Question About Waitlisting

[EdnaMode]

Good Morning!
I am looking to switch to a non- home resort for the first time... we just love OKW and usually just stay there, but we wanted to see if we could try someplace new.

So, I went online and where we want is not available. We would like BLT or BWV, so I waitlisted them, but I am not sure if I did it the best way, so I defer to all of you who are more experienced.

I waitlisted my whole trip for a theme park view at BLT, would it be better to do a standard or lake view? and & 7 days out not 31?

I also waitlisted BWV for the whole trip for 31 days prior. Since we will be going during Food and Wine,I know BWV may be too difficult to get so should I just scrap that one and try for 2 different room types at BLT??

I did this all online since member services is not open yet, so should I call at 9 exactly to see if they have anything?

Thank you so much for your help.
KC

 

[CarolMN]

Good Morning!
I am looking to switch to a non- home resort for the first time... we just love OKW and usually just stay there, but we wanted to see if we could try someplace new.

So, I went online and where we want is not available. We would like BLT or BWV, so I waitlisted them, but I am not sure if I did it the best way, so I defer to all of you who are more experienced.

I waitlisted my whole trip for a theme park view at BLT, would it be better to do a standard or lake view? and & 7 days out not 31?

There are far more lake view rooms than theme park views. So if the view matters less than the location, consider changing your BLT waitlist to lake view.

Assuming you have a back up reservation in place (sounds like you do at OKW), there is no harm in continuing your waitlist to 7 days. That's because the BLT reservation will take more points than does the OKW reservation (I am assuming you waitlisted for the same size villa that you now have at OKW). If the waitlist comes through 30 days or less prior to arrival, the OKW reservation is cancelled and the returned points go into holding. But that's not a problem because they will all be needed for the BLT reservation. (If your back up reservation took more points, you would be left with points in holding, which have restrictions and can be difficult to use. That's why most waitlists will expire at 30 days, instead of 7). As far as the BWV waitlist goes, you didn't say which view you waitlisted for, so look at the point cost of the two reservations to see if you can safely go to 7 days or not.

I also waitlisted BWV for the whole trip for 31 days prior. Since we will be going during Food and Wine,I know BWV may be too difficult to get so should I just scrap that one and try for 2 different room types at BLT??

Up to you. Do you want to stay at BLT more than BWV? If so, you could waitlist theme park view and lake view at BLT if you cancelled the BWV waitlist.

The Pool/Garden category at BWV has the largest number of rooms. Chances of a waitlist coming through for standard view or Boardwalk view are considerably less than for a Pool/Garden view.

I did this all online since member services is not open yet, so should I call at 9 exactly to see if they have anything?

Thank you so much for your help.
KC

MS sees the same inventory that members do online.

Are you willing to risk a move in the middle of your stay? If so (and if you have some points you can play with without borrowing), a good strategy is to reserve the days of your stay that are available and waitlist the rest. You'd need to pick a resort unless you have a LOT of extra points, LOL. Shorter waitlists are more likely to work than are longer ones. Plus you can keep an eye on the online system and book nights you still need if they become available. Sometimes nights appear in the inventory a short time before they get grabbed by the waitlist program. You could get lucky. If you do this, after all the nights are booked, you should call MS and ask to have all the separate reservations combined into one reservation. That way you won't have to change rooms.

Do be careful when booking in stages like described above - all of the nights must be from the exact same booking category or you will have to change rooms. (MS can't combine reservations for different booking categories). BWV has three booking categories for each size villa (except Grand Villas which are all Boardwalk view) and BLT also has 3 categories for each size (BLT GVs can be either theme park or lake view).

Good luck!

 

[abdgeek]

You did fine. The availability that you see online at MS is what they see also. When I wait list, I always do for 7 days out. Usually at 30 days is when I decide if I will keep it. At the 31 day mark is when DVC members get a penalty for canceling(I think). BLT has 20 percent of their rooms with standard views, 60 percent with lake views and 20 percent with theme park views. Although anything is possible, I wouldn't count on getting BLT or BWV during F&W. I wait listed at BLT last year for a standard view and couldn't get it. I own there but hadn't left enough points for a lake view, only standard view. When I couldn't get it, I went to plan B(SS and then switched at AKL). I stayed at AKL which was fine. You'll have fun no matter where you stay.

 

[EdnaMode]

Thanks. I decided to waitlist BLT both lake and standard views because we really are ok with staying at OKW, so if we get it then great, if not then great still because we are in disney during F&W...

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks. I decided to waitlist BLT both lake and standard views because we really are ok with staying at OKW, so if we get it then great, if not then great still because we are in disney during F&W...

If you would consider a split stay, you can always watch the website and if some of the days open up on the front end or back end of the trip, you can call MS and have them change it and then adjust the waitlist. I had a trip that I ended up,doing this for and between booking a few nights and the wait list, I ended up with what I wanted.

Good luck!