How many of the 11 month bookings for December are walkers?

[Chuck S]

An example of what happens during first week of Dec, the highest DVC demand week of the year for the WDW DVC resorts. Just moments after 8 a.m. eastern this morning (Jan 4) the following were shown as filled for Dec 4: (a) BWV: everything except standard and pool/garden view 1BRs; (b) CCV: both regular and shower studios and 2BR lock-offs; (c) AKV value and club level, all room sizes; (d) Riviera: tower studios, standard view studios and 2BR lock-offs, and also standard view dedicated 2BRs; (e) VGF: Grand Villas, and standard and lake view studios, 2BR lock-offs and dedicated 2BRs; (f) BLT: standard view studios,1BRs, 2BR lock-offs and dedicated 2BRs, and theme park view studios and 2BR lock-offs.

The unknown here, though, is how many of them may be walking for Christmas week? While I doubt there are a LOT, surely there are some walking.

 

[snappy]

I do think there are some walkers with BWV boardwalk studios. I was able to pick up 12/1 by constantly refreshing on 12/2 and 12/2 by constantly refreshing on 12/3. I was able to get 7 days starting on 12/3. I did get an error message saying to try again after 8 am EST when it was 3 seconds after 8 am so had to refresh on 12/2, 12/2 and 12/3. I don’t understand why that happened, wondering why the website has that delay.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

And because you're asking specifically about Riviera, don't forget that there are a few of us who have guaranteed week contracts in December. If there really are that many walkers, I assume that one of them bumped into my GW reservation and couldn't advance to the next day. Although there aren't that many GW contracts out there, I've heard that more of them are in December than any other month.

 

[sethschroeder]

And because you're asking specifically about Riviera, don't forget that there are a few of us who have guaranteed week contracts in December. If there really are that many walkers, I assume that one of them bumped into my GW reservation and couldn't advance to the next day. Although there aren't that many GW contracts out there, I've heard that more of them are in December than any other month.

It's like the week after Thanksgiving and following week have most sold at RIV. Some are sold out even on those two weeks but it's been a while since I checked.

I have both weeks myself in studios but not using them.

 

[zavandor]

I came here about the same thing hahah. I’ve been trying to book my December 23 trip at RIV since Monday the 2nd, and every morning, what should be the first day of my check-in is booked up BUT the rest of the week is available. But since the next day is outside my booking window, I have to try again the next morning. It’s almost like people keep adding on 1 night stays to a reservation.

I called member services to ask if I’m doing something wrong, figured there’s a few tricks I’m not using since I’m relatively new to being a DVC member but I’m doing everything I should be doing.

However, Member services explained the “walking” tactic that some people use, and unfortunately it looks like that’s what’s happening here. Guess I’ll just have to start doing the same tactic since I’m just being left in the lurch .

I waitlisted the entire length of my stay for now, but going to keep trying to have something confirmed. Hopefully the “walkers” will just keep “walking”right past my reservation dates.

When you say "every morning, what should be the first day of my check-in is booked up BUT the rest of the week is available", what do you mean? Are you checking before the reservation opens at 8:00am or a few seconds after?
If it's the latter, what you are describing doesn't really show that there are people walking, just that the time of the year is extremely busy, so that, as others have said, any room that is still available (may be just one or two) disappears within milliseconds. To have a chance you have to be ready just before 8:00 with your form filled in and click "Search" right at 8:00 then click Book immediately. It's a "fastest finger" lottery.

If instead you see the first night disappear before 8:00am, then I don't know, it's quite strange.

Evidence that someone is walking is if nights start appearing back a few days after the 11 months mark. That's because the walkers are dropping the nights they don't need and move to a later date. That offers the opportunity to grab those nights.

 

[supersnoop]

The unknown here, though, is how many of them may be walking for Christmas week? While I doubt there are a LOT, surely there are some walking.

I don’t think you actually need to walk to get Christmas week. There might be Isome walking, but that’s going to be a very small number.

 

[heynowirv]

Tell me about it. Our 12/3-12/8 2BR ressie at BRV is the one trip that's carved in stone for us...LOL..

Us too except we'll be at OKW same dates.

 

[davidhr]

I don’t think you actually need to walk to get Christmas week. There might be Isome walking, but that’s going to be a very small number.

There’s always some walking, but I believe most rooms are just booked at 8:00 with the high demand for that season.

Walking will just give you a better chance because depending when you start, you have more “tries” at that 8:00 bloodbath. If you start two weeks earlier, you’ll have 14 tries to get a room at 8:00. Once you get one that pretty much guarantees you’ll be able to get your dates unless you hit a block of GW and you are one of the last to modify the reservations.

Once I had to book a value room at AKV and the only way to get it was playing the system. It took me 6 days to finally get one and had to walk it for two weeks. I’ll probably have to do it in the future for CCV as I like to travel during the holidays. The chances of getting a studio are slim without it.

I know walking isn’t loved, but it’s very effective. I don’t blame people for doing it.

 

[brazzledazzler]

First time trying to book an early December RIV standard studio. 3 days in a row, 3 failed attempts. Are people trying to walk these past early December (i.e. some availability in a couple days) or will I just have to find another time to go?

My experience is…standard view and tower studios will not reappear unless maybe at 7 month mark. But they didn’t last year.

We ended up booking earlier than expected so our trip saddles Nov/Dec. I had to book two standard view studios, so this worked out easier and was less points than 2 preferred during the second weekend of December.

Last year I did get what I wanted but it was brutal, and I switched to Poly at 7 month mark. Good luck planning, December booking stinks

 

[RNstitches]

I'm thinking these are mainly walkers. We've been trying to book our annual 1st week of December trip at VGF and I've had to add on to the reservation day by day as they become available after the walkers move on. Two more days left and we'll have our full week, but this is definitely annoying.

 

[keishashadow]

In that quest to grab the 1st week of Dec at WL…Via stalking, now have 2 res, missing just one night to link them (12/3).

Other than it being a perennial busy DVC week, wondering if there something ‘special’ going on that Sunday that I may have missed?

 

[KimMcGowan]

I know walking isn’t loved, but it’s very effective. I don’t blame people for doing it.

Ok, so I have a (probably) stupid walking question. I DID get my CC 2 bedroom for the first week of December the regular old non-walking way. However, I thought about walking (which I have never done) to ensure it. My question is this, if you do walk, don’t you have to be up every morning at 7 (central) to modify and add a day? How is that any better than just reserving? (I truly am lost on the whole walking thing.)

 

[davidhr]

Ok, so I have a (probably) stupid walking question. I DID get my CC 2 bedroom for the first week of December the regular old non-walking way. However, I thought about walking (which I have never done) to ensure it. My question is this, if you do walk, don’t you have to be up every morning at 7 (central) to modify and add a day? How is that any better than just reserving? (I truly am lost on the whole walking thing.)

If you book 7 nights starting the day your 11 month book window opens, you have 6 days to modify the reservation again. No one can block you because you already have days booked that are not open to book yet. And you’ll modify the reservation to include nights that are also blocked to booking.

So no, you can modify at any time. After you secure your first days.

The only thing that might block you is if you hit a block with lots of guaranteed weeks and other walkers moved before you, so that’s the reason is not recommended to wait until the 6th day to modify. But that rarely happens.

Edit to add that it can also happen if there’s a refurbishment happening.

 

[Bobby2443]

I’ve been in the availability battle for the first two weeks of December about 3 times (not at Riv but same concept) now and my 1st year trying I had the same problem as you (how can there be no availability I thought?). Now I’m in the habit of walking from the start of November until the dates I want. Especially if you want two weeks in a row it can get messy if only some days are available when not walking. I think you’ll find some people will walk through and availability changes but it’ll continue to be spotty. This is another reason why use year month is important because if you are walking from November into December you do not want a December use year.

 

[pianomanzano]

An update to my first post: got my standard RIV studio booked for the first week of December! Took a combination of stalking the site and waitlisting 1-2 days for some of them. Have 4 separate reservations, but got all the days I wanted. Guess there were some walkers. Good luck to everyone!

 

[Nursemanit]

Poly is the answer for a 7-month December Studio. Close to VGF to eat and shop , close to TTC , and since the longhouse are detached you can duck the crowds / noise

 

[eticketplease]

An update to my first post: got my standard RIV studio booked for the first week of December! Took a combination of stalking the site and waitlisting 1-2 days for some of them. Have 4 separate reservations, but got all the days I wanted. Guess there were some walkers. Good luck to everyone!

Glad you got but now more bad news...Multiple days getting up to book dining

 

[pianomanzano]

Glad you got but now more bad news...Multiple days getting up to book dining

I’m going to put in a request to combine the reservations once we decide if/when we’re going to bank our ‘22 points so that I can switch out the points for the reservations to baked ones. And if we don’t get them combined it won’t be the end of the world since we only do one or two table service meals a trip.

 

[psc85]

Update: I ended up getting the entire week. Was able to book the last 4 nights of the trip by just getting on right at 8:00:01 am on the 11 month window. Then, the first night, that had previously been booked, opened up one morning. Ended up waitlisting the 3rd and 4th night which just came through yesterday.

 

[crazycatlady]

Poly is the answer for a 7-month December Studio. Close to VGF to eat and shop , close to TTC , and since the longhouse are detached you can duck the crowds / noise

Is the Poly usually available at the 7-month mark for that week? Does anyone know if you need to walk a Jambo savannah view studio at AKL for that week?