best way to waitlist?

[sophielab1]

I'm sure this has been addressed in the past, but I'm having trouble with searching the forum.
Here's my question:
Is it better to waitlist for the entire stay you're looking for or waitlist day by day.
I got into an argument with my wife over this. She thinks we should try day by day. I told her what happens if we get day 2 and 3 but not day 1 and 4. We would have to change rooms a couple of times.
We currently have ressies for Nov 15-19 AKV 2BR concierge and Nov 19-22
2BR savannah view. We are waitlisted for Nov 19-22 concierge. I don't like the idea of doing day by day because if Friday night becomes available and that's the only waitlist we get, then we would have to switch rooms again. Correct.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I like day by day. I think it's much harder to get a whole bunch of days at once, and if some come in they may be gone by the time the others come in.
If you do day by day and they don't all come in, you can just cancel and you're no worse off.

Others may see it differently...

MG

 

[Disneyhappy]

I am not a waitlist expert by any means but I would have to agree with you on this one because of the limited concierge rooms available. I think your odds are low that all three days will come through. If you were on the wailist for a 2 bedroom SV, I would say do it day by day as the odds would be higher of it coming through. Try waitlisting for the 19th since that is on the end of your concierge stay. If that comes through, then waitlist for the 20th. The only way I would waitlist day by day is if I had enough points to book it separately if it comes through. That way you will still have your current ressie as a back-up. If you do do that, be conscious of your use year in case it comes through and you need to cancel the other reservation for that night.

 

[DanenRox]

Hello Bristol! (We're in Warren)

 

[goldenears]

I am not a waitlist expert by any means but I would have to agree with you on this one because of the limited concierge rooms available. I think your odds are low that all three days will come through. If you were on the wailist for a 2 bedroom SV, I would say do it day by day as the odds would be higher of it coming through. Try waitlisting for the 19th since that is on the end of your concierge stay. If that comes through, then waitlist for the 20th. The only way I would waitlist day by day is if I had enough points to book it separately if it comes through. That way you will still have your current ressie as a back-up. If you do do that, be conscious of your use year in case it comes through and you need to cancel the other reservation for that night.

Hi Disneyhappy,
I agree with what you have said, but have a question too. I was told by a CM that you can't have two stays booked for the same time. Is this true? For example, if I have a week booked at SSR, but want to waitlist day by day at VWL and have enough points to do the day by day as a seperate reservation, is this allowed? I wouldn't want to do the day by day and have them cancel my SSR reservation until all of my days came through. I would want them to use my extra points to book the day by day first.
Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dean Finder]

Hi Disneyhappy,
I agree with what you have said, but have a question too. I was told by a CM that you can't have two stays booked for the same time. Is this true? For example, if I have a week booked at SSR, but want to waitlist day by day at VWL and have enough points to do the day by day as a seperate reservation, is this allowed? I wouldn't want to do the day by day and have them cancel my SSR reservation until all of my days came through. I would want them to use my extra points to book the day by day first.
Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

Hi, I am new to DVC as of last December and this Dec will be our first DVC trip. This is also my first dis post!

I pretty much did what you have suggested in order to book 7 days at bwv for dec, and even calling at 9am each day I have had to wait waitlist for 3 days, I also have a backup reservation at SSR.

When calling up on one of the days, I was rather sternly told off by the cast member for doing this and told that this was not allowed and that I would have notes put on my account so that I could not do it again. I appologised and told her that I was new to DVC and didn't know this and she seemed to mellow a bit. I also explained that If I could only waitlist for the whole 7 days there was no chance that I would ever get the reservation and therefore was unlikely to ever get to stay at another resort, she agreed! I also pointed out that no other cast member had questioned this, and no other cast member did for the remainder of the days.

She did tell me one tip however, and that was to put your back-up reservation in another name, then, belive it or not, it is allowed!

Neil.

 

[mikeesuee]

Hello neighbors I'm in Cumberland

 

[goldenears]

Hi, I am new to DVC as of last December and this Dec will be our first DVC trip. This is also my first dis post!

I pretty much did what you have suggested in order to book 7 days at bwv for dec, and even calling at 9am each day I have had to wait waitlist for 3 days, I also have a backup reservation at SSR.

When calling up on one of the days, I was rather sternly told off by the cast member for doing this and told that this was not allowed and that I would have notes put on my account so that I could not do it again. I appologised and told her that I was new to DVC and didn't know this and she seemed to mellow a bit. I also explained that If I could only waitlist for the whole 7 days there was no chance that I would ever get the reservation and therefore was unlikely to ever get to stay at another resort, she agreed! I also pointed out that no other cast member had questioned this, and no other cast member did for the remainder of the days.

She did tell me one tip however, and that was to put your back-up reservation in another name, then, belive it or not, it is allowed!

Neil.

Welcome to the DISboards! Thank you for your reply. We are waitlisted for our Dec. trip too and I also called everyday at 9 a.m. You are right...the only way to stay at another resort at this time is to do a day by day waitlist...otherwise, your chances are pretty slim. Good tip about changing the name on the other reservation. Did you end up doing this?

 

[MBELSANTI]

It is my understanding that when you waitlist, if it comes through they just automatically cancel whichever room you had reserved and replace it with your waitlist. This is what they did for me with my waitlists for both Feb and Aug trips. I was never given the option of deciding to take the waitlist or not as someone above suggested. I may have mistunderstood what they were saying, but it sounded like if you waitlist came through you can decide whether or not you want to take it.

 

[goldenears]

It is my understanding that when you waitlist, if it comes through they just automatically cancel whichever room you had reserved and replace it with your waitlist. This is what they did for me with my waitlists for both Feb and Aug trips. I was never given the option of deciding to take the waitlist or not as someone above suggested. I may have mistunderstood what they were saying, but it sounded like if you waitlist came through you can decide whether or not you want to take it.

I think you are right, the CM I spoke with explained that it is standard policy for them to automatically cancel the reservation that you currently have. However, if you had enough points to book both and one is in another name, then I don't think they would cancel one of them.

 

[extremesoccermom]

It is my understanding that when you waitlist, if it comes through they just automatically cancel whichever room you had reserved and replace it with your waitlist. This is what they did for me with my waitlists for both Feb and Aug trips. I was never given the option of deciding to take the waitlist or not as someone above suggested. I may have mistunderstood what they were saying, but it sounded like if you waitlist came through you can decide whether or not you want to take it.

This was my understanding also. We are wait listed for AKV in Oct for the 15-21. I elected to wait list the whole week because we are bringing my 70ish YO parents and did not want to mess with moving rooms.
If it was just DH, DD and I we would be fine with moving as needed. In fact we are considering going to DL and trying each of the resorts for a couple of days each.

 

[Dean Finder]

Welcome to the DISboards! Thank you for your reply. We are waitlisted for our Dec. trip too and I also called everyday at 9 a.m. You are right...the only way to stay at another resort at this time is to do a day by day waitlist...otherwise, your chances are pretty slim. Good tip about changing the name on the other reservation. Did you end up doing this?

Hi, Thanks and yes, the rather abrasive cast member who actually ended up being very helpful changed the name on our original res to my wifes name, but said she would only do it on this occasion. However, she pretty much made it clear that if I did it again I would just book one of the reservations in a different name and address (e.g. my parents) and then change the details once the final resort has been booked etc.

I don't know how allowed or not allowed any of this is and as I said in my original post, None of the other cast members picked up on this and when I asked to waitlist day by day and not cancel the original res if they came through, they just agreed and all was well.

Still waiting for three days though, in a pool/Garden view at BWV.

Neil.

 

[goldenears]

Hi, Thanks and yes, the rather abrasive cast member who actually ended up being very helpful changed the name on our original res to my wifes name, but said she would only do it on this occasion. However, she pretty much made it clear that if I did it again I would just book one of the reservations in a different name and address (e.g. my parents) and then change the details once the final resort has been booked etc.

I don't know how allowed or not allowed any of this is and as I said in my original post, None of the other cast members picked up on this and when I asked to waitlist day by day and not cancel the original res if they came through, they just agreed and all was well.

Still waiting for three days though, in a pool/Garden view at BWV.

Neil.

Neil,
Good luck w/ your last 3 days coming through and thanks for the additional info. Just to clarify...the waitlist ressie is in your name w/ your address and the original ressie is in your wife's name w/ the same address and it hasn't been cancelled?
Thanks again!

 

[Dean Finder]

Neil,
Good luck w/ your last 3 days coming through and thanks for the additional info. Just to clarify...the waitlist ressie is in your name w/ your address and the original ressie is in your wife's name w/ the same address and it hasn't been cancelled?
Thanks again!

Yes, that was what happened, and it was just while I was doing the initial booking, then once I got to the end (I was doing 14 nights in total!) I cancelled the reservations I didn't want and only kept the nights I needed, exept for 1 night as I need a waitlist to come through for it to be of any use. The CM told me that this would only be allowed on this occasion and next time I should put one of the bookings in a different name and address. Obviously the booking conf will be sent to that address so you need to use someone you know!

Apparently this rule was introduced last year to stop members from holding rooms and trying to resell them on the internet. People were phoning at 11 mnths and booking say 10 rooms for a busy period and then sitting on them trying to sell them on for a profit. I can see the point in this, but I think it is a bit unfair to not allow a single booking to be held while awaiting another to be confirmed, providing the member has the points available to do that.

Neil.

 

[CarolMN]

......and next time I should put one of the bookings in a different name and address. Obviously the booking conf will be sent to that address so you need to use someone you know! ......

Good news for you (and anyone else who has to do it that way). The confirmation letter always goes to the member at his/her address of record, no matter whose name the reservation is under. It is up to the member to give the confirmation letter to their guests or renters if necessary.

 

[Eventer98]

I am not a waitlist expert by any means but I would have to agree with you on this one because of the limited concierge rooms available. I think your odds are low that all three days will come through. If you were on the wailist for a 2 bedroom SV, I would say do it day by day as the odds would be higher of it coming through. Try waitlisting for the 19th since that is on the end of your concierge stay. If that comes through, then waitlist for the 20th. The only way I would waitlist day by day is if I had enough points to book it separately if it comes through. That way you will still have your current ressie as a back-up. If you do do that, be conscious of your use year in case it comes through and you need to cancel the other reservation for that night.

Hi Disneyhappy,
I agree with what you have said, but have a question too. I was told by a CM that you can't have two stays booked for the same time. Is this true? For example, if I have a week booked at SSR, but want to waitlist day by day at VWL and have enough points to do the day by day as a seperate reservation, is this allowed? I wouldn't want to do the day by day and have them cancel my SSR reservation until all of my days came through. I would want them to use my extra points to book the day by day first.
Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

Hi, I am new to DVC as of last December and this Dec will be our first DVC trip. This is also my first dis post!

I pretty much did what you have suggested in order to book 7 days at bwv for dec, and even calling at 9am each day I have had to wait waitlist for 3 days, I also have a backup reservation at SSR.

When calling up on one of the days, I was rather sternly told off by the cast member for doing this and told that this was not allowed and that I would have notes put on my account so that I could not do it again. I appologised and told her that I was new to DVC and didn't know this and she seemed to mellow a bit. I also explained that If I could only waitlist for the whole 7 days there was no chance that I would ever get the reservation and therefore was unlikely to ever get to stay at another resort, she agreed! I also pointed out that no other cast member had questioned this, and no other cast member did for the remainder of the days.

She did tell me one tip however, and that was to put your back-up reservation in another name, then, belive it or not, it is allowed!

Neil.

I had a completely different experience..I was waitlisted for most of 12/17-12/26 at VWL while I had a reservation at SSR for the same time frame. I did not want to cancel ANY SSR days until I had a nice block from the VWL (ie. 4-5 night in a row) Then I could justify resort hopping. I did not have any backlash from DVC operators infact, they encouraged me keeping SSR until everything fell into place. It wasn't until today that all but one of my nights came though (booked a 1-bedroom on the remaining waitlisted night) so I canceled SSR. I also had enough points to double book which helped. Not sure why no one yelled at me..I did day-by-day as well so I had many different operators.

 

[msabol01]

It's very interesting. One thing I am starting to find is that your experience can vary greatly depending on which CM you get. To me that inconsistency is not a good thing.

 

[Dean]

I'd take one of two approaches or variations thereof. I'd set up 2 wait lists, one day by day but for the first day you need only and the other as all 3 days together. Then if you get the first day, you can alter your wait lists for the next day or the two days together. That way you'd have to move at most once, which is where you're at now.

The other option, and one you could combine with the above, would be to set up a second reservation for the date you need on the wait list, maybe in your wife's name or a second party that is going to make the trip. Then wait list that one day by day for the other option you desire. If you don't get all you need, you can then cancel before the cutoff dates you have in mind. If you get part or all, you could link to your present reservation. If you are not successful, you still have all your first option already reserved.

 

[Dean]

It's very interesting. One thing I am starting to find is that your experience can vary greatly depending on which CM you get. To me that inconsistency is not a good thing.

Disney is nothing if not inconsistent.