Anyone know exactly how the waitlist works?

[Boss Hogg]

Hi guys, we're staying at SSR for 8 nts from 17 August, and have asked to go on the waitlist for VWL for the last 4 nts, as our friends are staying there.

Been on the waitlist for over a month know and no sign of any days coming through. Just wondering if anyone knows at what point each day the auto waitlist runs? For example is there any mlieage in me ringing member services each day to ask them if there is availability?

Also, is it often the case that at the 31 day window, some availability may appear?

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

 

[#1minnie]

I can't answer your question about when it runs through, but did you waitlist your 4 days all together, or one day at a time, and did you put it on automatic?

I waitlisted from SSR to VWL for 2 days over Thanksgiving. Originally I had them together, and then MS suggested that I have them in separately. In a matter of 5 days, my first day, Wed, came through. Still waiting on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, but I have plenty of time.

For you in August, I'd say if you don't see it at the 31 day mark, then people are not cancelling and are still taking their vacations as planned.

Good luck!

 

[shelleyz]

I figured I'd jump on this thread cause I also have a question about the waitlist. I am waitlisted for a studio @ SSR October 6-9. I booked a 1 bedroom and the CM told me she would waitlist me for the studio. She said the 7th was the only day that wasn't available. Am I waitlisted for the 6th-9th or just the 7th? I would think if I was waitlisted for just the 7th I would have had to book the studio for the other nights. She said she would put me on automatic waitlist. What does that mean? It will happen without them calling me? I've never done a waitlist before. Thanks for any help.

 

[Boss Hogg]

Should've been waitlisted for each night individually, but just spoke to MS who said we were not listed at all! Not sure why, but something went wrong, even get the feeling it is not meant to be

I can't answer your question about when it runs through, but did you waitlist your 4 days all together, or one day at a time, and did you put it on automatic?

I waitlisted from SSR to VWL for 2 days over Thanksgiving. Originally I had them together, and then MS suggested that I have them in separately. In a matter of 5 days, my first day, Wed, came through. Still waiting on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, but I have plenty of time.

For you in August, I'd say if you don't see it at the 31 day mark, then people are not cancelling and are still taking their vacations as planned.

Good luck!

 

[wilma-bride]

Should've been waitlisted for each night individually, but just spoke to MS who said we were not listed at all! Not sure why, but something went wrong, even get the feeling it is not meant to be

Matt, sounds a bit dodgy to me. So MS didn't even have a note that you were waitlisting for VWL No wonder nothing had come through. So are you waitlisted again now?

 

[Merylj]

Very good questions you have there! We are on a wait list for days at BWV, but no luck this past two weeks.
We were waitlisted for a night at VWL and that came up immediately so I suppose my expectations were high.
I`ve been reading conflicting information about how the waitlist works - some people believing if you phone every day you get the cancellations before they trawl the waitlists.
Who knows?
I`d try again for your VWL days - never give up!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I wish there was a place where you could view the waitlists that you are on. When I made the AKV reservations last week, I checked the status of my waitlist, and was told that I had two of them. One was for VB, an ocean view room over Labor Day weekend. I absolutely remember cancelling that waitlist because we've been invited to a wedding that weekend, and the wedding "won" the tug of war in my mind over which to go to, and I remember mentioning that to the CM. That had been an automatic waitlist and would have used borrowed points. I'm glad I learned about it in time to cancel it...but I would like to be sure that it's been cancelled!!!

Bobbi

 

[Boss Hogg]

Matt, sounds a bit dodgy to me. So MS didn't even have a note that you were waitlisting for VWL No wonder nothing had come through. So are you waitlisted again now?

We are, but I am less than confident in the whole thing, so shall be on the 'phone each day - lucky it is free!

 

[Epcot Mom]

I asked this question of ms specifically and they told me there is no reason to call to check if you're set for automatic confirmation. She said the rooms that are cancelled are checked against the wait list, not returned to inventory right away. If there is a wait list, it matches but may sit while someone gets time to make the call or process the change She said there was no possibility of a room being given to someone else if there was an active wait list for it. I'm choosing to believe them, but I will confess, I've called a few times to no avail. I'm waitlisted for Thanksgiving night. Have it on cash now but would like to make it points for my whole trip....Good luck to all wait listers!

Epcot Mom

 

[jiggerj]

I havent had any success with my waitlists but I have always waitilisted for the entire stay- Too chicken to do the day by day waitlist!

On my last waitlist I "thought" I was waitlisted for a 2 bedroom at the BWV's. I would check daily online. When I called MS to "Oh, what the heck" just check on it, I was told that my waitlist had not come thru yet for a STUDIO! Ok we had 6 peoples names on the ressie- They changed it to a 2 bedroom but I assume that I was at the bottom of the list again-

It would be great to check online to see your waitlist details- even if it says they havent come thru yet.

 

[tinkfan]

Make sure you ask to be kept on the waitlist until 7 days out Up until 30 days out call about every week. Within 30 days out, call every few days. At 7 days out call twice a day!
We just got a Grand Villa at the Boardwalk at 7 days out that we had been waitlisted for. The waitlist had expired and I was calling about something else and just happen to ask and they surprsingly had the room?!? The CM said the 7 day mark was cruicial?? So you never know.
The DVC waitlist process is one of life's big mysteries in IMHO.

 

[crisi]

I asked this question of ms specifically and they told me there is no reason to call to check if you're set for automatic confirmation. She said the rooms that are cancelled are checked against the wait list, not returned to inventory right away. If there is a wait list, it matches but may sit while someone gets time to make the call or process the change She said there was no possibility of a room being given to someone else if there was an active wait list for it. I'm choosing to believe them, but I will confess, I've called a few times to no avail. I'm waitlisted for Thanksgiving night. Have it on cash now but would like to make it points for my whole trip....Good luck to all wait listers!

Epcot Mom

I know the users of my systems have all sorts of amusing ideas about how those systems work. I'm the business owner on a complicated system and once in a while it surprises me - and I sat in the design meetings and developed the requirements. Before I'd say "I know how the system works" I'd want to be talking to the developers - not a CM at MS.

I'd like to believe that is how it works - that is how it should work and its possible its been changed - but over time there have been too many stories about getting an 'impossible' reservation for me to truly trust cancelled rooms aren't going into inventory before they wait list runs.

 

[Boss Hogg]

Thanks for everyone's comments, I think I shall keep checking each day and see what happens.

Matt

 

[laughinplace199]

Should've been waitlisted for each night individually, but just spoke to MS who said we were not listed at all! Not sure why, but something went wrong, even get the feeling it is not meant to be

A similar thing happened to me the other day. I booked 3 nights in a studio at SSR, but I asked to be put on the waitlist for BC or BWV. I called a few days later for something else and decided to check on my waitlist, just in case it came through already (wishful thinking, I know). MS could not find any waitlist for my reservation at all. The woman who helped me was very nice and put me on the waitlist, but she couldn't explain why I wasn't on it to begin with.