Difference between Best and Limited availability?

[gonzalj1]

Just a little bit of frustration about the reservation process. I have been stalking the Resort Availability Tool for our upcoming vacation in August 2015. Today was the opening of the 7 month window. Every time I looked it up via the Resort Availability Tool it reported "Best Availability" at the resort/room category we wanted.

I checked this morning at 7:55 AM and it was still reported as Best Availability. At 8AM when I clicked on to reserve the 1st night of our stay was GONE! How is that possible?

I have seen resorts listed in 3 different categories by this tool - No Availability, Limited Availability and Best Availability. I would assume that Best would mean that right at the 7 month mark at 8AM you could get the room. Is it really possible that so many people booked the same resort/category as me right at 8AM this morning as to turn Best to No in less than 10 seconds? Doesn't seem right.

Thoughts?

 

[drusba]

Best is supposed to mean available, limited some nights missing, and no availability as gone. The problem is that a couple weeks ago the system developed a problem of not accurately showing availability under the headings given. If you actually click on the particular room size you want a calendar will come up which has been showing accurate availability for the month of your designated reservation time, so you should definitely do that if you use the tool. At one point it looked like the problem had been fixed but it clearly has not yet been completely fixed.

At the same time, you could be having another issue that is not a computer problem other than yours is not fast enough in communicating with Disney's. There have often been times when something is shown at just before 8 as being open and then when you try at 8 to get it it is gone. That is because someon's else's computer was quicker than yours and someone else or even more than just one other person got whatever was still available at the resort and room category you wanted.

 

[MoreTravels]

I got my last BLT Christmas trip booked at 7 month this way, everything ready at 7:59 then 1 minute later hit enter... the room became mine.

 

[crisi]

Best is supposed to mean available, limited some nights missing, and no availability as gone. The problem is that a couple weeks ago the system developed a problem of not accurately showing availability under the headings given. If you actually click on the particular room size you want a calendar will come up which has been showing accurate availability for the month of your designated reservation time, so you should definitely do that if you use the tool. At one point it looked like the problem had been fixed but it clearly has not yet been completely fixed.

At the same time, you could be having another issue that is not a computer problem other than yours is not fast enough in communicating with Disney's. There have often been times when something is shown at just before 8 as being open and then when you try at 8 to get it it is gone. That is because someon's else's computer was quicker than yours and someone else or even more than just one other person got whatever was still available at the resort and room category you wanted.

With "Best" availability meaning all nights are available - even if one night only one room is available, instead of "multiple rooms are available at this resort in this room type for this period" it can be very frustrating. At seven months you could have twenty people queued up first thing in the morning to try and grab what could be one available room. You don't know.

Its a handy tool, but as someone who watched the person responsible for trying to get the Wii and the XBox 360 sold on Best Buy.com (my husband) - limited availability, high demand, and a web site is not an easy sitution and people are going to end up unhappy. (Any idea how many milliseconds it takes to sell the few hundred XBox's you have available on release day on the internet?)

 

[heynowirv]

I got my last BLT Christmas trip booked at 7 month this way, everything ready at 7:59 then 1 minute later hit enter... the room became mine.

Now that's the way to book @ 7 months out

 

[supersnoop]

I thought they changed "limited" to "partial."

 

[drusba]

You are correct, it is now best, partial and no availability.

 

[conandrob240]

Such a ridiculously bad tool.

 

[CarolMN]

Such a ridiculously bad tool.

I love the Resort Availability Tool. It is helpful when trying to determine one's chances at 7 months and IMO, very helpful to determine availability for a last minute vacation.

As others have mentioned, it only tells you if at least one night is available at the exact point in time that it checks. It guarantees nothing, especially for popular times and booking categories.
.
Could it be better? Yes, of course. But if one understands how it works and what it is telling you, it's great for what it does.

 

[js]

I got my last BLT Christmas trip booked at 7 month this way, everything ready at 7:59 then 1 minute later hit enter... the room became mine.

Hi. Next month is my 7 month mark to book VGF two bedroom standard view. Is it correct you went on the DVC site as if you were ready to book, got everything set as if you could book and waited until 8 am to do so? Ill follow this same approach. Thank you.

 

[js]

Im trying to rent some points on the Rent/ Trade board and have been using this tool and basing the information Ive been giving to people on this tool. Are you saying its not correct? I have people asking for studios no more than 60 days out and nothing has been available and now worried I was giving wrong information.

Should I just go through the process like Im looking to book and go through each resort separately?

Thank you.

 

[CarolMN]

Im trying to rent some points on the Rent/ Trade board and have been using this tool and basing the information Ive been giving to people on this tool. Are you saying its not correct? I have people asking for studios no more than 60 days out and nothing has been available and now worried I was giving wrong information.

Should I just go through the process like Im looking to book and go through each resort separately?

Thank you.

AFAIK, it's correct. But it's a snapshot in time and availability changes frequently. Even if you use the booking engine, all you get is that same snapshot in time. Unless you book right then, the availability you see with the booking engine could disappear before someone goes to actually book later on.

IMO, if the RAT shows nothing, it's a very good bet that nothing is what actually is available.

 

[paults]

Just a little bit of frustration about the reservation process. I have been stalking the Resort Availability Tool for our upcoming vacation in August 2015. Today was the opening of the 7 month window. Every time I looked it up via the Resort Availability Tool it reported "Best Availability" at the resort/room category we wanted.

I checked this morning at 7:55 AM and it was still reported as Best Availability. At 8AM when I clicked on to reserve the 1st night of our stay was GONE! How is that possible?I have seen resorts listed in 3 different categories by this tool - No Availability, Limited Availability and Best Availability. I would assume that Best would mean that right at the 7 month mark at 8AM you could get the room. Is it really possible that so many people booked the same resort/category as me right at 8AM this morning as to turn Best to No in less than 10 seconds? Doesn't seem right.

Thoughts?

In red above. I believe not only are you trying to book a room that other non resort members are trying to book at 7 months but you're also dealing with that DVC resorts owners who can book at 11 months and can still book before the 7 month ( 8:00 am window opens). You could lose by 30 seconds and less before 8 am opening by that resorts owner. I think that's right

 

[Sandisw]

Such a ridiculously bad tool.

I at least like the fact that we now have a way to get an idea and trends on resorts outside of the 7 month mark.

Again, as mentioned, its purpose is to give you a general idea of what is available at that exact moment and allow you, if you are in the 7 month window to search by room size across all resorts quickly.

 

[gonzalj1]

Now that's the way to book @ 7 months out

And that's just what I did. Frustrating.

 

[drusba]

Hi. Next month is my 7 month mark to book VGF two bedroom standard view. Is it correct you went on the DVC site as if you were ready to book, got everything set as if you could book and waited until 8 am to do so? Ill follow this same approach. Thank you.

If your 7 month window is next month, that means you will be attempting to get that 2BR for Sep. You can do that booking as you mention at 7 months out but don't be too worried. Standard 2BRs at VGF were available for Sep 2014 at 5 months out. It is the studios that are the usual problem, followed by 1BRs.

 

[LisaS]

IMO, if the RAT shows nothing, it's a very good bet that nothing is what actually is available.

This really made me laugh. The "mouse" has given us a RAT to check availability.

I'm thinking the developers of this tool have been waiting for us to notice the acronym...

 

[Ryansdad0727]

I like the fact that you can compare what is available and the point differences in one place. It makes the decision so much faster then having to go back and forth looking at each resort.

 

[conandrob240]

Yes, I agree that having it is better than not having it but that doesn't mean it is a good tool. I am continually amazed at how bad Disney's websites and IT tools are. It is astounding to me how bad they are. Just show me all resorts and the days availàble ina table. Don't list out resorts with unhelpful codes like "limited" availability.

 

[DisneyfromDeland]

I love the resort availability tool! It's better than not having anything.

Did they change the booking tool? I thought I could have everything ready to hit book at 8:00 but now it won't let you choose the 11 month window date until 8 am.