Just Hanging Out on Hold With Member Services...

[kristenrice]

I went online at 8am to get myself on a 5-day waitlist at BWV (the first night isn't available, but the last 4 are) for our 7-night October trip. I currently have (4) separate reservations...
...October 15 & 16 in a standard studio at AKV-J (this is currently unavailable so I don't want to lose it...yet)
...October 20 & 21 in a 1BR Value at AKV...
...October 15 in a 1BR Value at AKV...

Since I have to book at 7 months (using AKV and HHI points) and the rest of the family is already booked for the week at BWV, we are trying to maximize our time at BWV. So, my plan is to go online tomorrow and try to snag the 4 nights (Sun-Th) that are currently available. Then I would CANCEL the studio reservation and waitlist just the first night at BWV with the AKV 1BR as my confirmed back up.

Here's where I need MS help...I had to set up the 5-night waitlist to cancel the studio reservation, but if it fills (before tomorrow...not likely), I would ALSO need to cancel the 1 night 1BR reservation at AKV.

The reason I am keeping the 2-night studio reservation (for now) is if I can't get those 4 nights at BWV tomorrow, the next plan will be to book the last 5 nights in a 1BR LV at BLT (which is currently showing completely available). If that's the case, then all of the nights I have in the value 1BR would be cancelled.

Ugh...this is so stressful! I really want to stay with the family for what will probably be our last trip with the grandparents...but BWV in October is a long-shot. It was a bucket-list reservation for my parents so I am SO glad that I was able to get it for them, but the magic will be a little tarnished if we can't all stay together.

 

[n2mm]

I know you've been working on this for sometime now. All I can say is I hope you get a good CM at MS to help you. Trying to get BWV in October is probably the worse scenario you could possibly have. Though you already knew this in advance. I hope the family appreciates all of the work you have put into this. Hope you get the pixie dust you need. As for the BWV reservation, is that a 1 bedroom or studio? 1 bedrooms are a little easier to get. I'm sure you're looking at garden view. I'm just trying to snag a 1 bedroom for 2 nights prior to a cruise. I managed the first night, but can't waitlist until tomorrow for the second night @ BCV. It's not a big deal for us, since it's only 2 nights, we just thought we would try. Good luck.

 

[kristenrice]

I know you've been working on this for sometime now. All I can say is I hope you get a good CM at MS to help you. Trying to get BWV in October is probably the worse scenario you could possibly have. Though you already knew this in advance. I hope the family appreciates all of the work you have put into this. Hope you get the pixie dust you need. As for the BWV reservation, is that a 1 bedroom or studio? 1 bedrooms are a little easier to get. I'm sure you're looking at garden view. I'm just trying to snag a 1 bedroom for 2 nights prior to a cruise. I managed the first night, but can't waitlist until tomorrow for the second night @ BCV. It's not a big deal for us, since it's only 2 nights, we just thought we would try. Good luck.

Yes, we want a 1BR for sure! And I've rearranged our points/plans to allow for the preferred view category to maximize our chances.

I did get a great CM (Bree) and she completely understood what I was trying to accomplish. Ideally, we want to end up with our first 5 nights at BWV and our last 2 at AKV. She said, "Why don't I set you up right now on a 1-night waitlist for that Saturday?" That way, on the chance that I can snag the next 4 tomorrow (not likely since I have to work 5am-11am), then I can cancel the 5-day WL without losing my spot on the 1-night waitlist.

So now, tomorrow...if I can get those 4 nights, I will leave the 1-night waitlisted and be happy to split our stay in three segments. We'd arrive to our "home" at AKV, move to BWV with the rest of the family, and then return "home" for two nights before returning home. If I can't get those 4 nights, I have a decision to make...

...On Thursday morning, I can (pending availablility) drop all my waitlists and cancel my 1BR's at AKV so that I can book our last 5 nights at BLT in a LV 1BR. This would put us at AKV in a studio for our first two nights and then BLT for the rest of the trip. It's not ideal, but in the interest of making lemonade out of lemons, it would give our group another "home base" within walking distance of a park. If the rest of the group wants to come to TOTWL one night, it would be very easy for them to get back to the BWV by simply walking to the MK bus depot. If they want a break from the MK, we could go to our room and eat or rest. If we decide to do the Halloween party, it will be easy for my sister's kids to change into their costumes in our room rather than go all the way back to the BWV (or worse, have to carry it all around with them!). With the others at the BWV, the same would hold true for their room when we are all visiting Epcot or the Studios.

 

[n2mm]

So were you successful today?

 

[kristenrice]

So were you successful today?

YES!!! ...well, sort of...

This morning, I was at work (on the ambulance) and I was all ready to go online on my phone at 8am. Well, as luck would have it, there was a car accident at 7:45am. I was finally available to go online at 8:45 and I was surprised to see that the 16th was still available....but the 19th wasn't. I grabbed those three nights before I had to take my next call and I wasn't able to get back online until I got home at noon.

I knew that I needed to secure a room for Wednesday night since that was the only night I did not have a confirmed reservation. I saw that the 1BR Value was still available at AKV so that was the plan. I called MS, intending to cancel my 2-night studio stay and use the points to book a 1BR value at AKV for Wednesday night. This was the final plan...

Saturday: 1BR Value at AKV
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: 1BR preferred at BWV
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 1BR Value at AKV

It wasn't ideal, but I plan to keep my WL for the preferred 1BR at BWV for Saturday which, if a miracle happens, would leave us with a 4/3 split AND I wouldn't have to be in a studio. As we were on the phone, the CM says, "Well, I just had a 1BR standard view open up at BWV for Saturday night if you want that"...

...um.....YEAH!!! GRAB IT!!!

So now, we are at BWV for the first 4 nights and AKV for the last three. I'm still holding on to that waitlist so that I don't have to switch rooms, but at least now I don't have to switch RESORTS. On the 19th, I am going to get on the WL for the preferred 1BR so that we have a chance of 5 nights at BVW. Looking at the availability tracker today, there IS a standard 1BR open right now on that night so I might just grab it...but that is a LOT of room switching if the waitlists do not fill...but it would put us at the BW...decisions, decisions...

 

[n2mm]

Glad it's coming together. I know, there is alot of movement today. I just needed the 15th and 16th before a cruise. We got BCV 1 bedroom for the 15th, but had to waitlist for the 16th. If it doesn't come through after about a week, I'll let it go and book AKV. I just thought I would give the W/L for the 1 night a shot as things are moving this week. It's not a big deal for us, it's because the kids don't have park tickets so thought they might want to hang at SAB for those days.

 

[kristenrice]

Good luck! I am REALLY hoping that at least that Saturday night W/L comes through. I like split-stays, but prefer 5/2...but 4/3 will work too. I love AKV and it is really hard to take a trip to WDW without staying there...it just really feels like "home". Now, we can hang out with the rest of the family at the BWV for the first part of the trip and then break off on our own once we are sick of all the bonding.....

 

[disfanforlife]

That's great! BWV is one of my home resorts so I have a ressie there for November but not enough points for all the nights. I have one night booked at Kidani, but hoping I will be able change that in a few weeks when my 7 month window opens up too!

 

[kristenrice]

UPDATE!!!

I was able to buy 2 OTU points and apply them to my existing 3-night reservation at BWV. This allowed me to free up 2 current UY points so that *if* my waitlists both filled, I would have enough points without borrowing. My account currently has 13 current (2016) UY points available. I have Saturday night in a standard 1BR at BWV (P/G 1BR is waitlisted so we don't have to move)...Sun-Tue nights at BWV in a P/G 1BR...Wed-Fri in a 1BR value at AKV with Wednesday night waitlisted at BWV P/G 1BR.

Of course, I've been checking, but with little hope that any movement would happen this soon....BUT IT DID!! I got an e-mail today and checked my reservations and sure enough, my waitlist for Saturday night came through. This means we have 4 nights in the same room at BWV and 3 nights at AKV. This is awesome. If the Wednesday night waitlist doesn't come through, I will be perfectly content being "forced" to spend three nights at my favorite resort.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm happy for you!