Please share your "stalking" experience

[schoen]

I have been doing this DVC thing for a long time. My family bought into OKW in the early nineties and they have plenty of points there, but we like to try different resorts. Our favorite is BCV, so that tends to be our "go to". In the past we have always had pretty good luck with switching resorts at 7 months or if we could not book at seven months we have always had waitlists come through. Until our vacation last fall. I booked at OKW and set up my week-long waitlist right at seven months and it never came through. This was fine, and is always fine we LOVE OKW, we just also love BCV.

It became clear to me that the game has changed a bit with the introduction of online booking. I was so so so happy to get a one-bedroom at BCV for November 14-22nd last week. We are arriving on the 13th though! We currently have nothing booked, and a waitlist set up for that night, but we are resolved to be reservation stalkers.

I am curious about other people's experience with this process? How long did it take you to get what you want? How often did you check? Has anyone stalked and stalked only to have the waitlist work?

I am pretty optimistic about our chances of getting this night, although I know it will be tough as it is the last Friday during food and wine. We will either book a studio elsewhere or a cash room at BC or YC for that night as a back up, but I REALLY hate switching rooms.

 

[cvjw]

I have filled my own waitlists too many times to remember. My advice is to check the availability tool multiple times per day, every single day. Availability can fluctuate hourly.

Just one example. We decided after Thanksgiving last year to try for a disney trip Disney 18th - 22nd of 2014. When I first started checking, there was literally zero availability anywhere - not even at Saratoga. Thru stalking the availability tool, I reserved us a 2 bedroom at SSR for all four nights. I could have also booked BLT, OKW or GFV. It was amazing to watch how availability changed. Some days there were no changes, and some days, villas opened up like crazy!

Good luck!

 

[SpaceMountain77]

The DVC member website can be as much of a time suck as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other forms of social media. Yes, availability does change, but how much time do you want to invest in your availability checks?

Our last 9 single-night waitlist requests have all come through. Moreover, 2 were confirmed in a 24-hour period.

There is certainly no harm in checking the website, but, I fear, at times it can become a compulsion.

 

[jekjones1558]

In the past year we have had waitlists for guests at BWV who decided at about 7 months out to join us. Neither came through. One was for May, 2014 and one was for March, 2015. Both were for BWV 1 bedrooms for 1 night. 1 bedrooms are usually the easiest to get but BW view is tough most times of the year. I stalked multiple times per day for all 7 months and up until checkin.

 

[schoen]

The DVC member website can be as much of a time suck as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other forms of social media. Yes, availability does change, but how much time do you want to invest in your availability checks?

Our last 9 single-night waitlist requests have all come through. Moreover, 2 were confirmed in a 24-hour period.

There is certainly no harm in checking the website, but, I fear, at times it can become a compulsion.

This is just true! My husband and I have both been checking several times a day! A total time suck!

We have gotten "impossible" waitlists the past. In 2012 we had booked a night in a studio at BWV before a cruise, but wanted BCV. It was October, and I checked every few days to see if the waitlist came through, and eventually I just gave up on it. When we went to check in at BWV they did not have any record of our reservation! I freaked out, but asked if they could check BCV, and sure enough, the waitlist came through with no email notification!

My fingers are crossed on this one. It would not be the end of the world to stay in a different room, I just hate moving!

 

[DebbieB]

I pulled together a 5 night stay at BWV studio (garden view) for the second week of November about 2 months out by stalking. Originally, no nights were available. Nights 3, 4, 5 became available pretty fast (Tues, Wed, Thurs), I booked and changed the waitlist. Then night 2 became available (Monday, Veterans Day). Then night 1 became available on the waitlist about 28 days out. So I had 3 reservations, member services automatically merged them when night 1 became available.

 

[SwimChicSQ]

I got BLT Lake View studio for 3 nights 3 months out stalking over a two week period that was worth it in my book; my waitlist never got filled by member services but I got what I wanted and thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

[prncssjas]

I have had both experiences in the past. Many years ago, a simple wait-list worked for us at the BWV in a one-bedroom. A few times in fact. Now, I have resorted to stalking and it worked for me last year at the BCV. I think it does depend and of course, how much time you have to spend stalking. Fortunately, I enjoy it and don't mind doing it if I have time.

 

[mdsd8700]

In the past I have not really needed to stalk. I have put in a WL several times and had very good luck with it but okay with what we had if the WL didn't come through. We had been wanting to plan a trip to CA and DLR for the 60th, but by the time we knew our dates we were 5 months from the trip. It is only two nights at DLR but went on the WL for VGC never expecting to come through since we were so late getting on the list added to the fact there are so few rooms. So I begun to stalk the site for VGC availability I have secured 1 of the 2 nights this way. On the WL for the 2nd night but continue to stalk whenever I have the time. Still not so sure that I am going to be lucky enough to snag the second night but going to keep trying.

 

[Shikedants]

You're not really jumping ahead of any queue that is already in place within the DVC system for any particular room, are you? Assuming that the answer is yes, then why wouldn't one just create a wait list request. I guess I'm not seeing the benefit of stalking. I see one's options as 1. create the reservation if there is availability, or 2. create a wait list request.

 

[davidl81]

It depends on if you are only stalking your wait list reservation, or are you looking at other options? We had a grand villa reserved at SSR this Memorial Day week, but had a wait list for AKV GV. I would check almost every day if some rooms opened up on the RAT, but always looking at all GVs. About 3 weeks ago I checked and all of a sudden BLT lake view opened up for that full week. We switched over ASAP and canceled our wait list.

I guess the point is if you only want to stay at BCV then stalking has very minor benefits, but if you are open to trying BLT or some other resort then stalk away.

 

[canadiandisneymommy]

I put in a wait list 2 days ago for a studio room for Nov. 12-14 (2 nights) at AKL at either Jambo or Kidani, thinking it would be an easier resort to get into. I checked the website about 4 times yesterday and saw nothing. Then this afternoon, I saw one of my nights open up for a studio at the Poly so I booked it and went to wait list my other night at the Poly. When I "searched" my night, preparing to wait list it, it suddenly was available for booking! So I booked it and called MS to merge the two reservations that I made 5 minutes apart. Not sure how that happened but I'm counting my lucky stars.