BWV Grandvilla...Walking Ressies

[TLSnell1981]

Hey ya'll!! I haven't been on the boards in a long while, but I'm back with a question. Forgive me..if it's been asked to death.

I'd like to book a GV for late Sept. or early Oct. 2010. I'm a little flexible on the dates, but I'd prefer a Sunday to Saturday. Has there been a lot of "walking" since the 7 day rule was instituted? Will I be better off booking Fri. to Thurs?

TIA

 

[bobbiwoz]

I do not know about BW GVs, but I recently was able to get a Beach Cottage at VB for June next year for 4 nights, Sunday to Thursday and didn't walk.

Bobbi

 

[CarolMN]

Hey ya'll!! I haven't been on the boards in a long while, but I'm back with a question. Forgive me..if it's been asked to death.

I'd like to book a GV for late Sept. or early Oct. 2010. I'm a little flexible on the dates, but I'd prefer a Sunday to Saturday. Has there been a lot of "walking" since the 7 day rule was instituted? Will I be better off booking Fri. to Thurs?

TIA

I don't recall any reports of problems getting GV reservations since the change, but we really don't know. Late September/early October isn't one of the times we usually see problems, though.

Are you booking at 11 months or 7 months? If you are booking at 11 months, I don't think walking is necessary for that time of the year.

 

[flipflopmom]

Totally threadjacking here, but what is walking?

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Totally threadjacking here, but what is walking?

I'm so glad you asked!!

 

[DebbieB]

"Walking" is a way to hold a reservation earlier than your actual check-in day window. You can book up to 7 nights from your check-in day.

For example, you want to stay July 10-16, 2010 (check-out July 17) for your home resort.

On August 4 - call for July 4 to 10 (check-out July 11), that will hold your first night.
On August 5 - call and add July 11 and cancel July 4, you now have July 5-11
On August 6 - call and add July 12 and cancel July 5, you now have July 6-12
On August 7 - call and add July 13 and cancel July 6, you now have July 7-13

Keep going until you have the dates you want. Alot of work and it's probably only necessary for a very hard reservation to get.

 

[CarolMN]

Totally threadjacking here, but what is walking?

I'm so glad you asked!!

Best way to explain is with an example.

Walking Example

You want to reserve a week during a popular time and plan to check in on a Monday.

You are worried that those who are reserving a week starting the previous Friday will "lock you out" of the days you want. (Due to the recent change in the booking process that allows reservations to be made for up to 7 nights by calling 11 months prior to check in).

So instead of calling 11 months prior to Monday, you call 11 months prior to the previous Friday and book 7 nights. If you get that week, and follow the process outlined, you are virtually guaranteed to get the reservation you really want, because no one can book the nights at the end of your reservation until 11 months prior (except those who are adding on to an existing reservation). You have a 7 day head start on them.

After you get the first 7 nights, you call the next day and drop the first night (Friday) and add the Friday night at the end. Then you call the following day to drop the first Saturday and add the Saturday at the end. And so on until you end up with the reservation you really want. Since most do not start a stay on a Friday, you have less competition this way than you would if you waited until 11 months prior to the Monday.

So far, MS is allowing this. It's really not necessary at 11 months unless you are trying for a really popular time (New Year's Eve for example) and/or trying for something that is very limited in number (concierge at AKV).

 

[leith78]

It's amazing what you can learn on this board! I would never have guessed that was what "walking" a reservation meant in a million years!

 

[amystevekai&bump]

yes thank you for that - if it is currently allowed then I guess I will be doing some 'walking' myself!!

(Our next trip is a really special one as it will probably be the one and only time we get to visit the world at Christmas time and I want it to be extra special - I will be booking exactly on 11mths to try and get the rooms/views we want and was still worried that I might miss out as you have shown in your example - hopefully they don't change the 'walking rules' until after I book in January!!)

thanks again for explaining!!

 

[quirty30]

I don't understand why it's called walking

 

[dizney4us]

so we can only book for 7 night now? Last February I booked 9 nights with one call, I would no longer be able to do this?

 

[castleri]

so we can only book for 7 night now? Last February I booked 9 nights with one call, I would no longer be able to do this?

That is correct if you call at 11 months from the check in date. However if you wait two days and then call you can book all 9 days.

 

[DebbieB]

I don't understand why it's called walking

You are moving your reservation a step each day.

 

[castleri]

yes thank you for that - if it is currently allowed then I guess I will be doing some 'walking' myself!!

(Our next trip is a really special one as it will probably be the one and only time we get to visit the world at Christmas time and I want it to be extra special - I will be booking exactly on 11mths to try and get the rooms/views we want and was still worried that I might miss out as you have shown in your example - hopefully they don't change the 'walking rules' until after I book in January!!)

thanks again for explaining!!

You may not need to walk your reservation - I called at 9 on the morning of january 27 this year and was able to get a 2 bedroom villa at each of my home resorts for a stay that included NYE. I have since had to cancel one to use the points to reserve a unit for Sept/Oct since one family member just didn't want her children to have to deal with the crowds - I thought it would be a once in a lifetime chance to have all the kids and grandkids together but it seems I was the only one who felt that way - oh well now I get to go twice and my favorite ones to go with will be there in December ( I know you're not supposed to have favorites - this only has to do with them as traveling companions - well for the most part. )

 

[Deb & Bill]

With BWV only having six GV, and late Sept/early Oct being F&W festival, you may need to walk that reservation.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

You may not need to walk your reservation )

I am wanting 5 nights in a studio (or possibly a 1 bed) at BLT with a MK view from 11th Dec until 16th Dec and then 5 nights in a 1 bed savannah view (Kidani) from 18th until 23rd.

I don't have any flexibility in terms of dates as we already have flights from the UK booked and a Disney cruise booked for 23rd Dec and I would really be disappointed if I don't get the rooms. I know that I should be ok at 11mths, but really don't want to chance it not working out - would you 'walk' it in this instance??

Edited - to apologise to Tia for hijacking your thread - I'm really sorry, I'd never heard of Walking before and it triggered all sorts of questions for me!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I am wanting 5 nights in a studio (or possibly a 1 bed) at BLT with a MK view from 11th Dec until 16th Dec and then 5 nights in a 1 bed savannah view (Kidani) from 18th until 23rd.

I don't have any flexibility in terms of dates as we already have flights from the UK booked and a Disney cruise booked for 23rd Dec and I would really be disappointed if I don't get the rooms. I know that I should be ok at 11mths, but really don't want to chance it not working out - would you 'walk' it in this instance??

Edited - to apologise to Tia for hijacking your thread - I'm really sorry, I'd never heard of Walking before and it triggered all sorts of questions for me!!

I'll bet you will be okay at 11 months out since you own at both places.

 

[CarolMN]

I am wanting 5 nights in a studio (or possibly a 1 bed) at BLT with a MK view from 11th Dec until 16th Dec and then 5 nights in a 1 bed savannah view (Kidani) from 18th until 23rd.

I don't have any flexibility in terms of dates as we already have flights from the UK booked and a Disney cruise booked for 23rd Dec and I would really be disappointed if I don't get the rooms. I know that I should be ok at 11mths, but really don't want to chance it not working out - would you 'walk' it in this instance??......

I don't think it is necessary, esp since 12/11/2010 is a Saturday and for sure not if you decide to do the 1 bedroom.

Definitely don't think you need to do it for AKV - there are lots of savanna view rooms at Kidani and the 1 bedrooms are the last to book up.

 

[minster22]

I am hopefully going to be booking a BW Grand Villa @ the end of Sept 2010for a 60th B-Day Celebration for myself and 8 girl friends. I have enough points for my reservation but not a single extra point. I would not be happy if someone else "walked"their ressie and caused me to lose out. I know its legal but still.....and I do not have enough points to walk. I know its not a given but believe me I will do everything I can from my end to get this ressie( 9am ....11 months out) guess I will need a little pixie dust here...please oh please !!!!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I am hopefully going to be booking a BW Grand Villa @ the end of Sept 2010for a 60th B-Day Celebration for myself and 8 girl friends. I have enough points for my reservation but not a single extra point. I would not be happy if someone else "walked"their ressie and caused me to lose out. I know its legal but still.....and I do not have enough points to walk. I know its not a given but believe me I will do everything I can from my end to get this ressie( 9am ....11 months out) guess I will need a little pixie dust here...please oh please !!!!

You don't need to book a 7 night vacation at the 11 month window in order "walk" your reservation. In most cases, as long as you intend to stay at least 2 nights and have enough points for those nights to be Fri and Sat, you can walk with the best of them! The only exception would be if you are walking past a higher point season to get to your lower point dates, in which case you would need enough points for Fri and Sat in the highest season. -- Best of luck -- Suzanne