No Availabitly, where should I waitlist?

[rickwelch49525]

Hiya! We decided this week we wanted to get back to Disney for a trip before Christmas. However, when we called yesterday, we were told there was nothing available December 16-21. She suggested we call back or wait list.

I then went to the Disney website to look at what hotels there might be free and pay for something at POFQ. I found it interesting that SSR and BWR both had availability in their villas. Do they keep some free for paying guests?

If we decide to waitlist, where should we do it? I wouldn't care where we would get, would like to just be on a general list for any villa. Does anyone have any suggestions about the best way to proceed?

Ric

 

[bobbiwoz]

Disney has some rooms, and owners may have traded out points, so there are different inventories, and apparently the "for point" room have been sold out for your time period. I'm sure someone will come and explain it better, because this is a topic that often comes up, and others have a better handle on the reasons than I do.

However, I would waitlist as soon as I can for either SSR or OKW, the two largest resorts, and at OKW I would go for the non HH rooms because there are more of them. What size villa do you want?

I hope you get something!

Was nothing available for any of the days at all? It would limit you to one resort but if there's a resort that has 3 consecutive days of the week, that's the one I would go with and use my 2 waitlists for days around the ones available.

 

[zev]

I think best odds are at SSR. I would also call again, and maybe even again since SSR is not "fully" booked although DVC allotment might be.

 

[dzorn]

Hiya! We decided this week we wanted to get back to Disney for a trip before Christmas. However, when we called yesterday, we were told there was nothing available December 16-21. She suggested we call back or wait list.

I then went to the Disney website to look at what hotels there might be free and pay for something at POFQ. I found it interesting that SSR and BWR both had availability in their villas. Do they keep some free for paying guests?

If we decide to waitlist, where should we do it? I wouldn't care where we would get, would like to just be on a general list for any villa. Does anyone have any suggestions about the best way to proceed?

Ric

The best way to proceed is to book a room on cash through CRO. You could try waitlisting SSR but the odds are not very good.

Denise in MI

 

[Anal Annie]

Personally, at this late date I would want to KNOW I had a place to stay so I would call back & see what's available for the DVC member cash discount and just pay cash this time. It's awfully close at this point & I would want to firm up my plans.

I agree with another poster tho who said if you decide to waitlist do it at a larger resort like SSR or OKW....

 

[n2mm]

If you're an AP holders, there was lots of availability. We were thinking of putting a long weekend together and there's not much avail with DVC, so you either have to be willing to do a split stay, or as suggested, book what you can and WL for the rest and book cash rooms as a backup. Keep in mind that if you change your DVC reservation you are within the 31 days soon and points would go into holding if you cancel or end up with extra points. If we decide to do the long weekend, we most likely will book AP rooms since nearly every resort was available when I checked (this AM). With a room only reservation you have 6 days prior to cancel without penalty (not a package). The first few weeks of December are very popular and when we've gone during this time, booking your home at the 11 months is a necessity. Last minute trips are sometimes doeable, but not holidays, Oct or early December. Good luck. Keep in mind people cancel all of the time. I would WL for SSR and OKW.

 

[rickwelch49525]

Thanks for all of the information. We knew it might be a longshot to get in, but you never know. I think I will waitlist OKW and SSR and do a regular reservation somewhere. We have AP, so maybe we can get a discount. We also have a friend who works there and maybe she can get us a discount. I appreciate all of the replies. I knew people here would help me out and clarify things!

Ric

 

[Judique]

Thanks for all of the information. We knew it might be a longshot to get in, but you never know. I think I will waitlist OKW and SSR and do a regular reservation somewhere. We have AP, so maybe we can get a discount. We also have a friend who works there and maybe she can get us a discount. I appreciate all of the replies. I knew people here would help me out and clarify things!

Ric

There are special offers that you can book on line for your dates. BWV had availability for your dates at 35% off through CRO.

 

[sweetdana]

I'd book 25% off FQ. If you wanted to waitlist, I would do the first 3 days at both SSR and at OKW, and if that comes through then add more days. The whole week will likely not open up, but you might luck out with part of it.

 

[Sandisw]

Keep calling as well. I was able to put together a trip from December 15th to the 20th today.

I got 2 nights at AKV, Savannah view studio and then 3 nights at SSR--two on points and one on a member discount for cash.

I couldn't believe that anything was available at all. We put in a wait list to see if we could make it 3 nights at AKV (reservation is for my son and his girlfriend who has never been--she is from Taiwan).

Good luck!

 

[chalee94]

I then went to the Disney website to look at what hotels there might be free and pay for something at POFQ. I found it interesting that SSR and BWR both had availability in their villas. Do they keep some free for paying guests?

they don't just keep some free. some of those cash rooms represent the points owned by DVC, which is free to rent their pts out for cash.

some of the cash rooms also represent points used by DVCers to trade out for cruises or non-DVC resorts like the poly. in order to pay for the trade, DVC has to rent their pts for cash.

some of the cash rooms might represent breakage inventory as anything left unbooked at 60 days out can be offered for cash reservations to offset dues. but since december is THE peak period for DVC bookings, i doubt that there was any breakage inventory at any of the resorts. (this is the category that would be possible to pull back into points inventory, if it were the case.)

 

[LargoLori]

I waitlisted the middle of October for Dec 29th through Jan 1st at VWL or BLT. The VWL just came through today.

 

[tjkraz]

Best chances for waitlist would be SSR plus either OKW or AKV Kidani Savannah View. Even though it's only about 6 weeks out, honestly I'll be surprised if you don't get something. But book a cash room now to be save. Can always cancel if the waitlist comes through.

Another approach to consider is a split stay. When you ask about 12/16 - 12/21, the rep is looking for something that matches the entire sequence of dates. If you aren't opposed to a split stay, see if you can get at least 2 or 3 nights in a row at a DVC resort, then book the rest of the trip at the cash resort and waitlist for those dates. Much easier to get 2 nights off the waitlist rather than 5.

 

[rickwelch49525]

Thanks for all of the responses. After calling daily, we have 3 nights at SSR, 1 at OKW and 1 night on waitlist at both resorts. All of your responses helped! I knew that everyone here would help me. Thanks again!

Ric