Legit Booking, or Cheating?

[dvcdisney]

Your point is taken about the home resort owners being able to mess up the walking, but I think you are missing my point.

Yes it isn't a sure thing, but I do think walking would increase the chances. That's all I'm saying. I keep reading people who say walking at 7 months doesn't increase your chances, and I can't help but think it's just people who don't like the practice discouraging it, without actually thinking about how it DOES increase your chances, even if it's only slightly.

I mean, mathematically, I don't see how anyone can argue that walking at any time, even 7 months wouldn't INCREASE your chances of getting what you want, even if there are possibilities for it to get messed up.

To go even further, if this is true that MS could look ahead and tell you what's booked for the next day or even week, then you could really make this work for you, because the odds of a home resident booking at the end of the home resort window aren't as high as at the beginning, I would think.

I agree that this isn't the easiest, or even most honorable way of doing things, but for those of us who don't have the money to buy at multiple resorts, and who would like to do what we can to try and get a special vacation every so often, I think it's a good way of improving your odds. Especially because, as another person posted, others won't think of doing it.

Got it! And I agree with the fact that it would increase your chances. But I guess it would be a personal choice whether the percentage of chance is worth it. And if that's enough, then go for it!

Just wanted to be clear: I absolutely do not want to discourage you from doing it. If you want to invest your time and effort, then you should.

By the way, I do find that some MS will look ahead for you, but some refuse to.

And I do understand that when a reservation is difficult to reserve and you NEED to book it, then you will try anything to get it. I agree: Vacations are very important.

However, I still believe that the whole purpose of "walking" is to ensure that other members do not get your room. And this assurance is only available at 11 mths prior.

Good Luck.

 

[5forDiz]

............I bought into DVC and I am not going to let someone else get and advantage over the rooms that I want because they are not calling at the same time as me.

Nice.......welcome to the family btw.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

One of the major flaws in the new system, which also encourages walking is the fact that YOUR ROOM MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE EVEN IF YOU CALL THE MINUTE YOUR 11 MONTH WINDOW OPENS.

You see, if six families book AKV concierge for seven nights, than you call three days later exactly 11 months prior to check-in, your room will not be available.
This is not your fault, as you tried at the second MS opened exactly 11 months ahead.

That's simply unfair, and is a darn good reason to walk.
The old booking method, while it did encourage calling day by day, did not have this unfairness built into the system.

MG

 

[88golf88]

Nice.......welcome to the family btw.

Thanks, we appreciate it and are thrilled!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

One of the major flaws in the new system, which also encourages walking is the fact that YOUR ROOM MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE EVEN IF YOU CALL THE MINUTE YOUR 11 MONTH WINDOW OPENS.

You see, if six families book AKV concierge for seven nights, than you call three days later exactly 11 months prior to check-in, your room will not be available.
This is not your fault, as you tried at the second MS opened exactly 11 months ahead.

That's simply unfair, and is a darn good reason to walk.
The old booking method, while it did encourage calling day by day, did not have this unfairness built into the system.

MG

I totally agree, MG. I think the new method is also a way to discourage frequent renters since they may need to make more frequent calls to get the days their renter wants if they want those busy times.

 

[Starr W.]

I've nabbed Grand Villas at SSR for Thanksgiving 2 yrs in a row with just one call at 11 months.

I've been lucky at Easter with VB 2brs(rather small # of units) with one call at 11 months.

I personally hated the DBD stuff, especially when you were staying a week and had to make that many calls.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I personally hated the DBD stuff, especially when you were staying a week and had to make that many calls.

Just like nobody is forced to walk a reservation, nobody was ever forced to book day by day.

MG

 

[Starr W.]

Just like nobody is forced to walk a reservation, nobody was ever forced to book day by day.

MG

I tried it once and it was a PITA, and I stopped. And you know what, I've gotten every reservation(room type and resort) without doing DBD or walking a reservation.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Your point is taken about the home resort owners being able to mess up the walking, but I think you are missing my point.

Yes it isn't a sure thing, but I do think walking would increase the chances. That's all I'm saying. I keep reading people who say walking at 7 months doesn't increase your chances, and I can't help but think it's just people who don't like the practice discouraging it, without actually thinking about how it DOES increase your chances, even if it's only slightly.

I mean, mathematically, I don't see how anyone can argue that walking at any time, even 7 months wouldn't INCREASE your chances of getting what you want, even if there are possibilities for it to get messed up.

I have to disagree that walking at 7 months will increase your chances of the reservation. Mathematically and system wise walking works because you have an exclusive hold on a room and that can only happen if you get the first day of your reservation at 11 months. You might be successfully walking a reservation at 7 months and then get to the day you really want the reservation to start and WHAM - no availability b/c all home resort bookers have taken those rooms prior to 7 months. Then you've walked for nothing and nothing about your having walked the reservation will change that. Even after getting the initial day your reservation could be interrupted due to an unavailable day. Or if you want a stay longer than 7 days at 7 months you will always be in jeopardy until you have secured all days.

Also, AFAIK MS shouldn't be looking ahead for you outside of a booking window you are actually able to secure at 7 months at a resort you don't own at.

There is one "walking" that will work at 7 months. If you are planning on a stay of less then 7 days then calling on the first day you could book up to 7 days that includes all of your stay could give you an advantage. Then canceling the first few days that you didn't need when the 7 months window allows.

And personally I don't think walking is "cheating". It's just not going to work at 7 months. It's just as good to call at the opening of MS for your check-in day and have back up plans and waitlist if necessary.

I do think that the situations where walking is needed at 11 months are fairly rare. I for one wasn't able to secure my desired room at 11 months for next Dec. but was able to get what was suspected to be a reservation that would need walking. It obviously didn't because I booked it 48 hours after the window had opened after I stopped trying for the other.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I tried it once and it was a PITA, and I stopped. And you know what, I've gotten every reservation(room type and resort) without doing DBD or walking a reservation.

Excellent. It will work most of the time without walking as long as you're going for a regular type ressie.
That said, a VB cottage, AKV concierge, VGC grand villa, and other specialty ressies may not be so easy.

MG

 

[pixie921]

One of the major flaws in the new system, which also encourages walking is the fact that YOUR ROOM MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE EVEN IF YOU CALL THE MINUTE YOUR 11 MONTH WINDOW OPENS.

You see, if six families book AKV concierge for seven nights, than you call three days later exactly 11 months prior to check-in, your room will not be available.
This is not your fault, as you tried at the second MS opened exactly 11 months ahead.

That's simply unfair, and is a darn good reason to walk.
The old booking method, while it did encourage calling day by day, did not have this unfairness built into the system.

MG

YES! I agree with this wholeheartedly, and it baffles me that DVC management can't wrap their brains around it.

I'm sure lots of members never even thought of booking day-by-day, even when it was available. And even if the system reverted back to the previous FAIRER way of booking, if people really wanted to only make one call because day-by-day is too "inconvenient", nothing would be stopping them. At least the playing field would be level.

 

[dclfun]

Yes, it is frustrating but I am one who would not want to have to call every day to book my trip. Are there certain times of the year when walking is impacting true vacations, yes, and maybe there is something that DVC can do, if they want to suspend the practice, during these busy times.

But as a whole, I like being able to call and book my entire 7 nights in one shot.

I do agree, though, about the confirmations and how much the cost is to do this. At least, they are going to email for that which will save some.

If you are walking a ressie or trying to get a ressie during a timeframe when other members are "walking", thus affecting YOUR availability, then you'll be calling every day.---Kathy

 

[JenSop]

Just remember that it is RARE that you have to walk reservations. Really.

The only time I'm ever planning on it is for a Grand Villa. That's it. For example, we stayed in an AKV value studio this past summer (more of a rare room type) and were able to get the whole reservation in one phone call three days into my 11 month window.

Seriously, walking is NOT something that should be done all the time.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Just remember that it is RARE that you have to walk reservations. Really.

The only time I'm ever planning on it is for a Grand Villa. That's it. For example, we stayed in an AKV value studio this past summer (more of a rare room type) and were able to get the whole reservation in one phone call three days into my 11 month window.

Seriously, walking is NOT something that should be done all the time.

Well... That really depends where you want to stay most of the time.
I don't think an AKV value is the toughest ressie to get, but I have little knowledge about that one.

MG

 

[billsfan]

I think I understand "walking a reservation" and if DVC wanted to stop this I believe they could just have a stipulation that no changes could be made to a booking within 7 days of that booking. Example: If January 22 was your 11 month mark and you booked for Dec 22 to Dec 29 you couldn't do any changes to this reservation until Jan 30.

 

[dismedvc]

I deleted my reply here, since it seemed so off topic and started a new thread

 

[dclfun]

I think I understand "walking a reservation" and if DVC wanted to stop this I believe they could just have a stipulation that no changes could be made to a booking within 7 days of that booking. Example: If January 22 was your 11 month mark and you booked for Dec 22 to Dec 29 you couldn't do any changes to this reservation until Jan 30.

I actually like this suggestion best. This way there are no fines to be levied and people would book what they actually wanted. I had issues this year with booking an AKLV concierge studio for December. I called at exactly 11 months and 7 days out and exactly at 9 am. Day 1 of my ressie wasn't available. I was encouraged to call the next day and book starting with Day 2 and then waitlist Day 1- but there was no guarantee I'd get anything the following day if enough people walked their ressies forward by another day, thus booking up every room for *my* Day 2.. I could not book a different room type and get all 7 days as that would be considered two separate reservations. The MS CM admitted that the whole availability issue was likely due to someone walking their booking. Now what if I hadn't been able to call the next day? If I wasn't lucky enough for it to be my day off work I'd have lost my entire desired resort and room type just because someone else decided to manipulate the system to their advantage but never really wanted my Day 1 to start with. I'd rather a level playing field where games aren't played. ---Kathy

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I actually like this suggestion best. This way there are no fines to be levied and people would book what they actually wanted. I had issues this year with booking an AKLV concierge studio for December. I called at exactly 11 months and 7 days out and exactly at 9 am. Day 1 of my ressie wasn't available. I was encouraged to call the next day and book starting with Day 2 and then waitlist Day 1- but there was no guarantee I'd get anything the following day if enough people walked their ressies forward by another day, thus booking up every room for *my* Day 2.. I could not book a different room type and get all 7 days as that would be considered two separate reservations. The MS CM admitted that the whole availability issue was likely due to someone walking their booking. Now what if I hadn't been able to call the next day? If I wasn't lucky enough for it to be my day off work I'd have lost my entire desired resort and room type just because someone else decided to manipulate the system to their advantage but never really wanted my Day 1 to start with. I'd rather a level playing field where games aren't played. ---Kathy

-- You can't book 11 months and 7 days ahead of check-in. 11 months is the max.

-- Not sure why you assume day 1 wasn't available because of someone walking??

-- Not being able to change a ressie for 7 days after booking really doesn't do much (depending on how many points you have). It could stop a Member from taking a vacation that is longer than 7 days.

MG

 

[Fractal514]

I have to disagree that walking at 7 months will increase your chances of the reservation. Mathematically and system wise walking works because you have an exclusive hold on a room and that can only happen if you get the first day of your reservation at 11 months. You might be successfully walking a reservation at 7 months and then get to the day you really want the reservation to start and WHAM - no availability b/c all home resort bookers have taken those rooms prior to 7 months. Then you've walked for nothing and nothing about your having walked the reservation will change that. Even after getting the initial day your reservation could be interrupted due to an unavailable day. Or if you want a stay longer than 7 days at 7 months you will always be in jeopardy until you have secured all days.

You are Missing my point. I know I cannot get in ahead of the home resorters, of course. But I do think that it gives an advantage over the other non home resorters. I'm not suggesting that the walking is sure fire, but that it does increase chances of getting what you want.

You keep reducing this argument to only being about the sure fire thing, and it isn't, it's about the chances. I think that there are numerous ways in which walking at the 7 month mark could prove beneficial.

 

[Chuck S]

You are Missing my point. I know I cannot get in ahead of the home resorters, of course. But I do think that it gives an advantage over the other non home resorters. I'm not suggesting that the walking is sure fire, but that it does increase chances of getting what you want.

You keep reducing this argument to only being about the sure fire thing, and it isn't, it's about the chances. I think that there are numerous ways in which walking at the 7 month mark could prove beneficial.

Not really. Say you want to reserve July 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 at 7 months via walking.

You call December 27, and reserve June 27, 28, 29, 30, July 1, 2, 3. You call December 28, but July 4 is already gone. You then can not call December 29 to add July 5, as it is then not a continuous reservation...you'd have to wait until January 5th to call and book July 5, 6, and 7. So there was no advantage to walking. The first "not available" day you hit ends your walking strategy. It just isn't much of a strategy to try to walk at 7 months.