Are the Days of Walking a DVC Reservation Numbered?

[Genie+]

Gotcha... so my issue is actually that they may have already booked my room before i even got the chance to start walking, not that the amount of points makes any difference? But isn't their ability to book 7 nights what actually takes away my room before I get the chance to get it?

Not sure if the examples fits or not, but lets say...
Rooms are ALL booked 12/15-12/24
So there is no Room B on the 17th (to book 12/17-12/19)

Is that not a factor of having enough points? (In the end all i can do is stalk and hope the 17th gets walked past)


Side note, I've never walked, I'm just trying to understand, because it definitely seems like more points has an advantage, but it probably should, that's how the world works.

For a 2 day walk vs 7 day walk I think the biggest differences are:

A two month walk would be 60 transactions vs 8, helping cost/benefit of effort investment

In a ‘rooms taken out for maintenance’ scenario the 2 day walk is most likely to get last dibs. With the 7 day walker being able to secure rooms further out, they take the available inventory. The 2 day reservation could get their walk disrupted because by the time they get there, the only thing left is the empty slots of rooms pulled for maintenance. The 7 day walker has a better chance of getting to the ‘good’ inventory first.

 

[Sandisw]

I’ll make an analogy here to commercial renting. Commercial renting is against the rules. Do you know how I know? It’s not because the language says “members” can book and I say that implies only members can stay. It’s not that it allows rentals for “personal” reasons and then I make a logical jump to say that proves commercial is against rules because it only says personal. It’s also not becusse they made a comment about stopping it at the members meeting. I know it’s against the rules because it explicitly states so in the rules. It does not have similar statements in any capacity about walking so walking is not against the rules.

To add, the actual reason walking IS allowed under the rules really has nothing to do with the booking rules and 11 month window.

It is allowed because the current rules for modifying a reservation is unlimited with no penalty until less than 31 days from check in.

You do not need a reason to modify a reservation and you can modify it as much as you want.

That is what has to be switched to stop it and why some are concerned since any limits to modifications reduces the flexibility of using DVC, which is a big selling point!

 

[Murron]

My thoughts:

1. I don't like walking. But it's not against the rules and I understand why it is done by the normal DVC member. Now, I do not want it done by commercial renters as they already have enough advantages with bots, etc.

2. The only way I could see getting rid of it is to set up some AI Algorithm that watches how many times a reservation is modified for the same resort and the same room category in a period of time. If the reservation is being change multiple times to the same room category and the same resort but moving it one day at a time then it's being walked and should be flagged. (If they want to get rid of this happening)

Oh lord....if WDW doesn't have horrid IT now, I cannot imagine them moving from a horrid website to AI algorithms. LOL.

 

[Tatebeck]

That is correct…they said it violates the spirit of the rule…which implies it is not against the actual rules.

The intent of the 11 plus 7 was people would book from start of a real trip…and be able to book a complete stay but since rules can’t measure intent behind a booking, this practice is not a violation. .

And that is why they said they would be open to changes but they made the statements that they also want to ensure that they don’t end up in the same situation with more unintentional consequences especially when it comes to flexibility.

They verified that it is against the spirit of the rules without commenting on whether it violates the letter of the rules.
The letter of the rules says you can only book for a trip 11+7 days out. If you are starting to book something before that, you violated the letter of the rules as well. Though it is hard to prove since it relies on intent and subsequent modifications to verify that it was against the letter of the rules.

I’ll make an analogy here to commercial renting. Commercial renting is against the rules. Do you know how I know? It’s not because the language says “members” can book and I say that implies only members can stay. It’s not that it allows rentals for “personal” reasons and then I make a logical jump to say that proves commercial is against rules because it only says personal. It’s also not becusse they made a comment about stopping it at the members meeting. I know it’s against the rules because it explicitly states so in the rules. It does not have similar statements in any capacity about walking so walking is not against the rules.

Just because they specified what you cannot do in one case does not mean they are obligated to state every single thing that you cannot do in every case. There isn't enough space in the world for that list.

The original booking system, the way it was designed, did not allow this in it's design, so they didn't need to specify that it was against the rules and outlaw it because it wasn't possible when they were originally made.

To add, the actual reason walking IS allowed under the rules actually has nothing to reallt do with the booking rules and 11 month window.

It is allowed because the current rules for modifying a reservation is unlimited with no penalty until less than 31 days from check in

Correct, the online booking system currently doesn't stop modifications from walking, and allows any modification at least 31 days out without penalty, but that does not make it so that every modification is 100% within the rules.

Just like police don't stop you from breaking laws, but what you can do can still be against the law

 

[Wedgeout]

With 30 pages.. I’m sure it has been addressed already. Since walking is ‘unintended’. Plus the booking on ‘check out’ or ‘check in’ has no way to stop the walking ability..is to do away with book up to 7 night rule. Keep the max number nights can book or adjust it too..doesn’t matter. On your home advantage 11 or other resort 7 month..book all that you can and want that’s available that day (all in with your points!) Might be a way to sell crazy amounts of more points. You have the points for 18 days..book it!! Yeehaw! Now each reservation though can’t ever be modified any further to extend the dates without first cancelling the original and start over. You can modify later cutting back on the check in date, shortening the trip that way. No more walking. Problem solved. Looking at the calendar, planning a trip, you will know what’s available or already booked up in the future. Having more points is the advantage over others to get that prized room. All still on fair enough playing ground when making the initial reservation. Just some can out points you instead of later walking over you.

 

[Genie+]

The ‘spirit of the rules’ can be important to how the system was structured to operate. In that way it will matter to DVC in deciding how to correct whatever they deem dysfunctional to the membership. Is walking a flaw or function. Sounds like it was never intended as a function.

 

[Tatebeck]

With 30 pages.. I’m sure it has been addressed already. Since walking is ‘unintended’. Plus the booking on ‘check out’ or ‘check in’ has no way to stop the walking ability..is to do away with book up to 7 night rule. Keep the max number nights can book or adjust it too..doesn’t matter. On your home advantage 11 or other resort 7 month..book all that you can and want that’s available that day (all in with your points!) Might be a way to sell crazy amounts of more points. You have the points for 18 days..book it!! Yeehaw! Now each reservation though can’t ever be modified any further to extend the dates without first cancelling the original and start over. You can modify later cutting back on the check in date, shortening the trip that way. No more walking. Problem solved. Looking at the calendar, planning a trip, you will know what’s available or already booked up in the future. Having more points is the advantage over others to get that prized room. All still on fair enough playing ground when making the initial reservation. Just some can out points you instead of later walking over you.

Then the walk is just limited to how many points you have. Those with more points would just book a really long reservation a month ahead and cancel the first days. Way too much of an advantage to those with a lot of points. You would have to limit modifying that reservation in some way as well for it to actually work

 

[BL2020]

I’d rather see them increase the rule to 11 plus 14, but with the limitation that once you make that reservation, it can’t be extended, only shortened until you are 10 months from check in date.

I hope they don't do this and doubt if they will, it disadvantages smaller contracts. Generally Disney markets a contract for a week's vacation, that is what people are buying. Though of course you can buy more points. This would disadvantage those who intentionally bought points for a 7 day vacation. Most of their marketing materials use these one week examples. Fourteen days out would affect these buyers and is counter to their marketing. But who knows?

 

[Tatebeck]

I hope they don't do this and doubt if they will, it disadvantages smaller contracts. Generally Disney markets a contract for a week's vacation, that is what people are buying. Though of course you can buy more points. This would disadvantage those who intentionally bought points for a 7 day vacation. Most of their marketing materials use these one week examples. Fourteen days out would affect these buyers and is counter to their marketing. But who knows?

I think Sandi means that it would only be able to shorten days from the end of the reservation, not cancel days at the beginning. So they wouldn't have an advantage over a smaller 7 day trip if the check in day was the same as the 14 day trip

 

[Orsino]

Then the walk is just limited to how many points you have. Those with more points would just book a really long reservation a month ahead and cancel the first days. Way too much of an advantage to those with a lot of points. You would have to limit modifying that reservation in some way as well for it to actually work

I don't think I agree. Plenty here have stated that walking isn't a problem without any evidence, but I would say that people with more points having too much of an advantage is even less likely to be a problem.

 

[Wedgeout]

Then the walk is just limited to how many points you have. Those with more points would just book a really long reservation a month ahead and cancel the first days. Way too much of an advantage to those with a lot of points. You would have to limit modifying that reservation in some way as well for it to actually work

Correct it’s a long reservation and by rule can have a reservation of a max number of days. Let those with points book it all at once. If the intent is doing for an advantage..I can’t fault that. Sure they can take off from the front and those open up for others to grab. There would be modification limit. Can’t modify to extend that reservation once it’s booked.

 

[TCRAIG]

As a retired techie/developer/systems designer - I will state booking systems are considered by others in the industry to be the most difficult to develop, code, test and implement …and I for one do not have a lot of faith in Disney’s/DVC off shore or H1-B programmers to be able to deliver something worth having…(not trying to sound anti-immigrant - because I’m absolutely not)

Edited:Forgot to mention that these code modifications can be VERY expensive - both as a one time cost and ongoing maintenance - ask yourself - would I want my dues to go up $1 per point or more for this?

 

[Chili327]

For a 2 day walk vs 7 day walk I think the biggest differences are:

A two month walk would be 60 transactions vs 8, helping cost/benefit of effort investment

In a ‘rooms taken out for maintenance’ scenario the 2 day walk is most likely to get last dibs. With the 7 day walker being able to secure rooms further out, they take the available inventory. The 2 day reservation could get their walk disrupted because by the time they get there, the only thing left is the empty slots of rooms pulled for maintenance. The 7 day walker has a better chance of getting to the ‘good’ inventory first.

Yes, that makes sense!

 

[Genie+]

I’m getting DAS deja vu.

No advantage, made no difference to others, everybody could do it, not being overused, no proof, no feasible solution, park operations wouldn’t change anyway, etc.

 

[Tatebeck]

I don't think I agree. Plenty here have stated that walking isn't a problem without any evidence, but I would say that people with more points having too much of an advantage is even less likely to be a problem.

I don't know, with current walking rules anyone with enough points for 2 nights can try to do it, so it is really only out of reach for those with very small point totals. But with that *proposed* new change, it would be a sliding scale of advantage and it could lock out members with more points than the current system can. I would not consider that an improvement, especially since some of the "members" with the most points are the commercial renters. You just gave them exactly what they needed to secure every hard to book room to rent for big $$$

 

[Chili327]

But with that new change, it is a sliding scale of advantage and it could lock out members with more points than the current system can.

Oh this is something i missed in all of these 30+ pages. lol
What is the new change??

 

[Spivey378]

I want to walk a CCV studio for the holidays 2025 and have never walked before. The only day that is unavailable is November 17th at the present moment. So tomorrow I need to be online at 8:00 and try to book the room, and then continuously modify the reservation every day or so? Since the 17th is already not available does this mean it will be tough to start the walk? If so, when is a good time to start my walk for a holiday CCV studio?

 

[Tatebeck]

Oh this is something i missed in all of these 30+ pages. lol
What is the new change??

just a proposed fix from a few posts ago, nothing from Disney lol. I added proposed wording to my previous post to make that clearer

It was just to let people book as many days ahead as they have points

 

[JOLT]

I want to walk a CCV studio for the holidays 2025 and have never walked before. The only day that is unavailable is November 17th at the present moment. So tomorrow I need to be online at 8:00 and try to book the room, and then continuously modify the reservation every day or so? Since the 17th is already not available does this mean it will be tough to start the walk? If so, when is a good time to start my walk for a holiday CCV studio?

You will have to try for the 18th since its still blue tomorrow at 0800:00 you need to try and book it. than you can modify the days.

If you look at regular resort view you would have to wait to try and start on the 19th since 17th and 18th are greyed out.

start walking when ever you feel like its worth it to you. Its a lot of work to remember to modify the reservation.

 

[Genie+]

I want to walk a CCV studio for the holidays 2025 and have never walked before. The only day that is unavailable is November 17th at the present moment. So tomorrow I need to be online at 8:00 and try to book the room, and then continuously modify the reservation every day or so? Since the 17th is already not available does this mean it will be tough to start the walk? If so, when is a good time to start my walk for a holiday CCV studio?

You’d have to keep trying each morning at exactly 8am until you find an opening. I’m only half kidding when I say you are a few months behind. You could luck out but at this point your chances are getting more dim. Best would’ve been at least 2 months ago. The best time to book December is before the end of 2 summers prior.

All hope is not gone though. You still have a pretty good shot at piecing together your dates right as the real 11 month window passes, and then waitlisting whatever’s missing. I’d also start a full trip waitlist Day 1 as well. Having some flexibility in which dates you could do in December would also help increase your chances.