Waitlist missed an available date???

[davetteb]

I was just looking at date availability and realized a date I have waitlisted was showing as available. We just closed this month and booked our first vacation earlier this week, so I am still very new to this process. Is this common? I snagged the date!

 

[tjkraz]

I was just looking at date availability and realized a date I have waitlisted was showing as available. We just closed this month and booked our first vacation earlier this week, so I am still very new to this process. Is this common? I snagged the date!

Was your waitlist for just that one date or multiple dates before and/or after? Matches are only made if the entire waitlist request is satisfied.

That said, the waitlist process does have some human element. It isn't 100% automated so things have been known to slip through the cracks.

 

[davetteb]

Thank you. That's good to know. It was for multiple nights and only one became available. So, now I can edit my existing waitlist to eliminate the night I have filled, or do I need to create a new waitlist?

 

[erionm]

Thank you. That's good to know. It was for multiple nights and only one became available. So, now I can edit my existing waitlist to eliminate the night I have filled, or do I need to create a new waitlist?

The only change that can be made to a waitlist is the expiration (31 or 7 days from check-in). Any other changes require you to cancel and start a new one.

 

[tjkraz]

Just be aware that there is no guarantee regarding waitlist requests being met. Every waitlist success comes from a member who has decided to cancel an existing reservation. Whenever you book a night in the middle of your trip like that, you're assuming the risk that if the other nights never open up, in which case you will be changing resorts multiple times during your stay.

This is either a small risk or an enormous risk. Depends how far away you are from your travel dates and demand for the room you have waitlisted. If you want to share details, we can give you an educated guess as to what will happen between now and the start of your trip.

 

[davetteb]

I have another reservation booked, just in case it doesn't come through. I am trying to pick up Oct. 1-3 and 5-7 studio at BCV. I have 4/8 nights I want. Hopeful to get the others. We booked the day we got our membership number, but looks like F&W has things very full in October even before the 7 month mark. Thoughts from those with experience on chances of these opening up?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Yeah, basically, if the whole of your request doesn't match, it won't hold a single day, of, say, a 2-7 day waitlist. Lots of people don't want 1 day of multiple, and it would create more problems with points and inventories than would be healthy or good for members or MS.

 

[tjkraz]

I have another reservation booked, just in case it doesn't come through. I am trying to pick up Oct. 1-3 and 5-7 studio at BCV. I have 4/8 nights I want. Hopeful to get the others. We booked the day we got our membership number, but looks like F&W has things very full in October even before the 7 month mark. Thoughts from those with experience on chances of these opening up?

I don't like to get too exact when discussing possible waitlist success. In my opinion, I'll just say that the odds are less than 50/50. BCV is arguably the most popular DVC resort and it's quite small.

The fact that you're not waitlist two very short timeframes works in your favor. Shorter stays are easier to get than longer ones because all of the nights must open up simultaneously. But as Michael said, you now have to cancel your existing waitlist and create two new ones. That puts you at the bottom of the waitlist queue. There could be 2 people ahead of you waitlisting for those dates...or 20...or 200. (No, there is no way to find out where you stand.)

Glad you have the other reservation. Make sure you don't borrow any points when a holding those duplicate days because points cannot be un-borrowed. And cancel before the holding deadline or point banking deadline come into play.

Good luck!

 

[davetteb]

Thankfully I'm working with 2016 banked points and 2017 points, so that gives me more options. Thanks for all the information!

 

[icydog]

It's always a good idea to check yourself for availability. In the past I have seen check in dates online on the dvcmember.com website for dates I had waitlisted.

 

[Dean]

I was just looking at date availability and realized a date I have waitlisted was showing as available. We just closed this month and booked our first vacation earlier this week, so I am still very new to this process. Is this common? I snagged the date!

As noted, you have to match the entire wait list exactly and be first in line ahead of anyone else that matches. That means if you're listing for 3 days and I'm listing for one day and I'm ahead, I'll get mine even if all 3 days come available at once. Also, while it seems to be better, it's not uncommon for one to see online the exact item one is waitlisting for.

 

[DebbieB]

Thank you. That's good to know. It was for multiple nights and only one became available. So, now I can edit my existing waitlist to eliminate the night I have filled, or do I need to create a new waitlist?

I once pieced together a 5 night stay this way. I wanted the second week of November at BWV, pool/garden view studio about 2 months out (I knew that was most likely to get). I booked an AP discount room as a backup (and to fill any nights I didn't get). I waitlisted Sunday to Thursday nights. Within a couple weeks, Tuesday to Thursday nights were open online. I booked them and redid the waitlist to Sunday & Monday. A couple weeks later, Monday came open, booked it and redid the waitlist to Sunday only. About 28 days out, Sunday's waitlist was successful. Member Services automatically combined the 3 reservations to one. I then called to cancel the AP room (the cm said sorry to hear you had to cancel and I said it's great news!).

 

[gharter]

i would agree with the others, keep checking. I had one waitlist come through, and filled another by checking daily and filled my dates by rooms that were available before anything came through the waitlist. Doesn't seem like the way it should be, but that seems to be how it works.

Good luck with your dates.
Once you can book at 11 months, its not as big of an issue.

 

[crisi]

Also, be prepared for a split stay. Waitlist success depends a lot on your definition of success. Some people don't want to move resorts - and therefore a split stay is a failure. Others will start at a resort, get one day at the resort they want, then have to move to another resort, and consider that a success.

I'm of the first set. So I don't waitlist - especially not an Epcot resort over F&W when the success rate is - as Tim said - something less than 50/50. But I am not you and you may be someone who enjoys two or three resorts during a single vacation.