Waitlists-A Hypothetical Question

[WilsonFlyer]

I have a couple of waitlisted rooms for my December trip and I have a question. How comprehensive is the waitlist system? Please allow me to explain.

The way I understand the waitlist system works is that if a cancellation is made to an accomodation in the waitlist que, then the next party on the waitlist gets that accomodation. I realize that's a greatly simplified explanation of the process but I think it's basically correct.

My real question is hard for me to figure out how to ask so please humor me while I provide an example.

Let's say I have a reservation for a studio at SSR for December 8 but my desired accomodation is a studio at BLT. Let's say someone else has a studio reserved at BLT for the same day but desires a studio at SSR. Is the waitlist system comprehensive enough to accomodate this "switch" and be aware that it is available? If not, are MS CMs privy to enough information to see this and make it manually?

I've been sitting in the automated (I guess) waitlist que for 3 months to change from one resort to another (I have accomodations for the entire week but there is a LOT of moving around involved and I am NOT looking forward to it.). Would it behoove me to call MS or should I just wait patiently while my waitlists just expire?

I know the second week in December is a tough week but I just have to believe that something has moved around in two months. I can't even see my waitlist on the members' site (of course) so I just assume I am on the ones I was promised to be put on.

The whole waitlist thing is "new" to me. I've never done it before nor have I had to. Anybody have any pointers or know of anything I can do to help my cause?

I hate to just "worry" MS just to call and ask but maybe that IS the proper procedure at this point. Don't waitlists expire 30 days prior to arrival? If so, the earth's getting mighty big in the window (Apollo 13 LOL) on my 30 days. I don't know what to do.

I have 3 moves during my week and it sure would be nice to crush at least one or two of them.

Thanks so much for any tips anyone can provide.

 

[castleri]

You can be on a waitlist until 7 days before your trip if you wish. Just call MS and ask that it be extended. You may get lucky at the 31 day point if people cancel last minute.

 

[bobbiwoz]

The waitlist doesn't match up trades like you mention. I'm on a waitlist for 3 nights in a BLT studio during the 3rd week in December. I don't call specifically to see if my waitlist came through, but just about every time I call MS, I'm told that I have waitlists.

Bobbi

 

[gstew24]

just depends on where your trying to stay

 

[WilsonFlyer]

just depends on where your trying to stay

Huh?

 

[vicki_c]

No I couldn't imagine the wait list has the ability to match 2 people with reservations that in effect want to switch, because one of them would have to cancel to free up the room to make it become available for the other waitlist.

 

[jekjones1558]

I have a couple of waitlisted rooms for my December trip and I have a question. How comprehensive is the waitlist system? Please allow me to explain.

The way I understand the waitlist system works is that if a cancellation is made to an accomodation in the waitlist que, then the next party on the waitlist gets that accomodation. I realize that's a greatly simplified explanation of the process but I think it's basically correct.

My real question is hard for me to figure out how to ask so please humor me while I provide an example.

Let's say I have a reservation for a studio at SSR for December 8 but my desired accomodation is a studio at BLT. Let's say someone else has a studio reserved at BLT for the same day but desires a studio at SSR. Is the waitlist system comprehensive enough to accomodate this "switch" and be aware that it is available? If not, are MS CMs privy to enough information to see this and make it manually?
Unfortunately the system can't do these "swap" matches nor can MS do them.


I've been sitting in the automated (I guess) waitlist que for 3 months to change from one resort to another (I have accomodations for the entire week but there is a LOT of moving around involved and I am NOT looking forward to it.). Would it behoove me to call MS or should I just wait patiently while my waitlists just expire?
I have actually had MS suggest that I call. I know from personal experience that sometimes rooms go to a caller rather than the top person on the waitlist, even though MS will deny this. A friend called to get the exact room for which I had been waitlisted and got it even though I had been on the waitlist for 10 months. (I found this out purely by accident.) So if I were you I would call regularly. Your only cost will be time.

I know the second week in December is a tough week but I just have to believe that something has moved around in two months. I can't even see my waitlist on the members' site (of course) so I just assume I am on the ones I was promised to be put on.
Another reason to call regularly: waitlists have been known to appear out of nowhere and also to disappear for no reason.

The whole waitlist thing is "new" to me. I've never done it before nor have I had to. Anybody have any pointers or know of anything I can do to help my cause?
If you have enough points and do not need to worry about cancelling double-booked dates before 31 days, calling regularly may allow you to get a single day of a waitlist if you are waitlisted for multiple consecutive days. E.G: You are waitlisted for a BLT studio for Dec. 12 and 13. A BLT studio becomes available for Dec. 12 only, so the waitlist does not recognize a match. You call and can book Dec. 12 and now only need to waitlist for Dec. 13. Of course you may not want to book only one of the two days, but if you do, your call has produced a match that the waitlist would not have made.

I hate to just "worry" MS just to call and ask but maybe that IS the proper procedure at this point. Don't waitlists expire 30 days prior to arrival? If so, the earth's getting mighty big in the window (Apollo 13 LOL) on my 30 days. I don't know what to do.
As a PP stated, you can extend the waitlist until 7 days before check-in. Also, once you pass 7 days, ALL WAITLISTS EXPIRE AND ANY AVAILABLE ROOMS GO TO THE FIRST CALLER. I have even had a room become available after I have arrived at WDW, so, worst case scenario, keep checking even after your arrival.

I have 3 moves during my week and it sure would be nice to crush at least one or two of them.

Thanks so much for any tips anyone can provide.

Good luck! I would also be dreading wasting precious vacation time moving so many times.

 

[vicki_c]

Jean - love your pic with the 7 Dwarves! I am so hoping to see them next week (woo hoo - Sunday!) but I don't know if my family is willing to wait in line for an hour to see them. It's Halloween, so I think in line by 6 for their 7 PM arrival is going to be a must. Heck, I don't know if I'm willing to wait for an hour - we never wait for anything!

 

[jekjones1558]

Jean - love your pic with the 7 Dwarves! I am so hoping to see them next week (woo hoo - Sunday!) but I don't know if my family is willing to wait in line for an hour to see them. It's Halloween, so I think in line by 6 for their 7 PM arrival is going to be a must. Heck, I don't know if I'm willing to wait for an hour - we never wait for anything!

We rarely wait for anything, ½ hour max. But I don't know of other chances to get a photo with the dwarves so we got in line at about 6:20 and there were only 5 or so families ahead of us. DH had his scooter so I didn't need to worry about him standing. On Sunday you will undoubtedly have bigger crowds to contend with and I can see why you might pass on the opportunity, but those dwarves are very, very cute.
After so many years going in October, this was our first MNSSHP and we loved it. Can't believe we never bothered to try it before. We got so excited that we decided to do a family gathering next year so the sibs, kids and grandkids can all enjoy it.
Have a magical trip! I wish I were going with you!

 

[CarolynK]

...but I just have to believe that something has moved around in two months...

Hopefully this provides you some encouragement...We wanted two nights, 12/18-12/20 at BWV in a 1-BR. I called last week on a whim, doesn't hurt to try, right? The 18th was available for points but the 19th wasn't, BUT the 19th was available for cash! Didn't book, because I needed to talk with DH (we have 2 memberships, which one to use)...when I called back an hour later, the 18th was gone for points, but both nights were available for cash. SO, I decided to take them for cash, and be waitlisted for points. In the time I was on the phone with MS, the 18th again became available for points!
Overall, we have had pretty good luck with the waitlist over the years.

 

[maburke]

I've been sitting in the automated (I guess) waitlist que for 3 months to change from one resort to another (I have accomodations for the entire week but there is a LOT of moving around involved and I am NOT looking forward to it.). Would it behoove me to call MS or should I just wait patiently while my waitlists just expire?
...

The whole waitlist thing is "new" to me. I've never done it before nor have I had to. Anybody have any pointers or know of anything I can do to help my cause?
...
I have 3 moves during my week and it sure would be nice to crush at least one or two of them.

Thanks so much for any tips anyone can provide.

I think it's MUCH harder to get a multi-day wait list to match. Try calling and asking for one day at a time to try to crush those moves. Work out from your longest piece, or maybe the room that's most likely to come available.

 

[allshookup]

I suggest calling first thing in the AM as soon as MS opens every day. I never seem to have my wait lists come through, but I always had some luck getting a day here & there by calling. Calling right before the 30 day is a good time to try because anybody that plans on canceling is going to do it then.

 

[tjkraz]

I think it's MUCH harder to get a multi-day wait list to match. Try calling and asking for one day at a time to try to crush those moves. Work out from your longest piece, or maybe the room that's most likely to come available.

Wholeheartedly agree with that.

If (for example) you're looking for 8 nights, every one of those 8 nights must come available simultaneously AND you have to be first in line on the waitlist. If only 7 nights open up, you get skipped and the nights filter down to someone else. Or they just remain open for the next caller.

If you have a trip that is split over 3 different resorts or views, I would NOT waitlist for the entire trip. I would try to eliminate one of the moves.

For instance, let's say you have 3 nights OKW, 2 nights SSR and 2 nights BWV. The best chances for success would be to first try to whittle it down to just one move. Waitlist the middle two nights at both OKW and BWV. If one of those comes through, then you are down to just one move. Then you could open two new requests to try and get all at one resort.

Bottom line--you have much better chances of getting just 1 or 2 nights on the waitlist rather than a week or more.

About 3 weeks ago I booked a short notice trip for early December. Got 2 nights in a SSR studio. Went on the waitlist for AKV and BWV--got AKV just yesterday.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

No I couldn't imagine the wait list has the ability to match 2 people with reservations that in effect want to switch, because one of them would have to cancel to free up the room to make it become available for the other waitlist.

I just disagree. Sorry. You're thinking in terms of how things work now on the phone.

I certainly can imagine such a system and the system can and should be this way. There's no reason for it not to be. In an automated system, there is no cancellation per se; it's just a swap. No risk to either party involved, just a batch run after-hours daily to do the swaps.

Of all the great things WDW is, their reservation system is one of the lousiest I have ever seen; especially with respect to DVC members staying on points. There are a lot of things that could and SHOULD be done to enhance our reservation system. I'm sure some of it is coming with the enhancements being installed now. As time passes, more of these enhancements will be necessary just to accomodate the growth of DVC membership.

Like a lot of other things, the reasons these enhancements are not there is as much because we have not demanded them.

Something as easy as "I have a room they want and they have a room I want. Let's swap.", should be something any system should handle. I'm not complaining necessarily. I'm just trying to emphasis that it's not rocket-science.

Unfortunately, my experience has been that they (MS) are much more inclined to take the attitude, "They have a room. They are low priority and just being cry-babies because they didn't get what they wanted." I'm not saying they necessarily act that way on the phone, but rather that they are probably being "trained" that with all the calls coming into the call center, people wanting to swap a room on a waitlist are probably a low priority.