Stalking works

[ziravan]

Ok. I know this is sorta a brag, but just as much, I’m excited and just wanted to share. Over the last 10 days of constantly stalking, I put together, all but one piece of which was one day at a time, 6 nights at BCV less than 2 months out.

1. lock in a reasonable alternative resort.

2. Don’t be afraid of split stays. While you’re adding the resort you want and dropping from the one you have, the result if you don’t completely succeed is a split stay. In my case, even a partial trip at BCV is worth a split stay so not a big deal.

You’re almost never gonna chance into a whole reservation at a prime resort hanging out and open at two months out. You have to work the individual days.

3. work the edges of the trip when possible (so I can drop those end cap nights from the resort I have to free them up for the resort I want.)

4. Stalk. Some ppl check their emails. Or Facebook. Twitter, etc. I check the resort tool.

If DVC (and SW Air) looks over all my changes the last few weeks, I would be a cautionary tale of letting customers make changes themselves.

Every time I think, “Is this one change too many?,” I eventually decide, “Hmmmm, let’s see...” So far, so good. I’ve only ever had one CM comment on the sheer number of changes on my account and she did so in awe.

Can’t argue the result: BCV less than 2 months out. The waitlist never works for me, but stalking almost always does.

 

[LSchrow]

The waitlist never works for me, but stalking almost always does.

Agreed - I get a waitlist filled about 10% of the time, yet stalking gets me what I want about 85% of the time (the other 5% is stalking & being able to grab a different view or room size). Right now, I have a 1 night WL for November, but booked a different view "just in case". It feels like a (somewhat frustrating, but eventually rewarding) game sometimes
Congrats on getting what you wanted!!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I am pretty lucky with waitlist, but I do stalk as well. Congratulations that you got what you wanted.

My biggest success with both processes involved a 6 night stay for DSis. At first she wanted HHI then WDW May 1 to May 7. Then she asked for April 28 to May 4, in the same order HHI then WDW, and she wanted all studios. Stalking and waitlisting she’s all set. HHI and BWV, each 3 night!

The most difficult was HHI, which has been very popular this late winter, early spring!

 

[CarlyMur09]

Ok. I know this is sorta a brag, but just as much, I’m excited and just wanted to share. Over the last 10 days of constantly stalking, I put together, all but one piece of which was one day at a time, 6 nights at BCV less than 2 months out.

1. lock in a reasonable alternative resort.

2. Don’t be afraid of split stays. While you’re adding the resort you want and dropping from the one you have, the result if you don’t completely succeed is a split stay. In my case, even a partial trip at BCV is worth a split stay so not a big deal.

You’re almost never gonna chance into a whole reservation at a prime resort hanging out and open at two months out. You have to work the individual days.

3. work the edges of the trip when possible (so I can drop those end cap nights from the resort I have to free them up for the resort I want.)

4. Stalk. Some ppl check their emails. Or Facebook. Twitter, etc. I check the resort tool.

If DVC (and SW Air) looks over all my changes the last few weeks, I would be a cautionary tale of letting customers make changes themselves.

Every time I think, “Is this one change too many?,” I eventually decide, “Hmmmm, let’s see...” So far, so good. I’ve only ever had one CM comment on the sheer number of changes on my account and she did so in awe.

Can’t argue the result: BCV less than 2 months out. The waitlist never works for me, but stalking almost always does.

Been in those shoes. Currently have a split stay at BCV and BWV end of April, beginning of May, both 2 bedrooms.

Up until 2 weeks ago, we had 2 nights at a PVB studio, 5 nights at a 2 bedroom (BRV) and 3 nights at BCV 1 bedroom, since we had 5 people for the bookend parts of the trip and 6 for the middle part.

When my oldest DSis said she could come for the whole trip, we had to completely overhaul our trip, and started off at SSR, and WL'ed BCV.. Over the last two weeks, I've been slowly finding days at the other resorts - AKV was first, then found BCV and started adding where i could, to the point it was for six days, then found the 4 nights at BWV to end the trip with. We do have a WL to switch to BCV for the last 4 nights, but we're okay with BWV if we can't switch.

Done this all through the resrot tool. WL hasn't helped at all right now (probably since my WL's were for multiple nights).

 

[RebelScum]

I also have minimal luck with waitlists, but have had a much greater degree of success with stalking. I generally find that I can work the edges and fill in the days that I need. I will say, it has been much easier the last 9-10 months, due to the pandemic. Many more people are changing plans, which creates more reservation turn-over. The temporary changes to the cancelation policy has also helped, as people have had more flexibility to book & cancel, which creates opportunities for the stalkers! I have stitched together a couple of significant trips over the next couple of months, including a 6 night trip to HHI the week of July 4th. That trip started out as a 3 day reservation in 2 different room types, Now it is 6 nights in the same room/same reservation for the exact dates we wanted.

 

[pangyal]

Congratulations! That’s really quite a score . It’s a system, and your experience goes to show that if one takes the time to really learn the intricacies of a system, you can definitely make it work for you (as evidenced by your “points to note” list).

FWIW I have never, not once, had a waitlist filled. It’s consistently been stalking or bust.

 

[montreid]

Stalking works more consistently - WL is easy and you wake up sometimes nicely surprised.

 

[Uh_Oa]

Stalking worked for our two family February trip. I started with three nights at SSR with two
preferred studios. About a month and a half before the trip, we ended up with a split stay 2 nights at BWV Boardwalk view and 2 nights at PVB Lake view. Both were two studios each. This was our first trip as DVC owners. It was well worth the number of changes I made to get to that. The PVB lake view studios were easy at that time. It took some work to get the Boardwalk view studios.

 

[princesscinderella]

I have never been one to stalk reservations because I usually book at the 11 month window and don’t change it. I have been stalking AKV for a two bedroom savanna view instead of the standard one I had booked. I waitlisted both the lock off one and the regular 2 bedroom too. I’ve been checking periodically this week and I was just able to get a 2 bedroom savanna view on my own. I don’t like that the waitlists don’t match more quickly once something is canceled.

 

[NappilyEverAfter.]

I love the stalking. It feels like finding your size on the sale rack... but better... and more expensive.

If i didnt like spending hours planning i wouldnt do disney and DVC. Its one of the only warnings i give people when they ask about buying. Disney and DVC are not easy vacations to plan.

I am not joking... i put less research and reading in my thesis than i did understanding the intricacies of using Fast pass, dining plan, ADR, DVC and annual passes in a way that was of value to my family .

Congratulations! Enjoy the SAB.

 

[tracee22]

Really dumb question from a newbie....is the 'resort tool' something different than the DVC website? Didn't know if there was a handy dandy thing I was missing. Thanks!

 

[hhisc16]

I am pretty lucky with waitlist, but I do stalk as well. Congratulations that you got what you wanted.

My biggest success with both processes involved a 6 night stay for DSis. At first she wanted HHI then WDW May 1 to May 7. Then she asked for April 28 to May 4, in the same order HHI then WDW, and she wanted all studios. Stalking and waitlisting she’s all set. HHI and BWV, each 3 night!

The most difficult was HHI, which has been very popular this late winter, early spring!

I will be stalking HHI studios for the summer when my first DVC contract is complete.
If not, I will settle for 1 bedroom if found.

 

[Sandisw]

Really dumb question from a newbie....is the 'resort tool' something different than the DVC website? Didn't know if there was a handy dandy thing I was missing. Thanks!

Yes, people are referring to using the DVC website to check rooms and book that way.

 

[jscottnc]

I am encouraged by your success. Currently have a big family trip booked for the second week of December at VGF for 5 nights. (There is another thread about VGF inventory at 11 months for those that want to share the pain.) I managed to snag a grand villa Sun-Fri and a 2 bedroom SV Sun,Tues,Wed,Thru nights (missing Monday). Argh! Waitlist is set and I check everyday for Monday availability (Sunday and Tuesday are available). Rather than risk having a crowded slumber party in the grand villa, I scored a 2bdrm TPV BLT villa for the Monday night. If stalking and waitlist fails, at least my sister and her spawn can enjoy fireworks view in the room (bound to be fireworks by December right?) and clean sheets three nights running.

 

[iheartglaciers]

I am encouraged by your success. Currently have a big family trip booked for the second week of December at VGF for 5 nights. (There is another thread about VGF inventory at 11 months for those that want to share the pain.) I managed to snag a grand villa Sun-Fri and a 2 bedroom SV Sun,Tues,Wed,Thru nights (missing Monday). Argh! Waitlist is set and I check everyday for Monday availability (Sunday and Tuesday are available). Rather than risk having a crowded slumber party in the grand villa, I scored a 2bdrm TPV BLT villa for the Monday night. If stalking and waitlist fails, at least my sister and her spawn can enjoy fireworks view in the room (bound to be fireworks by December right?) and clean sheets three nights running.

You never know what will pop up! A few years ago, I had a 2-night stay at CCV booked for early Dec when I saw the exact 2 nights pop up at VGF (standard studio!) just a couple months before the stay. I was excited to stay at CCV for the holidays, but it's one of our home resorts so we jumped on the chance to stay at VGF for the first time (and during the holidays!). My fingers are crossed for you! I'm also stalking to add one night in a CCV 2BR for later this year.

 

[anricat]

Why would stalking yield results over a wait list? (I'm new.) Like, if you have the wait list set up, wouldn't it just automatically fill in what you want vs. having to go check?

 

[Evita_W]

Why would stalking yield results over a wait list? (I'm new.) Like, if you have the wait list set up, wouldn't it just automatically fill in what you want vs. having to go check?

I have no idea why, but have managed to get a reservation via stalking and the wait-list didn't go through.

But other times stalking didn't work and waitlists did, so a combination has the most success in my experience.

 

[Sandisw]

Why would stalking yield results over a wait list? (I'm new.) Like, if you have the wait list set up, wouldn't it just automatically fill in what you want vs. having to go check?

No one knows exactly how the system searches for the match. We have heard a few times a day, or regularly.

However, because people cancel all the time, the rooms are not always grabbed so one can get on a waitlist but once in a while the room yu want shows up. This usually happens for waitlists that are a few nights, but it does happen.

Once a waitlist fills, it has to be processed by a CM so sometimes you can have a waitlist and it matched, but you don’t know and then another room shows up.

Thats happened to me,,,my second choice showed up, canceled my waitlist, go back and the room is now there. It’s happened too many times to be a coincidence.

 

[DaveNan]

Really dumb question from a newbie....is the 'resort tool' something different than the DVC website? Didn't know if there was a handy dandy thing I was missing. Thanks!

I know Sandisw answer already, but I wanted add that sometimes you will also see the "RAT" referred to on DIS. It stands for "Resort Availability Tool", also the same item. I believe years ago in the early days of DVC that was the what the online availability page was called.

 

[Evita_W]

I know Sandisw answer already, but I wanted add that sometimes you will also see the "RAT" referred to on DIS. It stands for "Resort Availability Tool", also the same item. I believe years ago in the early days of DVC that was the what the online availability page was called.

It was actually called that just a few years ago and was a new tool as of about 6 years ago. They keep changing the name of it.