Anyone else wish they would stop allowing "walking a reservation" UPDATE POST#80

[rlduvall]

I am so frustrated right now. I get the whole 'walking' a reservation concept, I truly do, but so many people are doing it now that I can't even get in on the 11 month window for an AKV value studio. I have even tried to 'walk' the reservation myself and can't even get it started.

I need a reservation beginning December 7th and once the 11th month window opened beginning on November 30th [because I knew I had no choice but to 'walk' it], not one AKV value studio room has been available online right at 8:00 a.m. EST . . . every morning every AKV value studio is booked for the first night I can begin to 'walk' it myself. I know it's the most popular time for DVC and I know there are not many value studios, but I have gone at this time every year for the last 5 years and have never had this kind of trouble.

I personally think 'walking' should not be allowed - if that's what is blatantly being done. I'm not irritated with the Members who do it, it's not against policy, but if they would eliminate this then all Members would have the same chance to get in first. Everyone says buy where you want to stay for the 11th month advantage, but even that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

Thanks for allowing me to vent . . . on to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[JimMIA]

I've disliked the change that allows walking from the start. It inconveniences a lot of owners, and I'd bet it also leads to some empty rooms as roomnights are canceled one at a time by "walkers."

There is obviously nothing wrong with owners walking reservations -- they're just using the system as it is designed. But I suspect the change was for the convenience of the Disney IT or MS folks, rather than for the owners.

 

[DMKEDM]

Not sure eliminating walking would solve anything...if enough people want a certain villa at a certain time badly enough to walk such that all villas are booked as of the first day of the "walk," then they're also going to be all gone on the first day a booking window opens--only there will be even more competition for the limited number of villas because the people w/out enough points to walk will be in the queue, too...

Bottom line: If availability is "gone" on the first day of walking, it's an issue of more people wanting a villa type/place/date than there are villas of that time/place/date (and the luck of the draw of where you are in that "first minute of possible booking" queue)...changing the date you can start booking those limited accommodations won't change that; it'll just change the date the competition starts.

Arguably it would be fairer to those w/out sufficient points to walk to open it up to everyone...but it certainly wouldn't increase your chances of getting what you want.

At least that's my understanding of how it works. Walking only works when you start it (usually right when reservations open) on the very first day it's possible to book that villa (i.e., the last day of the seven-night stay that starts the first day of the trip you really want). NO ONE can book that villa before then. That's the fundamental principal underlying walking a reservation.

Anyway, everyone's entitled to vent frustration--and yours was awfully nicely done. I wish you luck in getting the AKV value villa you want. Really do hope it works out for you.

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

can i ask what "walking" is? weve been dvc for three yrs but have never hrd the term.

 

[rlduvall]

Walking only works when you start it (usually right when reservations open) on the very first day it's possible to book that villa (i.e., the last day of the seven-night stay that starts the first day of the trip you really want). NO ONE can book that villa before then. That's the fundamental principal underlying walking a reservation.

That's what I have been trying to wrap my head around [and maybe I am just being dense]: how can every AKV Value studio be gone by 8:00 a.m. EST the morning it can be booked even if people are walking the reservation? I have even checked at 6:00 a.m. on many a given day to see if I could start "walking" my own reservation and one to two days past that are already booked. Do "walkers" begin the process so early in the year, that it makes it impossible for anyone else to get in, to even walk it themselves?

There are a total of 8 dedicated value studios available; add in the 10 two bedroom lock-offs, that gives you a potential chance at grabbing 1 value studio out of 18.

 

[Muhlenberg]

That's what I have been trying to wrap my head around [and maybe I am just being dense]: how can every AKV Value studio be gone by 8:00 a.m. EST the morning it can be booked even if people are walking the reservation? I have even checked at 6:00 a.m. on many a given day to see if I could start "walking" my own reservation and one to two days past that are already booked. Do "walkers" begin the process so early in the year, that it makes it impossible for anyone else to get in, to even walk it themselves?

There are a total of 8 dedicated value studios available; add in the 10 two bedroom lock-offs, that gives you a potential chance at grabbing 1 value studio out of 18.

I'll add that NO dates after that show "unavailable"...every sing day. Next day, the same thing happens.

I completely get the "changing dates" as I've done that myself. Sometimes that's just necessary.

The "walking", however, is frustrating. *sigh*

 

[luckyman_apd]

That's what I have been trying to wrap my head around [and maybe I am just being dense]: how can every AKV Value studio be gone by 8:00 a.m. EST the morning it can be booked even if people are walking the reservation? I have even checked at 6:00 a.m. on many a given day to see if I could start "walking" my own reservation and one to two days past that are already booked. Do "walkers" begin the process so early in the year, that it makes it impossible for anyone else to get in, to even walk it themselves?

There are a total of 8 dedicated value studios available; add in the 10 two bedroom lock-offs, that gives you a potential chance at grabbing 1 value studio out of 18.

I have been trying for a BLT SV studio as well. No luck. The theory I received in my post about it is that while 12/5 is the first day you could book today and 12/6 is showing availability, the beliefs is that the 6th is already booked but they aren't showing it because the window is not open to book it. Anyone who booked last week would have that room for the 6th already and it won't show till tomorrow 8 am. The other thing is that if the availability truly is there, the # of rooms is only 1 or 2 and you just have to be the lucky one who's computer has perfect timing to get it first. I believe the availability is already gone, but won't post till tomorrow.

As far as fair goes with walking.....the only way to eliminate it is to not allow 7 day advanced booking. In order to get 7 days you'd have to call or book online 7 days in a row. And what happens if I get my Friday night, but don't get the Saturday, but miss on Sunday? This would be a logistical nightmare for MS and us. Even of walking was not allowed, there would still be guests arriving days ahead of you where those rooms could be gone. I personally hate different point categories. Since the value rooms are the first to go, I pretty much plan on using the higher point totals and if I get a SV room it's a bonus.

 

[wdrl]

I am so frustrated right now. I get the whole 'walking' a reservation concept, I truly do, but so many people are doing it now that I can't even get in on the 11 month window for an AKV value studio. I have even tried to 'walk' the reservation myself and can't even get it started.

When you check availability, are you checking the Online Reservation System or are you checking with Member Services? I'm beginning to wonder if the situation you and others have encountered -- the first night is unavailable but subsequent nights are -- is a glitch with the Online Reservation System. Does Member Services show the same inventory as Online?

Outlawing walking reservations will probably result in the "cure" being worse than the disease. Do we want to pay a penalty whenever we change a reservation? Do you want to be limited to only one modification per Use Year? There are ways to discourage people from walking reservations, but a lot of innocent Members would suffer because of the abuse of a few.

I also don't think walking is really the culprit in your specific situation. If Members were actually walking a reservation, then more than one day into the future would be booked. The fact that it is always the first day, and only the first day, leads me to question whether we are seeing a glitch with the online system.

 

[Chuck S]

Outlawing walking reservations will probably result in the "cure" being worse than the disease. Do we want to pay a penalty whenever we change a reservation? Do you want to be limited to only one modification per Use Year? There are ways to discourage people from walking reservations, but a lot of innocent Members would suffer because of the abuse of a few.

I agree with this, I hate the whole concept of walking a reservation, but the cure would be worse than the problem, unless they go back to the "old way" of booking. Prior to the ability to book check-in plus 6 more nights, but there were problems with that, too. People were often left calling every single day, and still may have a day missing in the middle of their reservation.

No matter what booking strategy DVC uses, there will always be some problem problem with it for someone.

Personally, I think speculative bookings for future rentals also play a part in this problem...especially during holiday booking time frames. One way to help that would be to NOT permit any name changes on a reservation booked during the 11 month window, but that solution has its share of problems, too. Sometimes I book a room during the 11 month window, and I don;t know who will be traveling with me until later.

 

[jekjones1558]

How can you tell if the problem is because of "walking" or simply that rooms have been booked already by people who checkin 7 days or less before you? My brain starts to spin when I try to figure this out. I know that I could not book a room I wanted to get when I tried right at 11 months but I think that was simply because someone else booked the room for a week and they checkin a few days before I wanted to checkin. I had to wait to book and changed our checkin date to several days later than we had originally planned.

 

[Muhlenberg]

This is what's happening with the Value studios at AKV. November 30 always seems to be available. On Dec. 3rd, before 8 am (if my memory is correct lol), Dec. 3rd was available. At exactly 8 am, Dec. 3rd became unavailable, but the 4th, 5th, etc were still open. Dec. 4th, BEFORE 8 am, Dec. 4th (and 5th, etc.) was available. After 8 am, Dec. 4th became unavailable, but the 5th, etc as well as Nov. 30 were still available. December 5th (today)...rinse and repeat...and Nov. 30th still available.

I'm wondering if a "walk" was fulfilled RIGHT at 8 am with MS's program, before anyone could do an online ressie. OR...if one lucky soul is booking one day at a time, themselves, and then calling to have things linked, a day dropped, etc. We'll never know for sure.

 

[rlduvall]

Thanks to all for the discussion; helps me understand why this might be happening and there isn't anyone in my home that cares but me. And while I'm still not a big fan of "walking", possibly that isn't the issue in my situation.

The theory I received in my post about it is that while 12/5 is the first day you could book today and 12/6 is showing availability, the beliefs is that the 6th is already booked but they aren't showing it because the window is not open to book it. Anyone who booked last week would have that room for the 6th already and it won't show till tomorrow 8 am.

When you check availability, are you checking the Online Reservation System or are you checking with Member Services? I'm beginning to wonder if the situation you and others have encountered -- the first night is unavailable but subsequent nights are -- is a glitch with the Online Reservation System. Does Member Services show the same inventory as Online?

I was using Online Reservation System.

DVC MS called me a little while ago about an issue I was having with points, btw it was resolved, and I mentioned this to the CM. This was a supervisor who appeared very knowledgeable and we talked at length about this being due to a computer glitch or someone "walking" a reservation, but she really doesn't think that's what it is. She thinks it's just due to the large amount of DVC Members vying for possibly only 8 value studios on any given day; especially when out of the 8 [let's just focus on dedicated value studios] 7 might already be taken from other reservations that began before [maybe from "walking", maybe not] and only 1 was actually available and was taken within a second. I know you can't believe everything they say . . . but I fell for it.

This is what's happening with the Value studios at AKV. November 30 always seems to be available. On Dec. 3rd, before 8 am (if my memory is correct lol), Dec. 3rd was available. At exactly 8 am, Dec. 3rd became unavailable, but the 4th, 5th, etc were still open. Dec. 4th, BEFORE 8 am, Dec. 4th (and 5th, etc.) was available. After 8 am, Dec. 4th became unavailable, but the 5th, etc as well as Nov. 30 were still available. December 5th (today)...rinse and repeat...and Nov. 30th still available.

I'm wondering if a "walk" was fulfilled RIGHT at 8 am with MS's program, before anyone could do an online ressie. OR...if one lucky soul is booking one day at a time, themselves, and then calling to have things linked, a day dropped, etc. We'll never know for sure.

I just don't think we will ever know.

 

[lilpooh108]

I agree with OP. So frustrating...been trying for AKV Value studio for ANY consecutive 3 nighter starting between Dec. 1 and Dec 5. Nothing. There's one nighters here and there, and those disappear pretty quickly.

 

[rlduvall]

How can you tell if the problem is because of "walking" or simply that rooms have been booked already by people who checkin 7 days or less before you?

But you would think if that was always the case, that it wouldn't show the very next night was available. Then when you got on the next morning first thing, it was gone, but the next day was available and so on and so on. You would think that a couple of nights past your booking window would also show unavailable. Like you, trying to figure out how this could keep happening day after day is making my head spin.

Standard view seems to have good availability and it's not a big points difference. I just prefer the value rooms over the standard rooms because the locations are better since DVC reclassified the standard views into the bad savannah views. Seriously - my last 3 standard view studio bookings have resulted in us being in some of the last rooms on the north bead. Twice - it was the very last room, right next to the grand villa and the exterior stairwell with all the fire hose equipment.

 

[lilpooh108]

Standard view seems to have good availability and it's not a big points difference. I just prefer the value rooms over the standard rooms because the locations are better since DVC reclassified the standard views into the bad savannah views. Seriously - my last 3 standard view studio bookings have resulted in us being in some of the last rooms on the north bead. Twice - it was the very last room, right next to the grand villa and the exterior stairwell with all the fire hose equipment.

Yes, us too. It was Room 5546 I think and it had a view of the end fence feeding area. It was one of the last rooms at the end of Jambo....such a far far far far walk.

We were lucky enough to get a 1bdrm Value this past stay and it was the 1st room off the hallway. What a great difference at the end of the night.

 

[starbird]

Wow! I had never heard of 'walking' a reservation. Purposely starting a reservation weeks early with the intent of calling every day to move it out seems sketchy to me, but understand that it is what allows us to book a week when we want. I wonder if this is also part of why it is so hard to get VGC @ 7 months for busier times. Seems like the lower availability rooms/resorts are the only places this is an issue.

Not sure of an easy fix, though.

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[Tamar]

How about booking a regular studio and waitlisting for what you want? If others are walking reservations, maybe they'll ultimately end up cancelling the nights you want.

 

[starbird]

How about booking a regular studio and waitlisting for what you want? If others are walking reservations, maybe they'll ultimately end up cancelling the nights you want.

This is a good idea, provided you have enough points to book it. I have had pretty good success with wait list, though only used it once. Got all the days I wanted but one (the Wednesday of a Friday to Friday) so we spent that night at DLH.

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[Sandisw]

I have been trying for a BLT SV studio as well. No luck. The theory I received in my post about it is that while 12/5 is the first day you could book today and 12/6 is showing availability, the beliefs is that the 6th is already booked but they aren't showing it because the window is not open to book it. Anyone who booked last week would have that room for the 6th already and it won't show till tomorrow 8 am. The other thing is that if the availability truly is there, the # of rooms is only 1 or 2 and you just have to be the lucky one who's computer has perfect timing to get it first. I believe the availability is already gone, but won't post till tomorrow.

As far as fair goes with walking.....the only way to eliminate it is to not allow 7 day advanced booking. In order to get 7 days you'd have to call or book online 7 days in a row. And what happens if I get my Friday night, but don't get the Saturday, but miss on Sunday? This would be a logistical nightmare for MS and us. Even of walking was not allowed, there would still be guests arriving days ahead of you where those rooms could be gone. I personally hate different point categories. Since the value rooms are the first to go, I pretty much plan on using the higher point totals and if I get a SV room it's a bonus.

I was online checking for a BWV SV studio for December on the 3rd and it was showing December 3rd, 4th , and 5th booked by noon. It wasn't even the 11 month for the 4th and 5th yet but they were booked so at least in this case, rooms were showing unavailable even before the window.

I think it's possible this year there is more competition and maybe walking because the first week in December is also the week after Thanksgiving and maybe there is some overlap... Just a thought....

 

[starbird]

I think it's possible this year there is more competition and maybe walking because the first week in December is also the week after Thanksgiving and maybe there is some overlap... Just a thought....

Actually, that is an excellent point.

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