Technically, walking could be considered improper, as one doing a walk does not, at the time of making an original reservation, have any intent to actually arrive on the arrival date specified. As I have noted the easiest way for
DVC to greatly reduce walking would be to return to the original reservation rule: being able to reserve 11/7 months out from date of departure from a DVC resort. Yes, that rule would not solve the problem of being able to reserve some categoroies of rooms at 11-months out, but it would resolve DVC's problem of having members complaining about walking. Asking DVC to resolve the problem by adopting something that is complex, as has been suggested in this post, will likely result in disappointment as DVC would probably just adopt the change it believes to be the easiest to do, and which cannot be challenged by members.
There is another modification rule DVC could adopt, that would actually be valid, would not limit the right a member currently has to modify a reservation, would allow modifications upon request, but would likely greatly reduce members from trying to modify reservations, except when they actually have a real issue that results in their needing to change the dates.
I call it the Phone Rule. DVC could create a phone extension number to attach to, when calling the DVC main number, when someone needs to modify a reservation. The phone system would not be avaialble before 9 a.m. because that is when MS opens, and thus no one could modify online at 8 a.m., except to cancel a reservation. The member would be permitted to change only one or two same-time reservations per phone call (many members get two rooms to add relatives or friends going at the same time). The phone would have a small number of employees to answer it, which would assure a member would often have a long wait time.
The result would be that it would become much harder to walk. Professional renters could not do multiple "walking" changes of several reservations online at about the same time, bots would not help with the phone system, and, though you would still have the same right that currently exists to modify a reservation, you would have a barrier that prevents constantly walking unless you are fine with making repeated phone calls and waiting forever for someone to answer, which most would do only if they have an actual need to modify an existing reservation.
The Phone Rule could potentially just be limited to a member's changing the arrival date of a reservation to a date later than the existing one, and thus allow other modifications online.
If you feel I am being a littlet satirical in offering this new phone method as the solution to members walking a reservation because I have experienced long wait times when calling MS for other reasons, you are probably somewhat correct.
