Are the Days of Walking a DVC Reservation Numbered?

[BeachClub2014]

Now, I agree, you see a fee as a good thing for the membership and I don’t…but DVC, if they do it, still have to be able to explain to upset owners why it’s a good thing…

Nope, have never said that a fee is a good thing for the membership, so its a bit disingenuous to suggest that I believe that to be true.

I have repeatedly said that charging a fee for excessive modifications to reservations is, in my opinion, a way to reduce walking without complex or onerous rule changes to members overall.

That's what I believe.

 

[Sandisw]

Nope, have never said that a fee is a good thing for the membership, so its a bit disingenuous to suggest that I believe that to be true.

I have repeatedly said that charging a fee for excessive modifications to reservations is, in my opinion, a way to reduce walking without complex or onerous rule changes to members overall.

That's what I believe.

I misunderstood since you said “if they added a fee or made other changes to address this issue, it would make things better for all of us, in my opinion”

Sorry…wasn’t trying to infer something you didn’t say..

 

[Tatebeck]

There are plenty of relatively "easy" things they could do to combat both commercial renters and walking, its just a debate about which ones will have zero (or the least) amount of trade offs

Some examples from a combo of this thread and my brain. Let me know if you love/hate any and why!

1. Limit the number of free modifications until a fee is incurred or reservation must be a cancel and rebook (from upthread)
2. Modify the booking system so that it simply does not allow the member booking to continue pushing the start date forward beyond the 11 month window (my idea, which was limiting walking to 7 or 14 days max before only extension is allowed, no dropping starting days unless the dates are available for everyone and in the 11+7) I still like this one because it only affects walkers.
3. When modifying a booking, have the system not show your current booked room as an option when specifically changing the check-in date to a later day. They could show only the availability and booking options that everyone else can see without the pre-booked, locked down room they are trying to modify forward. If the room isn't available in the system for everyone to book at 11+7 then it won't allow you to drop start dates. Maybe then it could let you drop starting dates once your entire reservation is within the 11 month window, when the room is no longer locked down by that member and can no longer have starting dates dropped AND extend ending days, only drop starting days (unless the room is still available to everyone else of course). This would technically limit walking to 30 days or whatever the max length of stay is.
4. After a certain number of modifications, make it so a lead guest name change is no longer allowed (unless it is just a different member on the membership contract). This would stop walking that turns into spec renting. (a new idea I just had)
5. Special season list. After reading into it I am still not sure this would work that well. If it only applies to certain rooms and periods, I am sure the commercial renters, savvy members, etc would just put their requests in as soon as possible since it is still a FCFS system and still get what they want more often than the average member. This would cause members to have to plan 15 months ahead of time, which is ridiculous for the average member, and someone planning to rent a reservation would be more confident that the dates they choose would be used when getting on the special list than an honest member looking to book for their single family. And after all that the commercial renters would just move any extra points not used in the special season list into the next cheapest room type during the next most popular seasons, and we are back to having issues, unless it bothers them so much that they get out of the rental game.
6. If they get rid of walking into the 11+7 window, they could think about adding a new universal preemptive waitlist system so everyone can put in a limited number of requests ahead of the 11 month window and the system automatically tries to book that trip for you at the 11+7 window. It could be done as a lottery between all the requests or as FCFS though I think lottery would work better personally. This could help prevent bots from booking at the 11+7 right on the dot, or could help users with slow computers or internet connections as well. This would not work if walking is allowed as those rooms would already be unavailable at the 11+7 window. I guess this is similar to the special season option, but is a bit of a twist.
7. The simplest of all would be DVC just coming out with a statement saying that modifying is staying flexible and as-is but they reserve the right to cancel reservations if they feel like a member is using the system to specifically get dates further out than 11+7 as intended in the member documents. They could put a specific number of days they feel is normal to modify forward, or a certain number of reservations it could be done to during a use year, or they could just keep it ambiguous to scare renters and leave themselves leeway. (note: I think somebody upthread was alluding to something like this as well, and I really like this one too)

 

[TCRAIG]

Something like a $100 fee for every time a reservation is modified (possibly with one modification allowed for free) would be easy to understand and implement, would have very little impact on people who genuinely have a change of plans, but would be quite costly to anyone walking a reservation for weeks on end.

$100 to modify a reservation! Please say you’re playing devil’s advocate and aren’t serious about this proposal!

 

[pzw90]

$100 to modify a reservation! Please say you’re playing devil’s advocate and aren’t serious about this proposal!

How about also free modification within 30 days but holding rules apply on any points you get back from dropping dates

 

[AstroBlasters]

I would be very intrigued to know what % of the people recommending draconian changes to the rules are studio dwellers…..

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…
Go back to the old way of booking —> walking eliminated.

 

[Tatebeck]

I think it's just that most members in general are bound to be studio dwellers since that give the most capacity/pt. The last couple times we had some 1brs and I do much prefer those! But they are definitely a premium cost.

 

[Tatebeck]

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…
Go back to the old way of booking —> walking eliminated.

Are you talking about going all the way back to "booking by phone only" old system? That would be a major downgrade and I can't see that happening.

Or just going by checkout date instead of checkin day but still using the online system? I think that walking would still happen, it would just make it so you had to walk every day to extend if I remember correctly how it worked.

 

[Sandisw]

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…
Go back to the old way of booking —> walking eliminated.

And, with the online system, booking from check out, which resulted in day by day booking, won’t is be the drain on MS that it was when they changed to 11 plus 7.

It’s the opposite of walking and people who don’t do day by day might end up with gaps, so not sure if it’s better or worse.

 

[Sandisw]

Are you talking about going all the way back to "booking by phone only" old system? That would be a major downgrade and I can't see that happening.

Or just going by checkout date instead of checkin day but still using the online system? I think that walking would still happen, it would just make it so you had to walk every day to extend if I remember correctly how it worked.

Booking from check out meant you’d be booking day to day to go forward means you could get locked out as you’d be competing each morning.

What people did was book what was just book their check in day as though it was check out and then call the next day to add in hopes it was still there.

People who did it got a jump on those who did not.

In terms of your ideas, my top is the seasons list for hard to get rooms…they could make it all year round if demand is always high.

And, it states that they can limit you to just one reservation. It has drawbacks but because it’s specific to certain rooms because of demand, at least it is being applied because of owners needs

I think because we talk about commercial renting and walking all at the same time, it gets muddied as though they go hand and hand.

And while they do sometimes, it’s not always. I see this as a few issues.

1. Owners taking high demand rooms and renting them.

2. Owners walking high demand rooms because they want to ensure they get it.

3. Owners renting a lot of reservations and turning it into a business, whether they are high demand rooms are not.

So, it really depends on the situation when trying to decide how to fix it…

 

[Maistre Gracey]

And, with the online system, booking from check out, which resulted in day by day booking, won’t is be the drain on MS that it was when they changed to 11 plus 7.

It’s the opposite of walking and people who don’t do day by day might end up with gaps, so not sure if it’s better or worse.

And “day by day” booking is not required. It is an option for hard to get reservations.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Are you talking about going all the way back to "booking by phone only" old system? That would be a major downgrade and I can't see that happening.

Or just going by checkout date instead of checkin day but still using the online system? I think that walking would still happen, it would just make it so you had to walk every day to extend if I remember correctly how it worked.

No… you book backwards. You can book as many days as you want, but cannot book until 11 months from check out.
Extending day by day is an option for hard to get reservations, but not required.

 

[Sandisw]

And “day by day” booking is not required. It is an option for hard to get reservations.

Walking isn’t required either but people do it because they want to ensure it gets them the room

If people follow the book your days from check out, they will still behind those who decided to book day by day because by the time they try, some rooms will be gone for their dates.

It’s simply the opposite…again, if people think walking goes against the spirit of booking, then day by day booking does to because people are not starting in their real check out date.

That’s why I said, not sure if one is better or worse than the other.

 

[Chili327]

can't speak for everyone, but this change would be unpopular with me at least...

I want 11 month priority for the entire 11 months, not only 1 time within that 11 months...

I'm confused again... Don't you have less than 11 anyway, or do you mean the rolling window, which wouldn't change, your 11 months would alway be rolling wouldn't it?

$100 to modify a reservation! Please say you’re playing devil’s advocate and aren’t serious about this proposal!

Yea, thats bad, unless it was after allowing a certain number of modifications first.?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Walking isn’t required either but people do it because they want to ensure it gets them the room

If people follow the book your days from check out, they will still behind those who decided to book day by day because by the time they try, some rooms will be gone for their dates.

It’s simply the opposite…again, if people don’t walking goes against the spirit of booking, then day by day booking does to because people are not starting in their real check out date.

So what? It’s an option. If you don’t want to be behind, book day by day.
That said, every morning, every room (with exception of fixed weeks & maintenance) will be open. Nobody can walk to get those rooms.
EVERYONE has a 100% fair chance, with no cheating.

 

[Sandisw]

So what? It’s an option. If you don’t want to be behind, book day by day.
That said, every morning, every room (with exception of fixed weeks & maintenance) will be open. Nobody can walk to get those rooms.
EVERYONE has a 100% fair chance, with no cheating.

Then why change it? If owners don’t want to be behind now they can walk…

That’s the point,.,day by day booking vs walking both give you a jump on others. Right now, everyone has a 100% fair chance at 8 am to the room starting that day plus 7.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Then why change it? If owners don’t want to be behind now they can walk…

That’s the point,.,day by day booking vs walking both give you a jump on others. Right now, everyone has a 100% fair chance at 8 am to the room starting that day plus 7.

Because walkers have no intention of using the days they are reserving.
Not the case with day by day.

 

[Sandisw]

Because walkers have no intention of using the days they are reserving.
Not the case with day by day.

That is fair…then it really doesn’t matter if you do check out or check in if you go to day by day booking.

The drawback, from what I have read is people ended up having trouble getting a full reservation because they didn’t get the next day.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

That is fair…then it really doesn’t matter if you do check out or check in if you go to day by day booking.

The drawback, from what I have read is people ended up having trouble getting a full reservation because they didn’t get the next day.

Well it is different because with booking from check out you can book as many days as you like (if they’re open). Booking forward opens it up to walking.