Waiting list for two nights in January

[BabsBunny]

Who goes to WDW mid January? Apparently marathoners do. I have had first two nights of trip waitlisted at BWV (studio and a two bedroom, garden views) for a couple months. It's a Saturday and Sunday night--1/10 and 1/11.

Anyone have any experience with going in January and getting waitlisted? I could change to SSR or OKW because they are still open. I'm wondering how long I should wait for the waitlist to possibly go through before changing. Sighhhhh.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The marathon weekend Friday remains the one day that I could not get anything at all for....in any size villa anywhere. Saturday finally had an SSR room open but I'd be hesitant to wait long. Personally I'd plan on SSR or OKW.

I decided on VB although kept checking until day of and had no luck.

 

[BabsBunny]

Ugh, Kat. Thanks. Not what I wanted to hear. lol. I'd really hate to do a split stay, so I better look at our options again.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Are you also checking the website periodically? If you have both nights on one wait list then it requires both to be open at the same time. With luck you might be able to pick the nights up individually or before they get pulled to fill the wait list since that isn't always a perfect process.

 

[BabsBunny]

I have them on separate waitlists. If the two bedroom came though but the studio didn't, no biggie. We could all stay in the two bedroom those first two nights.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Who goes to WDW mid January? Apparently marathoners do. I have had first two nights of trip waitlisted at BWV (studio and a two bedroom, garden views) for a couple months. It's a Saturday and Sunday night--1/10 and 1/11.

Anyone have any experience with going in January and getting waitlisted? I could change to SSR or OKW because they are still open. I'm wondering how long I should wait for the waitlist to possibly go through before changing. Sighhhhh.

Not in January, but I'd stay on the wait list as long as possible. Our wait list came through once at about 32 days out. Member Services said that that quite often happens as people just don't get around to canceling until the last minute, just outside the dreaded "holding point" stage. And with the marathon, injuries my occur that people keep hoping will heal in time (I used to be a runner, so I know). You wait until the last minute to give up.

 

[BabsBunny]

Not in January, but I'd stay on the wait list as long as possible. Our wait list came through once at about 32 days out. Member Services said that that quite often happens as people just don't get around to canceling until the last minute, just outside the dreaded "holding point" stage. And with the marathon, injuries my occur that people keep hoping will heal in time (I used to be a runner, so I know). You wait until the last minute to give up.

Or you think you'll be in shape to run before the date but then reality hits. Oh! That would be me.

I'd don't usually sweat this stuff, but with six of us I'd really hate to change resorts.

This marathon must be a big one, because there isn't much available that weekend.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have them on separate waitlists. If the two bedroom came though but the studio didn't, no biggie. We could all stay in the two bedroom those first two nights.

I had missed that it's a wait list for 2 rooms, correct?

If so I'd definitely book those nights at a back up resort if you haven't already. Availability will almost certainly go away- at least for Sat night. Then it's just riding out the wait list and stalking the website. You might also consider dropping the wait list for the studio and doing single night wait lists for the 2 bedroom - one for sat and one for Sunday since it sounds like you could make that work for the 2 nights.

 

[BabsBunny]

I see what you are saying.

Book a two bedroom at SSR for Saturday and Sunday night (because it's available) and keep the waitlist for Saturday and Sunday at BWV. Ditch the studio waitlist at BWV, because if that came through and the two bedroom didn't then that would be a bummer.

 

[BabsBunny]

Solution found!

While messing around on the site, I saw that a two bedroom and a studio at VWL were open all six nights! DH and I have stayed there just one time, and we loved it. It will be something new for our kids and their friends.

Of course when I went to book the studio it showed the first two nights unavailable again, so I booked four nights and waitlisted two. Again, if they don't come through, no problem. We still have the two bedroom.

Thanks for your advice. With this change, I won't have to worry now.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Glad you found something that works! And good luck with the studio waitlist. Having just one room waitlisted will definitely improve the odds.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Or you think you'll be in shape to run before the date but then reality hits. Oh! That would be me.

I'd don't usually sweat this stuff, but with six of us I'd really hate to change resorts.

This marathon must be a big one, because there isn't much available that weekend.

The marathon is very big. Thousands of runners. And you wait in line for a long time just to enter the Expo. They need FP+ for it.

 

[BabsBunny]

De&Bill, while I doubt DH and I will be going to parks that Sunday, I'm sure the kids will. Should I suggest that they stay away from Epcot? The participants will be running through all the parks, right? But then again, if they start at 5:30 am, they'll be long gone later in the morning.

I wonder if there are threads about this and on which board they would be.

 

[Deb & Bill]

De&Bill, while I doubt DH and I will be going to parks that Sunday, I'm sure the kids will. Should I suggest that they stay away from Epcot? The participants will be running through all the parks, right? But then again, if they start at 5:30 am, they'll be long gone later in the morning.

I wonder if there are threads about this and on which board they would be.

Both mornings, it could be hard to get to the MK early. But with the VWL, they should be able to take the boat over. Getting to other resorts might be a little more difficult. The half marathon runners get 3.5 hours to finish, the full get seven hours. It can take the last corral 30 minutes or more just to get to the start line. So figure 8-9 AM Before the route to the MK gets cleared out.

At Epcot, if you are there in the early afternoon, runners will still be heading to the finish line going through Epcot until about 2PM.