Can someone explain how the waitlist works?

[lovepooh]

My mom is purchasing DVC at BCV and we were hoping to possibly get a 2BR for October. However, everything is not final with Disney yet so I was just wondering since I'm sure there will be nothing available, how the waitlist works. Could someone please explain? Thanks!

 

[DisneyTeacher]

Does you mom have her points at BCV or is she still waiting for the points to come through? The wait can be long depending on the use year and resort, people have reported waiting more then a year for BCV points if you don't go resale.

 

[theoarn]

I would also like an explanation of how it works if you make reservations at your second or third choice.

I made reservations at OKW for late OCT but would rather have BWV but it wasn't available,
Thanks

 

[doconeill]

BCV could be tough because that's during Food & Wine. I know studios were out at the 7 month window for my dates (a couple of the days were available), but I managed a 1BR.

In general, I'm not sure anyone KNOWS how the waitlist works exactly, but you ask to be put on the waitlist for the particular resort and room type (at resorts with multiple room classes, you might be able to say "any"), so long as you have points available to cover it if it comes though. You could have multiple waitlists covering the same dates - I believe if ANY of the matches, the rest are canceled automatically. I'm not sure you can prioritize them.

If, at a later time a room becomes available that match your waitlist, then your existing reservation if you have one is canceled and and a new one is made. You should receive a confirmation in the mail with a new reservation number.

Of course, there are factors involved in determining who gets their waitlists filled - first come, first serve and all that.

If it gets to be a certain time before the hoped-for reservation date (30 days IIRC), then the waitlist is automatically canceled unless you call and ask for it to be specifically extended. However, this was before they went to an automatic waitlist confirmation system when if there was a match they would call you and you had a day to decide if you wanted to confirm the reservation or not. Within the 30 days it was automatic only. I'm not sure if that's changed.

Now, some people have found that they can call up MS, and discover that "Hey, that room is available today!" and manage to book the room then and there. I've speculated that the automatic fulfillment system is rather limited and only runs once a night matching rooms to waitlists, but during the day a room could become available and then be snatched up by someone calling in.

 

[theoarn]

Thanks DOC
So I guess All I need to do is call and asked to be put on the waitlist and if it comes through the will make that reservation for me and cancel the original.
Correct?
Theo

 

[doconeill]

Oh, and one more thing. It is possible to book only some of the days at one resort, and waitlist for the remaining days.

For instance, I can book an entire week Sun-Sat at SSR at the 11 month window. Come the 7 month window, I call up and say I want to switch to BCV, but only Sun-Wed are available at the time. I can either:

1) Waitlist for the entire week to become available in a single unit;

2) Accept the Sun-Wed, keep Thu-Sat at SSR, and waitlist the remaining days, and run the risk of having to switch resorts partway through my stay;

3) Forget about it and enjoy SSR.

I also THINK (not sure) that you can waitlist individual days, such that as each individual day comes through it will be fulfilled - but this could result in a bizarre week - Sun-Wed BCV, Thu SSR, Fri BCV, Sat SSR...not worth it to me.

 

[doconeill]

Thanks DOC
So I guess All I need to do is call and asked to be put on the waitlist and if it comes through the will make that reservation for me and cancel the original.
Correct?
Theo

Correct. Although I'd double check with MS that the waitlist is for the EXACT same dates as the original vacation, as I've heard of cases where the reservation mysteriously changed dates...

 

[lovepooh]

Thanks for the reply doc. I appreciate it.