Should Resort Owners Get Waitlist Priority?

[HookdonWDW]

I was reading the different threads, and got to thinking... (always a dangerous thing!)

Currently, you receive the 11/7 advantage at your home resort. After that, the resorts are available for all members to book. There have been threads that indicate some members are worried about how hard it will be to book into their home resort on short notice as the number of members increase.

My question is this: Do you think that once a resort is fully booked and a waitlist is established, members who own points at that resort should get priority on the waitlist?

 

[Beca]

Wow...I think this is going to be a "touchy" subject...but, I personally think that would be a good idea. I don't think it is is fair to say that owners should have to book more than 7 months out to get their home resort. As long as everyone has priority at their home resort, the waitlist might get a little "skewed" but everyone would be a priority somewhere.

I don't know whether DVC could change this, and there certainly is no incentive for them to do so. So, I realize that we are just "dreaming" here. But, as someone who loves her home resorts...I would love feeling that I actually could stay in one at short notice...which is something I feel I really cannot do right now.

I'm sure I am going to get flamed for saying this...sorry!! I really just want to stay at my home resorts and am having trouble getting into it with a 5 month notice.



Beca

 

[pumpkinboy]

Good question. You might think of putting it into Poll form.

IMO: No, it wouldn't be fair. 7 months is open season. Home resort priority already gives us 4 months of unobstructed ressie access. Once 7 months arrives, it's open season. Folks who may have a different home resort have been waiting patiently up to 7 months, and if they have their act together and get onto the waitlist first, power to them. IMO the waitlist should continue to be first come, first served; plus it's easier to administer for MS.

 

[Doctor P]

No, I don't think it would be fair to give owners wait list priority after the seven month window starts.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I've thought along those lines too. I've read and fully understand the contract but that is the flip negative side of "Buy where you want to stay"

You could buy where you want to stay, and if for some reason you cant make firm plans or your plan changes you couldnt stay there. Not saying this would happen for the next 37 years, but the "prime" years when children are still at home or you are healthy, it could happen more than you like. You would then be paying higher dues to maintain your home that you cant even "live" in.

So basically if you cant effectively use the 11 month priority window, then what resort you own doesnt have much value and you may as well go with the onsite with the lowest dues.

 

[cruise-o-matic]

I agree with PB & Dr. P.

 

[goofy4dvc]

I also agree with Pumpkinboy.

 

[CapeCodFam]

I like it the way it is. We all get the same chance to try other resorts. Otherwise, I fear our mobility would be restricted.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

We already get that privledge, but it's between the 11 and 7 month windows. I agree with those who wouldn't want that rule imposed. You never know, each of us may want to reserve outside our home resort some day and it would adversely effect all of us who tried to do that.

HBC

 

[PamOKW]

No. Everyone currently has 4 months of priority to book their home resorts (could go down to as little as 1 month if DVC chooses). I don't see how it would be fair to tell someone who is on a waitlist from 7 months out that something did finally open up at 1 month out but that a member who called that morning was given the reservation because it was their home resort. The great thing about DVC is the ability to move around within the "DVC world" -- too much home priority takes this ability to move away.

Liferbabe, your thinking is on the money. I know people here tend to stress the need to buy where you want to stay but, as you point out, if you aren't going to reserve prior to 7 months it really doesn't matter where you own.

 

[Granny]

I would like to see owners get some preferences at their home resorts, but I'm not sure this is one I would support.

Certainly it isn't something Disney would support at this point since the sales people continually tell prospective members that they can buy whatever Disney is selling and stay in any of the other DVC resorts with no problem.

I'd rather see "home" members get the preferred accomodation choices over anyone else who doesn't own there. I'll be staying at OKW this summer, and since I don't own there, I wouldn't have a problem if those who do own there took all the best rooms.

Same for EPCOT views at BCV or DTD views at SSR. If they gave owners first crack at those, it wouldn't bother me.

But bumping people off the waiting list to allow short lead time reservations...I'm not sure I would go for that. It is an interesting question though.

 

[kathleena]

I vote No also. I think that is the whole point of the 11/7. You essentially get wait list priority in the 11 month window, but not in the 7. If booking becomes a problem with the 7 month window for resort owners, then the booking window should change.

I'm not worried as I make vacation plans early. And if I don't, oh well, I lost my chance and will go somewhere else.

 

[Dizzy4Dizney]

I also vote for no. One other point is what do you about members renting out points for their home resorts to non-members. Do these people count as "home resort" reservations or not? Too complicated IMHO. I think the system works fine.

I also feel some people expect too much from their ownership. I ran into a DVC member at the pool last year who complained that she never could get what she wanted when she booked her trip. She said she only could book 2 -3 months out & can't go during low times of the year alot. I told her she may want to re-think her ownership in DVC if it wasn't working to her travel habits. DVC works best if you can plan far in advance. Although, I've had no real problems booking 3 month out for a quick getaway (but I don't ususally book 3 months out for busy times).

 

[CarolMN]

I would also vote no - once there is a waitlist, there shouldn't be any "line jumping" allowed.

However, I would vote yes to extend the home resort priority from its current 4 months to 5 or even 6 months. I also think owners who book their entire reservation with home resort points (before reservations open for non-home resort points), should receive priority for requests. IMHO, this last would solve the problem for those who must have a non-smoking villa or a non-handicapped room - they could book and stay at their home resort. Otherwise, they know they would be taking a chance.

Best wishes -

 

[timC]

I don't see the need for it. After 7 months it should be first come first serve.

 

[Doctor P]

However, I WOULD support reservations for members staying in a villa take priority over nonmembers staying in a villa (I know that, too, would be controversial and difficult to enforce perhaps).

 

[bobbiwoz]

I wonder if the answer to this question would come down to where you own?

BWV, BCV, VWL, HH saying "Yes, owners should get priority on waitlist."

SSR, VB, saying "No, owners should not get priority on waitlist."


OKW owners I don't care to predict, many of them or most of them are very loyal owners, but some may want to be elsewhere (where they can report about smaller rooms).


Bobbi

 

[DrTomorrow]

I vote "No" as well. 11/7 is advantage enough for making reservations.

I'd also bet that this sentiment crosses resort borders, particularly here on the DIS; we already preach "BWYWTS"....

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I wonder if the answer to this question would come down to where you own?

BWV, BCV, VWL, HH saying "Yes, owners should get priority on waitlist."

SSR, VB, saying "No, owners should not get priority on waitlist."

I am a BWV, BCV, VWL owner and voted No. I already have a priority window that is good enough for me. I did like Granny's idea of "home members get the preferred accomodation choices over anyone else who doesn't own there." That would be especially important at SSR someday becuase of the coveted DTD view. I just can't imagine them not making that a separate category like they did with Boardwalk view at the BWV's.

HBC

 

[bobbiwoz]

Well, I'm glad to hear that, I don't want there to be an all out war between factions regarding priority waiting lists, so I was just wondering if the outcome would be predictable. I don't want a priority waiting list, I've been very happy with the accomodations from ressies made 11 months out and 2 months out as well.

Bobbi