Booking Efficiency Questions

[DoubleBaconBLT]

1. When I go to book, when in the booking process is the availability "held" for me? So for example, if I click on the dates and room I want and then click proceed, it asks me to enter the guest names and stuff for the whole party. While I'm doing that, can someone else swoop in and take that room? Or is it held for me while I fill that out?

2. Is there a way to save your family members to your profile so they show up as options to select from a list rather than entering them each time?

3. Does anyone have any other tips for making booking faster? Can you book the stay for one person and modify it to add other guests later once it's reserved?

 

[Doingitagain]

I always book myself as lead guest with only required info, then go back and add other guests and info later and correct any defaults that need to be changed.

 

[eticketplease]

2. Is there a way to save your family members to your profile so they show up as options to select from a list rather than entering them each time?

I so wish this was possible, but sadly it is not. It always slows me down because it populate my information with my nine digit ZIP Code and then says this is wrong. Would you like to use the five digit ZIP Code?

 

[eticketplease]

3. Does anyone have any other tips for making booking faster? Can you book the stay for one person and modify it to add other guests later once it's reserved?

I don’t think it’s a much faster, but I leave the search at the default, two people and then once I get to the name selection, I just add myself and continue. As @Doingitagain said I can then go in and modify to add the other people.

 

[Brian Noble]

1. When I go to book, when in the booking process is the availability "held" for me?

I don't think any of us knows for sure. But the langauge used by the site seems to suggest that you do have the room once you hit Continue. That's the point when the site tells you "Your Room is Available!" If you hit Back from that point on, you get a pop up that says "Your Room Is About to Be Released".

 

[DoubleBaconBLT]

I don't think any of us knows for sure. But the langauge used by the site seems to suggest that you do have the room once you hit Continue. That's the point when the site tells you "Your Room is Available!" If you hit Back from that point on, you get a pop up that says "Your Room Is About to Be Released".

Ooh, good to know, thanks.

I noticed yesterday that the very first "Start Your Search" page has a note at the top that says "Room availability is not guaranteed until your booking is confirmed." But it sounds like they put a temp hold on it once you hit Continue, then release it if you don't follow all the way through.

 

[Brian Noble]

 

[Best Aunt]

I so wish this was possible, but sadly it is not. It always slows me down because it populate my information with my nine digit ZIP Code and then says this is wrong. Would you like to use the five digit ZIP Code?

It always asks me a nit-picky question like that related to my address.

I think it's something like the difference between "Street" and "St."

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

For the autofill stuff, on my laptop in the accounts setting somewhere there's a section where I have my name, address, CC saved, and I added my husband, kids, and common guests (sister, BIL, niece, cousin, aunt,, BFF,) so I don't have to keep retyping addresses. I can't find the steps to direct you, but it has come in handy on lots of autofill documents.

 

[sndral]

…
3. Does anyone have any other tips for making booking faster? Can you book the stay for one person and modify it to add other guests later once it's reserved?

Yes you can book the stay by entering only the lead guest & after it’s booked go back & modify to add everyone else. I don’t bother w/ that for just one reservation because I assume the villa is held while I enter the info. for the rest of the party, but if I’m booking 2 villas I will grab each w/ just the lead guest & then modify (or call) to add the rest afterwards.

 

[eticketplease]

Yes you can book the stay by entering only the lead guest & after it’s booked go back & modify to add everyone else. I don’t bother w/ that for just one reservation because I assume the villa is held while I enter the info. for the rest of the party, but if I’m booking 2 villas I will grab each w/ just the lead guest & then modify (or call) to add the rest afterwards.

I do it even for 1 reservation as I'm addicted to DVC Slots that @VGCgroupie started.
I don't want to enter the rest of the party until I'm done pulling the lever

 

[Sandisw]

I also don’t enter other guests until later. I have had the system crash or get the dwarves during booking and lost the room. So, I get it secured as quick as possible.

I also don’t change the info for my guests when I’m in the room…

 

[DoubleBaconBLT]

I also don’t enter other guests until later. I have had the system crash or get the dwarves during booking and lost the room. So, I get it secured as quick as possible.

I also don’t change the info for my guests when I’m in the room…

What does that last part mean?

 

[Sandisw]

What does that last part mean?

I keep my address email and phone the same for everyone. I don’t bother to enter all their specific info.

If I am not traveling with them, then I change it

 

[Girlstar30]

The worse is when you have multiple memberships and accidentally try to book a rare resy you've been chasing on the WRONG membership. Oh the fear you face as you count down half an hour and pray for it to return

 

[DoubleBaconBLT]

The worse is when you have multiple memberships and accidentally try to book a rare resy you've been chasing on the WRONG membership. Oh the fear you face as you count down half an hour and pray for it to return

Wait, why half an hour? Are they more likely to pop back up 30 minutes later or something? Or is there a "30 minute hold" the system puts on it?

 

[Girlstar30]

Wait, why half an hour? Are they more likely to pop back up 30 minutes later or something? Or is there a "30 minute hold" the system puts on it?

When you try to book something that only had one room available but for whatever reason dont go through with it and back out, the system holds it for 30 mins and then spits it back out and it will pop up again to rebook.

Whenever ive done that its because I got so excited when I saw what I was stalking pop up or another hard to get day, that I completely forgot to switch memberships and attempted to book it. Or i realize I have to go back and check that i have enough points on said membership if it wasnt a day i was planning for, which opens up the possibility of another stalker taking it from under me, so I'd rather attempt to book on the wrong membership and know exactly when its going to come back so i can go for the kill lol

It is nerve wracking and heart wrenching to think it may not come back or someone else might snap it up when you had it. So one must refresh over and over again for half an hour so as not to lose it for a split second. I am a self proclaimed pro DVC stalker