I really miss having an 'equal' shot at getting my reservations

[bjakmom]

Once again, since DVC changed to the 'book for 7 days' method, I was unable to book my first request at 9 AM at 11 mos. at my home resort. - and this was for the end of Sept - a very slow time.
Well, I did want AKV concierge and I know how difficult it is, but it still upsets me that others are able to book rooms ahead of others. I just miss being able to book day by day and having the same shot at the room I want! OK OK just needed to vent.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Be sure you call member satisfaction and tell them about it. Back when this all started, I had many lengthy conversations with them, and they said it should NEVER be an issue. Of course, we all knew it would be... I think they need to hear about it EVERY TIME it happens.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Once again, since DVC changed to the 'book for 7 days' method, I was unable to book my first request at 9 AM at 11 mos. at my home resort. - and this was for the end of Sept - a very slow time.
Well, I did want AKV concierge and I know how difficult it is, but it still upsets me that others are able to book rooms ahead of others. I just miss being able to book day by day and having the same shot at the room I want! OK OK just needed to vent.

Wow! I think this stinks! I can't help but wonder if people were just trying to book the first weekend of the F&W and started "walking" their reservation during that last week of September. We're going the last week of September, including the first weekend of the F&W, staying at BCV. Considering the popularity, I wondered if other people were booking then, too, but just planning on being there for the weekend. I could see that as a real problem, and I'm so sorry if that happened to you. I don't blame you for being upset.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I totally agree with Diane. When you are trying to get something that is difficult to get, everyone should have the same shot at that location. You shouldn't be punished because you are booking three days after five or ten more people.

 

[Rob S.]

Wow! I think this stinks! I can't help but wonder if people were just trying to book the first weekend of the F&W and started "walking" their reservation during that last week of September. We're going the last week of September, including the first weekend of the F&W, staying at BCV. Considering the popularity, I wondered if other people were booking then, too, but just planning on being there for the weekend. I could see that as a real problem, and I'm so sorry if that happened to you. I don't blame you for being upset.

I'm going down the last week of September as well. Not for F&W, but that weekend will be the 40th anniversary of WDW. Even though nothing has been announced, I'm going to be there just in case something is announced later.

 

[Plutofan]

I would put a wait list in in case someone is walking a reservation which may free up your dates.

 

[Inkmahm]

I would put a wait list in in case someone is walking a reservation which may free up your dates.

Excellent idea.

I walked my AKV concierge reservation for next March (and then ended up cancelling completely). For concierge, I would definitely walk the ressie to get what you want in the future.

 

[honeymo78]

Anywhere but AKV concierge I doubt you'd have a problem. Personally, I like not having to call everyday. I admit that I'd be pretty cranky if I couldn't get the last few nights to finsih my vacation due to someone just starting theirs. We have a concierge studio 9/24-10/1. If you lost put due to someone walking a reservation, that truly sucks and isn't fair, but it is what it is and we need to be willing to play the game if we eBay it bad enough. If it is because 5 other families have a vacation that overlaps yours and theirs started before yours, that's just how it works and isn't a problem for me. We chose to start the vacation on a Saturday, hoping that gave us a better chance at getting the room.

 

[StitchFan73]

I am really sorry and don't mean to hijack the OPs thread-but I don't understand what happened? We were looking into buying a few months ago and a bunch of stuff popped up and buying DVC got put on the back burner-but this sounds like something that would really impact our decision.

Can someone please explain

 

[Rob S.]

I am really sorry and don't mean to hijack the OPs thread-but I don't understand what happened? We were looking into buying a few months ago and a bunch of stuff popped up and buying DVC got put on the back burner-but this sounds like something that would really impact our decision.

Can someone please explain

This is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. There are only 5 2BR lockoffs at AKV on the concierge floor. If you want to book your arrival for Sep 29, 2011, you would call on Oct 29, 2010. If 5 other people have already planned their vacation to start on Sep 28, 2011, you would not get it.

This likely would not happen at any other resort/booking category.

 

[StitchFan73]

This is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. There are only 5 2BR lockoffs at AKV on the concierge floor. If you want to book your arrival for Sep 29, 2011, you would call on Oct 29, 2010. If 5 other people have already planned their vacation to start on Sep 28, 2011, you would not get it.

This likely would not happen at any other resort/booking category.

Ahhh..got it! I thought it meant that they were prioritizing who gets what by length of stay. Thanks!

 

[bjakmom]

Yeah, I was just feeling frustrated- thanks for all the sympathy
I will call member satisfaction next week because I too was told this would not happen when they made the change. I know that AK Club is unique - I need a studio - but it's the 2nd trip trying to get it and missing out - really thought I had a chance at the end of Sept. I don't have enough AKV points to walk - but I did waitlist with the hope that I would be high on the list and someone might cancel. Oh well, just feeling very "old school" I hate it when they change things and they don't work out for me.

 

[Halle]

MS please bring back day by day booking!!!

 

[disneynutz]

As time goes on it's getting more difficult to guess when the slow times are. The last time that I had trouble getting our reservation, even MS couldn't answer what was causing the limited availability. She also shared that she has noticed that there is less available room inventory under the 6 month mark and that she has been a MS Adviser for 10 years.

Guess we can get rid of the "Best Kept Secret" tag line.

Bill

 

[wildernessDad]

I too like the system as it existed previously.

 

[Dean]

Once again, since DVC changed to the 'book for 7 days' method, I was unable to book my first request at 9 AM at 11 mos. at my home resort. - and this was for the end of Sept - a very slow time.
Well, I did want AKV concierge and I know how difficult it is, but it still upsets me that others are able to book rooms ahead of others. I just miss being able to book day by day and having the same shot at the room I want! OK OK just needed to vent.

Given that there was someone else reserving that time, it's like under the old system that they would have gotten part of their time but not all IF you had been successful in booking. The one aspect of the system that I would prefer to see changed is the ability to walk the reservations. Because it means someone who wanted the same dates or later than yourself could have booked a full week earlier and walked the reservation to your dates or after.

 

[auntsue]

I absolutely hate the new system also. We never had trouble before getting a 1BR BWView at 9:00 a.m., eleven months out. This coming December all we could get was preferred and I really hate wasting the points if it's not BWView. I seem to recall that I couldn't get Standard either, but I may be wrong there. However, I do know that I definitely tried to book BWView because we book it every December. We always love seeing our Christmas lights on the balcony when we return by boat or when we're walking back from the parks. I didn't even think of calling last January to complain.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm sorry this happened to you. I liked the old day by day system of booking rooms, and I also liked the staggered banking dates.

Bobbi

 

[Sandisw]

Given that there was someone else reserving that time, it's like under the old system that they would have gotten part of their time but not all IF you had been successful in booking. The one aspect of the system that I would prefer to see changed is the ability to walk the reservations. Because it means someone who wanted the same dates or later than yourself could have booked a full week earlier and walked the reservation to your dates or after.

I agree that what may have caused the OP's issue is that some people have walked the reservation. I too would like to see that gone.

It seems that all they would have to do is say that any changes to a reservation within 7 days of booking would result in a cancellation and a rebook.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I agree that what may have caused the OP's issue is that some people have walked the reservation. I too would like to see that gone....

Or they could have planned to arrive 11 months minus one day from the day the OP tried to book. They booked up six (or five or four...) of her days before she could even book.

I could also see this happening for the GVs since they are few in number.