Waitlist explanation appreciated please

[Treacle44]

I don't really quite 'get' how waitlisting works. I know you can do it and they'll keep you on the wait list until a month before, unless you contact them to extend it.

What I'd like to know is can you waitlist if you already have a reservation? We're booked in at SSR for 20 nights in a studio, but want to try and change to 5 nights at BCV and 5 at VWL at the 7 month window in April.

So say I try to book BCV for our 1st 5 days (1st - 6th Nov), but they don't have the 4th available, will they book the other days and I waitlist for the 4th, or will they hold the days until the 4th becomes available? What happens if the 4th doesn't become available, will that part of my SSR booking be cancelled?

Aaargh sorry for the all the questions, the new members handbook only explains waitlisting if you don't have a reservation.

Thanks if you've got this far!

 

[tjkraz]

So say I try to book BCV for our 1st 5 days (1st - 6th Nov), but they don't have the 4th available, will they book the other days and I waitlist for the 4th...

You can do that if you wish. It probably has the greatest chance of success, but you also run the risk of not getting that missing day. If the missing day never becomes available, you're stuck. You could try to switch your reservation to another resort where you are able to get all of the days consecutively, but even your ability to do that will be determined by availability.

...or will they hold the days until the 4th becomes available?

No, that they will not do if you are waitlisted for the entire period in question. It's an "all or nothing" deal.

Let's say you're on the waitlist for 5 nights and 4 of them open up due to cancellation. DVC will completely bypass you on the waitlist because they just cannot meet your request at that time. They will try to meet the request of someone lower on the waitlist. Failing that they will release the dates to Member Services and anyone calling can book the room.

Again, it's all or nothing. All of your dates must open up simultaneously in order for your waitlist request to be fulfilled.

What happens if the 4th doesn't become available, will that part of my SSR booking be cancelled?

Whatever confirmed bookings you are holding will remain in place.

So, if you have 3 nights at BCV, one night at SSR, one night at BCV, 6 nights at SSR...and so on....you'll be doing a lot of resort switching. If DVC doesn't get you a confirmed reservation at BCV for the missing night, then there simply aren't any rooms available there. You'll be forced to move all of your stuff multiple times as your reservations dictate.

 

[Treacle44]

Thanks very much for that, that really helps me understand it better.

So my best bet then would be to ring up the day after I would want to check out for each hotel and see what they have available?

Much appreciated, thanks again?

T
x

 

[tjkraz]

So my best bet then would be to ring up the day after I would want to check out for each hotel and see what they have available?

That's what I would do. If you're flexible as to exactly when you move to each of the different resorts, I bet you'll be able to work something out.

Going back to your original example, if DVC were to tell you that you could get 4 of the 5 nights at BCV, honestly I would probably take it. Yes it's a risk, but the odds of getting a single night off of the waitlist over the next 7 months are pretty high.

Or, you could take the first 3 consecutive nights at BCV and go on the waitlist for the remaining two. Worst case you don't spend as much time at BCV as you may have hoped, but at least you're guaranteed of not having to hop around unnecessarily.

Work with the DVC rep to try and get 4 or 5 consecutive nights at BCV and VWL during a stay in a manner that will minimize the need to switch resorts.

 

[Dean]

Using the wait list is an art form. It essentially takes a gamblers mentality to do it successfully. One needs to put a little work into it and be creative.

 

[Pennyguy23]

Using the wait list is an art form. It essentially takes a gamblers mentality to do it successfully. One needs to put a little work into it and be creative.

It really is. On our trip last week our waitlist didn't come through for thurdsay night until tuesday night. While we were AT the BCV. I asked for them to check everynight when we got back from dinner. They were suppost to call me and let me know but I didn't get a call. I'm glad I was persistent.

 

[Treacle44]

Thanks everyone for your input. I've thought of another question, can yu waitlist for more than one hotel at any time? We'd like BCV for our 1st 5 days if possible, but would be happy with BWV (any view) as well. Or can't you do that?

Thanks

 

[AmyM]

Absolutely!

I'm currently waitlisted for a studio at BWV or BCV for the end of April.

 

[kimpossible]

Make sure you are sepcific at BWV also. You can waitlist for all three categories as well.