UPDATED with Good news!!!10/2 Last minute...Do we have any chance at all?

[princess sparkle p]

Badly needing a get away...know its last minute but worth a shot right?

Called MS trying to get a studio at AKL, gave up desired dates and told the CM we would take anything before the end of the year anywhere. CM told me that she knows it crazy becasuse not even SSR or OKW were open. We were looking at 5-7 days. The most we can get is 2 days together at the same resort and put on the waitlist.

We have not had any issues getting a room the past 3 years, so whay are things so crazy this year???

Do we take the risk of the waitlist and hope we won't have to move every two days? Doesn't quite make a restful trip...

Give me some hope...we need it!!!!

 

[DebbieB]

Badly needing a get away...know its last minute but worth a shot right?

Called MS trying to get a studio at AKL, gave up desired dates and told the CM we would take anything before the end of the year anywhere. CM told me that she knows it crazy becasuse not even SSR or OKW were open. We were looking at 5-7 days. The most we can get is 2 days together at the same resort and put on the waitlist.

We have not had any issues getting a room the past 3 years, so whay are things so crazy this year???

Do we take the risk of the waitlist and hope we won't have to move every two days? Doesn't quite make a restful trip...

Give me some hope...we need it!!!!

I would waitlist and back it up with a cash room in case it doesn't come through. There are big discounts out there, 40%-45% off on Deluxe or DVC resorts. The last 3 months of the year are popular for DVC.

 

[crisi]

Some strange spending patterns are happening in the economy right now. If I had to guess, this year is busier than last because a lot of people banked points last year rather than spend money on trips - last year people were getting the strangest rooms - BWV Standard View three months out. This year its "well, we'd better go or loose those points - haven't gotten laid off yet."

 

[charight]

Do we take the risk of the waitlist and hope we won't have to move every two days? Doesn't quite make a restful trip...

Give me some hope...we need it!!!!

I would try waitlisting at one of the bigger resorts like SSR and OKW. I would assume that some people might be staying there and waitlisting at other places. So...if those waitlists come through for those guests, you would get their rooms at SSR and OKW. The way I see it if your waitlist request is for BCV, BWV, or BLT for instance you will be competing with people who are waiting on a room in WDW and the folks that already have a room at SSR and OKW. I hope this isn't too confusing.

I think this should give you some hope! Good luck!

 

[Disneyfanfour]

Yeah, I was kind of wondering the same thing. We were put on the waitlist for OKW and SSR last week. Couldn't figure out why it was so busy, especially for early to mid November? I guess it's the great discounts Disney's offering. Now I'm wondering if we should book a cash room just in case! But the DVC was free, so that was allowing us to get away for a few days. Bummer.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Would you be willing to stay in a 1BR and did you ask about that size? I'd bet you would have better luck finding a room.

 

[ddoconnell]

Pixie dust to you on getting your break....I know how important that is!

 

[princess sparkle p]

But the DVC was free, so that was allowing us to get away for a few days. Bummer.

Yep! We considered a cash ressie but really did not want to shell out for this one since we have the points.

Would you be willing to stay in a 1BR and did you ask about that size? I'd bet you would have better luck finding a room.

There are a couple of 1BR days open, but I dont think more than 2 days together from what I remember.

Called MS again today. No luck.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I really appreciate the ideas and supprot. There is nothing worse than arranging the kennel for the dog, cat sitter, finding a great deal on flights...only to find out there is no room at the inn...lol

Thanks everyone!

 

[Peggy Sue]

October - November are very busy due to food and wine and the holiday events ... DVC rooms seem to book at the 7 month mark .. but don't give up hope...we have BWV standard view mid December and I needed to add on a couple of days .. I didn't think I had any chance given that it's a standard view 2-bedroom ..but after just 2 months the wait list came through.

I do agree at this point in time I would wait list for OKW or SSR ..

Best of luck!

interesting comment by previous poster about the economy and people banking points last year .. I bet there are quite a few families having to book this year to ensure they use all their banked points. I wonder if the reservation load continues to be heavy thorugh the first part of 2011?

Pixie Dust coming your way!

 

[francn]

We had the same issue with only 2 days together
Before we knew it the whole trip was cover at several places in studios and 1 bedroom units
A week or two before check in, we were in a 1 bedroom for the entire stay
We really needed a two bedroom
At check in we were able to upgrade
Dreams really do come true

 

[Tinkerbell58]

I called MS yesterday looking for any studio the second week of November. There was really nothing available unless I wanted to move multiple times and the first and last day of my trip were not available anywhere.

For the heck of it, I called back today and surprise...I was able to get the first night at SSR and the remaining 5 nights at OKW. (I'm waitlisted for the first night at OKW, but will be happy to stay at SSR if the waitlist doesn't come through.)

Keep calling...you never know!

 

[Disneyfanfour]

Post #11, did you get those nights without being on a DVC wait list?? What about those who are on the waitlist with points, do they take second over last minute calls/requests? I wasn't sure if you called about your points wait list or made a ressie with cash. Please explain how this works for us newbies, if you know.

 

[pfp258]

I know the frustration. We have had the following happen to us twice while trying to use our points: cast member says "sorry we don't have a room for that time with your points" DH says are there rooms available if I pay cash? CM "yes". Really, you mean we can pay cash for the room we want but can't use our points? This is crazy-we paid for our points and now we can't use them even when the rooms are available for paying guests??? Something is wrong with this!

 

[Peggy Sue]

I know the frustration. We have had the following happen to us twice while trying to use our points: cast member says "sorry we don't have a room for that time with your points" DH says are there rooms available if I pay cash? CM "yes". Really, you mean we can pay cash for the room we want but can't use our points? This is crazy-we paid for our points and now we can't use them even when the rooms are available for paying guests??? Something is wrong with this!

DVC does not "own" all the resort rooms, plus when DVC members trade points for stays other than DVC resorts inventory is declared back to CRO .. it's all in the contract .. kind of convoluted, but makes sense to me.

 

[chrisxtwo]

Keep calling! I was able to get a studio at Saratoga Springs for Dec 13-17 today! There wasn't a lot of choice. They had two of those nights available at Old Key West or two at Animal Kingdom Villas. You never know what might pop up!

 

[Disneyfanfour]

So, if I keep calling to get a room with points, I might make it ahead of the wait list that I'm currently on?

 

[DebbieB]

I know the frustration. We have had the following happen to us twice while trying to use our points: cast member says "sorry we don't have a room for that time with your points" DH says are there rooms available if I pay cash? CM "yes". Really, you mean we can pay cash for the room we want but can't use our points? This is crazy-we paid for our points and now we can't use them even when the rooms are available for paying guests??? Something is wrong with this!

Nothing is wrong with that. That is the way DVC is setup. The members do not own all of the rooms. Members can only reserve rooms with points that are in the member inventory. There are rooms that DVC's parent still owns and they rent through CRO. Also rooms go to CRO when a member trades out of DVC, the money received pays for the trade out.

One thing about waitlists. If you are waitlisted for 5 nights, say at the beginning of December. 4 nights become open, your waitlist will not be filled, all 5 nights must be available. Someone else could come in and take those 4 nights by calling (assuming no one else had those 4 nights waitlisted).

 

[biolabetty]

So, if I keep calling to get a room with points, I might make it ahead of the wait list that I'm currently on?

I did exactly this today. I have been on the waitlist for about four months, but I'm two weeks away from my trip now. I had a cash reservation for my last night at SSR but I really wanted to use points instead, so I kept calling to ask for any resort, not just the one I could waitlist. I have called several days in a row plus this morning, and nothing was available. I called again this afternoon and there was something finally. The CMs said that calling was the best thing to do in my case since I wanted to take a room at anything that was available, but I could only waitlist two.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

Post #11, did you get those nights without being on a DVC wait list?? What about those who are on the waitlist with points, do they take second over last minute calls/requests? I wasn't sure if you called about your points wait list or made a ressie with cash. Please explain how this works for us newbies, if you know.

I am a DVC member. Yes, I got all 6 nights with points. Even though I have all six nights (first night at SSR, the remaining 5 at OKW), I asked to be put on the OKW waitlight for my first night so my entire stay will be at OKW and not have to move.

 

[LakeTopaz]

Have you checked on the DVC Points for Rent section of this website to see if anyone has a reservation already booked that they can't use for one reason or another? According to the rules it would have to be within 30 days of the reservation to be posted. I've got a couple of days reserved at the end of this month if that helps.