Anybody have luck with a last minute reservation?

[stitch'sgirl]

So, I have airfare for a 4-night stay starting May 18. To make a long story short, I had to cancel an existing reservation at the beginning of the month and now must use points by the end of the month because they are in a holding account. I have been calling every day for 2 weeks, and can't get all 4 nights. Right now I have a 1 bedroom on the 18th, and a studio on the 20th. Any advice on the best strategy? I have been on a waitlist but that will expire tomorrow. Any advice would be appreciated. It never used to be this difficult!

Also - a quick waitlist question--anyone know why you can't just request a room (studio, 1-bedroom, etc) for a particular resort, but also have to pick your view? There are way too many options, I am sure I always pick the wrong one!

 

[jekjones1558]

So, I have airfare for a 4-night stay starting May 18. To make a long story short, I had to cancel an existing reservation at the beginning of the month and now must use points by the end of the month because they are in a holding account. I have been calling every day for 2 weeks, and can't get all 4 nights. Right now I have a 1 bedroom on the 18th, and a studio on the 20th. Any advice on the best strategy? I have been on a waitlist but that will expire tomorrow. Any advice would be appreciated. It never used to be this difficult!

Also - a quick waitlist question--anyone know why you can't just request a room (studio, 1-bedroom, etc) for a particular resort, but also have to pick your view? There are way too many options, I am sure I always pick the wrong one!

I recently had to cancel at the last minute and am experiencing the same problem you are having. Luckily for me our use year is October, so I have a while to deal with this.
You need to request a particular view at those resorts that have separate booking categories. So, at BWV for instance, there are 3 separate booking categories. Since you can only have 2 waitlists at any given time, you cannot just say "1 bedroom" because that would actually be 3 waitlists.

 

[MrShiny]

Note that not all resorts have views. SSR doesn't, for instance.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Note that not all resorts have views. SSR doesn't, for instance.

Neither do BCV and VWL.

 

[JennG]

Also - a quick waitlist question--anyone know why you can't just request a room (studio, 1-bedroom, etc) for a particular resort, but also have to pick your view? There are way too many options, I am sure I always pick the wrong one!

I feel the *SAME WAY*!

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

I just got 4 nights studio at BLT.

 

[mjc2003]

Neither do BCV and VWL.

But BCV has 3 booking categories for the 2 BR's; 2 different dedicated categories and the lock offs. I find this absurd. I currently have two waitlists tied up for a 2 BR at BCV for one night in November, but don't care what I get. In the meantime, I found much cheaper airfare coming in one night early but no room is available and I can't waitlist b/c I am tied up with 2 for the last night, even though it's not an issue of view and it's no difference as far as points. I wish somebody could explain the rationale behind this. I don't want to cancel the waitlists for the last night b/c we have people traveling and staying with us that night and the cash cost for that night is almost $800. We are solo the first night, so can get a room off site if need be--or pay cash for a regular hotel room at BCV ($330).

 

[TravelingJen24]

I think it is possible, but we have never had any luck. That is probably because we are in California and the Grand does not have many rooms. We tried to get in last weekend, but only two of the three nights openned up at the last minute. Good luck.

 

[Brandis]

Last year, I called 2 months before for a possible trip mid-May and I got a value Studio at Jambo House.

 

[Melynny]

I have been trying to get a studio anywhere (Saratoga preferrably) for the last week for May 19th. I just made my air reservations the 1st week of May and I have always made my air ressies, then made my room reservations. I have always been lucky and been able to make most of my days and waitlist for one or two... now this trip, I finally broke down and tried Hotwire (103.00) for that night. I got the Hilton Vacation Club I drive.... certainly not Disney or Saratoga, but I guess it will do. Good Luck.

 

[jekjones1558]

Woohoo! I just called yesterday and got 4 days in a studio at SSR, June 9 - 14. I feel very lucky. There was no studio at any other DVC available for these dates.

 

[Dean]

So, I have airfare for a 4-night stay starting May 18. To make a long story short, I had to cancel an existing reservation at the beginning of the month and now must use points by the end of the month because they are in a holding account. I have been calling every day for 2 weeks, and can't get all 4 nights. Right now I have a 1 bedroom on the 18th, and a studio on the 20th. Any advice on the best strategy? I have been on a waitlist but that will expire tomorrow. Any advice would be appreciated. It never used to be this difficult!

Also - a quick waitlist question--anyone know why you can't just request a room (studio, 1-bedroom, etc) for a particular resort, but also have to pick your view? There are way too many options, I am sure I always pick the wrong one!

Technically all view types AND room types are different reservation requests. I don't think any of us know 100% why they do it this way but I have some educated guesses. If I were you, I'd wait list SSR and OKW (non HH) for the 1 BR unit for dates you need, if you don't have enough points for all in a 1 BR, WL the studio instead. Then if you get that, WL something else you'd prefer. Also, keep calling in addition to the WL.

 

[stitch'sgirl]

Thanks for the comments, I am seeing a glimmer of hope - I have called a couple of times a day and now have a studio for the first three nights and still waiting on the last night (next Saturday!) Since there is no penalty for cancelling up to the day before, things are starting to open up. Maybe we won't have anything for Saturday until we are actually down there. It's exciting to say the least! I

I remember my mom doing this every trip 30+ years ago to get nights at Fort Wilderness. We would stop at every pay phone from Detroit to Valdosta so my mom could call the reservation desk. Some things never change!!

 

[Dean]

Thanks for the comments, I am seeing a glimmer of hope - I have called a couple of times a day and now have a studio for the first three nights and still waiting on the last night (next Saturday!) Since there is no penalty for cancelling up to the day before, things are starting to open up. Maybe we won't have anything for Saturday until we are actually down there. It's exciting to say the least! I

I remember my mom doing this every trip 30+ years ago to get nights at Fort Wilderness. We would stop at every pay phone from Detroit to Valdosta so my mom could call the reservation desk. Some things never change!!

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

 

[com_op_2000]

Multiple times DW and I have been at DTD for a visit and decided we wanted to stay the night. Called the resort (on a Sunday before MS was open on weekends) or MS and got a reservation within 15 minutes.

 

[missycj96]

Keep calling. I had been calling for weeks and finally- maybe 5 days out- got an AKL value studio. Another time I called and called and finally a few weeks out got AKL standard jambo during pres week for my 4 nts. Keep calling - something will come through.

 

[jekjones1558]

Keep calling. I had been calling for weeks and finally- maybe 5 days out- got an AKL value studio. Another time I called and called and finally a few weeks out got AKL standard jambo during pres week for my 4 nts. Keep calling - something will come through.

Ditto! I finally got 4 days in a row for a studio!

 

[crazybones27]

We had last minute luck with getting a studio at SSR June 5-9 and 1bdrm at AKV 9-11. We called at the beginning of the month. We just couldn't get over that feeling of wanting to go back immediately and I called looking for anything that may have been available. We were very lucky to get the rooms we got at the time. There wasn't much left.

 

[tigger175]

We called on May 2 wanting a studio anywhere for May 9-12. Could only get a 1 BR at OKW. didn't want to use that many points so we book it for two nights and used our Hilton Honors points for a room one night at DTD. might need to be flexible. Had a great time!