Should have walked the reservation

[Annielkd22222]

Well, my DH didn't want me to walk my reservation....so I took a chance.....and it was a stupid one. I didn't get the reservation. If I had walked it one day, I would be all set. Next time I will take everyone's advice....including my own! Do you think there is any chance I will get the wait list for Hilton Head the week of Easter?

 

[drusba]

Walking does not really work at 7 months out because you are blocked out by owners who reserved at 11 months out. Wait lists often work for a night or two when you are this far out.

 

[lawboy2001]

"Walking" a reservation....does that mean shifting your dates a day or two because there is no availability on your preferred dates?

 

[DebbieB]

"Walking" a reservation....does that mean shifting your dates a day or two because there is no availability on your preferred dates?

No. You start booking before the days you really want. For example, say you want August 20 to 27 at your home resort. Today you book August 13 to 19. Tomorrow you change to August 14 to 20. Next day August 15 to 21, and so on until you get the days you want. If you can get the first night, you block any other members from getting the nights you really want by doing walking. It doesn't work as well at 7 months because a home resort member can book the days you want before you can get to it.

 

[kristenrice]

Do you think there is any chance I will get the wait list for Hilton Head the week of Easter?

For a 2BR? Possibly
For a studio or 1BR? Probably not
For a GV? No chance at all

Sorry to be a bearer of bad news, but Easter week has become very popular at HHI. We travel over spring break which is always the first week of April. Since this is frequently when Easter falls, we bought 50 points there so we can get a 1BR every three years without worry. Right now, I could get a 1BR for the first week of April in a 1BR and we are inside 7 months at this point. Too bad next year is a WDW year...and we're going in October.

 

[conandrob240]

So, this is okay but I tried to split a stay and cancel a night off of a reservation I made but somehow THAT is considered " shady"?!?! WTH?!?!?

 

[DebbieB]

So, this is okay but I tried to split a stay and cancel a night off of a reservation I made but somehow THAT is considered " shady"?!?! WTH?!?!?

I don't think it's considered "shady", it's just that the system does not accommodate it.

 

[Annielkd22222]

Walking does not really work at 7 months out because you are blocked out by owners who reserved at 11 months out. Wait lists often work for a night or two when you are this far out.

It would have worked because I just needed to drop a date, not pick one up and the days I needed were all free! My husband just didn't want to have points returned.

 

[CarolMN]

It would have worked because I just needed to drop a date, not pick one up and the days I needed were all free! My husband just didn't want to have points returned.

That doesn't make any sense to me. Returned points are just as good as non-returned points (unless you are borrowing or making a reservation less than 31 days in advance. Even if you have to borrow some to make the reservation, there are things you or MS can do to get current use year points returned).

FWIW, my DH understands nothing about account management. He's really not interested in putting in the time to figure out all the ins and outs. I do discuss where to stay, dates, restaurants and "things to do" options with him, but never how to manage the points.

As you say (for next time), I think you are wise to plan on doing what you think/know is best to get what you need.

Hope your waitlist works. Good luck!

 

[Annielkd22222]

This is his stupid logic. We have seven banked points which would be used first, 110 that we have for this year, and then we would have borrowed about 100 points from next year. When we dropped the day he thinks that would cause us to lose the 7 banked points because they are from 2 years ago and kept getting dropped from a day....essentially losing those 7 points. I have no idea if this is true or not, but to lose a vacation just for 7 points to me is stupid in the first place. I can't figure out his logic at all. Basically, once I dropped a day, I would have 54 points that were current that would be returned.....and he hates how those points are handled. I'm actually thinking he changed his mind and really didn't want to go!

 

[Annielkd22222]

For a 2BR? Possibly
For a studio or 1BR? Probably not
For a GV? No chance at all

Sorry to be a bearer of bad news, but Easter week has become very popular at HHI. We travel over spring break which is always the first week of April. Since this is frequently when Easter falls, we bought 50 points there so we can get a 1BR every three years without worry. Right now, I could get a 1BR for the first week of April in a 1BR and we are inside 7 months at this point. Too bad next year is a WDW year...and we're going in October.

Yeah I know. I am not going to Disney word for that reason. It's ok.....we will just bank the points.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

This is his stupid logic. We have seven banked points which would be used first, 110 that we have for this year, and then we would have borrowed about 100 points from next year. When we dropped the day he thinks that would cause us to lose the 7 banked points because they are from 2 years ago and kept getting dropped from a day....essentially losing those 7 points. I have no idea if this is true or not, but to lose a vacation just for 7 points to me is stupid in the first place. I can't figure out his logic at all. Basically, once I dropped a day, I would have 54 points that were current that would be returned.....and he hates how those points are handled. I'm actually thinking he changed his mind and really didn't want to go!

If they are banked points and if you don't get your waitlist and bank points to go next year you'll lose those 7 points anyway.

I also handle the management of our points. When I speak to DH about it his eyes glaze over. And that's ok.

 

[DebbieB]

I have a reservation for November at AKV with a wait list for BWV and BCV. When I had to mark 7 or 31 days for the waitlist, I thought about it because if it came through after 31 days, 5 points would go into holding (AKV is 67, BWV or BCV is 62). I'd rather get the place I really want to stay and lose the 5 points.

 

[Annielkd22222]

I wonder if he realizes that we lose the 7 points no matter what at the end of this year? Maybe he is thinking that we will end up banking the 50 or so, then lose them the next year? Who knows.....men are not always as logical as they think!

 

[ToddyLu]

FWIW, my DH understands nothing about account management. He's really not interested in putting in the time to figure out all the ins and outs. I do discuss where to stay, dates, restaurants and "things to do" options with him, but never how to manage the points.

That is exactly how we manage our DVC, we plan, I calculate, I call MS.

 

[OneMoreTry]

If I'm understanding correctly, you wouldn't have lost your banked points. They would have restored your current year's points to the account (not the banked points), which you could then bank in the following year -- unless the 4 month window had passed.

 

[EEGRAM]

If you can get the first night, you block any other members from getting the nights you really want by doing walking. It doesn't work as well at 7 months because a home resort member can book the days you want before you can get to it.

Can you explain this further? How does this block other members? I am still trying to figure everything out. Thanks.

 

[KalamityJane]

Can you explain this further? How does this block other members? I am still trying to figure everything out. Thanks.

So, let's say your vacation (Person A) is planned for Jan 1-7. You would be able to book at 180 days out from that, around July 1. Because of the way it works, you can actually book through Jan 7 on July 1 since it would be a part of your reservation, even though you are actually 187 days out. So if someone (Person B) wanted to go on vacation starting Jan 7, they wouldn't be able to book until July 7, and you may have already booked the rooms they wanted from your earlier vacation, even though they are calling at 180 days.

Walking would be Person B calling at July 1 and booking Jan 1-7, then calling July 2, dropping Jan 1, and booking Jan 8 making their reservation Jan 2-8. Person B would then "walk" (keep calling each day, dropping the first day, adding a day on the end) the reservation until they have the dates they originally wanted. This works well when you have very few rooms (like AKV Concierge studios) and very high demand dates.

 

[EEGRAM]

So, let's say your vacation (Person A) is planned for Jan 1-7. You would be able to book at 180 days out from that, around July 1. Because of the way it works, you can actually book through Jan 7 on July 1 since it would be a part of your reservation, even though you are actually 187 days out. So if someone (Person B) wanted to go on vacation starting Jan 7, they wouldn't be able to book until July 7, and you may have already booked the rooms they wanted from your earlier vacation, even though they are calling at 180 days.

Walking would be Person B calling at July 1 and booking Jan 1-7, then calling July 2, dropping Jan 1, and booking Jan 8 making their reservation Jan 2-8. Person B would then "walk" (keep calling each day, dropping the first day, adding a day on the end) the reservation until they have the dates they originally wanted. This works well when you have very few rooms (like AKV Concierge studios) and very high demand dates.

Ah, now I see. I was really struggling understanding the strategy. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

sorry , i wanted to respond earlier but work has been really busy.

..we're blt owners since 09, even before it opened. our experiences
made it clear that there are manipulation that are going on
behind the scenes...that i think is hurting all owners ( average,
non-dvc workers or other timeshares with inside connections)

after what happened to us, we walk every single time. what
others think shouldn't effect your choices when it comes
to your family esp.. what is going on.

from time to time , you will see postings confirming the
things an average owner need to consider in using their
dvc timeshares.

for ex., i read some giving advice in one direction but later
posting contary info....liked...."i own both -dvc & rci, "alwys
trading their rci into dvc ..( though making rooms
comparisons that their rci is better )...but also stating they
would"never" use their dvc to trade into rci..think
about that.

also dvc add some of their stock into rci ...where dvc owners
can't get their rooms....

if i was in charge, i know exactly the changes i would be making.
but first, take the time to gather the statistics so i confirmed
the facts from opinions.

so sorry this happened to you...i think you need to get a hold
of member satif. services...and explained all these factors.

oh, i can't figure out how some are calling any walking immoral.
to me, it just manipulation but within the rules. immoral
is on the other side , where persons are doing things that
paying owners are unable. for ex., reading about a poster
that is a dvc owner/ & a cm ...that goes up to the towl
to drink before going to work ,every day & not
staying @ any resort.