Are the Days of Walking a DVC Reservation Numbered?

[pkrieger2287]

Are the Days of Walking a DVC Reservation Numbered

Potential changes to the DVC reservation system might be coming as Disney explores ways to address the practice of walking reservations!

https://dvcfan.com/general-dvc/are-the-days-of-walking-a-dvc-reservation-numbered

#disneyvacationclub #dvc #disneyparks #disneyworld #disney

 

[thanxfornoticin]

There's been conversation about potential changes for years. I expect most of the solutions they discuss are way more cumbersome and confusing than the problem. And I've never been clear on how big a problem it actually is - seems to only impact a few particular room types. But it might be worse than I realize.

 

[lowlight]

There's been conversation about potential changes for years. I expect most of the solutions they discuss are way more cumbersome and confusing than the problem. And I've never been clear on how big a problem it actually is - seems to only impact a few particular room types. But it might be worse than I realize.

It’s hard to quantify it with tangible metrics since we don’t have access to that information. Disney does, though. I can say that it “feels” to have gotten considerably worse the past two years. The increase in spec renting is either causation or correlation, only Disney knows that answer, but again it “feels” like it is causation.

I hope they can come up with a solution to both, but just solving walking is huge win. I’m not sure how they can solve it, but I don’t work for DVC so that doesn’t concern me.

 

[JackosinDIS]

Interesting! I’m fully open to hearing a way to stop walking (without impacting on my ability to book 14 nights at a time!).

However, I rather like being able to walk. Particularly as international flights are released 355 days ahead and we need to book as soon as they open to ensure we get the reward seats. It’s nice to have a start on the room at that point if it’s a popular category which is not guaranteed at the 11 month mark.

 

[Sandisw]

One thing they did made clear is unintended consequences and how important it is to make sure that the flexibility is balanced with any change.

They explained how it use to be and that owners were calling day by day so the change to allow up to 7 nights booked at 11 months n

So, it sounds like they are aware and understand it happens, but also want to be very careful about any unintended negative consequences to members who don’t walk.

If I heard one comment correctly, they indicated it was not widespread but understand concerns

 

[lowlight]

If I heard one comment correctly, they indicated it was not widespread but understand concerns

Ebola is not widespread, but it’s pretty problematic. Walking is self limiting- you can only walk the amount of desirable rooms there are to walk, which means it can never be widespread. I hope everyone who reads this and doesn’t like walking writes in to Bill to give him a friendly piece of your mind.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Hey, just got back from the store. Had to lay in a fresh supply of popcorn. Looks like I didn’t miss anything. Yet.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

If I heard one comment correctly, they indicated it was not widespread but understand concerns

That makes sense to me - just don't know it's that widespread. But the concerns I have are the potential 'solutions' tossed around on the posts are probably way more impactful than the walking issue. Owners are essentially booking and modifying within the rules of the contract. Limiting 'modify' or charging for it would potentially impact owners who never walk.

It's a tough situation. For those who bought at a particular resort for a particular room type, and can't get it, I understand the frustration. Ideally, they could eliminate the walking/renting combination - those shouldn't be allowed. But again, no realistic way to monitor or police that.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

For my most recent reservation, I had to pick up the days being dropped by the walkers. It was annoying because you never knew what time the walkers would modify their reservations and you needed to jump on the room availability. And after the fact, my entire week was walked past and available.

I have my idea on how they can change things, but I know that Disney will probably never listen to me.

 

[JackosinDIS]

Hey, just got back from the store. Had to lay in a fresh supply of popcorn. Looks like I didn’t miss anything. Yet.

Apart from a casual comparison of walking to Ebola.

 

[Sandisw]

Ebola is not widespread, but it’s pretty problematic. Walking is self limiting- you can only walk the amount of desirable rooms there are to walk, which means it can never be widespread. I hope everyone who reads this and doesn’t like walking writes in to Bill to give him a friendly piece of your mind.

I am just sharing the temperature of the conversation and that any changes that might happen will be carefully weighed against the interests of members in terms of unintended consequences.

Not being Widespread could be interpreted many ways and since this was the VgF meeting, may have been related to that.

Since I don’t have the data, I won’t make any judgement of what that meant. I am just happy that they recognize that whatever the fix is, it needs to not have consequences that would be worse on the membership as a whole.

 

[lowlight]

Apart from a casual comparison of walking to Ebola.

Would you have preferred a formal comparison?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I honestly don't want them to make a change. I've picked up reservations after people have walked past and feel that in most instances it indicates that walking isn't necessary. Feeling that way I think that any changes would have too many unintended consequences to the flexibility of the system. I hope they do nothing as the actual issue is some room categories that are too small for their popularity and there aren't any good fixes for that. I was quite disappointed to see all the categories they have established for the new PVB tower as that sets it up for the exact same problems.

 

[lowlight]

I hope they do nothing as the actual issue is some room categories that are too small for their popularity and there aren't any good fixes for that.

This is certainly true in some instances of walking. However, amost every single room category was walked for the week after Thanksgiving this year at VGF. By the time I realized what was happening, I couldn’t even get in on the walking myself. I didn’t buy DVC to piece my vacation together 2 days at a time, but if you are ok with that, that’s your right.

 

[BlueGreen5]

I'm not a habitual walker (I did it literally once, years ago), but over the years have come to realize that walkers are doing just that: they're walking. They're not permanently taking up spots, other than the ones they want. Understand the practice and understand that 1) if you want an ultra hard to secure date, you need to walk it too (no one has an advantage in this regard) and 2) if you want a spot that's not really too hard to secure, just wait until the walkers walk on through (i.e., look at 8:10/8:15am ET every day and walk right behind them, day by day, as they give up the days you need for your trip -- most walkers are done for the day by that time).

Other than having to account for that, I've never actually been impacted by walkers. Real demand on the other hand? That one's the hard part to deal with. It turns out that, walkers aside, regular folks actually really do just like to stay at VGC....

People who are making high-demand reservations to flip for profit are the real problems IMO. Not walkers.

 

[jcolvin5]

People who are making high-demand reservations to flip for profit are the real problems IMO. Not walkers.

Absolutely agree!

 

[BlueGreen5]

I hope they can come up with a solution to both, but just solving walking is huge win. I’m not sure how they can solve it, but I don’t work for DVC so that doesn’t concern me.

That fact doesn't stop me from pretending like I make decisions for DVD (the actual entity that administers DVC and probably employs the DVC reps??). LOL.

As I said above, I don't think a solution for walkers is really needed.

My solution to deal with spec renting is to allow one name change per contract per use year, and to require an actual call to Disney to do it, similar to points transfers. You're not going to stop the practice entirely, but you'll definitely cut down on the practice considerably. I'm sure it will impact some people at times, but then you just vest DVC reps with the ability to make one-time exceptions, just like when someone innocently misses the banking deadline.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

This is certainly true in some instances of walking. However, amost every single room category was walked for the week after Thanksgiving this year at VGF. By the time I realized what was happening, I couldn’t even get in on the walking myself. I didn’t buy DVC to piece my vacation together 2 days at a time, but if you are ok with that, that’s your right.

The problem with that is the assumption that you would otherwise get the room which is not and never has been guaranteed by DVC unless you've purchased a Guaranteed week since they've begun offering them. Back in the day when the reservation was to be booked at the end of your stay vs the start people were calling in day by day and it was horrendous IMO. You could end up with gaps in the reservation. But what it also showed is that it still depended on some luck in timing (a phone call back then but now speed of clicks on the internet). So, create more issues and still not have a great potential to no get the room or leave as is? I continue to vote with leave as is. And frankly since you know about walking you're ahead of others who don't if you feel the necessity to do so.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That fact doesn't stop me from pretending like I make decisions for DVD (the actual entity that administers DVC and probably employs the DVC reps??). LOL.

As I said above, I don't think a solution for walkers is really needed.

My solution to deal with spec renting is to allow one name change per contract per use year, and to require an actual call to Disney to do it, similar to points transfers. You're not going to stop the practice entirely, but you'll definitely cut down on the practice considerably. I'm sure it will impact some people at times, but then you just vest DVC reps with the ability to make one-time exceptions, just like when someone innocently misses the banking deadline.

You already do have to call in to change a lead name so that's not asking for something new. For my part, though I'd work with it, we typically travel with multiple family members and it can change a lot from the time we book until actually stay. I'm allowed per the POS to both allow family and friends to use rooms and also to rent. You cannot place a name change restriction like that without violating the POS IMO.

 

[Tatebeck]

That fact doesn't stop me from pretending like I make decisions for DVD (the actual entity that administers DVC and probably employs the DVC reps??). LOL.

As I said above, I don't think a solution for walkers is really needed.

My solution to deal with spec renting is to allow one name change per contract per use year, and to require an actual call to Disney to do it, similar to points transfers. You're not going to stop the practice entirely, but you'll definitely cut down on the practice considerably. I'm sure it will impact some people at times, but then you just vest DVC reps with the ability to make one-time exceptions, just like when someone innocently misses the banking deadline.

I'm all for possible solutions, but one name change per year would never work. They can't limit how you let others use the room/change the names on the reservation per current rules. And it would only work for those with just a few points. If anyone with a substantial amount of points wants to skip a year or two and rent, good luck getting all of those points gone in just one rental!

They would have to change something with the booking system, not the guest name change/update after the fact