how to tell position in wait list

[hollis]

My family is planning a WDW vacation in early May and we want a 1 bedroom villa. Looks like the rooms are filling up quickly. I am thinking, may be we can get confirmed reservation for a particular week in a resort that has opening, then wait list on our preferred resort.

Any caveat in this plan?

Also, can I tell what position I am in the wait list? Basically, if one room opens up, I want to know whether I will get it or somebody else will.

 

[Jillpie]

Your plan is a good one to secure a reservation somewhere. There is no way they can tell where you are on the waitlist. The computer simply tells them when you are at the top and they call you at this point. I was on the waitlist last year and was told that many times. Good luck!

 

[tjkraz]

Also, can I tell what position I am in the wait list? Basically, if one room opens up, I want to know whether I will get it or somebody else will.

Nobody can tell you that. There are simply too many complexities.

Example: You're "first in line" on the waitlist for Sunday to Thursday. Somebody cancels Sunday and Monday. Since Sunday and Monday alone will not complete your reservation, you do not get those days and they slide to the next member on the list. If the next member wants Sunday, he gets it and Monday may go to someone else.

If you waitlist for the entire trip, telling you your position in line would be meaningless because there's just no guarantee that the next cancellation would allow them to book your stay.

 

[hollis]

How about if I am on the waitlist Monday through Friday, and somebody else is on the waitlist Sunday and Monday. Will they still tell me I am "first in line" for Monday through Friday?

Now let's say, Sunday has always been open. Somebody cancels Monday through Friday, the exact dates I wait for. Will the other person get it first because Sunday and Monday are now both open?

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

They won't ever tell you where you are on the wait list becuase of all of the variables. As to whether you would get it first or not, I suppose it would depend on whether you requested the Sunday through Friday first or the other person requesting the Sunday-Monday was first.

HBC

 

[tjkraz]

They won't ever tell you where you are on the wait list becuase of all of the variables. As to whether you would get it first or not, I suppose it would depend on whether you requested the Sunday through Friday first or the other person requesting the Sunday-Monday was first.

 

[Epcot Mom]

I had a situation a few years ago where we booked a studio but decided last minute to try for a one bedroom. I was waitlisted and when it came through, they called to see if I still wanted it as I would have to do something about points since I didn't own enough for both. When they called, they gave me 24 hours to move the points around and it all worked out. I will say it was very close to my trip, maybe even within a month.

 

[TCPluto]

I don't know exactly how the waitlist works, but it has come through for us every time, 4 different reservations.

 

[RobDoc]

You can also enhance your waitlist by using daily auto-reserve. If you are waitlisted for an entire 5 night stay, you will get it only when all 5 nights become available at once. If you use daily auto-reserve, you'll get each day as it becomes available. While it's possible to have a day in the middle where the room would not be available, we've always had great success using the waitlist in this manner. By using auto-reserve, they don't have to play phone tag to get authorization from you- each day will simply be added as it becomes available. Daily/auto-reserve will put you ahead of those wanting to be called when all 5 days become available. DVC will not "save" days as they become available for those wanting more than a day at a time.

Good luck!