Not Good

[5Princes]

I think this forum is giving people the wrong info as far rooms are concerned. Inventory changes quite often and sometimes a day is not availlable and then it is. Also, members have some weeks booked that are being posted here as not available.
A new person looking for a certain week doesn't understand this!!!!

 

[CarolMN]

Moved from the Resort Reservation Availability Board (which is not a discussion Forum).

 

[Dean]

I think if you read the welcome directions it is well stated what this is and is not and on the thread itself, the info is also clearly stated how the data is arrived at. I don't think any reasonable person could look at that and not know things could change. The goal is to use this as a planning tool and to that end it is very valuable if you are booking during the time in question. That's especially true now that you can have only 2 spots on the WL. If you look at a resort that is all red, it is unrealistic to think that you'll get in there on one call. You likely don't even have a chance on a WL other than possibly as you get under the 30 day window. It is a tool and more info than was available before but it is not perfect information as you point out.

 

[eliza61]

I think this forum is giving people the wrong info as far rooms are concerned. Inventory changes quite often and sometimes a day is not availlable and then it is. Also, members have some weeks booked that are being posted here as not available.
A new person looking for a certain week doesn't understand this!!!!

I think (hopefully) any new or not so new person will understand that these or any forums not 100% money back guarantee perfect. To steal a line from Pirates of the Caribbean "think of the them as more of guidelines".
It helps to be flexible in all planning..

 

[gkrykewy]

My only issue with the availability threads is that if I call MS and find that there are no studios available for a given date aside from SSR, I'm not going to spend an inordinate amount of time deciphering each precise code for the thread's formatting for every single resort and studio category aside from SSR.

I wish there were an "everything except X" input method.

 

[5forDiz]

I think this forum is giving people the wrong info as far rooms are concerned. Inventory changes quite often and sometimes a day is not availlable and then it is. Also, members have some weeks booked that are being posted here as not available.
A new person looking for a certain week doesn't understand this!!!!

I'm sorry but I don't see why someone wouldn't understand given that Welcome/Directions stickie is quite clear & imho doesn't give any wrong info at all -
it states resort reservation availability is feedback posted by members based upon WHEN they made THEIR call to MS & it clearly notes availability can change at any time (due to cancellations etc.).

 

[twinklebug]

I think the availability board is useful.

What the the board shows is what other members have tried to book and found to be unavailable. Individual days may be available, or not - it all depends on how the info was interpreted. And the data is just a small sampling of the calls out there -- only those who feel like reporting it back to the rest of us do so.

The way I use the listing is to show me how busy the various time frames are, so when I do call I am prepared to say "I understand this week is popular - and what I'm asking might not be available. So perhaps we can try other combinations". So, am I crazy when I call and request something that's clearly been posted as unavailable? Nope - I'm just hoping I get lucky - people cancel rooms all the time. That's one of the wonderful things about DVC - we can book and cancel with no penalty or hits to our charge cards.

 

[wdw1972]

I don't use the availability board - to me it IS useless. As others have stated, things change all the time. Why on earth would I look at the board?? If I want a certain resort for a trip I'll call MS & see if it's available. Looking at old information on DIS does nothing to help.

 

[deedeetoo]

I have to agree that the availability board has very limited usefulness. We've seen recent threads here about how there is no availability anywhere for the last week in December, yet when you look at the availability board there is nothing reported. Now I know that there are many DVC owners who aren't on the DIS so they don't post when they can't get something. But it is obvious that even many regular DIS posters are not putting in what they find. I just checked the list now and it looks like VWL is wide open after Dec 11. Now we know that is just not true.

 

[gkrykewy]

But it is obvious that even many regular DIS posters are not putting in what they find.

Again, I think it bears reinforcing that if you call and find that *nothing* is available, it would take you a half hour to input that into the arcane formatting of the thread

 

[Simba's Mom]

I think this forum is giving people the wrong info as far rooms are concerned. Inventory changes quite often and sometimes a day is not availlable and then it is. Also, members have some weeks booked that are being posted here as not available.
A new person looking for a certain week doesn't understand this!!!!

I can see your point-things do change, as my situation indicates, but unfortunately the DIS can't always change things. I called MS for a value studio for 3 days in October. None available. So I filled out the info on resort availability. After a few weeks of thinking "Why didn't I at least waitlist?" I finally called back. This time there WAS a studio available. After I took it, I went to the resort availability board and posted the updated info, and asked to please "unreport" what I'd reported a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the way things are set up, that can't be done so the incorrect info has to sit there. I'm sure the DIS isn't reporting the incorrect info on purpose.