Expired waitlist question - under 7 days

[DizGirl20]

I know this is a complete long shot, but what happens once you are under 7 days and your wait list has expired? Can I continue to check on my own and if by some crazy reason something were to open up, grab it (and then cancel my existing reservation)? I just want to make sure nothing would happen to my points. But now that I am writing this, I think my points would go into holding...? Sorry I am confused.

 

[jekjones1558]

I know this is a complete long shot, but what happens once you are under 7 days and your wait list has expired? Can I continue to check on my own and if by some crazy reason something were to open up, grab it (and then cancel my existing reservation)? I just want to make sure nothing would happen to my points. But now that I am writing this, I think my points would go into holding...? Sorry I am confused.

Yes, you can continue to call and/or check online and snap up the room if it becomes available. If the new room is the same or more points you will simply use the holding points created by canceling the old reservation. If the new room requires fewer points then the "extra" points will remain holding points.
I am in the same boat as you. If the wait list has not cleared at 7 days I will continue to check online everyday. I will also check when we get there because I only need one night, the last in our reservation.

 

[DebbieB]

The website also says you can call member services under 10 days. Sometimes they work "magic".

 

[DizGirl20]

Thank you Jean! Good Luck with your wait list!

My only confusion is what happens if I do this online. I need to cancel first and then book? Hopefully I wouldn't lose the reservation! Hmmmm maybe I am better to keep what I have after all, this is making me a bit nervous!

 

[jekjones1558]

Thank you Jean! Good Luck with your wait list!

My only confusion is what happens if I do this online. I need to cancel first and then book? Hopefully I wouldn't lose the reservation! Hmmmm maybe I am better to keep what I have after all, this is making me a bit nervous!

Yes, you would need to cancel and then book and that involves risk. At one time MS could "hold" the booking for a few minutes but recently people have posted that MS can't do that. I will be worrying about this as well. I can't do mine online because it is a modification but I probably would have MS do it even if I could do it online in the hope that they would be able to do it faster than I could.
Good luck! Post if you get lucky so we can celebrate with you!

 

[DizGirl20]

Debbie - I am going to give that a try!

 

[DizGirl20]

good luck! Post if you get lucky so we can celebrate with you!

shall do!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I know this is a complete long shot, but what happens once you are under 7 days and your wait list has expired? Can I continue to check on my own and if by some crazy reason something were to open up, grab it (and then cancel my existing reservation)? I just want to make sure nothing would happen to my points. But now that I am writing this, I think my points would go into holding...? Sorry I am confused.

Call! Because the way you describe it your points for the cancelled reservation would go into holding, but the CM can do it without that happening. I just had it done for a reservation next month so.... it can be done

And if you are booking something that costs less points then the current reservation the extra points go into holding.

Now the other trick I have done is use two computers and cancel my current reservation while booking the new one, but... that's a risk. Theoretically it should work since you have 20 minutes to "complete" the reservation while booking it so if you can get online with a 2nd computer and cancel your current reservation then the points magically appear It worked last time but the time prior it didn't One never knows with Disney's IT Sometimes they get smart and won't let me log in on two machines, but others...

The other advantage of calling is that I don't think the system is accurate at under 7 days or they use "pixie dust" to recall rooms. I do a lot of late booking and have gotten stuff at a few days out quite often which isn't showing on line and after being told "can you hold a few minutes"

 

[DisK]

FWIW - you can call member services and be put on a waitlist that expires 3 days before. You have to specifically request it.

 

[jekjones1558]

FWIW - you can call member services and be put on a waitlist that expires 3 days before. You have to specifically request it.

I learn something new every day. Thanks for posting this!

 

[Sandisw]

shall do!

As mentioned, if you book one online BEFORE cancelling the other one, then you will end up with holding points.

If you call and there is still not a room left what you just did, you could very well be stuck.

I'd just call every day, or if you see it available online, call quickly or do the online chat...

 

[DizGirl20]

Thanks everyone for you comments! I have been calling MS every day, as well as checking online twice a day. Still no luck but A.) I realize it's Spring Break and B.) I am very happy with what we have booked (Kidani Savanna View) even if we can't switch to BLT Lake View...