Walking “fix” implemented? Problems booking a high value Villa.

[robinb]

This is bot walking. While, in theory, you don’t need to walk every day at exactly 8 am because 11 month availability means your room will always be available, in actuality there is a small risk that a walk could break if a room is out of inventory for some reason (planned maintenance, etc). So the mega rental sites that use bots likely have them programmed to rebook 7 days out at exactly 8:00:00 AM to ensure that this doesn’t happen to them, and if someone’s walk is going to break it will be someone doing it manually and slower. This is why you are seeing the day before dropping at 8:00:01.

No, I don't think that's what's happening. I timed the response time from the DVC website and even a bot can't walk a reservation in a single second.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

No, I don't think that's what's happening. I timed the response time from the DVC website and even a bot can't walk a reservation in a single second.

You can get pretty far in the modification process before 8 am. I think all that’s left is one final click. I don’t see any reason why a bot can’t be doing this at exactly 8:00:00 causing the issue you are describing. I only know this because I recently did a 7 month walk to grab a 1 bedroom at Christmas (where the possibility of a walk breaking is incredibly likely), so I manually did it every morning at as close to 8 am as I possibly could.

 

[robinb]

You can get pretty far in the modification process before 8 am. I think all that’s left is one final click. I don’t see any reason why a bot can’t be doing this at exactly 8:00:00 causing the issue you are describing. I only know this because I recently did a 7 month walk to grab a 1 bedroom at Christmas (where the possibility of a walk breaking is incredibly likely), so I manually did it every morning at as close to 8 am as I possibly could.

I timed it from exactly when the modification took place (NOT all the lead up that can be done in advance that you're talking about) and DVC computer's processing time took over 3 seconds. I posted proof, but the photo was removed because it violated a rule about posting screen captures of Disney websites. No matter how fast a bot is, if DVC's computer takes over 3 seconds to process then the update/change/walk cannot take less time than 3 seconds. The previous day's check-in day (11 months + 1 day) was showing up at exactly 8:00.01.

The post where I talk about timing:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...high-value-villa.3946822/page-3#post-65517701

 

[Sandisw]

I timed it from exactly when the modification took place (NOT all the lead up that can be done in advance that you're talking about) and DVC computer's processing time took over 3 seconds. I posted proof, but the photo was removed because it violated a rule about posting screen captures of Disney websites. No matter how fast a bot is, if DVC's computer takes over 3 seconds to process then the update/change/walk cannot take less time than 3 seconds. The previous day's check-in day (11 months + 1 day) was showing up at exactly 8:00.01.

So your thought is that DVC is holding back at least one room and releasing it right at 8:00 am? That is very possible because they own points at all the resorts an can very well be booking...and have a way to set a release faster into the system.

As long as what you are seeing is the room going at the 11 month mark, and then coming back after it is passed (+1) day, then it matches how the system should work....

What I can tell you is that today, May 9th was not there prior to 8 am, and when I tried to start my trip for the 10th, I got to the calendar, showed I could book starting the 10th (still no room on the 9th) and by the time I hit continue, I lost it, but the 9th was now there...and it was about 5 seconds beyond the window...it seems like it was the only room too because as soon as I booked, and went back...it was now about 8:01 am, the 9th was now gone again.

 

[robinb]

So your thought is that DVC is holding back at least one room and releasing it right at 8:00 am? That is very possible because they own points at all the resorts an can very well be booking...and have a way to set a release faster into the system.

As long as what you are seeing is the room going at the 11 month mark, and then coming back after it is passed (+1) day, then it matches how the system should work....

What I can tell you is that today, May 9th was not there prior to 8 am, and when I tried to start my trip for the 10th, I got to the calendar, showed I could book starting the 10th (still no room on the 9th) and by the time I hit continue, I lost it, but the 9th was now there...and it was about 5 seconds beyond the window...it seems like it was the only room too because as soon as I booked, and went back...it was now about 8:01 am, the 9th was now gone again.

Yes, I think that DVC is holding back at least one room. I originally thought that maybe they were trying to break walking but I'm not so sure now. We'll know more once the low point-cost May dates pass and if we can book those hard to get rooms on the 11-month window again.

Edits: Your experience was exactly what I was running into last month. You should be able to pick up the 10th tomorrow at 8:00.

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, I think that DVC is holding back at least one room. I originally thought that maybe they were trying to break walking but I'm not so sure now. We'll know more once the low point-cost May dates pass and if we can book those hard to get rooms on the 11-month window again.

Edits: Your experience was exactly what I was running into last month. You should be able to pick up the 10th tomorrow at 8:00.

We’ll, as I said, today the 9th didn’t show up right at 8 am, but within about 5 seconds after I lost the 10th because my phone was too slow to continue.

But, it could have been Disney as they own points and may have a system that releases it faster!

 

[muppets3d]

We’ll, as I said, today the 9th didn’t show up right at 8 am, but within about 5 seconds after I lost the 10th because my phone was too slow to continue.

But, it could have been Disney as they own points and may have a system that releases it faster!

I thought that Disney's points were a different inventory than the rooms we book with our points - for example to keep rooms open for emergencies or to sell for cash?

 

[robinb]

We’ll, as I said, today the 9th didn’t show up right at 8 am, but within about 5 seconds after I lost the 10th because my phone was too slow to continue.

But, it could have been Disney as they own points and may have a system that releases it faster!

That's exactly what happened to me. Using your dates: (1) The 9th would show booked before 8:00 am. (2) The 10th would show free before 8:00 am. (3) I would try to grab the 10th at exactly 8:00 am, but I would fail. [Note, I too initially blamed my phone, but it happened on my PC with fast internet too]. (4) Once I bounced out of getting the 10th a few seconds later, the 9th was suddenly available.

Once (1)-(4) happened to be a few times, I simply refreshed at 8:00:00 to grab the 9th at 8:00:01 instead of trying for the 10th.

 

[Sandisw]

That's exactly what happened to me. Using your dates: (1) The 9th would show booked before 8:00 am. (2) The 10th would show free before 8:00 am. (3) I would try to grab the 10th at exactly 8:00 am, but I would fail. [Note, I too initially blamed my phone, but it happened on my PC with fast internet too]. (4) Once I bounced out of getting the 10th a few seconds later, the 9th was suddenly available.

Once (1)-(4) happened to be a few times, I simply refreshed at 8:00:00 to grab the 9th at 8:00:01 instead of trying for the 10th.

We will see what happens tomorrow. Today was the first day I was able to grab anything. I have been trying since the 6th and nothing has ever come back! My dates are flexible so I figure I will grab whatever 3 nights I can!!!

 

[robinb]

We will see what happens tomorrow. Today was the first day I was able to grab anything. I have been trying since the 6th and nothing has ever come back! My dates are flexible so I figure I will grab whatever 3 nights I can!!!

Best of luck!

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

But, it could have been Disney as they own points and may have a system that releases it faster!

So Disney is walking their own reservations?

 

[muppets3d]

So Disney is walking their own reservations?

Disney's reservations don't affect our reservations. It's separate inventory. I am not sure what they're talking about.

 

[Sandisw]

Disney's reservations don't affect our reservations. It's separate inventory. I am not sure what they're talking about.

Disney can book rooms with their points just like you and I. The rooms you see offered for cash are different in that they come from trades, frpm breakage, and from rooms DVC used their points to book and now rent

So, those rooms alll come from the same set of rooms that are open to owners.,,,, it’s just once in the hands of DVC, they can no longer be booked by owners for points.

Think of it as the same as me booking a room, and you no longer being able to book it because I reserved it.

 

[Sandisw]

So Disney is walking their own reservations?

I actually am not convinced it is Disney, but just normal situation of walking. But, if the notion is that someone thinks DVC is booking snd then releasing the next day because it happened so quickly, I was simply pointing out that if they were, then it’s allowed as they own points.

I, like you, still believe it comes from a modification by another owner, and it’s just luck of the draw.

 

[Sandisw]

I thought that Disney's points were a different inventory than the rooms we book with our points - for example to keep rooms open for emergencies or to sell for cash?

They have points and can book like you and I and must follow the 11 month booking window. So, they don’t hold rooms out for that,

Undeclared inventory is only eligible for cash because it’s not part of the association yet,

But, as I explained, once DVC reserves them, whether with their own points, by trades, or because it’s the breakage period, we no longer have access to book them for points.

 

[muppets3d]

They have points and can book like you and I and must follow the 11 month booking window. So, they don’t hold rooms out for that,

Undeclared inventory is only eligible for cash because it’s not part of the association yet,

But, as I explained, once DVC reserves them, whether with their own points, by trades, or because it’s the breakage period, we no longer have access to book them for points.

Are you talking about points that they've gotten back via ROFR or some other means but not yet resold, those points?

 

[Sandisw]

Are you talking about points that they've gotten back via ROFR or some other means but not yet resold, those points?

They can not sell more than 98% of any resort. So they automatically own 2%…they can use those points to book any and all rooms. They also have points that they do get back via ROFR, etc.

If they have points from units declared and not yet sold, they can book with them. So, any points they own can be used to book rooms, They are just required to follow the same booking window that all owners follow.

When people say different inventory, it means the rooms thst were booked using DVCs own points, rooms that came from owners trading points to use on cruises, etc. and from rooms that go I booked by members that create the breakage inventory. Those rooms can’t be booked any longer for points because they are “technically” already booked…although sometimes rooms taken during the breakage period can be recalled. But, that doesn’t happen often.

100% of all rooms declared into the condo association are open to all owners every day.

Now, there are rooms that DVD still owns that come from undeclared units and those are not open to owners since they are not part of the association, until DVd declares them for sale.

 

[Sandisw]

Update: Finally got my RIV SV studio this morning, right at 8 am, using my computer. The 9th was showing prior to starting (the only May date not showing sold out from May 1st) and the 10th was still gone....the 10th never showed back up at all to book...and as of 8:21 am, it is still gone.

And, as soon as I got done securing my booking starting the 11th, the 9th was gone again. So, the method of seeing the day before show up right at 8:00 am did not hold today for my SV studio...

 

[muppets3d]

I will need to book a SV studio at Riviera for later in the month of May 2025. Hopefully whatever shenanigans are going on are over with by then!

 

[Minnie84]

Update: Finally got my RIV SV studio this morning, right at 8 am, using my computer. The 9th was showing prior to starting (the only May date not showing sold out from May 1st) and the 10th was still gone....the 10th never showed back up at all to book...and as of 8:21 am, it is still gone.

And, as soon as I got done securing my booking starting the 11th, the 9th was gone again. So, the method of seeing the day before show up right at 8:00 am did not hold today for my SV studio...

How far can you go in the booking screen before 8am? I’ve struck out on a BWV standard room for the last 2 weeks. Seems literally impossible that anyone is clicking faster as it’s gone in a millisecond. I’ve tried so many different things from modifying an existing booking, booking a new reservation to grab that first night… starting at different points in the screen…. Using a computer, phone, different browsers….so just curious what your process was to get the 11th this morning?