7 month window should start at midnight. Why not?

[CaliAdventurer]

As I sit here reading through old threads because it's the middle of the night and I need to try to snag a room in an hour because I am on the West Coast...

In the last 2 years, the 7 month window has been noticeably tight bordering on impossible for some school breaks.
Because I was on the fence about a February trip I failed to utilize my home resort window. I was lulled into a false sense of security by how easy it was last year even a few days after 7 mos. Oddly this year at some resorts, 1 bedrooms seem to have some of the least availability and walking has apparently become the new black.

So I'm smarting because 1) I have realized that I now have to walk a week or two if I want to do 7 months which is considerably more difficult because of the time difference. The booking time the last few years has been a slight inconvenience but worth it. But waking up in the middle of the night for a week + is a non starter is not what I signed up for. 2) It's bogus that the time to book online is EST. It's software not humans and midnight should be the start time. Even midnight west coast would be more equitable to Pacific and Trans Pacific owners of which there are many. It's not cool that a local owner at Aulani should have to rise before 3 am to book a reservation elsewhere. Because the new reality is that one must for the big draws which is really all but the usual JV squad and the bungalows.

In reading posts from 2012 this is mentioned as a fairer option. Does anyone have info on if this has ever gained traction with management or any insight now as to why online is 8 when call in is 9 EST? Even making it all 9 am full stop is slightly better for those out west. Though not for walking purposes.

Thank goodness I followed the advice on the threads here to buy only where I want to stay. (But that won't save you if you don't utilize the window) I can't imagine when a few more resorts are sold what things will be like for those who never intend to stay at their "home" or how long people will walk their reservations. Will/could DVC set limits, say like 1 changes per reservation? 50 years is a long time...

Anyway, that's my 4 AM rant. I'm ready to shout it from the rooftops: MIDNIGHT!!!!!!!

 

[CaliAdventurer]

@ 5:00 am on the dot and Feb 20th completely gone at VGC all categories. Amazing. How is that even possible? It can't be walkers right, that's not til 9?

Oh well, no vacay. Wanted Aulani *home but I don't want to pay all that airfare and stay less than a week and there isn't a week's availability. A few days in SoCal would be perfect even if I could get tomorrow on but I'm not going to get up at 4. Hair flip. Lesson learned. 11 mo window just in case no matter what!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It starts at 7 because it's closer to when phones open.

 

[CarolMN]

2/20/2018 is the Tuesday after the President's Day Holiday. There are still several U.S. school districts that have that entire week off. VGC is small and booking there at 7 months has (and continues to be) a challenge. It's very likely that there was only 1 or maybe two rooms left for that night due to the Holiday. Not a surprise that it (they) disappeared quickly.

The system is what it is - there is no opening time for the windows that will make everyone happy. As you know, MS is located in the Eastern times zone (as are the largest number of DVC members), and those who can book online get a 1 hour advantage over those who call. AFAIK, there has never been any type of "groundswell" to change the online booking window to another time. Doubt there ever will be.

Sorry you didn't get what you want. Hope something works out for you.

P.S. Right now, the RAT is showing full availability for the entire month of February (except for Saturday, 2/17) in an ocean view studio.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

As a west coaster I can absolutely sympathize over the times. It's frankly annoying to have it so east coast centric but that isn't an issue just for DVC but many other things. The one thing we did get - FP's opening at midnight - they then took away.

I think you're confusing how walking works and VGC booking right at 8am isn't unthinkable. There are 23 total studios! It may have been a single studio with availability for that day so whomever got thru the prompts first got it. Waitlists really do work there and I'd try that since it seems like it would be a driving trip for you so no booking of airfare to worry about.

I'm confused though about the Aulani? You really wanted there but no availability?

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh well, no vacay. Wanted Aulani *home but I don't want to pay all that airfare and stay less than a week and there isn't a week's availability. A few days in SoCal would be perfect even if I could get tomorrow on but I'm not going to get up at 4.

Have you considered any of the perfectly nice offsite options at Disneyland?

We've stayed once at the Grand and are over it. Cannot imagine using our points there with all the good lower-cost options in the area.

Or perhaps a nice stay up at USH to explore the other socal options?

 

[bwvBound]

Heh, heh. I fully understand. Yes, I live on the West Coast.

Many years ago, I had a distinct pattern of waking at 2a local to comb through II inventory to snag a specific exchange into BWV for a tech conference each year. Sometimes I'd get the exchange on the 2nd or 3rd morning ... sometimes I'd go 9 nights of combing, hoping and searching. After such a long rally of late night searches, booking the trade was anticlimactic. Sure, I was glad/relieved to have the booking in hand ... but I was more than a tad cranky for the lack of sleep.

The games we play in timeshare!

 

[ScubaCat]

On the west coast, you get superior weather and the ocean. I say you're still ahead.

Problem with midnight is it would conflict with maintenance windows too often. A 1am-6am outage is far more tolerable when the next booking day isn't available until 8am. Not saying their uptime record is the greatest or anything, to put it mildly, but just by logic it makes sense to release it when the system is more (theoretically) likely to be available.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

@ 5:00 am on the dot and Feb 20th completely gone at VGC all categories. Amazing. How is that even possible?

It starts at 7 because it's closer to when phones open.

omg. That's what i was here looking up to begin with. So instead of typing that rant I could have booked my rooms. Hahaha! In my family that's called a "Murp"or maybe cuz it's a bigger fail we'd call me a "Fouler"

Ok well, it should still be midnight! ; )

 

[CaliAdventurer]

As a west coaster I can absolutely sympathize over the times. It's frankly annoying to have it so east coast centric but that isn't an issue just for DVC but many other things. The one thing we did get - FP's opening at midnight - they then took away.

I think you're confusing how walking works and VGC booking right at 8am isn't unthinkable. There are 23 total studios! It may have been a single studio with availability for that day so whomever got thru the prompts first got it. Waitlists really do work there and I'd try that since it seems like it would be a driving trip for you so no booking of airfare to worry about.

I'm confused though about the Aulani? You really wanted there but no availability?

I am thoroughly confused!
How does walking work? I book out when my dates are available and keep adding and subtracting by phone each day? But then this happens what would one do?
Also, how do you waitlist? I don't see that option anywhere when the first night isn't avail? Am I just missing it? I want to ask about that. So how do I waitlist any of these dates. Once they are all grey will it offer me waitlist?

Yes, my first thought was to go to Aulani but since I'm late to the party there's only 6 consecutive nights for the 2 bed I need. There is still studio 2 bed OV which I'm considering doing two of those instead but i think now my first choice would be to waitlist like 5 days at VGC and leave it to the gods.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

Problem with midnight is it would conflict with maintenance windows too often. A 1am-6am outage is far more tolerable when the next booking day isn't available until 8am. Not saying their uptime record is the greatest or anything, to put it mildly, but just by logic it makes sense to release it when the system is more (theoretically) likely to be available.

Ahhh, okay- I'll take that one. But I'm still tired AF. : (

Have you considered any of the perfectly nice offsite options at Disneyland

We've stayed once at the Grand and are over it. Cannot imagine using our points there with all the good lower-cost options in the area.

Or perhaps a nice stay up at USH to explore the other socal options?

I'm a resaler so I can't switch over and in the past we've stayed rack GC but now I'm fully spoiled because after paying $600 for a tiny room, I can't do it. DLH is close to the same and PPH is a hike.

We'll prob homeaway a beach condo instead and maybe just go to Disney for a day. We went this last February and froze like no other!!! Miserable weather on the west coast this past fall/winter. Maybe thats why I'm so mad about the time ; )

 

[bwvBound]

We went this last February and froze like no other!!! Miserable weather on the west coast this past fall/winter. Maybe thats why I'm so mad about the time ; )

But we got rain! A blessing of rain!

My well tanks registered "full" by late February and are still able to recover every 2nd or 3rd day. Amaaaaaaazing! After years of drought, I've been able to slowly enable and increase various irrigation cycles. And a shower? Every day, if I wish! Wow, what a lovely and lasting joy has been gifted to us from that winter of clouds, gray, wet and cool weather. Color me HAPPY.

 

[ScubaCat]

I'm a resaler so I can't switch over and in the past we've stayed rack GC but now I'm fully spoiled because after paying $600 for a tiny room, I can't do it. DLH is close to the same and PPH is a hike.

We'll prob homeaway a beach condo instead and maybe just go to Disney for a day. We went this last February and froze like no other!!! Miserable weather on the west coast this past fall/winter. Maybe thats why I'm so mad about the time ; )

Not sure what you mean by "resaler"... resale buyers have the same booking windows as direct buyers. I bet that 65 degree February weather was just BRUTAL.

A good thing about DL is the offsite hotels are super convenient, whereas WDW offsite requires transportation to get to the parks (or TTC for MK, which is even worse). We stayed a week at Embassy Suites Anaheim South and it was fantastic. Right down Harbor Drive with, a 2-room suite with a full breakfast buffet (free thanks to my Hilton points but still would only have been about $199/night or so). I'm shocked at the prices Disney is able to get for the 3 on-property hotels, although I can't blame them since they obviously book up and are very popular!

 

[kboo]

Moot point in OP's case, but isn't walking not advised at 7 mo because an owner with 11-mo priority could swoop in and book the tail end nights at any time?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

omg. That's what i was here looking up to begin with. So instead of typing that rant I could have booked my rooms. Hahaha! In my family that's called a "Murp"or maybe cuz it's a bigger fail we'd call me a "Fouler"

Ok well, it should still be midnight! ; )

Now I'm confused because yes, online booking begins at 5am pacific time or 8am eastern. @_auroraborealis_ must have been talking about their own central time or something because it's not 7 am eastern.

I am thoroughly confused!
How does walking work? I book out when my dates are available and keep adding and subtracting by phone each day? But then this happens what would one do?
Also, how do you waitlist? I don't see that option anywhere when the first night isn't avail? Am I just missing it? I want to ask about that. So how do I waitlist any of these dates. Once they are all grey will it offer me waitlist?

Yes, my first thought was to go to Aulani but since I'm late to the party there's only 6 consecutive nights for the 2 bed I need. There is still studio 2 bed OV which I'm considering doing two of those instead but i think now my first choice would be to waitlist like 5 days at VGC and leave it to the gods.

With walking you actually don't have to change it every day although if you were trying this at the 7 month mark that would likely be a good idea. However one has to call in to make changes so what happens at 8am is not about walking - just about a very small pool of rooms. Anyway, as was mentioned walking at 7 months isn't guaranteed as someone with points at VGC could still book ahead of you while you were in your walk. I must admit I've done that a time or two at VGC - booked just before the 7 month window opened.

To waitlist first you search for your room reservation. It will return the window that shows that the first day is gone. If you read the text in that box you'll see where it asks if you'd like to waitlist those days. Select that and it will take you thru setting up the waitlist.

For either VGC or Aulani I'd book what is available and then waitlist what I hadn't gotten. In the case of Aulani I wouldn't be surprised for you to get a single night to complete a 7 night stay. I'd book the 6 nights available in the 2BR, book the 2 studios for the remaining night and waitlist a 2BR for that night. Just running thru what I'd be doing to get what I was looking for.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

But we got rain! A blessing of rain!

My well tanks registered "full" by late February and are still able to recover every 2nd or 3rd day. Amaaaaaaazing! After years of drought, I've been able to slowly enable and increase various irrigation cycles. And a shower? Every day, if I wish! Wow, what a lovely and lasting joy has been gifted to us from that winter of clouds, gray, wet and cool weather. Color me HAPPY.

Yes!!! We needed it badly and the verdant summer has been delicious!!!

 

[CaliAdventurer]

Not sure what you mean by "resaler"... resale buyers have the same booking windows as direct buyers. I bet that 65 degree February weather was just BRUTAL.

I was talking about trading points into the disney hotels. But you're totally right, the suites around DL with breakfast are a great deal. Staying at VGC with kids is just so great because you can come and go. We're not park til you drop kind of people. Yeah,again, you're right. I feel better now.

I'm gonna try to waitlist and if not who cares. I'll save my points for Aulani or WDW. For a second there I was I was kicking myself for not buying VGC when it was $130 and under resale but I'm just being emotional. I used to Priceline for under a hundred bucks. Now I'm spoiled!

 

[DougEMG]

I feel your pain. Being on the west coast sucks for making bookings because of the 3 hour time zone difference. There isn't any real need for this if Disney had a real IT infurstucture in place.

 

[CarolMN]

I feel your pain. Being on the west coast sucks for making bookings because of the 3 hour time zone difference. There isn't any real need for this if Disney had a real IT infurstucture in place.

Don't see what IT has to do with the time a booking window opens.

 

[sndral]

Well, I'd be all for a midnight east coast window open for everything - DVC, ADRs, FP+, that brief period of time we could make FP+s at midnight (9 pm our time) was sweet!
Perhaps they need the opening to be close to when people can answer the phones to deal w/ the inevitable issues that the online system causes, and expecting people to be answering phones at 1 am east coast time might be a stretch.