Walk for more than 7 days?

[Snurk71]

I hope this doesn't start a debate on the morality of walking - because I'm planning on walking one.

When you have that once every 50 years' occasion (like your parent's 50th anniversary) that you're planning on walking to make sure you get your reservation, would you walk it for more than 7 days to give yourself a head start on the regular 7 day walkers?

I know we're talking a pretty small impact, but curious if anyone has walked ahead more than a week or would for that super special trip.

Thanks

 

[Chuck S]

Depending upon when your trip is planned, walking may not be necessary at all. Walking a reservation is really only a true advantage at your home resort, exactly at the 11 month window.

If you are looking at walking at 7 months, there are no guarantees of availability, thus no true advantage.

 

[Sandisw]

I think the only time that you would really need to walk is around the holidays. If you are not going then, then using the 7 day prior to the 11 month window walking time line should be fine.

But, if you are really concerned about it, then I might walk a few days before that.

Good luck and congratulations to your parents!!!

 

[Inkmahm]

I called today to start my first ever walked reservation. For AV concierge level, a week in a studio. I will call back two more times before I have the dates I really want next March. But now I am sure that I will have them because I have dates earlier in March that I will walk to mid-March.

 

[edk35]

So walking means you book a week and then call back and move the ressie to cover the next 7 days and so on until your get your ressie??

 

[kimberh]

Yes, you tie up days you don't need to get days you do need later. I have never done it. I am not for it at ALL! So, if you call MS and it's booked, keep calling, someone has probably walked.

 

[edk35]

Yes, you tie up days you don't need to get days you do need later. I have never done it. I am not for it at ALL! So, if you call MS and it's booked, keep calling, someone has probably walked.

Oh I bet a lot do that. Well I do keep calling about ONE day we want to add at Vero. It is Monday the 26th of July and maybe it will get released when someone cancels their walked days. I have it on the wait list too.

 

[joandegennaro]

Sorry, but I am new to these terms. I just called MS today as we want to stay for 12 night in Oct 2011. They said we could do this... call at the 11 month mark and then call each additional day. Is this called "walking" or does this only refer to booking nights you don't intend to use till you get to the ones you do want?

TIA

 

[Tara]

Sorry, but I am new to these terms. I just called MS today as we want to stay for 12 night in Oct 2011. They said we could do this... call at the 11 month mark and then call each additional day. Is this called "walking" or does this only refer to booking nights you don't intend to use till you get to the ones you do want?

TIA

It's the latter - if you want to be (reasonably) sure you get the reservation you want at the 11-month mark, you can back up a few days (most do a week) and call at the 11-month mark for this earlier date, then calling every day to adjust the reservation to start 1 day later until you get the dates you actually want. This strategy is used by some for rooms that are hard to get, i.e. concierge at AKV, Grand Villas at Christmas or basically any room that is limited during a holiday.

 

[kimberh]

Sorry, but I am new to these terms. I just called MS today as we want to stay for 12 night in Oct 2011. They said we could do this... call at the 11 month mark and then call each additional day. Is this called "walking" or does this only refer to booking nights you don't intend to use till you get to the ones you do want?

TIA

If you are booking days you intend to use, then it's not walking, if you are calling a week ahead of what you what to use, then the next day call take a day off, add a day on and so on and on... that's walking.

 

[kimberh]

I don't think you can book 12 nights in a row. So at the 11 month mark, you book one week, then every day you have to call and add a day, this is not walking. This is securing a reservation. I would call early.

 

[joandegennaro]

I don't think you can book 12 nights in a row. So at the 11 month mark, you book one week, then every day you have to call and add a day, this is not walking. This is securing a reservation. I would call early.

Kimberh, why do you suggest I call early. Is it difficult to get a studio at OKW for 12 days in Oct? I understand from my conversation with MS that I will need to call everyday after my allowed 7 days to add onto my reservation. The women I spoke to said I could probably even wait till the 11 month mark of my check out date and book everything on the one call. Do you not recommend this. As I said I am new to all of this...just signed the papers last week so any and all advice is much appreciated.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Kimberh, why do you suggest I call early. Is it difficult to get a studio at OKW for 12 days in Oct? I understand from my conversation with MS that I will need to call everyday after my allowed 7 days to add onto my reservation. The women I spoke to said I could probably even wait till the 11 month mark of my check out date and book everything on the one call. Do you not recommend this. As I said I am new to all of this...just signed the papers last week so any and all advice is much appreciated.

You should be fine for an OKW studio for Oct at 11 months. Also, if you call 5 days after your 11 month mark you could book all 12 days in only one call. Or, call 11 months from check in and then 5 or 6 days later to book the remaining 5 days. You do not have to call day by day. Even walkers don't have to call day by day but that is not what you are doing - nor would you need to.

 

[Chuck S]

It should not be difficult to book a studio in October at OKW. In fact, it is rarely difficult to book OKW anytime during the 11 month window, except actual holidays. It is an advantage of owning at a large resort.

 

[kimberh]

Kimberh, why do you suggest I call early. Is it difficult to get a studio at OKW for 12 days in Oct? I understand from my conversation with MS that I will need to call everyday after my allowed 7 days to add onto my reservation. The women I spoke to said I could probably even wait till the 11 month mark of my check out date and book everything on the one call. Do you not recommend this. As I said I am new to all of this...just signed the papers last week so any and all advice is much appreciated.

Oct is a very popular month. OKW may not be that hard to secure. You just don't want a day in the middle of your 12 to not be available. If that should happen, just waitlist it, it should come through at the 11 month mark. I would start at the beginning of the time frame, if it were me. If you waited until the end, you should be able to book all 12 days at one time. I don't own at OKW, so really not sure of their booking availability for Oct. Maybe post a thread for that. The hardest reservations to get are AKV Concierge, OKW Grand Villas, Christmas and New Years, Oct Boardwalk and Beach Club reservations. If I left any out someone will fill them in.

 

[Disneyhappy]

I hope this doesn't start a debate on the morality of walking - because I'm planning on walking one.

When you have that once every 50 years' occasion (like your parent's 50th anniversary) that you're planning on walking to make sure you get your reservation, would you walk it for more than 7 days to give yourself a head start on the regular 7 day walkers?

I know we're talking a pretty small impact, but curious if anyone has walked ahead more than a week or would for that super special trip.

Thanks

I walked a reservation for Thanksgiving week last year at 7 months after having difficulty getting that week the year before. I think I started walking 8 days ahead of time and it worked out for me. I think it depends on the time of year and the location where you want to stay when considering walking. I have not found a need to walk other than that one trip.

 

[joandegennaro]

When I spoke to MS they said that if I wanted to book that time for this year she had all nights except the 10th of Oct available for a Studio at OKW. I beleive the 10th is a holiday in the states. So I think I should be alright at the 11 month mark.

 

[PoohNFriends]

New to this also, in fact don't even own yet but will probably start that process this week!
And just some background we will be buying into AKV and will probably want to stay conceirge sometimes (we got spoiled with an upgrade to concierge at the Poly once). I know concierge rooms can be hard to get since there are few of them, so if I felt I needed to walk a reservation do people usually do this starting 7 days before their intended reservation or do they start 5 days out if planning a 5 day stay?

Thanks!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I guess it helps to only travel during less popular times because I've never had a need to "walk a reservation". Good luck to you!

 

[RescueRanger]

I don't think you can book 12 nights in a row. So at the 11 month mark, you book one week, then every day you have to call and add a day, this is not walking. This is securing a reservation. I would call early.

Is this correct? You can't book 12 nights in a row? We are brand new to DVC and are planning a 12 night stay next June 5-17. We are wanting to get a 2 BR value room at AKV. Do you think we will have a hard time getting what we want at the 11 month window? Sorry for sidetracking the thread, just saw the above statement and wanted clarification.