Am I the only one who never gets their waitlist??

[TwingleMum]

I know its probably my own darn fault but I never in all the years I've owned DVC gotten my waitlist request. I always do it as a block because I have 3 young kids and don't want to take the chance of getting somedays and not others and being forced to move several times. Generally I'm looking for @ 5 days at a resort. I ask for different resorts each trip to attempt and sample other DVC "homes". Just wondering....

 

[lizziepooh]

I waitlisted once several months ahead of time for one day and it never came thru.

 

[canwegosoon]

Do you book really close(with in 4months) of your travel date? I have gotten my "wish list" many times(only once I didn't). I find you should have something-and then you are good to go either way.

 

[CarolMN]

What time of the year are you visiting? Some months are a lot harder to get at 7 months than others.

 

[Dean]

I know its probably my own darn fault but I never in all the years I've owned DVC gotten my waitlist request. I always do it as a block because I have 3 young kids and don't want to take the chance of getting somedays and not others and being forced to move several times. Generally I'm looking for @ 5 days at a resort. I ask for different resorts each trip to attempt and sample other DVC "homes". Just wondering....

You have to be realistic but also play the game. If you're asking for things LIKE a BW or standard view at BWV during peak times or AKV concierge; you likely never will get those much of the year. Also, you need to call day by day for the reservation at 7 months and wait list each day to truly have a good chance of many options. If you do it as a group and they get say 6 of 7 days at one time, they'll give them to someone else and NOT hold it for you in any way. There are ways to hold your first reservation while looking for day by day including wait list for the new option. That way you can cancel the new one if you don't get it all by your cut off date.

 

[starbox]

We've switched at 7 months successfully many times - and tried and gotten our waitlist three times. I've never not gotten a waitlist I stayed on. (We were waitlisted at HHI for July and I did not want to take a chance of not getting it so we went ahead and changed to WDW).

1. VWL on NYD (waitlisted about 3 months prior to arrival)
2. BWV w/ a boardwalk view in June (SWW) (waitlisted right at 7 months)
3. OKW in June (had a AKV value but wanted more room) - (waitlisted about 40 days prior to arrival)

We've always wanted studios, maybe that helps - it seems like lots of DVC owners are very anti-studio. I always only waitlist the entire block as well. It seems like you should have gotten yours most of the time.

 

[bobbiwoz]

If I really wanted to change I would plan a way to be able to hold a few days of a new reservation, waitlisting a day at a time while keeping the original one. You will be able to get refunds on cash days that came through for points, and unless you are going after times that just are so hard, I think you can have some waitlist success.

Bobbi

 

[BWV Dreamin]

You have to be realistic but also play the game. If you're asking for things LIKE a BW or standard view at BWV during peak times or AKV concierge; you likely never will get those much of the year. Also, you need to call day by day for the reservation at 7 months and wait list each day to truly have a good chance of many options. If you do it as a group and they get say 6 of 7 days at one time, they'll give them to someone else and NOT hold it for you in any way. There are ways to hold your first reservation while looking for day by day including wait list for the new option. That way you can cancel the new one if you don't get it all by your cut off date.

Why do they do that?

 

[Starr W.]

I've only waitlisted once, it was for a Sat-Tues stay. I think Dean is right depending on what you want and what time of year. This was for the 1st weekend of May and went on the wl 5 months out. Got a 2br over at VWL.

The other time I switched I called day by day at 7 months and switched over ther reservation. It wasn't too bad as it was only 4 nights. I just finished doing day by day for a 2br at VB for Spring Break next year, it gets old really fast doing a week that way but I have a system and I get right in at 9am.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I've only waitlisted once, it was for a Sat-Tues stay. I think Dean is right depending on what you want and what time of year. This was for the 1st weekend of May and went on the wl 5 months out. Got a 2br over at VWL.

The other time I switched I called day by day at 7 months and switched over ther reservation. It wasn't too bad as it was only 4 nights. I just finished doing day by day for a 2br at VB for Spring Break next year, it gets old really fast doing a week that way but I have a system and I get right in at 9am.

You own at VB, you still do day by day? I guess for Easter break, that would be a must. I did that for BWV for this spring trip as well.

 

[Starr W.]

You own at VB, you still do day by day? I guess for Easter break, that would be a must. I did that for BWV for this spring trip as well.

Yeah they only have 18 ded 2brs and 36 lock-offs. Both Dean and various MS CM have told me to do day by day. Trust me I would love to make one call like I do for SSR. Talked to 7 really nice CM's this week.

Did you catch the race? Too bad the 99 couldn't run down the 18 . But a good points night anyway.

 

[Dean]

Why do they do that?

simplicity and fairness I'm sure. One has the option of doing day by day in which case you'd get those 6 days waiting on the 7th. Disney doesn't want to just hold it sitting around at their risk in case the other days or day come available. Think of it like you're waiting at a restaurant for a table of 4 and there's someone below you waiting for a table for 6 and a table for 6 comes available. Depending on their policy, they likely will seat the table of 6 that's been waiting less instead of seating 4 at a 6 top and waiting the two extra seats and ultimately extending the OVERALL wait tim. If they didn't give you both options, IMO, it would be different.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Yeah they only have 18 ded 2brs and 36 lock-offs. Both Dean and various MS CM have told me to do day by day. Trust me I would love to make one call like I do for SSR. Talked to 7 really nice CM's this week.

Did you catch the race? Too bad the 99 couldn't run down the 18 . But a good points night anyway.

I fell asleep, did he come in second? We'll take as many top 10's as possible!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

simplicity and fairness I'm sure. One has the option of doing day by day in which case you'd get those 6 days waiting on the 7th. Disney doesn't want to just hold it sitting around at their risk in case the other days or day come available. Think of it like you're waiting at a restaurant for a table of 4 and there's someone below you waiting for a table for 6 and a table for 6 comes available. Depending on their policy, they likely will seat the table of 6 that's been waiting less instead of seating 4 at a 6 top and waiting the two extra seats and ultimately extending the OVERALL wait tim. If they didn't give you both options, IMO, it would be different.

Ok, lets see if I get this. I make a ressie at my home resort, at 7 mos. there's nothing available at resort#2. So I tell them to waitlist me for 5 days (Sun-Thurs) for all 5 days at one time. If it comes available, but someone is doing day-by-day, will they give them those single days first, thus knocking out the available 5 days in a row?

 

[bobbiwoz]

Ok, lets see if I get this. I make a ressie at my home resort, at 7 mos. there's nothing available at resort#2. So I tell them to waitlist me for 5 days (Sun-Thurs) for all 5 days at one time. If it comes available, but someone is doing day-by-day, will they give them those single days first, thus knocking out the available 5 days in a row?

If all 5 days become available, I sure hope that MS looks first for the waitlists that are more than the single days. I suppose we don't know, but somehow, the order of the waitlist must matter as well.

It is my understanding that if I cancel a day and if there is someone waiting for "it" it goes to that person. If no one is waiting just for that day but for that and the next one, that day has to remain free until the next one comes along and they are given as a block. Because of this, when I can, I have waitlisted for a day at a time or not at all.

Bobbi

 

[Dean]

Ok, lets see if I get this. I make a ressie at my home resort, at 7 mos. there's nothing available at resort#2. So I tell them to waitlist me for 5 days (Sun-Thurs) for all 5 days at one time. If it comes available, but someone is doing day-by-day, will they give them those single days first, thus knocking out the available 5 days in a row?

That's correct. Unless they have all days at once AND you're the first one on the list, you would never get it under this scenario. Even worse, all those that did day by day requests for the same dates will always be ahead of you on the list.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

That's correct. Unless they have all days at once AND you're the first one on the list, you would never get it under this scenario. Even worse, all those that did day by day requests for the same dates will always be ahead of you on the list.

Wow, learned something here today! Well that certainly does change my ressie strategy. Thanks again Dean!

 

[Dean]

Wow, learned something here today! Well that certainly does change my ressie strategy. Thanks again Dean!

Glad to help even if it is being the bearer of bad new. At least you know and can plan accordingly.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Do NOT ask for ressies in a block on your waitlist, and have your dates automatically confirmed, and then send you a notice in the mail. I do this all the time at Thanksgiving, and never had a problem getting what I wanted. Of course, it goes without saying that you need to be open about what you will accept, such as SSR, instead of standard view at BW. (SSR has tons of rooms, while BW doesn't have many standard view rooms.) If you are getting your dates here and there, you are also more likely to get a reservation than insisting on having the room request filled chronologically. At Thanksgiving, I had the whole week filled except Thanksgiving, which I got three weeks before arrival! You should have a back-up just in case your waitlist doesn't come thru, at a regular Disney hotel. You can cancel up to 5 days in advance.

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

There are ways to hold your first reservation while looking for day by day including wait list for the new option. That way you can cancel the new one if you don't get it all by your cut off date.

I am very interested in how one goes about doing this. Can you please explain it for us? Thanx much!!