Can anyone explain what "walking a reservation" means?

[amccu18007]

I have seen this term used quite a few times. Thanks!

 

[DisCatGirl]

Its a controversial practice. Here is a good explanation:
http://www.chipandco.com/walking-dvc-room-reservation-160335/

 

[huskerfanatic7]

thou shall not speak its name lol

 

[patmcnamar]

From a different non-Disney perspective, in the hotel industry "walking" someone as I learned back in the day was what the hotel does when you check-in for your reservation and your hotel is oversold and they have no rooms left at all for you to check-in to (many times very late in the evening). Through arrangements with another hotel in the area that they usually have in place for this circumstance, the hotel informs you that due to being oversold and having no rooms left they have arranged to have you brought to the other hotel and usually your transportation and hotel costs may be comp'd for that night (on the original hotel's dime) on account of the inconvenience. Then the next day the original hotel arranges to bring you back and have a room for you on a priority basis. As someone on a late shift/night audit in a hotel that is frequently oversold, it is one of the most dreaded things you have to do because the guest is very likely going to be VERY upset that there is no room for them and they will be exhausted from traveling in so late. While many years ago it was very first-come first-serve order, now hotels often have priority blocks setup so they don't walk an elite member or group member, but rather a transient guest on a shorter stay.

 

[earfulofmagic]

Interesting. Disney doesn't suspect or care when one calls back everyday to push their start/end dates back again and again?

 

[Marionnette]

Interesting. Disney doesn't suspect or care when one calls back everyday to push their start/end dates back again and again?

I imagine that the practice is not widespread and is not considered to be a problem by TPTB at DVC. A lot of members make reservations and then modify them when schedules change or airfare is more favorable on other dates. If it grows to the point where MS CMs are spending a large chunk of time modifying reservations that are obviously being walked, something may be done. However, any rule put in place to restrict walking may also impact those members who have good reason to alter their reservation.

BTW, if you're doing it right, you don't have to call every day in order to walk.

 

[amccu18007]

Its a controversial practice. Here is a good explanation:
http://www.chipandco.com/walking-dvc-room-reservation-160335/

Thank you for the explanation.

 

[ziravan]

There are only a very few times/rooms when walking a reservation is truly necessary:

1. AKV concierge
2. AKV value
3. VGF studio first 2 weeks of Dec.
4. BWV standard during F&W
5. VGC

Walking works because by holding a room, you keep it from being avail to book by someone else. If there are 10 rooms avail in the category you want, and you book it a month in advance for a week, during that week, nobody else can book one of those rooms because it's not avail at 8 am each morning. You don't have to walk the dates every day, just before your 7 day "hold" is up. As you slide your date forward, you continue to hold the room moving forward as you release it for others to book behind you.

So. If you're walking through a busy time, you block others from booking exactly at 11 months but as you release the dates as you walk forward, you open up those rooms a few days later. Somebody will get that room but not the early bird waiting when the window opens.

Fair or not, loophole or not, it's allowed. It's not somehow immoral to follow the rules of a first come, first serve timeshare in order to be first.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Just point out I think Zirvan refers to walking at VGC at 7 months because it's definitely not needed at 11 months. And walking at 7 months is iffy because an owner at that resort can still block you by booking their home points which might leave a hole and end your walk at 7 months.

 

[ELMC]

There are only a very few times/rooms when walking a reservation is truly necessary:

1. AKV concierge
2. AKV value
3. VGF studio first 2 weeks of Dec.
4. BWV standard during F&W
5. VGC

Walking works because by holding a room, you keep it from being avail to book by someone else. If there are 10 rooms avail in the category you want, and you book it a month in advance for a week, during that week, nobody else can book one of those rooms because it's not avail at 8 am each morning. You don't have to walk the dates every day, just before your 7 day "hold" is up. As you slide your date forward, you continue to hold the room moving forward as you release it for others to book behind you.

So. If you're walking through a busy time, you block others from booking exactly at 11 months but as you release the dates as you walk forward, you open up those rooms a few days later. Somebody will get that room but not the early bird waiting when the window opens.

Fair or not, loophole or not, it's allowed. It's not somehow immoral to follow the rules of a first come, first serve timeshare in order to be first.

I would add BWV Boardwalk View during F&W. Many times I've been blocked at 8am on the day the 11 month window opens.

 

[mustinjourney]

I have seen this term used quite a few times. Thanks!

first rule of walking is you do not talk about walking.

 

[Dean]

Interesting. Disney doesn't suspect or care when one calls back everyday to push their start/end dates back again and again?

I suspect they care but whether they care enough to fix it remains to be seen. My personal opinion is it should not be allowed but I also feel every change should be a cancelation and rebooking. I feel this in general but even more so for reservations gotten where some of days days are outside the booking window such as when you book 7 days at 7 or 11 months out.

 

[CarolMN]

If DVC wanted to top walking, it wouldn't be hard to do, but IMO, this is a case of "Be Careful What You Wish For". The solution DVC picks will probably be worse than the problem.

For example, they could choose to just charge a fee for every modification (or a point "surcharge"), or they could choose to make every modification a cancel & rebook (and if there is a waitlist for any part of the reservation, MS will inform the requester that they would lose those nights to the waitlist if cancelled). I would personally dislike both of those options (even though I rarely modify a reservation once it's made).

If anything is done, I would prefer DVC just refuse to modify reservations between 10 & 11 months prior to arrival. That would eliminate almost all of the walking and still allow modifications closer to arrival for those that need to adjust dates a bit for airline reservations. I don't believe walking at 7 months is much of a problem, but if it becomes one, DVC could do the same between 7 & 6 months for non-home reservations only. With that change, I would also allow reservations for up to 14 nights following check-in to accommodate those who tend to stay longer (such as our overseas members).

 

[ziravan]

If DVC wanted to top walking, it wouldn't be hard to do, but IMO, this is a case of "Be Careful What You Wish For". The solution DVC picks will probably be worse than the problem.

For example, they could choose to just charge a fee for every modification (or a point "surcharge"), or they could choose to make every modification a cancel & rebook (and if there is a waitlist for any part of the reservation, MS will inform the requester that they would lose those nights to the waitlist if cancelled). I would personally dislike both of those options (even though I rarely modify a reservation once it's made).

If anything is done, I would prefer DVC just refuse to modify reservations between 10 & 11 months prior to arrival. That would eliminate almost all of the walking and still allow modifications closer to arrival for those that need to adjust dates a bit for airline reservations. I don't believe walking at 7 months is much of a problem, but if it becomes one, DVC could do the same between 7 & 6 months for non-home reservations only. With that change, I would also allow reservations for up to 14 nights following check-in to accommodate those who tend to stay longer (such as our overseas members).

Operative example is Wyndham. The megarenters were using a loophole to book presidential suites at 25% of point value.

Wyndham had enough. Last month they changed the rules. The new rules will almost certainly curtail the megarenters.

But.

But.

They also killed the ability to pool points over a 3 yr period. Now you can bank points but you can't borrow, except 3 months out. Plus, they standardized use years which moved around when points were avail.

Because I routinely pooled points across rolling use years, the new rules mean I don't have points avail until 2019, unless I book 3 months out or less. I made decisions based on rules that were changed to stop behavior I wasn't doing.

As a result, I'm screwed.

I noticed some of the premium rooms that were never avail before are now. Great! Too bad I don't have the points to book them -- and can't get them until 2019.

Be careful what you wish for. It's all good though. I mean I'm sure hardly anybody would have a problem with paying $220/month in MFs for a product you can't use for years.

 

[Dean]

If DVC wanted to top walking, it wouldn't be hard to do, but IMO, this is a case of "Be Careful What You Wish For". The solution DVC picks will probably be worse than the problem.

For example, they could choose to just charge a fee for every modification (or a point "surcharge"), or they could choose to make every modification a cancel & rebook (and if there is a waitlist for any part of the reservation, MS will inform the requester that they would lose those nights to the waitlist if cancelled). I would personally dislike both of those options (even though I rarely modify a reservation once it's made).

If anything is done, I would prefer DVC just refuse to modify reservations between 10 & 11 months prior to arrival. That would eliminate almost all of the walking and still allow modifications closer to arrival for those that need to adjust dates a bit for airline reservations. I don't believe walking at 7 months is much of a problem, but if it becomes one, DVC could do the same between 7 & 6 months for non-home reservations only. With that change, I would also allow reservations for up to 14 nights following check-in to accommodate those who tend to stay longer (such as our overseas members).

Every change always affects someone. There are a number of ways to fix it and any of them that are reasonable will affect some negatively. That's part of the risk of dealing with timeshares IMO. The best way to do it and satisfy those that like the current system in general is to make it where you can't change a reservation with days made ahead of the 11 month window though I personally feel all changes should be a cancelation and rebooking.

 

[ELMC]

If DVC wanted to top walking, it wouldn't be hard to do, but IMO, this is a case of "Be Careful What You Wish For". The solution DVC picks will probably be worse than the problem.

For example, they could choose to just charge a fee for every modification (or a point "surcharge"), or they could choose to make every modification a cancel & rebook (and if there is a waitlist for any part of the reservation, MS will inform the requester that they would lose those nights to the waitlist if cancelled). I would personally dislike both of those options (even though I rarely modify a reservation once it's made).

If anything is done, I would prefer DVC just refuse to modify reservations between 10 & 11 months prior to arrival. That would eliminate almost all of the walking and still allow modifications closer to arrival for those that need to adjust dates a bit for airline reservations. I don't believe walking at 7 months is much of a problem, but if it becomes one, DVC could do the same between 7 & 6 months for non-home reservations only. With that change, I would also allow reservations for up to 14 nights following check-in to accommodate those who tend to stay longer (such as our overseas members).

I think the cancel and rebook is probably the most effective way to stop walking. You have a good idea with the freezing of modifications, but then people will just book an extra long stay (assuming they have enough points) and cancel the first half at the 9 month mark Or the 2 month mark. All that will do is favor those with more points, which is sure to outrage many owners. Or, they can make two "walked" reservations and then merge them together. As with just about any Disney protocol that people have found a work around for, all but the most draconian changes will inevitably lead to different workarounds. The cancel/rebook rule would cause a lot of problems, and personally I think I'd just rather deal with the walking, and dare I say walk myself when absolutely necessary.

TLDR: I agree with you 100%, the solution will probably be much worse than the problem.

Every change always affects someone. There are a number of ways to fix it and any of them that are reasonable will affect some negatively. That's part of the risk of dealing with timeshares IMO. The best way to do it and satisfy those that like the current system in general is to make it where you can't change a reservation with days made ahead of the 11 month window though I personally feel all changes should be a cancelation and rebooking.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that's how Marriott does it. While I'm sure that it probably cuts down on abuse, it also makes the system very clunky to use. I've been hurt by others walking before, but I think Carol hit the nail on the head when she said to be careful what you wish for. Who knows if the cure will be worse than the disease? Better the devil you know. We may be better off letting sleeping dogs lie. And other applicable idioms.

 

[Dean]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that's how Marriott does it. While I'm sure that it probably cuts down on abuse, it also makes the system very clunky to use. I've been hurt by others walking before, but I think Carol hit the nail on the head when she said to be careful what you wish for. Who knows if the cure will be worse than the disease? Better the devil you know. We may be better off letting sleeping dogs lie. And other applicable idioms.

Partly but I'm not sure Marriott's system is anywhere near as up and down as is DVC's. There are other issues with Marriott that can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. Not having a home resort priority is a big difference. Having to commit the points to the wait list is another big difference. I've never not gotten a wait list with Marriott points. I don't think I've ever missed a DVC wait list that I carried through to the end but I haven't carried them all through and I haven't used it as much as with Marriott. I remember one reservation for Maui the last time we went. I needed a 2 BR but could only get a 1 BR and a studio different view types. So I wait listed the highest view type of 3 for a 2 BR but with the agreement to take anything below that as well. I first matched one of the 2 lower views, re-waitlisted two different times and moved up then to Oceanview then Ocean Front. I wait listed MGO for this summer 4th of July and got it as well. The bottom line as I see it is there is no perfect system but some are better than others. I also believe that those who are educated and proactive will be fine no matter what and the rest will fall behind. Ultimately we're all in competition with each other for reservations. But I do feel strongly that the system allowing reservations to be held with no intent of using them is inappropriate. And yes, I'm comfortable sharing my views on the principles and try to never make them personal. However, if the principle overlaps with a given person's choices, so be it. It's a little like the SSR issue. SSR is a fine resort but clearly SSR has had a major impact on the 7 month window. One can feel that's incorrect but to feel I'm insulting SSR in the process would be inappropriate but some do.

 

[ELMC]

But I do feel strongly that the system allowing reservations to be held with no intent of using them is inappropriate.

That's exactly what DVC does. Depending on UY you can book a reservation at the 11 month window, cancel it 31 days out and still use or bank your points. But that's also why so many are successful with wait list requests.

 

[Dean]

That's exactly what DVC does. Depending on UY you can book a reservation at the 11 month window, cancel it 31 days out and still use or bank your points. But that's also why so many are successful with wait list requests.

To me it's the intent, I'm not against people giving themselves options if they need them. There does need to be a balance. But a certain amount of pay to play is reasonable, we all pay for it anyway, it's just hidden now so some cost to cancel whether it be dollars or otherwise like having to cancel the entire reservation, is reasonable IMO.

 

[BillPA]

We don't "walk" a reservation, but I will book a 10 day stay knowing I will drop a day or 2 at one end or the other as I finalize travel plans. I find it easier to adjust the DVC side than the airfare side.