Bummer Mary
.
I am currently booking a GV for the 1st week of January. Three days down, four to go
. The key to getting the perfect reservation at a busy time like December is (1) to call at exactly 9:00 AM (ET) when Member Services opens and (2) to call day-by-day. Don't wait until the your end date to make your reservation since we day-by-dayer's will have already scooped up the unit.
I have 2 words of encouragement for you.
First of all, I was on the waitlist for a Boardwalk View Studio for NYE 2004/2005. I spaced out the date I needed to call and made my first call to MS 4 days late
. There was no availability for the start of my trip, so I booked a regular preferred view studio for those dates and then called day-by-day for the Boardwalk View for the rest of the time. I put my self on the waitlist day-by-day (I would accept any day I needed, not just all the days that I needed) and I popped off the waitlist a couple days at a time and had my Boardwalk View studio by the end of February.
Of course, if you use the day-by-day waitlist, you run the risk of having a hole in your reservation that will never be filled. Since OKW fills up last (so far) I wouldn't worry too much about that. 2BR and Studios will be around for a long time and if you get nervous you can always call MS every couple of weeks and ask about availability. They will tell you when pickings are getting slim and switch back to a 2BR/S configuration. It does take a bit of effort on your part to keep up with your reservation, though.
Secondly, if you end up with a 2BR and a Studio it's not the end of the world. Just give your Studio guests non-charging room keys to the 2BR so they can hang out in the living area, cook in the kitchen and use the washer and dryer.
Good luck!
