Did the waitlist fail?

[wisconsinmom]

I thought rooms that are cancelled are now supposed to go straight to the waitlist before they show up online.

Tonight I grabbed a room that was an exact match for my waitlist, it was 1 night the same exact night I had on my waitlist. I looked at my dashboard before I booked it and it still showed as a waitlist request with no indication that a match had been made. I booked the room and then went in and cancelled my waitlist. Did the system fail?

 

[CarolMN]

The truth is that we don't know. The thought that rooms now go straight to the waitlist is a theory based on anecdotal evidence. DVC has never officially announced how the waitlist works. Other things could explain the experiences that led members to believe that the waitlist program is working differently than originally supposed.

More importantly, happy to hear that you got your waitlist request!

 

[disneynutz]

I thought rooms that are cancelled are now supposed to go straight to the waitlist before they show up online.

Tonight I grabbed a room that was an exact match for my waitlist, it was 1 night the same exact night I had on my waitlist. I looked at my dashboard before I booked it and it still showed as a waitlist request with no indication that a match had been made. I booked the room and then went in and cancelled my waitlist. Did the system fail?

To answer your question, yes the waitlist system failed.

Another DVC negative.

Bill

 

[DVC1991]

Same thing happened to me for this trip! Had a wait list for Wilderness Lodge. I got into the habit of checking once a day for the resort availability, and a few weeks ago there was full availability for the room I requested right there! I booked it and cancelled my wait list request afterwards. It definitely isn't immediate.

 

[jerseygal]

I thought rooms that are cancelled are now supposed to go straight to the waitlist before they show up online.

Tonight I grabbed a room that was an exact match for my waitlist, it was 1 night the same exact night I had on my waitlist. I looked at my dashboard before I booked it and it still showed as a waitlist request with no indication that a match had been made. I booked the room and then went in and cancelled my waitlist. Did the system fail?

Good for you, but that doesn't give much confidence in the waitlist system.

 

[magicaldisney]

WL system failed me as well. I had to get the rooms myself, which I did, but it's a pain having to do it myself. I might as well not even put myself on the WL.

 

[wisconsinmom]

I'm thrilled that we were able to add that night but it is kind of frustrating that WL system isn't better. This is twice now that I've been able to pick up rooms that I was waitlisted for. I don't mind checking daily but you really shouldn't have to!

 

[disneynutz]

I'm thrilled that we were able to add that night but it is kind of frustrating that WL system isn't better. This is twice now that I've been able to pick up rooms that I was waitlisted for. I don't mind checking daily but you really shouldn't have to!

There are several DVC MS issues that buyers and owners should be aware of.
Wait-lists that don't match when they should.
Website inventory incorrect.
Website crashes.
Long telephone hold times.
Resort availability tool incorrect.
Member account incorrect.
Not receiving mail or email when you should.

Doesn't happen to everybody buddy it does happen.

Bill

 

[LvsTnk]

Well I'm sure I missed the opportunity to grab my room as well. I saw it, but did not want to cancel what I had and I also needed to borrow a few points to make the switch. I called like a dummy should have just done what I needed to do and worried about the rest later. Lesson learned back to checking, don't believe the "oh it was just a glitch" hype haha

 

[MichelleB]

I've waitlisted 4 times in the past few years and every single time, I've gotten the room I wanted on my own and the waitlist never did. I still waitlist just in case, but always continue checking for myself.

 

[southerngirl528]

My first question when reading the OP's question was to ask if they were within 7 days of arrival since that is the drop dead date for any wait lists. Waitlists are automatically set to last until 31 days before the desired date of arrival due to the penalty period. Only upon request can a w/l be extended to that 7 day mark.

I don't think DVC is some lurking nemesis trying to trip up us members. But I DO think they have had an inordinate amount of website issues (DVC and DCL!!) which no doubt have contributed to the issues mentioned in this thread. I mean, if the website is all screwy and having all sorts of hiccups I can't imagine the functionality from the MS side not being impacted. Not making excuses, just trying to be realistic. If it was a 3rd party Disney hired to revamp DVC and DCL's website, I hope that they get fired because it has been ridiculous how many ongoing problems there have been.

All that said, I've been a member for over 2 decades and cannot count the number of wait lists I have started. And to be frank, more times than not I DO get my wait list fulfilled. And that is without me hounding availability. One qualifier here: I don't generally start last minute wait lists. I usually start my w/l a few months out which is obviously going to increase my chances.

If I had a w/l in place and was watching inventory on the member website and had seen the precise room category, location and dates of my w/l available, I too would have grabbed it myself. AND I would have emailed Member Sat to ask what might be going on.

 

[quinnc19]

I waitlisted AKV CL for next October and it came through in a couple of days.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I am so glad that I came across this thread, I am waitlisting 1 night for our June trip (we have never waitlisted before and thought why not). I am so glad that I know now that I should check the availability myself and if our date and preferred resort becomes available, to not wait for the WL to come through but rather grab it myself. I would of never of known this other wise....boy my Disney OCD is really going to have a hay day with this .

 

[Sammie]

If you cancel your wait list, not sure how you know for sure it failed. I can understand not wanting to wait to find out though.

 

[surran12]

I had a split stay schedule with the first 4 nights at BLT and last 4 at Poly standard view and I wait listed the first 4 at poly. After a few weeks I was able to grab a night at the poly to make it 3 & 5. A few more weeks later I saw another night become available so I called MS to add that one too and adjust BLT and that rep said that my wait list had grabbed all the nights for me but it wasn't updated on my reservation in the system until it gets completed by Member services which could take 48 hours but the days were held for me by my wait list until they complete it. I have no idea how accurate that statement is but that is my 1 experience with wait listing since I bought in in June.

 

[DVC1991]

If you cancel your wait list, not sure how you know for sure it failed. I can understand not wanting to wait to find out though.

once i saw my requested dates become available. i thought eh, i won't cancel it, i'm sure it'll just automatically go through!!! hahah and guess what? it didn't.

thats when i decided that waitlisting was my backup plan and i decided to continue to check every day for what i wanted since that obviously seemed to work better

 

[kittylady1972]

I had a similar situation back in June for a July 4th weekend trip. I was waitlisted for a room at the Poly for 1 or 2 nights, saw them come up, then even logged out to make sure. I cancelled my waitlist FIRST (very nervously) and then booked the room I wanted without an issue. I think I had the same thing for a BLT waitlist that month. I couldn't believe they were available and even though they were waitlisted by me I ended up booking them on my own. I have had several waitlists come through in the past (even during busy Thanksgiving or June timeframes) so I know that the list DOES in fact work. I just found that by stalking the site every day I ended up having my own success, and can't say for sure if it would have happened otherwise.

 

[LvsTnk]

I thought I should come back and post that my waitlist came through today. I am super surprised I was way past 30 days, I had given up hope actually but was still checking. Learned a bit and it was very interesting seeing what was available down to the wire for just one night. If I was driving I wouldn't hesitate to piece a trip together last minute.

 

[apple9117]

Boo on waitlist system fail

 

[roadtripper]

Thank you so much for this thread! I used this information (along with my nicest sweetest voice and over 40 minutes on phone) in order to get help adjusting an upcoming reservation. Christmas came early for us!