early December studios

[Beachmom0317]

So we were lucky that we got a studio at our home resort, Copper Creek for first week of December for 3 nights. I’ve been eyeballing either a Jambo studio or OKW studio to see if there will be any 7m availability since those resorts require less points than CCV but as expected there is no availability. Is there usually movement at 7m? Does anyone expect rooms to open at either resort if I waitlist? I’ve never switched from home resort to another resort at 7m so this is new to me. Obviously CCV is wonderful if I can’t find anything! Thanks for any tips!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I would not say your chances are good, but I would try and not just assume you would not get it. I hope you do!

I need a two bedroom anywhere for later in December and I can only book at seven months. I will take anywhere available.

 

[CarolMN]

No harm in trying.

Personally, I do not expect much (if any) movement for that time. There's nothing to move to, right now (and SW:GE seems to be making early December even more popular than usual). People are staying put, so you'd be waiting on a cancellation. Good luck!

 

[Beachmom0317]

Thanks everyone! I’ll keep you posted, our 7m is this Saturday May 4.

 

[rlduvall]

So we were lucky that we got a studio at our home resort, Copper Creek for first week of December for 3 nights. I’ve been eyeballing either a Jambo studio or OKW studio to see if there will be any 7m availability since those resorts require less points than CCV but as expected there is no availability.

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this. My home resort is AKV and I was able to get a standard view studio for the 2nd week of December and was hoping to move to Copper Creek - higher points be darned.

You may not know, but there are no value studios available for the entire month of December and into January due to an alleged construction project. Even as a home resort owner, I was totally shut out in that regard.

 

[sleepydog25]

Thanks everyone! I’ll keep you posted, our 7m is this Saturday May 4.

I recommend stalking the RAT, too. That has worked better for us than waitlisting in the past.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Worth noting that AKV owners are already waitlisting that week at AKV.

 

[Beachmom0317]

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this. My home resort is AKV and I was able to get a standard view studio for the 2nd week of December and was hoping to move to Copper Creek - higher points be darned.

You may not know, but there are no value studios available for the entire month of December and into January due to an alleged construction project. Even as a home resort owner, I was totally shut out in that regard.

Thank you I did know that! I think we’re going to shoot for a Jambo standard studio.

 

[Madame]

I would not say your chances are good, but I would try and not just assume you would not get it. I hope you do!

I need a two bedroom anywhere for later in December and I can only book at seven months. I will take anywhere available.

There was a 2 bd at CCV Dec 29-Jan2 available for several hours that had me salivating. Thank goodness it disappeared, the 7 month window is still a month away and I need a 2bd for that timeframe, and looking at it sitting there was giving me anxiety

 

[Frederic Civish]

Sign on right at the 8 AM eastern time window. If there is nothing there, then WAITLIST it, AND keep looking and refreshing it every few minutes. If nothing shows up, keep checking back every half hour or hour during the day.

People who are booked into those rooms will also be changing to other resorts, just like you. And this will free up their rooms, for you to book, depending on how many people are moving. These rooms will then show up in inventory a few minutes later, with a NEW SEARCH. But, you need to check back regularly, since other people will also be looking to change at 7 months, and pick those up.

The changes are most likely to happen within the first few hours after the opening of the window, but if it doesn't happen, don't give up. Waitlisting it does give you possibilities, AND, they don't need to necessarily drop their old reservation and change exactly at the 7 month window. You would think that is when they are MOST LIKELY to change, but, like you, maybe other things will open up for them later, and they will drop it later, even days later, and you can pick it up.

If you go into your current reservation through the MODIFY button, then you can Waitlist it, and the system will automatically fill the waitlist request, and use it to replace your current reservation, if you want.

 

[js]

There was a 2 bd at CCV Dec 29-Jan2 available for several hours that had me salivating. Thank goodness it disappeared, the 7 month window is still a month away and I need a 2bd for that timeframe, and looking at it sitting there was giving me anxiety

Your post made me LOL
I'm still stalking the one last night I need for GFVs, 2 bedroom standard, standard view for September 13-14 (I have September 5-13 booked in a dedicated two bedroom/standard view) I currently have a lock off two bedroom standard view booked for that one last night but want/need the dedicated two bedroom. I can make two people happy (studio/one bedroom) if my one lonely date opens for a "dedicated" two bedroom standard view.

I have a WL in and doing my refresh stalk for a couple/maybe a few weeks now
I am staying strong and wish you pixie dust too!!!

 

[NikkiDP]

I recommend stalking the RAT, too. That has worked better for us than waitlisting in the past.

What is "the RAT?"

 

[js]

What is "the RAT?"

Resort
Availability
Tool
(RAT) LOL

 

[NikkiDP]

Resort
Availability
Tool
(RAT) LOL

Ahhhh, thank you! New soon-to-be-owner so still learning the ins and outs!

 

[sleepydog25]

Ahhhh, thank you! New soon-to-be-owner so still learning the ins and outs!

Mea culpa. I'm also ex-military, so acronyms seem like a natural language to me. I should have explained. As js says, it's the resort availability tool which you can get to by going to the member page once you've become said member. Waitlists are for the entire block of dates you're looking for, generally speaking; whereas, the RAT allows you to see individual days or blocks of days that are available. For instance, if you put in a waitlist for three consecutive days, then that's all it looks for. On the other hand, if you use the RAT, you may find two of those three days available so you could grab those two then hope to find the last day on the RAT or change your waitlist to just that day. Hopefully, that makes sense.

 

[Beachmom0317]

Sign on right at the 8 AM eastern time window. If there is nothing there, then WAITLIST it, AND keep looking and refreshing it every few minutes. If nothing shows up, keep checking back every half hour or hour during the day.

People who are booked into those rooms will also be changing to other resorts, just like you. And this will free up their rooms, for you to book, depending on how many people are moving. These rooms will then show up in inventory a few minutes later, with a NEW SEARCH. But, you need to check back regularly, since other people will also be looking to change at 7 months, and pick those up.

The changes are most likely to happen within the first few hours after the opening of the window, but if it doesn't happen, don't give up. Waitlisting it does give you possibilities, AND, they don't need to necessarily drop their old reservation and change exactly at the 7 month window. You would think that is when they are MOST LIKELY to change, but, like you, maybe other things will open up for them later, and they will drop it later, even days later, and you can pick it up.

If you go into your current reservation through the MODIFY button, then you can Waitlist it, and the system will automatically fill the waitlist request, and use it to replace your current reservation, if you want.

Thanks for the advice! I’m happy my 7m is this Saturday and I am off of work so I can take time to do that!

 

[NikkiDP]

Mea culpa. I'm also ex-military, so acronyms seem like a natural language to me. I should have explained. As js says, it's the resort availability tool which you can get to by going to the member page once you've become said member. Waitlists are for the entire block of dates you're looking for, generally speaking; whereas, the RAT allows you to see individual days or blocks of days that are available. For instance, if you put in a waitlist for three consecutive days, then that's all it looks for. On the other hand, if you use the RAT, you may find two of those three days available so you could grab those two then hope to find the last day on the RAT or change your waitlist to just that day. Hopefully, that makes sense.

This is gold!! Thank you so much for the explanation. I can't wait to start playing around with the member site. The thrill of the hunt is part of vacation planning that I oddly enjoy haha

 

[sleepydog25]

This is gold!! Thank you so much for the explanation. I can't wait to start playing around with the member site. The thrill of the hunt is part of vacation planning that I oddly enjoy haha

Yay! I made sense! I'll give you two prime examples of how the RAT has helped us. (I should presage these comments by saying we don't mind doing split stays which is something you often end when you cobble together days. Disney makes it easy to do split stays by taking care of your luggage, so we don't mind them at all.) The most recent occurrence is our upcoming 3-day trip to HHI--an almost impossible reservation to get 7 months out for spring/summer months. By using the resort availability tool, we found a single day in a studio for day two. A few days later we snagged a 1BR for the last day. We've yet to find a room that first day (it's the 4th of July so not holding out hope), but we booked a nearby hotel. Still, it's cheaper than three days in a hotel. My second example took place last year for our 5-day trip to DL. The Villas at the Grand Californian (VGC) are also difficult to reserve at the 7-month point nearly any time of year. We put in our waitlists (in case you were unaware, you can have two concurrent waitlists) and then began to stalk the RAT. Our backup plan was a cash reservation at the DL Hotel. Within a few weeks, we saw a 1BR open for our first two days at VGC and grabbed it. Another couple of weeks passed, and the last two nights popped up for a grand villa. We swallowed hard but sucked up the extra point costs and booked that. The final night in between never did open up for us, so we had to do a split-split stay. However, as mentioned, Disney made it easy to do the switching. Again, we paid one night OOP instead of five. Best wishes as you plan! Many people on here are like you in that they get some sort of weird thrill by hunting for reservations. Have fun!

 

[DenLo]

Resort
Availability
Tool
(RAT) LOL

Hasn't the RAT been limited to a 60 day window now with only a printout of resort availability? And it is only called "Resort Availability" as Tool has been dropped. Otherwise you use the Book Online page.

 

[NikkiDP]

Yay! I made sense! I'll give you two prime examples of how the RAT has helped us. (I should presage these comments by saying we don't mind doing split stays which is something you often end when you cobble together days. Disney makes it easy to do split stays by taking care of your luggage, so we don't mind them at all.) The most recent occurrence is our upcoming 3-day trip to HHI--an almost impossible reservation to get 7 months out for spring/summer months. By using the resort availability tool, we found a single day in a studio for day two. A few days later we snagged a 1BR for the last day. We've yet to find a room that first day (it's the 4th of July so not holding out hope), but we booked a nearby hotel. Still, it's cheaper than three days in a hotel. My second example took place last year for our 5-day trip to DL. The Villas at the Grand Californian (VGC) are also difficult to reserve at the 7-month point nearly any time of year. We put in our waitlists (in case you were unaware, you can have two concurrent waitlists) and then began to stalk the RAT. Our backup plan was a cash reservation at the DL Hotel. Within a few weeks, we saw a 1BR open for our first two days at VGC and grabbed it. Another couple of weeks passed, and the last two nights popped up for a grand villa. We swallowed hard but sucked up the extra point costs and booked that. The final night in between never did open up for us, so we had to do a split-split stay. However, as mentioned, Disney made it easy to do the switching. Again, we paid one night OOP instead of five. Best wishes as you plan! Many people on here are like you in that they get some sort of weird thrill by hunting for reservations. Have fun!

We don't mind split stays either! If it allows us to stay where we want to stay then we are game. Our contract is for a small amount of points so we will be limited there but if push comes to shove we could rent one time points through Disney or from elsewhere. With the money being saved using points for Deluxe resorts, it makes paying OOP if necessary a bit easier to swallow. While I would like to try and not spend "real" money on a room I would be willing if push came to shove. Thanks for all your help!!