I admit, while happy about my luck I am feeling a little bratty about whining.BUT, I have sincerely enjoyed all the conversation this created. I've never started a thread that lasted this long.
all that drama and then you actually get your reservation...
I feel like such a jerk. 
But enough of that and I am glad you got what you wanted. Perhaps you'll call back DVC and tell them walking wasn't an issue?
That is interesting that this thread started with a complaint about all the walking when the problem was not about your getting a reservation you wanted (which I mistakenly read it as) but rather that you couldn't get a walk started!
There really are 2 issues to this. One is the cost to the system for such maneuvers and the other, the principle of who should have higher preference. Since your example (if I understand it) is to book the dates desired but try for an exchange to a different resort at 7 months, I am OK with that. Basically I would fall on the other side of the fence compared to someone simply wanting to change their dates, esp someone who is walking their dates. In your example, they are canceling and rebooking as I suggested that I felt was a better choice. Most systems, even with change/cancelation fees, would waive the fees in this situation, esp if the new reservation were the same or more. At least one would require that you had enough points extra to book the wait list above and beyond the current reservation then reallocated if you matched and canceled the prior reservation.
That's true as long as they can stay within their 12% budget but it does require funds that could be used for other services/enhancements. There certainly is a cost, the only question is who it's paid by.
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.
OP here with an update:
Today is the day that I needed to start my true and actual 12/7 reservation for an AKV Value Studio. Per my initial post, for the last 2 weeks I have been monitoring and considering "walking" it myself - with no luck EVER. I could not believe it when a value studio was still available at 7:30 a.m. EST this morning.Of course, I booked it. I even checked again an hour later and it still showed available, but by 9:00 a.m. the first day was sold out. Hope everyone has this kind of luck, the good part, not the bad part.
I really don't think my issues had anything to do with "walking" after all. I think there is a computer glitch that makes it look like the next day there will be availability, but there really isn't. If it was "walking" then it seems like every now and then it would show a few days past the opening date.
I admit, while happy about my luck I am feeling a little bratty about whining.
It isn't really the 7 days at a time that causes the issue but rather the fact that they allow to drop and add to an existing reservations without canceling. The reason for 7 days at a time (many do 14) is that with the old system there were times for high demand options when you'd get some days and I'd get others and we'd both be wait listed for what they other had. I see 7 days at a time (even 14) as a win win.
In the long run probably but not directly. DVCMC's pay is a fixed % of the rest of the maintenance fee and this would fall on them. It's likely the original change was related to internal costs at least in part.
People will utilize any areas they can to their advantage and I think that's fine as long as those options are POTENTIALLY open to all. As I've stated, philosophically I believe that one on a wait list should come ahead of one wanting to change their dates but I can see both sides of the issue. I don't believe your change would work very well or be feasible unless that cut off were the 7 month window. IMO, it's really all or none. My vote, every change is a cancelation and rebooking plus a separate call or online activity. I do realize that's not absolute either unless they pull those reservation out of service until the WL is checked. I think any time you try to micromanage to cover a specific situation alone, things never work out as intended.
