutorial.

 

[js]

Congratulations!

I was beginning to think with the last few updates that DVC site was trying to tighten their system but I had a WL in for January 11 BLT LV studio one night to complete my eight night stay (that I pieced together by stalking with only one day of a WL coming through, January 4). I stalked for weeks (maybe a full month) constantly for that last night.

Then, on Monday night I was doing my regular stalking. Came home from gym, nothing. Looked before going in shower, nothing. Came out of shower and there it was....night of January 11 BLT LV studio just sitting there waiting for someone to take it, which thank goodness it was me! Im very happy it was sitting there and that I saw it but I had a WL in for it and maybe others too (its the Friday of Marathon Weekend). The night should have hit someone’s WL, or at least mine since I had one. I just dont understand why it was on the RAT when I, and possibly others, had a WL.

Happy you got what you needed. My eight nights went from SSR to eventually BLT by stalking seven nights, with one night WL coming through.