Anyone getting in on SOG's waiting list for next month

[Cameo]

We are on SOG's wait list for the end of April. I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck recently getting a room off the wait list for April. It sounds like everything is pretty booked up. They can't tell me where I am on the wait list and they have no overflows available for moderate or value resorts during our stay (last week in April).

 

[FirstNo]

Originally posted by Cameo
We are on SOG's wait list for the end of April. I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck recently getting a room off the wait list for April. It sounds like everything is pretty booked up. They can't tell me where I am on the wait list and they have no overflows available for moderate or value resorts during our stay (last week in April).

Guests were contacted, starting today, off the April wait list. It's been months since any one on the April has been able to be called and there are a LOT of people to go through this first time (in months) around. Unfortunately, the phones were busy today, which makes it difficult to be able to call people, but it is being done.

As for availability, there must be something going on at Disney because dates around the 24, 25 and 26th of April are difficult to find at a Disney resort (for an overflow rate). But, if you aren't picky, I know we have (or had at COB today) the Lake Buena Vista available from Apr 19 into May at a rate of $79/nt + tax. I have no doubt there are other downtown Disney resorts available, too.

 

[lookingforward]

Firstno, do you know if they leave a message when they call you about the wait list? We are on it for the first week in April and I am hoping for a phone call.

 

[FirstNo]

Originally posted by lookingforward
Firstno, do you know if they leave a message when they call you about the wait list? We are on it for the first week in April and I am hoping for a phone call.

Yes, they will. As long as your voice mail or answering machine picks up, they will leave a message. If any one answers the phone and speaks English, they will ask the person to take a message. However, for those people who like to have their children be the screener for their calls, please keep in mind that if you let your child answer the phone, then we think you must feel your child is responsible enough to take and deliver the message. It's happened more than once where someone has called to check on their wait list, only to find they were cancelled for 'no call back' because their child answered the phone and didn't bother to give the complete message (such as "you must call back by Tues, 2/14 5pm or you will lose the room).

If we get a busy signal or no answer, we will try you again, when you come up on the list again (you don't lose your place on the list), however, after the 3rd attempt, you are removed. If we receive a "this number has been disconnected" you are removed (if a new number is listed on the recording, we will call the new number). If we are hung up on (which happens frequently as people forget who we are and that they wanted us to call them), you are removed.

If you give a friend, relative or neighbor's phone number as a primary or additional contact number, PLEASE make sure you let them know what SoG is and why we may be calling. Again, it's happened numerous times where the military member doesn't let these other people know who we are and these other people hang up on us, thinking we're telemarketers.

We do try our best to reach you and if you've done your part to make yourself reachable, you should, eventually, receive a call.

 

[FirstNo]

And an update....not only is Apr continually being called now, but we've started to contact people for May, too. Apr is the primary concern, but at least some of the May people are being contacted; just taking a little bit of time. Busy season for the phones should only be for another few weeks. Once that's done, we should be able to REALLY hit the wait lists.

I may have given out some wrong info here (and if not here, I KNOW I have to some of the guests). I had been told, back in Feb, that guests who had been placed on the wait list for the holiday (Xmas/New Year's Eve) time frame had all ready been contacted and that the list was just a regular wait list, at this point. Apparently, that was untrue. No one has been contacted, yet. Those guests should start to be contacted next week.

 

[nicurnc]

Wow, FirstNo, when I talked to a CM at SOG last month she recommened we book an overflow room because she felt we wouldn't get a room for our requested time ( April 26-30)

So we took a room at AKL and since have switched to OKW (2BR). Now you make it sound as if I would have got a room at CR ,which was our first choice as we started to plan this trip.

I know we will have great time no matter where we stay, but the savings from that SOG rate would have been too good to pass up! Any chance of getting aroom at CR now?

Thanks,
Loretta

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

FirstNo,

I just wanted to say I like your gif, very cute and also like that saying above it!

 

[nicurnc]

bump

 

[FirstNo]

Originally posted by nicurnc
Wow, FirstNo, when I talked to a CM at SOG last month she recommened we book an overflow room because she felt we wouldn't get a room for our requested time ( April 26-30)

So we took a room at AKL and since have switched to OKW (2BR). Now you make it sound as if I would have got a room at CR ,which was our first choice as we started to plan this trip.

I know we will have great time no matter where we stay, but the savings from that SOG rate would have been too good to pass up! Any chance of getting aroom at CR now?

Thanks,
Loretta

In the agent's defense, I would rather err on the side of caution for the guest and get them a definite reservation than to lie to them and tell them they would definitely be contacted (which is something we can't honestly tell a guest unless they are one of the first ones to be placed on a wait list).

However, I will usually leave a decision like that up to the guest. Let them know what the options are. In this case, I would have told you that because it's so busy, we're having a difficult time contacting guests off the wait list and although I can't tell you there's no way you would not be contacted, I can't guarantee you would be contacted in a timely manner or at all. Then, I would leave it up to you to decide what you would like to do.

At this point, the wait list is still closed (it's closed through Aug 7) so no, there's no way you can get into CR. I take that back. You can possibly get in by calling every now and then to see if rooms have opened for free sell (meaning we have more rooms than we do people on the list). Even though that *may* eventually happen, it's going to be at least 3 weeks before we see enough movement off the wait list (IMO) before rooms will become open for free sell next month. At this point, that's your only chance. But, I really wouldn't hold what the agent did against her. To me, it sounds like she was trying to look out for you be ensuring you'd have a room for your vacation.

 

[FirstNo]

Originally posted by LadyTrampScamp&Angel
FirstNo,

I just wanted to say I like your gif, very cute and also like that saying above it!

Thank you!!! Your kids are adorable!

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

That's sweet of you to say. We are on our way back to WDW in 3 weeks! Everyone is so excited - but the baby 'cause at 20 mos she, of course, doesn't quite get it yet! I love this pic as I will always have it to show them of their first e-night

Have a good weekend!

 

[Cameo]

FirstNo -

Are you saying that it's possible to be on the wait list and then never get contacted by SOG because you guys are too busy to call? I will be contacted by mid-April for sure if I got in wouldn't I?

Since our ressies our late in April (23-30), I would assume I may not know for sure if I get in until at least March 23 because of the 30 day cancellation policy.

We do have backup ressies, but I would love to make it in to CR, and I'm not sure if we could ever afford it otherwise.

Thanks so much for answering all these questions! It's great to 'know' someone whose in the know!

 

[nicurnc]

FirstNo, I wasn't meaning the agent did anything wrong, in fact I appreciate her honesty and am very glad to have taken her advice

Actually the agent did exactly what you stated you would do. She left the decision up to me and I took the definite reservation rather than chance a call from the wait list....I choked!

We have a great room and the way I hear things are filling up for that week, this is a good thing.

No, I feel this is like everything else I am learning at these boards. Something to remember and use , maybe the next time

Thanks again for the advice,

Loretta

 

[FirstNo]

Originally posted by nicurnc
FirstNo, I wasn't meaning the agent did anything wrong, in fact I appreciate her honesty and am very glad to have taken her advice

Actually the agent did exactly what you stated you would do. She left the decision up to me and I took the definite reservation rather than chance a call from the wait list....I choked!

We have a great room and the way I hear things are filling up for that week, this is a good thing.

No, I feel this is like everything else I am learning at these boards. Something to remember and use , maybe the next time

Thanks again for the advice,

Loretta

Nah, you didn't choke! You took the guarantee instead of taking the chance. There's nothing wrong in doing that. I always make sure the guests understand that the wait list is not a guarantee of a reservation. It's simply a list you wait on, and hope, for a room to become available for the time you're looking for. If your vacation is important to you and you don't want to take a chance, always go with the sure thing.

And, you can always call back periodically to see if any thing has opened up for free sell. If it has, as long as your outside the cancellation policy, we're happy to cancel your overflow ressy and book you into SoG(CR). And we're happy to cancel it for you if you're within the cancellation policy...you'll just have to pay the penalty <BG>.