Home-Resort Reservations at Peak Times

[Sandisw]

I was able to get a Standard studio at BWV for just NYE. We actually have a DCL cruise going out that day, this is just in case the cruise doesn’t go. No walking, very happy. If the cruise doesn’t go, I will be booking VB for following nights. That’s the closest thing to a cruise, OVIR at VB.

Woohoo!

 

[Boardwalk III]

So how DOES one book home resort for NYE? Be lucky? I would have taken ANY room, except the Grand Villa; when I ”refreshed” availability at exactly 0800, at VGF, only the one bedroom was available. By the time I entered all of the information to complete the booking, experienced the system crash, kept getting 504 errors or Seven Dwarves for another five minutes or so, everything was gone.

If walking reservations is the only way, I either need to learn that skill or accept the fact that I might not be able to ever stay at my home resort on NYE.

So sorry this happened to you! I’ve been a DVC member for 20 years (BWV) and we have developed a family love of Boardwalk View rooms over the years . A few years ago I realized I needed to start walking reservations (for busy weeks) if we wanted that BW view. Because we live in the Northeast when we return this November it will have been a 2-year hiatus due to Covid.

Due to extended banking I have a LOT of points that will be expiring December 1st of this year. Thus we have planned a huge family trip for November, involving a Grand Villa and 2 other BW view rooms. Thus I actually started walking a few months ahead for these multiple Boardwalk View rooms.

I don’t like walking either - It’s a lot of work to keep moving rooms every 5-6 days, and it doesn’t seem particularly fair in the big scheme of things, but sometimes it’s the only way unfortunately.

Hope your waitlist comes through!

 

[ypv]

I was also on right at the opening time yesterday (7:00 am for me) and had the system crash. I just kept at it until I finally was able to get what I was trying for (BWV standard studio). I don't typically walk reservations, but will consider it in the future as I actually logged on several mornings right at opening and was unable to reserve. I was finally able to get in yesterday and then got the earlier days I wanted as the walkers moved past. Owning DVC has definitely involved quite a bit of work and time this past year due to changes and cancellations driven both by Disney and by me.

 

[Popouri DVC]

So sorry this happened to you! I’ve been a DVC member for 20 years (BWV) and we have developed a family love of Boardwalk View rooms over the years . A few years ago I realized I needed to start walking reservations (for busy weeks) if we wanted that BW view. Because we live in the Northeast when we return this November it will have been a 2-year hiatus due to Covid.

Due to extended banking I have a LOT of points that will be expiring December 1st of this year. Thus we have planned a huge family trip for November, involving a Grand Villa and 2 other BW view rooms. Thus I actually started walking a few months ahead for these multiple Boardwalk View rooms.

I don’t like walking either - It’s a lot of work to keep moving rooms every 5-6 days, and it doesn’t seem particularly fair in the big scheme of things, but sometimes it’s the only way unfortunately.

Hope your waitlist comes through!

Since I do not know how to walk a reservation, but acknowledge that I need to learn the skill, it boggles my mind to imagine the amount of work you had to do to get the rooms/ views you wanted for your large family trip.

I very much suspect that (aside from the system crash) as others have mentioned, there are a lot of people with points to burn right about now and so people are indulging: it stands to reason that smaller more difficult to book resorts are just that much tighter this year.

I hope you have fun this November and that we will be on the downward slope of this COVID-19 pandemic.

 

[Popouri DVC]

I was able to get a Standard studio at BWV for just NYE. We actually have a DCL cruise going out that day, this is just in case the cruise doesn’t go. No walking, very happy. If the cruise doesn’t go, I will be booking VB for following nights. That’s the closest thing to a cruise, OVIR at VB.

I hope everything works out for you Bobbi, from reading your posts over the years, I know how much you like to cruise. This past year must've been so frustrating for you.

 

[Boardwalk III]

Since I do not know how to walk a reservation, but acknowledge that I need to learn the skill, it boggles my mind to imagine the amount of work you had to do to get the rooms/ views you wanted for your large family trip.

I very much suspect that (aside from the system crash) as others have mentioned, there are a lot of people with points to burn right about now and so people are indulging: it stands to reason that smaller more difficult to book resorts are just that much tighter this year.

I hope you have fun this November and that we will be on the downward slope of this COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks so much! Feel free to DM me and I’d be happy to walk you through it. It’s honestly not that hard, but a bit of a stress test in setting your calendar for every 5 to 6 days, with the knowledge that if you forget to move it forward you lose it all together! I also had a family member sending me a reminder as a back up each week just in case

 

[Popouri DVC]

So now, I can book January 1st and 2nd which is the end of my trip. I have the entire thing waitlisted. Should I book what I can, and make a new waitlist for 12/29, 12/30 and 12/31? Or will the waitlist know that I've modified and keep my place in line for the first three days?

Thank you all for the friendly help.

 

[Sandisw]

So now, I can book January 1st and 2nd which is the end of my trip. I have the entire thing waitlisted. Should I book what I can, and make a new waitlist for 12/29, 12/30 and 12/31? Or will the waitlist know that I've modified and keep my place in line for the first three days?

Thank you all for the friendly help.

Book what you can and put in a new waitlist. The waitlist never updates. It will always be whatever you set it up for!

 

[DebbieB]

I agree, book what you can. I've had better luck piecing together a trip rather than the waitlist for more than a couple nights.

You mentioned entering guest information, don't stop for that. Just leave yourself and go back later to add guests.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

One thing I have noticed too is that sometimes, rooms will show up 20 minutes later when that happens to me. I snagged a room, got far, and it crashed. Went back and it was gone...this was not an 8 am scenario at 11 months either.

When I checked that short time later, it back and was able to book, It seems like the system had kept it as reserved from my initial attempt.

Good luck!

This has happened to us too and I’m not even talking at 8am on the 11 or 7 month mark. I’ve called member services immediately after it happened to see if they could see the room available and they said someone must have been trying to book what we wanted exactly when we wanted it. Waited 20 minutes and bam, back to being available. I think the system “holds the room” when you get that far in the booking. A Disney IT issue for sure.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I hope everything works out for you Bobbi, from reading your posts over the years, I know how much you like to cruise. This past year must've been so frustrating for you.

You are right, and thank you for your kind words!

 

[kboo]

In normal years, the VGF risk of not being able to book at 11-months out for NYE time has historically been limited to the studios. This year, I am noticing more rooms than usual for some of the resorts disappearing right at 11-months out for NYE time in 2021, including all room sizes at VGF. Walking is likely not the issue. The problem may well be just one applicable to NYE time in 2021 and not years thereafter, resulting from large numbers having now banked points that were not used for cancelled reservations for NYE 2020 (and other times), and that VGF will be getting a refurb beginning sometime in 2021 and some rooms may be on the hold list for that in late 2021.

I was trying to get VGF for Christmas and - we went in 2019 in a 1BR and there was no need to walk. We just went over Xmas again this year, but availability was wacky over Christmas so we got a BWV studio with expiring points with no trouble at all, and just a little waitlisting, about 2-3 weeks before we left. Christmas 2021 ... now that was another story. I figured I would just get up at 8am and book my 1br standard at 11 months ... only to check availability the night before and the first nights were already gone in ALL room categories! I ended up booking whatever nights I could pick up in whatever rooms I could find (2br standard, 1br, studio were all in the mix for a while) but luckily between wait-listing and stalking it all came together about a week later. It was like the Hunger Games.

Now I need to find the time to wait on hold with MS to link all my nights. I had to do this with Riviera too - we are undecided on studio or 1br, and also on before or after the VGF stay, so my dashboard is a mess right now.

 

[Wakey]

If OP got to where they select the points it should have been reserved shouldnt it? Then it crashed and OP lost that reservation.
Disney‘s lack of server capacity strikes again.

 

[Popouri DVC]

I was trying to get VGF for Christmas and - we went in 2019 in a 1BR and there was no need to walk. We just went over Xmas again this year, but availability was wacky over Christmas so we got a BWV studio with expiring points with no trouble at all, and just a little waitlisting, about 2-3 weeks before we left. Christmas 2021 ... now that was another story. I figured I would just get up at 8am and book my 1br standard at 11 months ... only to check availability the night before and the first nights were already gone in ALL room categories! I ended up booking whatever nights I could pick up in whatever rooms I could find (2br standard, 1br, studio were all in the mix for a while) but luckily between wait-listing and stalking it all came together about a week later. It was like the Hunger Games.

Now I need to find the time to wait on hold with MS to link all my nights. I had to do this with Riviera too - we are undecided on studio or 1br, and also on before or after the VGF stay, so my dashboard is a mess right now.

Kboo, For Real!

I was truly shocked that there was nothing available in any room category (except maybe the Grand Villa) exactly at 11 months. That was a first for me.

I've waitlisted the time that I'd like to go. I don't really see any point in Booking January 1st and 2nd if I cannot get NYE. Since I'd have to borrow (not alot, but some) to make the trip, I'm not going to do that unless I know we can go: if I don't have my waitlist fulfillment at 7 months, I'll know for sure we aren't going, and I'll plan something for another time. There is always an opportunity to spend some points!~

 

[Popouri DVC]

If OP got to where they select the points it should have been reserved shouldnt it? Then it crashed and OP lost that reservation.
Disney‘s lack of server capacity strikes again.

This is exactly what happened!! Incredibly frustrating!!!!!

 

[kboo]

If OP got to where they select the points it should have been reserved shouldnt it? Then it crashed and OP lost that reservation.
Disney‘s lack of server capacity strikes again.

This is exactly what happened!! Incredibly frustrating!!!!!

That's what happened to me at one point, too. One one of my several consecutive 8AM attempts, I got to the same point.

Update, not really: I still haven't fixed the names on the reservations and linked them. 7 nights at VGF in a 1br currently sitting as FIVE separate reservations.... auuughhhhh

 

[5th gate dreamers]

Very sad this morning.

Got up to be online exactly at 8 a.m. so I could book my home resort for a stay over the New Year Holiday for 2021-2022.

I went through the entire process, encountering the usual bog-downs when Disney's IT system has a lot of traffic at a particular time. I selected my room, chose my contracts, entered my guest information, got to the final screen where I had to "agree to the DVC policies" and selected the green "Book this Reservation." and ended up at the Seven Dwarves. By the time I was able, more than five minutes later to log back in to the site, my dashboard does not show the booking. And of course, the room is now no longer available.

Owners, is this the new DVC reality? Home Resort owners cannot book for Peak Times without walking reservations?

If so, it is a sad reality.

It's not sad...it just means the room you were trying to book is underpriced. You were trying to book a room type that must be cheaper than it should be based on demand. That's why DVD needs to continue shifting the charts to make desirable rooms less desirable so we can fill up more of the room categories at each resort instead of us all duking it out for the same rooms.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Have fast internet too, so that’s not it.

Its just frustrating to get all the way to the end and NOT get the room because Disney’s IT is inadequate.

THAT is the root of my frustration. I did everything right and didn’t get the reservation due to a combination of poor luck and Disney’s sub-par IT and reservation booking engine.

I found out yesterday, when trying to book an AKV Value Room, it kept crashing on me. I would wait 20 minutes for the room to be back "in stock" to try a different browser, an incognito window, etc. to no avail. I finally called and waited 30 minutes for an agent to tell me the reason that I couldn't do it online was because I was needing to borrow from a resale contract and a supervisor has to do that. I was finally able to book the room, but it was a huge waste of my time.

 

[Sandisw]

I found out yesterday, when trying to book an AKV Value Room, it kept crashing on me. I would wait 20 minutes for the room to be back "in stock" to try a different browser, an incognito window, etc. to no avail. I finally called and waited 30 minutes for an agent to tell me the reason that I couldn't do it online was because I was needing to borrow from a resale contract and a supervisor has to do that. I was finally able to book the room, but it was a huge waste of my time.

That is really frustrating. It is so strange that some contracts Are an issue and others are not.

For example, I have no issues for my resale contracts. I am glad it worked out.

 

[Popouri DVC]

It's not sad...it just means the room you were trying to book is underpriced. You were trying to book a room type that must be cheaper than it should be based on demand. That's why DVD needs to continue shifting the charts to make desirable rooms less desirable so we can fill up more of the room categories at each resort instead of us all duking it out for the same rooms.

I'm not sure pricing/the amount of points needed to book had anything to do with it: like I said in my OP, I was unable to book ANY room, not just the attractively priced/pointed studios.

What made me lose out on NYE this year is twofold: one, Disney's computers/servers crashed at the exact moment I was finalizing the reservation that I was able to initially grab and two, there are a lot of owners with points to burn this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Those who are VGF owners are staying longer, in larger accommodations, and during peak travel times.

All of that, is why as @kboo mentioned, booking for NYE this year at VGF was like gladiatorial combat: I competed, I lost.

Hopefully I'll have better luck next time.