kristenrice
NOT just an ambulance driver
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
- Messages
- 7,406
On a whim, I decided to take my Dad on a trip to WDW this fall. Originally, I booked a standard studio at my home resort (AKV) for a Thursday-Tuesday (Oct 29-Nov 3) but I waitlisted a value studio. I knew that the value studio would be a long shot, but slowly, some of the nights became available.
First, the last 2 nights became available so I grabbed them, leaving us with a 3/2 split stay. Then, the first 2 nights became available, so I grabbed them as a separate reservation because I did not want a 2/1/2 split. I thought we were going to be stuck waiting forever for that middle night, which happened to be Saturday (Halloween!) to come available. My dad was actually on the phone with DVC Member services, trying to set up his online account, when he asked about our waitlist for that night. The CM said, "Well, I show that night has 1 room that just came available. Would you like me to book it?" WOW! What luck! She booked it, merged our three reservations into one, and we were all set...
....or so we thought...
My work schedule changed and now, instead of arriving very late on the 28th and staying at the MCO Hyatt, we are now arriving at 10am and decided to stay at WDW. Dad booked a room at Pop Century, but I looked at our plans for 2021 and we have enough points to cover another night in the value studio. So now we are waitlisted for Wednesday, October 28 as well. I keep checking EVERY day...multiple times a day...and I see other days open up....but not that day. I never thought that we would get the night of Halloween, but we did. I have even seen it pop up again for a little while, only to be snagged within a few hours. There have been as many as 8 days available in the entire month and as few as 1...but never the 28th. I will keep watching and waiting...hoping to maybe catch it at just the right time.
I have enough points for a standard studio, but since Dad has never stayed at Pop Century, and we will have to switch rooms no matter what, we decided to just stick with the Pop Century as our only back up. If we can't get the value studio to keep a contiguous reservation, then Dad will get to experience a value resort for the first time.
First, the last 2 nights became available so I grabbed them, leaving us with a 3/2 split stay. Then, the first 2 nights became available, so I grabbed them as a separate reservation because I did not want a 2/1/2 split. I thought we were going to be stuck waiting forever for that middle night, which happened to be Saturday (Halloween!) to come available. My dad was actually on the phone with DVC Member services, trying to set up his online account, when he asked about our waitlist for that night. The CM said, "Well, I show that night has 1 room that just came available. Would you like me to book it?" WOW! What luck! She booked it, merged our three reservations into one, and we were all set...
....or so we thought...
My work schedule changed and now, instead of arriving very late on the 28th and staying at the MCO Hyatt, we are now arriving at 10am and decided to stay at WDW. Dad booked a room at Pop Century, but I looked at our plans for 2021 and we have enough points to cover another night in the value studio. So now we are waitlisted for Wednesday, October 28 as well. I keep checking EVERY day...multiple times a day...and I see other days open up....but not that day. I never thought that we would get the night of Halloween, but we did. I have even seen it pop up again for a little while, only to be snagged within a few hours. There have been as many as 8 days available in the entire month and as few as 1...but never the 28th. I will keep watching and waiting...hoping to maybe catch it at just the right time.
I have enough points for a standard studio, but since Dad has never stayed at Pop Century, and we will have to switch rooms no matter what, we decided to just stick with the Pop Century as our only back up. If we can't get the value studio to keep a contiguous reservation, then Dad will get to experience a value resort for the first time.
