Should have started walking my reservation early...

[Buzz's Buddy]

Called MS at exactly 9:00am this morning and got right through. I was trying to book a Treehouse villa for the first 7 nights of our stay, Dec 27 til Jan 3rd, on the first day of my 11 month window.

They do not have the night of the 27th available so I have to waitlist all 7 nights! WHAT??? I realize that it is a crazy week, but if you can't guarantee getting what you want when you get through at 9:00am on the first day...

I'm assuming I can call tomorrow and book 7 nights beginning Dec 28th and just waitlist for Dec 27th, but it is still very annoying.

 

[Crystal_27]

Awwwww, so sorry to hear that but HOPEFULLY your waitlist will come through. Here's some pixie dust for you!

 

[dismedvc]

The title of your post says it all.

I now realize that if you had walked and gotten the night of 12/27 earlier, you would have been guaranteed the rest of your trip if you called on 1/27. (No one else calling on 1/27 could have booked for 1/28 and beyond unless they already had a reservation for 12/27)

I previously thought that even with walking there was a chance you still would not get what you want, but IF I AM THINKING ABOUT THIS CORRECTLY, I now realize that is not the case. If a resort has 100 rooms, even if all are booked for 12/27, if you are one of the 100 members who have a reservation for 12/27, if you call on 1/27 the room you are in on 12/27 has to be available for every day from 12/28 and beyond. Even if all of the other 99 members with reservations on 12/27 have their reservations continue for their rooms for 12/28 and beyond, no other member could have booked the room you are in for 12/28 and beyond.

As, I said, I never realized walking was so foolproof (if you have enough points to do it). I always thought it just increased your chance to get what you want, not guaranteed it. However, I now realize that once you get that initial 7 day reservation, even if it is initially for May, as long as you call every 6 days from there on out you are guaranteed to get what you want at the end of December.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[LIFERBABE]

THV have been booking like that since they opened. There were reports same as yours for Summer bookings also. Stray weekends were left but the summer booked solid as soon as the 11 month window opened.

I called on the 15th and 16th and THV were sold out within 5 minutes of MS opening both days. So not sure how early you would have had to start walking in order to get the reservation.

Calling at 9am improves your chances for these high demand units, but it is not a guarantee, especially for NYE. SSR is a big resort with alot of points, so competition is intense for THV. There really is no other category at SSR that requires you call at 11m/9am.

And yes, it will be a tough reservation at this time. The Sun-Fri members were able to book yesterday and those with enough points to book weekends probably started last Friday and Saturday. Not saying they walked because most will probably stay the entire 7 or 5 nights they booked.

I would make a back up reservation if you really want to be at WDW during NYE 2010. The larger resorts sell out also and there is very little movement around those days.

 

[Halle]

Did you book SS and waitlist the THV? I think that's what I'd do.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

Did you book SS and waitlist the THV? I think that's what I'd do.

Well, I could have done that but I am hoping that when I call tomorrow morning, I can book 12/28 to 1/4 and just waitlist 12/27. Although we could fit in the 2BR, we would really prefer the extra privacy of the 3 BR treehouse.

Of course, if they tell me tomorrow morning at 9:00am that the 28th is booked, we may have to rethink our plans.

 

[Halle]

Good luck, I hope your vacation dreams come true.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

Well, I couldn't make the THV reservation today either.

And she told me that as of this morning, there is only 1 THV available for 12/29, so it's not very promising that I will be able to book tomorrow either.

Right now, I'm for going back to the old way where you could only book 1 day at a time. At least then, everyone had the same opportunity to book at 9:00 each morning. This experience is making me wish that I had started walking the reservation about a week ago. Of course, if I did that, someone else could start 2 weeks in advance of there trip. Where does it end?

I am waitlisted for the THV and we are far enough away that it should come through, but it's still frustrating.

Venting over...I fee a little better now.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yes, and it might be time for you to visit http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2381762 for more discussion on how this happens. UGH, I hate this!

 

[js]

I will be calling for 2 nights at the 11 month mark for THV for July 2011, two nights prior to our Disney cruise.
My nights I will try to get will be for a Friday and a Saturday night.
I would love to walk my ressie and then add/delete but we are using points for the 2 verandah tripple rooms for the cruise and figured out we can do 2 nights pre-stay in THV, leaving us with 1 point left over LOL So, I will have to wait until exactly 11 months to call.
Do you think my chances are less since I am trying to book a Friday and Saturday night?
I know it's not a science, but new and learning.
Thanks.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Well, I couldn't make the THV reservation today either.

And she told me that as of this morning, there is only 1 THV available for 12/29, so it's not very promising that I will be able to book tomorrow either.

Right now, I'm for going back to the old way where you could only book 1 day at a time. At least then, everyone had the same opportunity to book at 9:00 each morning. This experience is making me wish that I had started walking the reservation about a week ago. Of course, if I did that, someone else could start 2 weeks in advance of there trip. Where does it end?

I am waitlisted for the THV and we are far enough away that it should come through, but it's still frustrating.

Venting over...I fee a little better now.

At least you have one other thing working for you - if they declare more of the THV's into inventory between now and then you'll have an even better chance of getting the waitlist.

 

[js]

At least you have one other thing working for you - if they declare more of the THV's into inventory between now and then you'll have an even better chance of getting the waitlist.

Sorry, can you explain what you mean? Do you mean they may make more THV? Is that what you mean by declaring more into inventory.
Thanks.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Sorry, can you explain what you mean? Do you mean they may make more THV? Is that what you mean by declaring more into inventory.
Thanks.

The last I heard only 30 of the 60 THV units are declared into inventory. If DVD is choosing to do so they can rent those other 30 out thru CRO since they still own them leaving only the 30 declared to be available for points.

As sales continue DVD will have to declare more units into inventory in order to sell the points associated with them.

Twice now with BLT when new units have been declared there have been many reports of peoples waitlists filling.

 

[LaurenT]

Please indulge me..I'm a new member...what is "walking" (besides putting one foot in front of the other)

 

[bobbiwoz]

I will be calling for 2 nights at the 11 month mark for THV for July 2011, two nights prior to our Disney cruise.
My nights I will try to get will be for a Friday and a Saturday night.
I would love to walk my ressie and then add/delete but we are using points for the 2 verandah tripple rooms for the cruise and figured out we can do 2 nights pre-stay in THV, leaving us with 1 point left over LOL So, I will have to wait until exactly 11 months to call.
Do you think my chances are less since I am trying to book a Friday and Saturday night?
I know it's not a science, but new and learning.
Thanks.

Because the points are still higher for a weekend, I think you have a good chance. New Years eve is just special I think. We only wanted 1 night before a cruise for a tree house and we were able to get it in November. It's during the week of Veteran's Day, so there was the holiday that may encourage people to take off from work/school, but we got it!

I hope you get it too!

Bobbi

 

[Sandisw]

Please indulge me..I'm a new member...what is "walking" (besides putting one foot in front of the other)

When someone walks there reservation, they basically book it up to 7 days ahead of when they really want to stay.

Once they get the reservation, they call back periodically and add days to the end and drop days from the beginning. By doing it this way, they increase their chances of getting a hard to reserve room before others.

This is because you can book a reservation 11 months from check in day plus 7 days.

For example, if someone really wants to stay from Dec. 28th through January 4th and know that NYE is very hard to get.

So, instead of calling on January 28th (the 11 month window), they actually call January 21st and book 12/21 - 12/28. On January 27th, they call and modify the reservation to add the rest of the trip, and then drop the days at the beginning.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

Please indulge me..I'm a new member...what is "walking" (besides putting one foot in front of the other)

"Walking" refers to booking your reservation in advance of your actual dates, then calling back to add day to the end while simultaneously dropping the days in the beginning of the reservation, until you achieve the reservation you want.

For example, I wanted 12/27 to 1/3 initially. I could have started calling on January 22nd and reserved 7 nights from 12/22 until 12/29. On January 23rd, I would add 12/30 to the reservation and drop 12/22. I could keep doing this until I had the reservation I was looking for.

I've never done this myself, but when this happens to you it makes you think about doing it in the future, although I wish there was a way it could be eliminated.

 

[dismedvc]

By doing it this way, they increase their chances of getting a hard to reserve room before others.

Do they increase their chances, or guarantee success, once they get the initial reservation?

In my post #3 I concluded they could guarantee success, but I have never actually tried it, so I am not sure my analysis is correct.
(p.s. thanks for the answer to my waitlist question on another thread)

 

[bobbiwoz]

Do they increase their chances, or guarantee success, once the get the initial reservation?

In my post #3 I concluded they could guarantee success, but I have never actually tried it, so I am not sure my analysis is correct.
(p.s. thanks for the answer to my waitlist question on another thread)

They guarantee success for themselves, once the walking starts. They have those rooms before any others who would be calling for a later check in date than the one they began on.

Bobbi

 

[LaurenT]

Ty ;-)