Are people walking for Christmas 2021 this early?

[acebatonfan]

I am trying to book a home resort BLT studio theme park view for the first week of December, and the first day of my booking is already a wait list. I'm confused since I was assuming it would be fairly easy to get that week at the 11-month mark. Is it because people are trying to walk reservations for Christmas, or is December a bad month for trying to get a points reservation?

I'm trying to figure this out and my likelihood of getting off the wait list before even more weeks are taken up, especially when I am considering moving back the reservation by a week where there is full availability.

 

[bobbiwoz]

It seems that many studios are being walked. If you set up a waitlist it may be fulfilled as the walkers pass. I was looking at BLT studios yesterday, and only Lake View were available going forward. I will be wanting NYE. I have a long wait!

Also I think the first week in December is one of the busiest weeks, so it’s not clear if it’s walking or wanting that week!

 

[drusba]

First week of Dec has traditionally been the highest DVC demand week of the year. BLT standard and theme park view studios have, in the past, often disappeared for time during that week shortly before a date or within nanoseconds after 8 a.m. at 11-months out. Walking may be somewhat of the issue but many walkers were probably walking into that week.

That does not mean a wait list will necessarily not come through as members can decide to change even the reservations they actually wanted.

 

[Sandisw]

I was on right at 8 am this morning to get my SV studio at BLT and they were gone by the time I finished booking mine at 8:02 am.

I am booking for the first week in December so not walking this one, but some are as the 1st was gone a few days ago but was there last night.

 

[acebatonfan]

Nevermind, I am stupid and didn't check my profile to see my waitlist reservation. I'm really hesitant in pushing back my reservation a week since it's so close to Thanksgiving, so this is making all-ducks-in-a-row me pretty anxious.

Dumb question - but is it possible for me to go ahead and book the available lake room for my dates and still qualify for the wait list on the theme park view? I'm not sure if they'll take my points for the lake view studio and cancel the waitlist since I then won't have the points for that vacation.

I can't do a split stay at the moment since it's December 3rd (first day and 11th month day) that's completely full, so I'm concerned similar capacity issues will happen in the next 8 days of booking. I guess the best thing to do is get my butt up at 8AM est tomorrow to try and snag Dec 4th-11th?

 

[CarolMN]

Nevermind, I am stupid and didn't check my profile to see my waitlist reservation. I'm really hesitant in pushing back my reservation a week since it's so close to Thanksgiving, so this is making all-ducks-in-a-row me pretty anxious.

Dumb question - but is it possible for me to go ahead and book the available lake room for my dates and still qualify for the wait list on the theme park view? I'm not sure if they'll take my points for the lake view studio and cancel the waitlist since I then won't have the points for that vacation.

I can't do a split stay at the moment since it's December 3rd (first day and 11th month day) that's completely full, so I'm concerned similar capacity issues will happen in the next 8 days of booking. I guess the best thing to do is get my butt up at 8AM est tomorrow to try and snag Dec 4th-11th?

Yes, you can book the lake view and still keep the waitlist for the theme park view. Just make sure that the them park waitlist is set up to cancel the lake view reservation if /when it comes through. If you already have the theme park waitlist set up, you can try calling MS to see if the CM can add a note to it without cancelling and adding it back. If the CM cannot do that, you will have to cancel the waitlist for the theme park view and then set it up again to add the cancellation of the lake view reservation. That means your waitlist will go to the bottom of whatever waitlists may already be in place for that date.

Good luck!

 

[acebatonfan]

Yes, you can book the lake view and still keep the waitlist for the theme park view. Just make sure that the them park waitlist is set up to cancel the lake view reservation if /when it comes through. If you already have the theme park waitlist set up, you can try calling MS to see if the CM can add a note to it without cancelling and adding it back. If the CM cannot do that, you will have to cancel the waitlist for the theme park view and then set it up again to add the cancellation of the lake view reservation. That means your waitlist will go to the bottom of whatever waitlists may already be in place for that date.

Good luck!

Thanks! I got the week I wanted with a lake view and am on hold with member services to clarify my wait list request. Worst comes to worst, hopefully Top of the World is open, and we can watch/cry during fireworks there (if there are fireworks during that time). Now to keep an eye on events and Covid vaccination windows

 

[drusba]

Have you stayed at BLT theme park view before. One thing to consider is whether you really want it. I personally do not consider it worthy of the extra points and believe lake view is the better choice. Theme Park view is fine if you request and get a higher floor, but you could get stuck on fifth or sixth floor, where the view is a serious points-ripoff where the main view you have is of parked cars in the front parking lot and of the monorail track running across at the level of the fifth and sixth floor, cutting off your distance view. Requesting high floor is not guaranteed but if you reserve lake view the chances of having such a request met is high because there a lot of higher floor lake view rooms, and the views are very nice.

 

[acebatonfan]

Have you stayed at BLT theme park view before. One thing to consider is whether you really want it. I personally do not consider it worthy of the extra points and believe lake view is the better choice. Theme Park view is fine if you request and get a higher floor, but you could get stuck on fifth or sixth floor, where the view is a serious points-ripoff where the main view you have is of parked cars in the front parking lot and of the monorail track running across at the level of the fifth and sixth floor, cutting off your distance view. Requesting high floor is not guaranteed but if you reserve lake view the chances of having such a request met is high because there a lot of higher floor lake view rooms, and the views are very nice.

I bought into DVC because I love the BLT theme park view and the studio layout (I love the galley kitchenette with that extra space to put snacks/diabetes supplies/makeup). I've been lucky so far with requesting higher floors. My family loves to sit on the balcony and enjoy the views and fireworks without the chaos of going into a park.

 

[tgropp]

On a side note, there is limited availability for 2 bedrooms at CCV and BRV for early December. I think that it is going to be a gong show trying to get any room this December at the 11 month mark

 

[bobbiwoz]

On a side note, there is limited availability for 2 bedrooms at CCV and BRV for early December. I think that it is going to be a gong show trying to get any room this December at the 11 month mark

I was so happy that I wanted a 1 bedroom beginning December 1...no studios were available.

 

[Chuck S]

I think there are so many points in the system right now, people that normally would not walk a reservation are walking this year. I walked a Thanksgiving week 2021 reservation. That is the first reservation I have ever walked.

 

[heynowirv]

I think there are so many points in the system right now, people that normally would not walk a reservation are walking this year. I walked a Thanksgiving week 2021 reservation. That is the first reservation I have ever walked.

I agree Chuck,for the first time in the 13 years we've owned we walked a reservation for next year.

 

[Philsfan77]

I think there are so many points in the system right now, people that normally would not walk a reservation are walking this year. I walked a Thanksgiving week 2021 reservation. That is the first reservation I have ever walked.

Same here at CCV. We are planning a big trip for middle of the month. I was able to finally get in for a studio yesterday, and got the 2 bedroom we needed today. The glut of points, gave us a chance to bring some more family to experience everything during the holiday season. Hate to be walking, but there is 0 chance I would have been able to book both rooms on the same day, the way they are dropping at CCV right now.

 

[cellomom]

I think there are so many points in the system right now, people that normally would not walk a reservation are walking this year. I walked a Thanksgiving week 2021 reservation. That is the first reservation I have ever walked.

You are so right, we have never walked a reservation until this year. Mid Nov. started watching how booking was looking at our home resort for December. Rooms are disappearing left and right. So we decided to bite the bullet and started walking, not a long walk LOL , but still had walk to get the days we desired

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

It appears to me that people are walking the Grand Villas at VGF.

 

[Sandisw]

I walked a few rooms at RIV but won’t normally do it because, as mentioned, I had all of my RIV points from my 2020 UY banked into 2021 from canceled trips.

I do think sometimes, though, that as soon as someone can’t book, it is attributed to walking...which not sure it always is, especially now we are booking first week in December,

I am holding my SV BLT studio for 7 nights..took me two days to get but our trip next year is flexible...even though I won’t use them all,

 

[castle1]

Yep...had to walk my Boardwalk view 2-bedroom. Even Pool/Garden was being walked.

 

[pkrieger2287]

I know I'm late to the party... but I will say that when you wonder if people are walking, they most likely are walking. Lol