Walking a Reservation - On what day do you call to modify?

[jekjones1558]

So you would't agree that if you had called today at 8 am for 5 nights, those 5 nights could have been booked at 8 am Sunday as part of a 7 day booking? And had enough people done that such that there were no rooms available, you wouldn't be shut out to start today?

Dean, for some reason you are stuck on the idea that the number of days you book has something to do with the date you start booking. It doesn't. Anyone can start booking on any date, no matter if s/he books 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 days. No matter what date you choose to start your 7 day booking, I can choose that same date to start my less than 7 day booking. Then we both need to make sure we call back to modify in time to keep the reservation going until we get the dates we want. I may need to make more calls depending on how far out from my needed dates I start the process, but as long as I make those calls I will keep my room from being booked by someone else just like you will.

 

[Dean]

But why would one assume that the person starting the 5 day walk waited until today to call.? He/She can start at any tine, just as the 7 day walker can. Perhaps the 5 day walker started last Friday. If so, it's possible that he/she shut out the 7 day walker who started on Sunday. IMO, that's the assumption Jean & Kat & the others are challenging.

We have no way to know when someone is going to start walking. . I think we all agree that the trick is to get the first reservation. Once that is secured, it's just a matter of how often you call (assuming Disney isn't taking rooms out of inventory more than 11 months in advance).

But the point was that issue is always present no matter when you call or how early. The others are assuming you actually get the reservation and I'm suggesting your chances of getting the initial reservation is less, how much less depends. In theory you could never get the reservation no matter how early you started. I realize if you start early enough that's not very likely but it is possible at some of the most difficult to get reservations and if it's not difficult, why walk at all.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

But the point was that issue is always present no matter when you call or how early. The others are assuming you actually get the reservation and I'm suggesting your chances of getting the initial reservation is less, how much less depends. In theory you could never get the reservation no matter how early you started. I realize if you start early enough that's not very likely but it is possible at some of the most difficult to get reservations and if it's not difficult, why walk at all.

And nobody has stated otherwise that getting the initial reservation is key to walking. It's actually key to any reservation and why there even is walking - having the days open on the day you want to book. But at some point that has to be set aside to discuss the mechanics of walking. That is the start point.

What hasn't been explained by you is why you think that the number of nights one is walking means that they will start walking on different days. The logic there fails IMO.

With no fixed weeks there will always be people booking before you that will have day booked that you want to begin your check in. But for walking the inherent idea is to find a day that will not be so popular to others that there will be availability to book a reservation and from there you modify. That day you hope to find would theoretically be the same day for both a person booking 5 nights and the person booking 7 nights.

 

[Babydreamz]

Dean, for some reason you are stuck on the idea that the number of days you book has something to do with the date you start booking. It doesn't. Anyone can start booking on any date, no matter if s/he books 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 days. No matter what date you choose to start your 7 day booking, I can choose that same date to start my less than 7 day booking. Then we both need to make sure we call back to modify in time to keep the reservation going until we get the dates we want. I may need to make more calls depending on how far out from my needed dates I start the process, but as long as I make those calls I will keep my room from being booked by someone else just like you will.

But the point was that issue is always present no matter when you call or how early. The others are assuming you actually get the reservation and I'm suggesting your chances of getting the initial reservation is less, how much less depends. In theory you could never get the reservation no matter how early you started. I realize if you start early enough that's not very likely but it is possible at some of the most difficult to get reservations and if it's not difficult, why walk at all.

I think I get what Dean is saying. Essentially, the number of night another owner is walking may affect availability when one is trying to start walking a reservation. So let's say I want to book a reservation for 5 days to start walking for 12/3-12/8. But another owner who started walking 2 days before I did by booking 7 days, therefore booking 12/1-12/8 which could theoretically block me out from booking a reservation on 12/3. I hope I'm making sense. It's so hard to put into words what I'm actually thinking it means.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I think I get what Dean is saying. Essentially, the number of night another owner is walking may affect availability when one is trying to start walking a reservation. So let's say I want to book a reservation for 5 days to start walking for 12/3-12/8. But another owner who started walking 2 days before I did by booking 7 days, therefore booking 12/1-12/8 which could theoretically block me out from booking a reservation on 12/3. I hope I'm making sense. It's so hard to put into words what I'm actually thinking it means.

Booking 11 months+ means that there will always be people who have booked before you, even if you're booking 7 days so no one every gets a clear shot at a reservation.

 

[Babydreamz]

Booking 11 months+ means that there will always be people who have booked before you, even if you're booking 7 days so no one every gets a clear shot at a reservation.

Right, I get that. And I think that's what Dean was trying to say as well.

 

[CarolMN]

It all boils down to getting an initial reservation. After that, it's just a matter of calling MS to add on nights at the proper time.

It's the initial reservation that matters for walking - so the first night one chooses to begin walking is the one to focus on, not any of the nights of the desired "end-up" reservation. Anyone can start walking at any time he/she chooses. Doesn't matter if you are going to book 5 nights or 4 nights or 7 nights, etc. Again, it's getting the first reservation. And everyone has the same opportunity to get a particular "start the walk" night at his home resort - it's the 11 month window.

If the 5 night walker starts walking before the 7 night walker (and assuming there is only one room left for the desired reservation), the 5 night walker will prevail over the 7 night walker. If they both plan to start their walk on the same night, the prize goes to the one that gets the initial reservation.

So a successful walk comes down to choosing when to start. That has to be balanced with how often you want to call to add nights at the end & cancel niohts at the beginning of the reservation. If you have enough points to book 7 nights you won't have to call as often as someone who only has enough points to book 3 nights.

 

[Cyberc1978]

That assumes they get the reservation. If I understood correctly, the question was about starting the walk later when you didn't need the full 7 days. If you do that, your chances of getting what you want are less but once you get something, I'd agree you have the same chances going forward assuming you don't end up hitting a time when villas are going out of service or being held for some reason.

The question I responded to was simply if one needed to have 7 nights to walk or if you could have less. It was the first time the poster responded in this thread and they did not seem to be talking about waiting past the 11 month mark to start walking so I think we definitely understood the question differently. However I don't see that the OP was asking about that scenario either. But maybe I'm not understanding either what post your are referring to or the exact scenario.

I read the OP's question like you do, Kathy. If the OP is able to start the walk okay then no need to do 7 nights. This might be helpful if there are no extra points available. Doing less than 7 nights just means having to make more phone calls to walk the reservation forward.

I went back and reread the question. As asked the question was whether they needed to book 7 days to walk. I took that as meaning that if they booked less days initially could they still walk and still read it that way. They could have meant they wanted to end up with less than 7 days or as I read it. If they wanted to do less than 7 days to start, that'd be a mistake IMO if they have a choice. The only reason that would be an issue would be if they had to borrow to book the full 7 days or simply didn't have the points to do so. Booking less than 7 days means they're waiting until after others could have booked which reduces the chances of success getting the initial reservation to work from.

I also took it as meaning that if they booked less days initially could they still walk and would answer that yes, that can be done. I'm wondering if we have a disconnect in that I don't think that means the start date for the walk changes and maybe you are assuming it does? Otherwise I'm not understanding why booking less than 7 days would mean they are waiting until after others have booked. First and foremost with walking is picking out the day to start but number of nights should not change that decision except in a rare case of only wanting a couple of nights and perhaps not having current points to cover a weekend or holiday.

Otherwise, whether the owner books 7 days initially or 2 days or somewhere in between there isn't any way another owner can jump in on their reservation as long as they stay ahead of the 11 month window. The only difference will be the number of times they need to call to modify before they get the reservation they want. Of course if they are looking for a 7 night reservation they might as well walk 7 nights unless there's something like a season change and borrowing might have to occur. But if one wants to walk with fewer nights it just means more phone calls to stay ahead of other owners booking at 11 months. Walking less than 7 nights does not place their reservation in jeopardy though if it's done correctly.

Sorry for the confusion.

I just wanted to know if I was able to walk a hard to get ressi if I needed less than 7 nights. As I now understand it, I could start walking at 11 months out for any number of days.

 

[jekjones1558]

Sorry for the confusion.

I just wanted to know if I was able to walk a hard to get ressi if I needed less than 7 nights. As I now understand it, I could start walking at 11 months out for any number of days.

Yes.

 

[Dean]

Sorry for the confusion.

I just wanted to know if I was able to walk a hard to get ressi if I needed less than 7 nights. As I now understand it, I could start walking at 11 months out for any number of days.

The best approach is to start with 7 days and shorten it after you get the actual dates you need if you have enough points to do so.

 

[Cyberc1978]

The best approach is to start with 7 days and shorten it after you get the actual dates you need if you have enough points to do so.

Ok, ill keep that in mind should I feel the need to walk.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Sorry for the confusion.

I just wanted to know if I was able to walk a hard to get ressi if I needed less than 7 nights. As I now understand it, I could start walking at 11 months out for any number of days.

Yep!

Any number of days will work (except one of course).

 

[MouseOfCards]

I will admit you are losing me with the thought that booking less than 7 days initially reduces the chance of getting the reservation initially. Whether booking 5 nights or 7 nights no one starts further than 11 months out.

Throwing walking out of the equation, for example, I want Dec 1-4 and another owner wants Dec 1-7th. Both of us will book on January 1st.

Now, say both of us actually want different dates - I want Dec 11-14th and they want Dec 11-17th. We both can start walking on the same date, and I'll use the Dec 1st booking (but yes, it is key to pick a day to actually get it started and this day could be way back in November if necessary or even further but we both would be right at the 11 month window, whatever that date is, to start). Since I'm walking with fewer nights I need to call and modify my dates on Jan 4 to Dec 4-7th and the other owner doesn't need to call until Dec 7th and will change to Dec 7-13th. On the 7th I have to make my second call and would modify to Dec 7-10th. Then I'd make my third call on Jan 10th to modify to Dec 10-13th. One day later I could call and have my Dec 11-14th dates (4 calls total to modify). And on that same date the other owner would make their second call to modify and finish their walk with their Dec 11-17th dates. The owner walking 7 nights had no advantage over me in starting the walk though.

Sorry, but got a little confused here. Initially you mentioned 5 nights vs 7 nights, then gave an example that didn't seem to match that. Is your step-by-step example comparing a 3-night vs 6-night reservation, or a 4-night vs 7-night? I'm assuming a 3-night vs 6-night because you have to keep calling every 3 days to modify. Is this correct? (When you say Dec 11-14, are these check-in and check-out dates?)

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Sorry, but got a little confused here. Initially you mentioned 5 nights vs 7 nights, then gave an example that didn't seem to match that. Is your step-by-step example comparing a 3-night vs 6-night reservation, or a 4-night vs 7-night? I'm assuming a 3-night vs 6-night because you have to keep calling every 3 days to modify. Is this correct? (When you say Dec 11-14, are these check-in and check-out dates?)

Sorry - I meant it as actual nights (Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4) ie, check in Dec 1st and check out on Dec 5th. Same with the 7 night example. Let me change and use check in and out dates on the 4 night. So check in Dec 11 and check out on Dec 15th is the goal (4 nights). I got the initial reservation of Dec 1st check in and Dec 5th check out. The reason you need to call 3 days after that first reservation is because you need to stay in front of everyone else's 11 month window. If you waited and called 4 days later you would just be calling exactly at the new 11 month booking window and losing all advantage of walking. In the example I started by booking on Nov 1st. If I waited to call 4 days after I made the initial reservation I'd be calling on Nov 5th and changing to a check in of Dec 5 and check out on Dec 9th but I'd also be calling on the same day as someone who could start a new reservation. So I need to call on Nov 4th and change the reservation to Dec 4th check in and Dec 8th check out and keep moving forward that same way. I'd make the next call on Nov 7th to book a Dec 7th check in and Dec 11th check out. Then make another call Nov 10th to change it to Dec 10th check in and Dec 14th check out. One more call the next day to get Dec 11 check in and Dec 15th check out.

Sorry for any confusion by using nights and not the check out day.

Just as an add on I'm going to mention that I firmly believe that the majority of reservations do not require walking.

 

[MouseOfCards]

Sorry - I meant it as actual nights (Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4) ie, check in Dec 1st and check out on Dec 5th. Same with the 7 night example. Let me change and use check in and out dates on the 4 night. So check in Dec 11 and check out on Dec 15th is the goal (4 nights). I got the initial reservation of Dec 1st check in and Dec 5th check out. The reason you need to call 3 days after that first reservation is because you need to stay in front of everyone else's 11 month window. If you waited and called 4 days later you would just be calling exactly at the new 11 month booking window and losing all advantage of walking. In the example I started by booking on Nov 1st. If I waited to call 4 days after I made the initial reservation I'd be calling on Nov 5th and changing to a check in of Dec 5 and check out on Dec 9th but I'd also be calling on the same day as someone who could start a new reservation. So I need to call on Nov 4th and change the reservation to Dec 4th check in and Dec 8th check out and keep moving forward that same way. I'd make the next call on Nov 7th to book a Dec 7th check in and Dec 11th check out. Then make another call Nov 10th to change it to Dec 10th check in and Dec 14th check out. One more call the next day to get Dec 11 check in and Dec 15th check out.

Sorry for any confusion by using nights and not the check out day.

Just as an add on I'm going to mention that I firmly believe that the majority of reservations do not require walking.

Thank you for the step-by-step. Very helpful!