Waitlist Using OTU Points and Studios

[fumanchu2488]

I have a vacation booked the 17th thru 22nd of October for a 1 BR at RIV. We want to come down a day early because the new airline schedules (as they are now) really screwed up our planned arrival time and getting a day early gives us an extra day in the park (yay Disney math!). Preferably, we would stay at any monorail resort in a studio for the night of the 16th so we would have quick access to Magic Kingdom the next day. With the borrowing restriction, I will have to use OTU points, but no studios are currently available.

Is there a way to waitlist with the agreement that I would purchase OTU points to use? I don't want to purchase the OTU points now if a studio doesn't open up at POLY, BLT or GFV. If that would happen we would probably just end up paying cash at a moderate. Also, which would you waitlist seeing if you didn't really care about the room and were mostly interested in availability? I can spend up to 24 points for the night which is the OTU point limit.

 

[starry_solo]

@Sandisw should know the answer to this question.

But I believe the answer is no, you cannot purchase OTU points to use in a waitlist. You can only purchase OTU points via member services (call) as you are making the reservation.

 

[TCRAIG]

If you can find a studio for the same #of points or slightly more that is available - call MS and buy your OTU points and book it - then - either set up a WaitList that will replace this new ‘bogus’ one or better yet - cancel and set up the WaitList with the points

 

[CarolMN]

You cannot use "possible" OTU points to waitlist. If you do as @TCRAIG suggests, the OTU points are yours and expire at the end of the use year even if your waitlist doesn't work.

Depending on your banking deadline, you could do as he suggests, and then modify your existing reservation (changing nothing). This should pick up the OTU points and return the equivalent current use year points (if your existing reservation used enough of those). You could then keep the waitllist(s) going until 31 days prior to arrival or your banking deadline, which evver comes first.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You cannot use "possible" OTU points to waitlist. If you do as @TCRAIG suggests, the OTU points are yours and expire at the end of the use year even if your waitlist doesn't work.

Depending on your banking deadline, you could do as he suggests, and then modify your existing reservation (changing nothing). This should pick up the OTU points and return the equivalent current use year points (if your existing reservation used enough of those). You could then keep the waitllist(s) going until 31 days prior to arrival or your banking deadline, which evver comes first.

I will add that the modification only works if the booking was made inside 7 months, or the unit is available at the time of modification within 7 months. You cannot swap in OTU points on an 11month booking.

 

[fumanchu2488]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I am just going to stalk that day for a studio to open and will call member services to book and buy OTU points.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I am just going to stalk that day for a studio to open and will call member services to book and buy OTU points.

Just keep in mind the long wait times as I have read a few reports that by the time MS was on the line, the room was gone.

 

[fumanchu2488]

So I got my studio at SSR for the extra night. Ended up with a net savings of about $150 (saved around $440 in airfare but spent $285 on the 15 points). We don’t mind staying at SSR as we have stayed here before and the extra travel day being near Disney Springs is actually kind of nice. However, we would like to try a new resort so I have us waitlisted at CCV and BCV. We would take essentially any other resort to try something new. My question is how does the WL work? I am definitely not at the top of the list but we are only looking for 1 night and not an entire vacation. I would think that this is kind of an advantage but I’m not sure they would jump us over other people that don’t get every night.

also, when do people cancel or modify reservations? I am assuming 2 different blocks. 31 days before arrival and near UY banking deadlines. Any dates that seem to open up availability?

 

[Marionnette]

So I got my studio at SSR for the extra night. Ended up with a net savings of about $150 (saved around $440 in airfare but spent $285 on the 15 points). We don’t mind staying at SSR as we have stayed here before and the extra travel day being near Disney Springs is actually kind of nice. However, we would like to try a new resort so I have us waitlisted at CCV and BCV. We would take essentially any other resort to try something new. My question is how does the WL work? I am definitely not at the top of the list but we are only looking for 1 night and not an entire vacation. I would think that this is kind of an advantage but I’m not sure they would jump us over other people that don’t get every night.

also, when do people cancel or modify reservations? I am assuming 2 different blocks. 31 days before arrival and near UY banking deadlines. Any dates that seem to open up availability?

When nights open up, the wait list is filled in order based on the first request that can be completely filled by the open nights. So if 5 people are ahead of you, they will not get their wait list filled if one or more of their requested nights is not available.

People cancel nights all of the time due to a change of plans. I wouldn't say that 31 days out is a magic number where you will see massive cancellations. It is unusual for members to cancel less than 31 days out because their points end up going into holding if they do. Emergencies do happen though and last-minute cancelations are not unheard of.

The same logic goes when it comes to banking deadlines. Some people may cancel close to their banking deadline if they are certain that they aren't going to travel. But that assumes that a lot of members book reservations in the last 4 months of their UY rather than in the first 8 months.

 

[fumanchu2488]

When nights open up, the wait list is filled in order based on the first request that can be completely filled by the open nights. So if 5 people are ahead of you, they will not get their wait list filled if one or more of their requested nights is not available.

People cancel nights all of the time due to a change of plans. I wouldn't say that 31 days out is a magic number where you will see massive cancellations. It is unusual for members to cancel less than 31 days out because their points end up going into holding if they do. Emergencies do happen though and last-minute cancelations are not unheard of.

The same logic goes when it comes to banking deadlines. Some people may cancel close to their banking deadline if they are certain that they aren't going to travel. But that assumes that a lot of members book reservations in the last 4 months of their UY rather than in the first 8 months.

Thanks! So your saying my stalking availability every few hours isn’t too crazy. Haha

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks! So your saying my stalking availability every few hours isn’t too crazy. Haha

I'll ride that crazy train with you! I have a 50-50 success rate. Wait list wins half of the time, stalking wins the other half.

 

[LSchrow]

Thanks! So your saying my stalking availability every few hours isn’t too crazy. Haha

Stalking works over 90% of the time for me, & waitlisting only about 5%.
IMHO, it's crazier to NOT stalk