Some help/input on Last Min Booking

[stevelee]

So we have just had our first contract sent to ROFR and have our fingers crossed. While we are waiting i thought i would ask...

I have a disney cruise booked on feb 26th this year. We were originally not going to stay longer but...If all goes through and we manage to get out membership number in time what are the chances of being able to get a room using my brand new points! We have some that are banked from 2012 on the contract, so have to be used by july 2014. I figure this would be a chance...

Would it be even remotely possible to book something considering we just went to ROFR and might be 2 months or so before we get a membership number?

Steve

 

[DeDobber]

Yes. Check out ******.com. It shows availability for any time in the next seven months for all resorts in one place. Some say it is better than dvcmembers.com

 

[Deb & Bill]

So we have just had our first contract sent to ROFR and have our fingers crossed. While we are waiting i thought i would ask...

I have a disney cruise booked on feb 26th this year. We were originally not going to stay longer but...If all goes through and we manage to get out membership number in time what are the chances of being able to get a room using my brand new points! We have some that are banked from 2012 on the contract, so have to be used by july 2014. I figure this would be a chance...

Would it be even remotely possible to book something considering we just went to ROFR and might be 2 months or so before we get a membership number?

Steve

That usually isn't a busy time of the year, so you might be okay with booking as soon as you get those points. Good luck.

 

[DebbieB]

Yes. Check out ******.com. It shows availability for any time in the next seven months for all resorts in one place. Some say it is better than dvcmembers.com

How did they get access to member availability?

Interesting disclaimer:

Note: ******.com has nothing whatsoever to do with Disney, and is not associated with Disney in any way. The data on this website is purely for your amusement, and could be compeltely inaccurate and/or made up.

 

[Song of the South]

Wow... So many questions about the app. So neat!

 

[stevelee]

Very cool app. Looks like I may have some luck if the contract doesn't get taken by disney!

 

[DeDobber]

I get the availability same as everyone else. A lot of clicking. It's automated, of course. Runs every 6 hours (roughly). The disclaimer is so I don't get hate mail when the site says something is available, but it's not by the time they log in. Still, a lot of people have told me they find the site useful. The saved searches and email alerts have gotten a few people (including myself) some pretty juicy last-minute reservations. Good luck!

 

[stevelee]

I get the availability same as everyone else. A lot of clicking. It's automated, of course. Runs every 6 hours (roughly). The disclaimer is so I don't get hate mail when the site says something is available, but it's not by the time they log in. Still, a lot of people have told me they find the site useful. The saved searches and email alerts have gotten a few people (including myself) some pretty juicy last-minute reservations. Good luck!

As I am not a member yet, still waiting on ROFR this is a fantastic site. I did not have access, so could only assume what might be available, post a question like this on here, or go by the general book at 7 months, or go to SSR/OKW etc comments you see. This really helped me to see what could actually be available less than 7 months.

Great job on the site and thanks!

 

[Sammie]

I get the availability same as everyone else. A lot of clicking. It's automated, of course. Runs every 6 hours (roughly). The disclaimer is so I don't get hate mail when the site says something is available, but it's not by the time they log in. Still, a lot of people have told me they find the site useful. The saved searches and email alerts have gotten a few people (including myself) some pretty juicy last-minute reservations. Good luck!

The problem though is it allows non-members access also.

 

[DeDobber]

The problem though is it allows non-members access also.

Why would that be a problem?

 

[Sammie]

Why would that be a problem?

In order to get that info, I am sure you have to access the member site in some form, not sure how you even did it, but we as members pay for that. Any increase in traffic, will be covered by us.

If DVC wanted access to room inventory to everyone they would open it up.

 

[Minniesgal]

Why would that be a problem?

DVC always said they didn't allow none members to access the member site as increased traffic would increase site maintenance and in turn put dues up. DVC did not intend non members to get access to room availability.

 

[DeDobber]

I'm 100% certain the cost in traffic is not an issue, as I pay for every byte of traffic that they do, and it costs me less than $10/month for the traffic. It's probably less than 5 gigabytes transferred per month.

I assume they don't offer services to non-members because it would serve no purpose for them. They sell timeshares to non-members by putting a kiosk every 50 feet in the parks, not by making a flashy website for non-members to browse.

 

[Minniesgal]

I'm 100% certain the cost in traffic is not an issue, as I pay for every byte of traffic that they do, and it costs me less than $10/month for the traffic. It's probably less than 5 gigabytes transferred per month. I assume they don't offer services to non-members because it would serve no purpose for them. They sell timeshares to non-members by putting a kiosk every 50 feet in the parks, not by making a flashy website for non-members to browse.

In that case why not declare it to MS and see if they approve

 

[DisSmis]

As someone trying to figure out where to buy my first DVC contract, this is increasingly helpful. Thanks!!

 

[WMorganS]

In that case why not declare it to MS and see if they approve

Oh don't even think about that! Disney's a huge corporation and as such they have to use big sweeping rules to protect their interests. You can't even use automation against the site.

But as stated, their rules are to protect their interests. If you keep the queries per hour very, low and don't make a business out of it, you might be fine... but:

Call me paranoid, but I wouldn't do this app. The approach you're using is called "cross site scripting", and if Disney DOES take notice of you app, the result could be really really nasty.

 

[crisi]

Oh don't even think about that! Disney's a huge corporation and as such they have to use big sweeping rules to protect their interests. You can't even use automation against the site.

But as stated, their rules are to protect their interests. If you keep the queries per hour very, low and don't make a business out of it, you might be fine... but:

Call me paranoid, but I wouldn't do this app. The approach you're using is called "cross site scripting", and if Disney DOES take notice of you app, the result could be really really nasty.

Cease and desist letter is what I'd expect. Which isn't a huge deal, you just decide if you are going to fight it, or shut it off. And since all they need to do is change the terms of use when you log in (if the terms aren't there already) to data scrape the site, fighting it wouldn't be good, they'd just cut off your systems access.

And my guess is that Disney would be less concerned about traffic than about information they may believe is strategic (occupancy rates, DVC booking availability - when they are trying to sell a resort with "and you can use these points in Hawaii" they don't want someone getting the information on their iPhone that Aulani is booked solid), As to traffic, one site with a six hour update is not a big deal, fifty sites hitting Disney systems every five minutes can create problems. Enough that companies that allow cross site scripting often throw those queries against a shadow site.

Cool app though.