New Owner-help, please?

[LazyDanes]

We just bought into DVC while on our vacation last week. Yay! We're already planning a trip for next year to use our incentive points and I'm trying to understand the booking window. We want to stay in our home resort (AK) starting 1/15 and checking out 1/19. So can I book February 15th for the whole stay? I've seen posts where people are calling daily to add nights and am not sure what "walking" is. Any help is appreciated

 

[kristenrice]

Welcome!

First, I don't think you will need to "walk" your reservation for those days unless you want concierge. When you "walk" a reservation, you call 7 days BEFORE your 11-month window opens and book a 7- night stay that ENDS on the day you want to check in. You can book a maximum of 7 nights on the first day of your 11-month window. Then, each day after, you call back and drop the first night and add it to the end so that after 7 days, you now have the reservation you want.

Second, to book your reservation that begins January 15, 2012, you would call on February 15, 2011, assuming that you won't be "walking" it.

Welcome Home!!

 

[FindingFigment]

Welcome!

First, I don't think you will need to "walk" your reservation for those days unless you want concierge. When you "walk" a reservation, you call 7 days BEFORE your 11-month window opens and book a 7- night stay that ENDS on the day you want to check in. You can book a maximum of 7 nights on the first day of your 11-month window. Then, each day after, you call back and drop the first night and add it to the end so that after 7 days, you now have the reservation you want.
Welcome Home!!

I know some personalities find that to be too much work, but I could totally see myself doing this. But out of curiosity, how does MS act when you do that? Do they get irritated?

 

[Disneypubgal]

welcome home!

 

[LazyDanes]

Welcome!

First, I don't think you will need to "walk" your reservation for those days unless you want concierge. When you "walk" a reservation, you call 7 days BEFORE your 11-month window opens and book a 7- night stay that ENDS on the day you want to check in. You can book a maximum of 7 nights on the first day of your 11-month window. Then, each day after, you call back and drop the first night and add it to the end so that after 7 days, you now have the reservation you want.

Second, to book your reservation that begins January 15, 2012, you would call on February 15, 2011, assuming that you won't be "walking" it.

Welcome Home!!

Awesome! Thank you for the walking explanation- glad I'm not going to need to do that the first time around. I feel victorious just knowing when to call.

Thanks for all the welcomes! I know you guys understand how super excited I am.

 

[experiment818]

You are only allowed to book the first 7 nights of your stay if you are calling exactly at 11 months from your check in day. You would then call daily to add on each additional day if you are staying longer than 7 nights.

We often stay for 12 nights, so I have to do this.

I would think that this is a more common reason for calling daily than walking a reservation, but I could be wrong.

 

[LazyDanes]

We often stay for 12 nights, so I have to do this.

I would think that this is a more common reason for calling daily than walking a reservation, but I could be wrong.

That makes sense, too. 12 days would be fabulous-and so worth calling daily!

 

[castleri]

You are only allowed to book the first 7 nights of your stay if you are calling exactly at 11 months from your check in day. You would then call daily to add on each additional day if you are staying longer than 7 nights.

We often stay for 12 nights, so I have to do this.

I would think that this is a more common reason for calling daily than walking a reservation, but I could be wrong.

I do not think you need to call each day to add the nights as no one else can reserve the room you are in until your check out day. For example You could call on Dec 1 and make a reservation for Nov 1-8 (7 nights) then call back on Dec 6 and add the rest of your nights. You could even wait until Dec 7th.

 

[experiment818]

I do not think you need to call each day to add the nights as no one else can reserve the room you are in until your check out day. For example You could call on Dec 1 and make a reservation for Nov 1-8 (7 nights) then call back on Dec 6 and add the rest of your nights. You could even wait until Dec 7th.

You are correct that you don't NEED to call each day. You can wait until you are within 7 days of your checkout day and then book the rest.....but by then some of those nights could be unavailable.

With some resorts or room categories, this would not be a problem most times of the year. We own at AKV and if we are booking a value room or concierge room, I would certainly call every day to extend my stay and ensure that I get each night since there is a limited number of these rooms.