Today is the 7 month day

[thepoohguy]

However, the first day of my arrival is not available, and is the ONLY day not available in the room that I want.

Is it better to waitlist the whole thing today, or book the days I can tomorrow and just waitlist the first day.

 

[DebbieB]

However, the first day of my arrival is not available, and is the ONLY day not available in the room that I want.

Is it better to waitlist the whole thing today, or book the days I can tomorrow and just waitlist the first day.

I would waitlist the whole thing today because tomorrow the next day might be booked. If it comes through tomorrow, cancel or change the waitlist.

 

[drusba]

Not sure what you are looking for but be aware of the following: it is difficult to get a near park resort (BWV, BCV and BLT and possibly even VWL) at 7 months out for the last part of Oct. If that is what you are looking for, and you see something is open you need to be on-line ready to reserve at exactly 8 a.m. because there may be only one room or two even open in the category you are looking for. Even then that first day you are trying to reserve may disappear because someone else gets it first simply because that person's computer sends the reserve message faster than yours at 8 a.m.

In other words, don't be surprised if you go on-line tomorrow morning and find the same problem all over again in that the day exactly 7 months out is gone. It is probably not worth it to try to wait list the whole thing yet until you try again tomorrow but if you get the same problem two days in a row that may be your option.

 

[wdrl]

However, the first day of my arrival is not available, and is the ONLY day not available in the room that I want.

Is it better to waitlist the whole thing today, or book the days I can tomorrow and just waitlist the first day.

Just curious, but are you relying on the Online Reservation System or from information you received from Member Services? If you are relying solely on the Online Reservation System, have to called Member Services to confirm that the first night is not available?

Occasionally, I'll take a peek at the Online Reservation System just to see what is available when the 7-month window opens. I'm surprised how many times the System will show the first day is not available, but the following six days are available. Then, when I check the next day, the second day (which is now the first day) is not available but the following days are available.

The number of times I see this happen makes me wonder if there is a glitch with the online system.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Which is more important to you, the specific resort/room/view you're unable to book, or the dates you want to book?

For us, the dates of the vacation are always the most important aspect. I need to lock in vacation days early at work, and always want to book our flights as far out as possible to get the cheapest Southwest fares. For those reasons, I'd personally look for the room size I need at another resort (or with a different view) and book that, today. At the same time, I'd waitlist the entire stay for the resort/room/view I really wanted.

SSR is my favorite resort, so that's where I'll usually book a "stand-by" reservation if I'm going for a last-minute reservation inside the 7-month window. It's large enough that there's usually availability, and with the exception of OKW, the rooms are usually fewer points than the same sized room at other resorts. So when booking at SSR, I know I won't have borrowed too many points when (if) I cancel and re-book at another resort. And if the waitlist doesn't come through, shucks, I get to stay at my favorite resort.

 

[luckyman_apd]

For me, I like to have a place to stay, THEN have my desired location. Since today is not available, I would waitlist the whole week, since that is all you can do today. If tomorrow comes and the room is then gone at 8 am, you are a day behind on the waitlist. The ideal scenario is that tomorrow morning, the days you want are all still open so you can book them, and then drop the waitlist to just the one day you need. Find an alternate resort for the first night for equal or lower points, and when you create the waitlist for that night, just have it cancel the existing one night reservation at the alternate resort.

One day waitlists are far more successful than a week long waitlist, but you are gambling that tomorrow the days will be available. It doesn't hurt to put a wailtist in now.

 

[n2mm]

However, the first day of my arrival is not available, and is the ONLY day not available in the room that I want.

Is it better to waitlist the whole thing today, or book the days I can tomorrow and just waitlist the first day.

Have you tried again throughout the day today? Often people make changes from their homes at the 7 month mark also. I was curious after reading your post and checked for a studio starting Oct. 22 for a week. While hardly anything was available at both BWV and BCV, I was surprised to see VWL open for the whole week.

 

[a742246]

Not sure what you are looking for but be aware of the following: it is difficult to get a near park resort (BWV, BCV and BLT and possibly even VWL) at 7 months out for the last part of Oct. If that is what you are looking for, and you see something is open you need to be on-line ready to reserve at exactly 8 a.m. because there may be only one room or two even open in the category you are looking for. Even then that first day you are trying to reserve may disappear because someone else gets it first simply because that person's computer sends the reserve message faster than yours at 8 a.m.

In other words, don't be surprised if you go on-line tomorrow morning and find the same problem all over again in that the day exactly 7 months out is gone. It is probably not worth it to try to wait list the whole thing yet until you try again tomorrow but if you get the same problem two days in a row that may be your option.

This is a very good answer, I would also check thru out the first day to see if
if anything opens up. At the 7 month window alot of people are switching resorts during the whole day, so something may open at 12 noon and be taken by 12:30. I believe waitlist requests are not taken automatically.

My suggestion is to waitlist and check thru out the day, if something pops up grab it and cancel your waitlist.