Are the Days of Walking a DVC Reservation Numbered?

[tx911]

Correct, they may have to put a rule in place someday.

Which in my mind would be unfortunate because it is likely to decrease the flexibility we currently enjoy.

 

[Chili327]

Which in my mind would be unfortunate because it is likely to decrease the flexibility we currently enjoy.

Absolutely, agree 100%.

 

[Sandisw]

Correct. They are looking into it, because there may need to be a rule implemented... because right now there isn't a rule. Snarky or not, that is all were saying, it is not against the rules.
For the record, I think there should be a rule, i'm all for making a rule, but that's because there isn't one right now.


I was thinking of doing the same just to see what they'd say. lol

I called and asked told yes, it’s allowed and no, there is no limit to how many times you can change a reservation.

I asked about how transfer work, and it was explained. I then asked if I could get paid, and she said, “no that is expressly prohibited”.

So, for nkw, MS has confirmed I can do it…those calls are recorded, so my guess is that if they are routinely giving wrong information, DVC would step in and advise them differently

 

[Sandisw]

Which in my mind would be unfortunate because it is likely to decrease the flexibility we currently enjoy.

Yup and why people need to be prepared that what some see as an easy fix won’t necessarily be what DVC does.

One thing I think I’ve learned in 15 years of ownership is DVC isn’t wont to make changes to things in the program that are already in place.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I called and asked told yes, it’s allowed and no, there is no limit to how many times you can change a reservation.

I asked about how transfer work, and it was explained. I then asked if I could get paid, and she said, “no that is expressly prohibited”.

So, for nkw, MS has confirmed I can do it…those calls are recorded, so my guess is that if they are routinely giving wrong information, DVC would step in and advise them differently

It depends on who you speak with and how you ask the question.

 

[Sandisw]

I felt similar about the intention of the rules stating:
"Members may call Member Services or make a reservation online via the DVC Website no earlier than eleven (11) months prior to the desired check in day for a reservation"

It was heavily debated that walking is still securing that room at 11 months. The result of such practice moves FCFS outside 11 months and I think that was not part of how the system was intended to work, so I did not agree. When not many people were calling into MS over and over to do it, and it wasn’t making a noticeable impact, there wouldn’t have been a need for DVC to change it even if not initially functioning as intended. Things today are different than 5 or 10yrs ago and just like happened with DAS, people notice the impact of walking increasing even though it’s hard for us as individuals to get concrete numbers ‘proof’ without access to Disney’s data. We can only share if our experience is deteriorating and take that with the clues given. Then Disney/DVC has to decide whether or not to change how they manage things.

The meeting said walking’s under consideration. They mentioned unintended consequences, seemingly aware not to make the cure worse than disease. They acknowledged walking is not in the spirit of the rules and that says to me the system was set up with the intention of keeping trip lead time reasonable, and not as we find with the result of walking: forcing the need to book more than a year out otherwise give up our first come first serve ability.

That’s where I feel DVC has a responsibility to fix that 11m fcfs if there’s a way that doesn’t break the system worse. I’m pretty confident they can figure out a decent solution. There is no way to modify a change in room type that preserves FCFS booking over 11 months out the way walking allows. Check-in date at 11m should be treated closer to that, adjusted with a few extra allowances to return some flexibility. Just not all of it lol.

See I don’t think anyone is debating that walking is not a work around…and the boards statement seemed to me to support that when they said “this is an unintended consequence” to the rule change they made.

Just like when they had the rule that you were to book your whole trip 11 months from check out day. The intent was wait..but owners figured out that it was better to just day by day and pretend check out day was moving.

It prevented walking, and some might felt it was a fairer way to do it, but owners who booked daily had a better chance to get the dates at the begging of their trip than those who actually followed the written rule.

Now, especially with the online system making modifications so easy, walking has become a more widely used practice and DVC might chose it needs to be prohibited.

The board stated that this is not common…see the DVC news article…which tells me, IMO, is that if it’s not common, then they aren’t necessarily at a point to make sweeping changes to how things work.

We shall see!

 

[Sandisw]

It depends on who you speak with and how you ask the question.

View attachment 922042

Those walking are not making a reservation outside the 11 month window. They are making a valid booking and moving it.

You can’t book a date if 11 months isn’t there

 

[tx911]

The board stated that this is not common…

Music to the walkers' ears. They can continue to enjoy an advantage at the expense of their fellow owners.

 

[Genie+]

When all is said and done, DVC may publicly endorse walking as perfectly fair, acceptable, and consistent with the rules, but they didn't in this instance when they had the chance. A deliberate decision would have been made not to do so in their responses, which is why we got what we got.

This is my take on it as well.

They didn’t endorse walking as a feature of the system. Quite the opposite.

Sounded like a higher commitment to dealing with commercial renting though. At least there they gave a one year time frame to hopefully seeing some improvement. So that looks like the decision to act has fully been made there.

 

[BeachClub2014]

Those walking are not making a reservation outside the 11 month window. They are making a valid booking and moving it.

You can’t book a date if 11 months isn’t there

What I asked is the exact definition of walking: securing a reservation outside the 11-month window and then continuously modifying it to move forward.

My point is that an owner could get a different answer depending on whom they speak with and how they ask the question. It is not as straightforward as some would believe.

 

[Chili327]

It depends on who you speak with and how you ask the question.

Actually that is not what you asked. lol

What I asked is the exact definition of walking: securing a reservation outside the 11-month window and then continuously modifying it to move forward.

My point is that an owner could get a different answer depending on whom they speak with and how they ask the question. It is not as straightforward as some would believe.

You asked if you "made a reservation outside of that window" which is not what anyone is doing.
You can't reserve outside your 11 month window. No one said you could & no one has ever been able to.

*edit* You made it even worse by saying "Beyond" your 11 month window.

 

[Tatebeck]

I assumed they meant outside to mean a reservation in the 11+7 (11+7 being mostly outside of the 11)

 

[Chili327]

I assumed they meant outside to mean a reservation in the 11+7 (11+7 being mostly outside of the 11)

+7 is still considered within the 11 month window isn't it?

 

[Tatebeck]

+7 is still considered within the 11 month window isn't it?

It's by check in day at 11 months so only the check in day has to be in the 11 month window, the other 6 days can be past it. I would consider that 6/7 outside the window

IE if they weren't booking that first day, the other 6 days would not be bookable at all

 

[Chili327]

It's by check in day at 11 months so only the check in day has to be in the 11 month window, the other 6 days can be past it. I would consider that 6/7 outside the window

So still within the rules, but his question wasn't about that. He asked if he could make a res beyond the window, so of course they said no. lol

 

[Sandisw]

What I asked is the exact definition of walking: securing a reservation outside the 11-month window and then continuously modifying it to move forward.

My point is that an owner could get a different answer depending on whom they speak with and how they ask the question. It is not as straightforward as some would believe.

Someone who booked today was allowed to book November 18th to 25rh booked. None of those are outside the booking window.

It may be semantics but that owner broke no rule in securing that booking because those dares opened up this morning.

The board acknowledged the practice and the concern of owners that it is allowed to happen…but they are open to changing the booking process if they can find a way to do that without impacts they see as worse.

Again, having been there, plenty of owners waked away with the impression that it isn’t technically a violation but certainly an uncommon practice some owners use.

Here is my answer

 

[Tatebeck]

So still within the rules, but his question wasn't about that. He asked if he could make a res outside the window, so of course they said no. lol

Let's keep asking and keep a tally lol.

My chat member wouldn't answer at all and said that maybe I should call or send a secure email message

 

[Tatebeck]

Someone who booked today was allowed to book November 18th to 25rh booked. None of those are outside the booking window.

It may be semantics but that owner broke no rule in securing that booking because those dares opened up this morning.

The board acknowledged the practice and the concern of owners that it is allowed to happen…but they are open to changing the booking process if they can find a way to do that without impacts they see as worse.

Again, having been there, plenty of owners waked away with the impression that it isn’t technically a violation but certainly an uncommon practice some owners use.

Here is my answer

It seems you may be leading their answer as well, in your question the reservation mentioned had already been made and is assumed to be a reservation made withing normal booking rules.

 

[Chili327]

Let's keep asking and keep a tally lol.

My chat member wouldn't answer at all and said that maybe I should call or send a secure email message

Haha, I don't have the heart to do that to them. lol

 

[Sandisw]

It's by check in day at 11 months so only the check in day has to be in the 11 month window, the other 6 days can be past it. I would consider that 6/7 outside the window

IE if they weren't booking that first day, the other 6 days would not be bookable at all

Correct but the rules are that you get to book 11 plus 7 which means DVC defines all those days as being booked under the “11 month rule”.

Same with 7 months. You get to book a 7 night reservation right at the opening window of each use day.