In theory, can you walk at 7 months?

[ustasmom]

I am going to book at 7 months. I've not done that. So right now everything is showing as available but every morning that day is unavailable within seconds. So in theory, can I walk this? I'm going to be in Disney when my 7 month window opens up. I just don't trust the Internet connection.

 

[Madame]

I am going to book at 7 months. I've not done that. So right now everything is showing as available but every morning that day is unavailable within seconds. So in theory, can I walk this? I'm going to be in Disney when my 7 month window opens up. I just don't trust the Internet connection.

I've been looking into this as well as we're going to try to reserve a wk at VGC next year. In principle you can, but there is the possibility that you could run into holes in your reservation as you walk b/c owners have been able to book before you. So the walking might be in vain.

You'll be holding that room & excluding other walkers or those trying to book that day at the 7 month window, but nothing is stopping an owner from booking the room going forward. I've decided walking at 7mo would be too irritating for me.

ETA if I'm wrong or have misunderstood, hopefully someone will come along and correct me

 

[nickcapp]

Here is my experience: I have just completed successfully walking a reservation at 7 months at the VGC this morning. As it turns out, had I not walked it, even at 7 months, I would not have been able to book my reservation and would have needed a prayer for a waitlist.

When I started this I noted two very specific things:

1. I would aim for my preferred dates, but would arrange my vacation around what I was able to secure. So if holes appeared or an 11-monther swooped in, I was prepared to use whatever dates I could.
2. I was only technically "blocking" 7 monthers at this point. This actually didn't even apply as almost immediately days become unavailable in the middle of the reservation.

It seemed like for most of these days, there were only ever 1 or 2 studios in play which made it stressful and always being at the ready at 8:00 AM. In the end, I got my preferred dates and I feel the extra work was worth it.

This is not like DisneyWorld where sometimes you need to "settle" for OKW or SSR. Its pretty much one and done so the extra work was well worth it here IMHO.

 

[crisi]

The problem with walking at seven months is that at any time, an owner could get ahead of you and grab the room you are walking towards. They may have done it months ago, but they can do it the day before you could walk into it.

 

[nickcapp]

Whats nice is now you can actually see what's available with the newish availability tool. So its not a blind walk. You can make a judgment call based on that. If you see holes in availability, there is no reason to even attempt.

I also find that someone with 11 month privilege probably already booked months ago.

 

[CMNJ]

Yes most probably have booked already but it still could happen-new owners close on contracts all the time plus people who rent out points might rent using home resort advantage right up until the 7 month window opens....and people's plans do change a lot (otherwise wait lists would never come through)

 

[drusba]

Whether walking can work at 7 months depends on circumstances. If you are trying to walk to a high demand time, it has little chance of working because resort owners will have you blocked, e.g., finding openings at 7 months out in the third week of Nov is not going to allow you to walk into Thanksgiving time. However, things like a one day walk may work despite the resort owner reservation risk, e.g., for a Saturday start date in mid-July, one of DVC's lowest demand times at WDW, you see a BWV standard view studio open for eight nights, Sat to the next Sunday, and what you actually want is the Sunday to the next Sunday. You reserve the Sat to Sat, leaving the need to walk only one night and you would call the next day and make the change. Chances are likely good an owner won't fill that one night that you need but you would have a high risk someone else would grab that room seconds before you could at exactly 7 months out for your Sun start date.

 

[wench]

I've also been able to successfully walk at VGC at the 7 month point. I have a week booked this coming April. I started the walk 4 or 5 days before my actual check in. I've also had good success with waitlists at VGC this year. I had 3 separate ones come through. They were all for only 1 day each though, so I'd recommend to definitely attempt the walk 1st & keep the waitlists, if needed, to the shortest timeframes you can.

Good luck!

 

[ustasmom]

So I understand that when walking at 11 months that I do not have to call every day to drop and add. Is that the same case for the 7 month walk or should I just err on the side of caution and call daily? I'm looking at September (not F&W) so it should be a low time.

 

[nickcapp]

You are better off doing the work and calling everyday even if it is a pain. Because as stated above, folks with 11 month privilege can book any time and could put a wrench in your plans. Your going to be competing with members and members renting points etc...especially during F&W.

 

[DebbieB]

I've done a form of walking at VGC at 7 months. I typically stay Sunday to Friday. I will book Friday to Friday and then cancel Friday & Saturday nights. That way I know I have it.

 

[hayesdvc]

I've done a form of walking at VGC at 7 months. I typically stay Sunday to Friday. I will book Friday to Friday and then cancel Friday & Saturday nights. That way I know I have it.

I do not understanding all the tips and tricks regarding walking ..................... so if you only want to stay Sunday to Friday, why would you book Friday to Friday? If Friday to Friday is available, Sunday to Friday would be available. I am assuming the Friday and Saturday you refer to cancelling are the first two days of your reservation. What am I missing?

 

[CMNJ]

I do not understanding all the tips and tricks regarding walking ..................... so if you only want to stay Sunday to Friday, why would you book Friday to Friday? If Friday to Friday is available, Sunday to Friday would be available. I am assuming the Friday and Saturday you refer to cancelling are the first two days of your reservation. What am I missing?

Sunday to Friday is avail now but if another member books Friday to Friday in the meantime you will be shut out-this applies to multiple rooms as well-any member who books starting on Friday and staying longer than 2 nights will block out a room when Sunday bookings open.

 

[hayesdvc]

Sunday to Friday is avail now but if another member books Friday to Friday in the meantime you will be shut out-this applies to multiple rooms as well-any member who books starting on Friday and staying longer than 2 nights will block out a room when Sunday bookings open.

So if you just make a confirmed reservation for days checking in on Sunday to checking out on Friday at the 11th month mark........... something can subsequently happen and you still might not get it?

 

[DebbieB]

I do not understanding all the tips and tricks regarding walking ..................... so if you only want to stay Sunday to Friday, why would you book Friday to Friday? If Friday to Friday is available, Sunday to Friday would be available. I am assuming the Friday and Saturday you refer to cancelling are the first two days of your reservation. What am I missing?

Someone could grab those nights before me if I wait until Sunday. You can book a max of 7 nights at 7 months, I am getting a 2 day advantage vs waiting until Sunday.

 

[hayesdvc]

Someone could grab those nights before me if I wait until Sunday. You can book a max of 7 nights at 7 months, I am getting a 2 day advantage vs waiting until Sunday.

The light just came on. So is this strategy only used at 7 months? In OP example, when can Friday and Saturday be cancelled without harming the needed Sunday to Friday (check out day)? Also, is the seven day max stay at the seven month mark (or closer to the reservation date) only a rule if you are booking away from your home resort?

 

[DebbieB]

The light just came on. So is this strategy only used at 7 months? In OP example, when can Friday and Saturday be cancelled without harming the needed Sunday to Friday (check out day)? Also, is the seven day max stay at the seven month mark (or closer to the reservation date) only a rule if you are booking away from your home resort?

7 nights max is for your non-home resort 7 month window (11 months for home resort). Once you are past the 7 nights, you can book as many nights as you want. I typically cancel Friday & Saturday on Monday, freeing it up for others. It only works if you have enough points to do it without borrowing. On my trip last August before D23, I could only get a 1 bedroom so I couldn't book extra nights and waited for Sunday's window at 8:00am (and got it).

 

[Sur]

I just wish Disneyland got onboard with FP+ as I don't like old school running around to get FPs for rides. Once they do, our family will be in the mix for obtaining those coveted VGC rooms again.

 

[ustasmom]

OK, another question. I'd like to do a split stay. Can I drop the first day and add the last day at another resort?

 

[wench]

I just wish Disneyland got onboard with FP+ as I don't like old school running around to get FPs for rides. Once they do, our family will be in the mix for obtaining those coveted VGC rooms again.

I'm a big fan of FP+ at WDW, even though a lot of people have been resistant to it. I too hated going back & forth all over the place at WDW to get the FP & wasting so much energy basically doing nothing. But having been back to DL a few times this year, I have to say I prefer the old paper FP there. Having 4 paper FPs at once & being able to get 10 or so for the day is amazing. And with the smaller square footage of the parks, plus the fact that you can hop parks so easily, I think it works so much better at DL. Add the intense crowd levels at DL this past year, some days that was the only way we could get on a rides without horrid wait times.

Now, if they'd implement FP+, but let you get like 10 a day, that would be another matter... Of course that's crazy talk, but it's nice to dream.