Getting ready to make my first DVC reservation!!

[socababy]

I'm so excited that my 11 month window is almost here! I do have a couple of questions that hopefully someone has some answers to!

I am looking to book a 1 bdrm SV room at Kidani for 8 nights next June. What is the best way for me to book 8 (possibly 9) nights? It is actually more important that I get the last 7 nights since I plan on booking a cruise immediately following our AKL stay. Should I just wait for 11 months plus one day and go on and try to reserve all 8 nights? Is there a better way to do this?

I was playing around on the DVC site to see what is available throughout the year. When I choose the type of room I want at AKL, there was never an option to book a value room. Is this because they are all booked?

TIA!

 

[hakepb]

the few value rooms are only in Jambo. So the "few" or Jambo might be the reason. It's a fairly difficult category to book.

For your 8 day trip. Book days 1-7 as soon as you can. Due to the was 11 mo+ 7 days works you are guaranteed day 8, 9, 10... if you call back in the next 6 days.

Some people use that guarantee as "walking" a reservation.
Basically when you book days 1-7 at the 11+7 window you are virtually assigned room 101. When someone calls the next day to book days 2-8 they might get room 102 but they cannot steal your room 101 for your days 2-7.

 

[socababy]

So if I want to check in on June 21, I can book June 21-28 on July 21. Do I then call MS on July 22 and add on the last day of my vacation, June 29? Would it all be one reservation so that I don't have to move rooms? Can I add that extra day online or is it only by calling MS?

 

[Kidanifan08]

So if I want to check in on June 21, I can book June 21-28 on July 21. Do I then call MS on July 22 and add on the last day of my vacation, June 29? Would it all be one reservation so that I don't have to move rooms? Can I add that extra day online or is it only by calling MS?

You certainly can call MS on July 22 to add the last day. That way, it would all by under one reservation with one confirmation number. You could even call any day from the 23 to the 28, since your room is basically unavailable for anyone else to book as their first day of arrival until July 29. To add the extra day online, I think you would have to wait until July 29, 2012, since you would be making a new reservation for that one day. If you did that, you could then call MS and they could link the reservations. If you wanted to book all 8 days online, you could wait until July 23 to book the entire trip and then it would be under one reservation.

Honestly, I don't think you will have any trouble getting a 1BR savanna view at Kidani for those dates, even if you waited until 10 months before. With our upcoming trip, we were able to get a SV studio at Kidani for the first week of December, and we did not call until about 9.5 months ahead. But, I can understand the anxiety of getting all the dates you want in the room type you want. We are almost always calling right at 11 months to get our reservation scheduled. It is just one less thing to worry about!

 

[AllieV]

Thanks, Hakepb, I think I finally understand "walking reservation". I tried to figure it out from other threads but couldn't. I'm doing a Sat-Sat at 7 months and was wondering the same thing as this poster. Since Saturday would be the one day left hanging, it's not as likely that someone would want to check in on saturday (or switch rooms mid-trip), so it would probably be available for me the next day to book. It's like creating a booking blockade of that room.

 

[hakepb]

Thanks, Hakepb, I think I finally understand "walking reservation". I tried to figure it out from other threads but couldn't. I'm doing a Sat-Sat at 7 months and was wondering the same thing as this poster. Since Saturday would be the one day left hanging, it's not as likely that someone would want to check in on saturday (or switch rooms mid-trip), so it would probably be available for me the next day to book. It's like creating a booking blockade of that room.

Thanks. It was another poster that mentioned that virtual room idea in the first 11+7 thread.

The blockade is not a guarantee at the 7 mo window for any walking purposes (11 mo'ers could already have your day 8 booked, but i would certainly book a 8+ day trip starting with the 1st 7 days just to help vs the other non-owners.

FYI I do not think walking is a guarantee at Aluani at 11+7 because there are some fixed week owners that might already have future days locked up.

 

[socababy]

Thanks everyone! I think I understand it now. I am eager to get everything booked because I am hoping to do a cruise on the Fantasy right after leaving on the 29th. Once I know I have my WDW part of the vacation booked, then I can book the cruise!