How can I go online at exactly 8:00?

[Donna M]

Now, before you say "dah"------- I'm far from a pro with the computer and my son is at basic training, so, if I started logging in and filling out the info at 8, I would lose some time. Is there a way of logging in a couple of minutes early and saving everything or something and then hitting a "magic" button at 8:00?

I know that if I called in too early I would just hear the message and have to start the process all over again, wasting precious time at the 7 month mark.

Thanks for any help.

 

[DMKEDM]

Haven't tried to do this myself, but I'm going to guess that 8 a.m. is when you'll be able to view room availability in non-home resorts...so you can get as far as clicking on your villa size & resort choices before 8, but probably not beyond that???

 

[DVCBrian]

Online booking is available nearly 24 hours per day, so the 8 am rule doesn't affect logon to the site.

The 8 am Eastern Time rule is validated when you click Search for a query where your first night becomes available at 8 am. A Search at 7:58 am will result in an error message, while a search at 8:00 am will work.

To practice, I suggest trying a Search some days before your intended reservation date, just to practice. Try it first just before 8 am, so you'll see the unique error message that appears. Then, practice navigating back and trying the search again. Depending on your web browser, the navigation techniques might vary.

By practicing before the actual day of your "hard to get" reservation, you'll build confidence that you know exactly what to do.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You can do everything but see what is available. You can enter your dates, pick your resort and your type of lodging, but not press go. Otherwise it will tell you you cannot do this because you are either more than 7 months out or more than 11 months out.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm not sure what the lastest is. There were posts saying that some people got in earlier after they made the system upgrade last month. I made a reservation on 2/21 and it definitely did not let me in before 8:00, I got an error. That was right before the upgrade (2/23?).

 

[Sammie]

8am Eastern for booking at 11 months and 7 months, those that got in any earlier happened during a glitch caused by Leap Day which has been fixed.

You can do as Deb suggested.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

Sorry to hijack but this topic fits with what I am wondering: Can you book at 8am online or is it you can SEARCH at 8am and then not book until 9am EST?

 

[DVCBrian]

Sorry to hijack but this topic fits with what I am wondering: Can you book at 8am online or is it you can SEARCH at 8am and then not book until 9am EST?

If Search offers you a room at 8 am, you can book it right then - in fact, you have to book it within a few minutes or the search expires.

 

[quentina]

To add to the OP's question, are you able to book more than one room at once? Or, do you need to do multiple bookings?

 

[Deb & Bill]

To add to the OP's question, are you able to book more than one room at once? Or, do you need to do multiple bookings?

You can only do one at a time. It will just show you one at a time.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

Sorry for hijacking this thread but I have a question I can't find an answer to. We would need to cancel our current booking in order to change resorts at seven months. Do we need to call to do this or can we cancel online? And what's the procedure if we can cancel online first? TIA

 

[FigmentLady]

I was going to start a new thread but maybe it can just be answered here.

I have my home resort booked for my dates. I want to try and switch resorts at 7 months but I need the points that are tied up in my home resort to do that.

Can I book online at the 8am 7 month mark or do I need to call MS and have them help me?

 

[drusba]

When booking exactly 11 or 7 months out, you can book starting at 8 a.m. Eastern. It is easy to lock in what you want quickly. Shortly before 8 log in and go to the page to start doing a reservation. Fill out that page with what you want so you are prepared to click continue but don't do that yet.

At 8 click continue to go to page that tells you if it is available. if it is, click select this resort. That locks in your reservation for 20 minutes. You will be taken to a page where you choose contracts and points and then a page to enter the guests identity and address, etc., and you have 20 minutes to do all that without losing your reservation.

If you need to cancel a reservation to make another one at 7 months out, you can do it on line but at high risk. You have to cancel first before attempting to book on line. Thus, the risk is whatever you want may disappear while you are taking the time to cancel. You cannot lock in the other reservation for that 20 minute period before doing the cancelation.

 

[ACDSNY]

So do I have this right...you can book on-line an hour earlier than calling MS?

 

[dbs1228]

So do I have this right...you can book on-line an hour earlier than calling MS?

Yes you are right 8AM on line reservations 9AM call in.

 

[ACDSNY]

Awesome, will the on-line process let you buy the one-time use points too? I'll be short 15 points. The other option is I could do the first 4 nights on-line and call for the 5th night.

 

[drusba]

Awesome, will the on-line process let you buy the one-time use points too? I'll be short 15 points. The other option is I could do the first 4 nights on-line and call for the 5th night.

No, it is not set up to do that yet. You need to call MS to purchase and use those points. And I do not think you can do that alternative. Those one-time use points have to be purchased as part of a single reservation for a trip and cannot be purchased to add a day on to an already existing reservation.

 

[ELMC]

You can do everything but see what is available. You can enter your dates, pick your resort and your type of lodging, but not press go. Otherwise it will tell you you cannot do this because you are either more than 7 months out or more than 11 months out.

Is this a situation where every second counts? How quickly do the reservations book up at the 11 and 7 month mark?

 

[ACDSNY]

No, it is not set up to do that yet. You need to call MS to purchase and use those points. And I do not think you can do that alternative. Those one-time use points have to be purchased as part of a single reservation for a trip and cannot be purchased to add a day on to an already existing reservation.

I don't see why I shouldn't be able to reserve the 4 nights online as I have enough current year and next year points to cover those nights. I'll only be short 15 points out of the 46 required for the 5th night so I'll call into MS for that night. I guess I don't understand how that's any different then adding on a night to an existing reservation.

 

[dbs1228]

If I were you I would call MS before you try to book on line and ask that question about adding the last night with bought points. I do not see why you could not do what you want to do - worse case they cancel what you have and rebook it??? Let us know what you find out. Remember the purchase of points can only done at 7 month window and is something I keep forgetting myself!