Walking a reservation question

[ak517]

If you haven't yet, try a different web browser. Luckily it seems like you have a few more days to go before getting to your preferred dates, so don't give up hope yet. I once had luck getting an AKV Value Studio randomly one morning on Chrome on my phone and walked it to my preferred dates (but I usually defer to desktop browser unless my wifi is iffy).

 

[Sandisw]

I mean I’m new to this. Just figured it was to get in the game. Where now having trouble just getting day one of anything.

Getting that first day at exactly seven months is the key to even attempt a walk...which has been shared, isn't always successful in the way it is at 11 months because you could very well have owners who can grab days during it.

I agree though that checking multiple times a day can help. I am not sure though that this is all walking...there are plenty of days now that are not showing back up which indicates people want those dates and you are just trying for a very hard to get room for all who don't own there.

Keep trying....

 

[RoseGold]

I have never heard of anybody Walking a 7 month booking.

Good luck with Waitlist.

I do it all the time, nothing special.

 

[crisi]

Nope was gone immediately. Said confirming for a sec. Then disappeared. Will try again tommorow. Is it ever smart to sell points and rent thru different rental stores? I mean if they have inventory for 11 months. They could book this week now and I could sell them my points. Wonder if they would even trade points? Just thoughts. Really want that week.

That is what I did for a Summer Hilton Head rental. If you want an in demand room at an in demand time and don't own there, your best best is renting - but it might be late to arrange something depending on how close you are to that seven months.

 

[crisi]

I swear. I’m in right at 8am. It’s please hold while confirming. Then. Something unexpected happened. 2nd day in a row. Such BS

That's just the game - its musical chairs. There are a few rooms left in the category you want, and more than that number of people trying to book. MOST people are not walking at seven months - people do, but it isn't common since any owner can swoop in and grab that day between now and your seven month window, making all your effort useless. It CAN work, it just can also not work. Make sure that the room type you have has availability for every day between now and the first day you really want, or you are walking into trouble.

 

[Brian Noble]

There are a few rooms left in the category you want, and more than that number of people trying to book.

That's my guess too; it's just popular. Other sites which track historical availability suggest that, for some reason, June is a tough get at Aulani, even for these room types. I'm not entirely sure why.

 

[DaveNan]

That's my guess too; it's just popular. Other sites which track historical availability suggest that, for some reason, June is a tough get at Aulani, even for these room types. I'm not entirely sure why.

I think the point charts drive it. If you want to go to Aulani during "summer" - Memorial Day to Labor Day, is crosses over 3 seasons. Memorial Day - June 25 is X points, June 25 to August 14 is roughly 20% higher, and August 14 to Labor Day is 10% higher (that the June charts). So.... given the DVC point consciousness, the peak demand is early June, followed by late August, with middle of summer availability being the best, with the exception of July 4th week.

 

[crisi]

That's my guess too; it's just popular. Other sites which track historical availability suggest that, for some reason, June is a tough get at Aulani, even for these room types. I'm not entirely sure why.

I can make some guesses on why June is popular. Aulani has always been popular with Hawaiian locals - who get out of school and then take their kids to a week vacation with that huge waterpark and lots of activities (it looks like Hawaii's schools get out the end of May). As expensive as it is for us from the mainland to fly to Hawaii for vacation, the same is true for Hawaiians, who would naturally look for vacations close to home that they don't need a ton of airfare for. Additionally, Hawaii has always been a popular honeymoon and destination wedding destination, and June is a popular wedding month.

 

[gmi3804]

I can make some guesses on why June is popular. Aulani has always been popular with Hawaiian locals - who get out of school and then take their kids to a week vacation with that huge waterpark and lots of activities (it looks like Hawaii's schools get out the end of May). As expensive as it is for us from the mainland to fly to Hawaii for vacation, the same is true for Hawaiians, who would naturally look for vacations close to home that they don't need a ton of airfare for. Additionally, Hawaii has always been a popular honeymoon and destination wedding destination, and June is a popular wedding month.

It’s also reasonably close to the west coast, which is a huge part of their market.

 

[Kingdome8]

The worst part is I have been trying right at 8am and said not 8 am yet. So last 2 days I wait 10 secs. And now 15-20 secs after 8 and still says before 8. Lol. Can’t win.

So can u be on and ready to hit submit before 8 or does system still consider that before 8. Should I not put dates in until after 8

 

[DaveNan]

The worst part is I have been trying right at 8am and said not 8 am yet. So last 2 days I wait 10 secs. And now 15-20 secs after 8 and still says before 8. Lol. Can’t win.

So can u be on and ready to hit submit before 8 or does system still consider that before 8. Should I not put dates in until after 8

You have to wait till 8AM to hit "check availability". You can't hit "check availability" before 8AM and hit "continue" after 8AM. It goes off when you did the search not when you try to book. That seemed to change 1-2 years ago. Some on the boards seem to still be able to, but most can't. I have played with my browser and settings, but not been able to find a way to not have the reservation time stamp based on my "check availability" time.

 

[Kingdome8]

You have to wait till 8AM to hit "check availability". You can't hit "check availability" before 8AM and hit "continue" after 8AM. It goes off when you did the search not when you try to book. That seemed to change 1-2 years ago. Some on the boards seem to still be able to, but most can't. I have played with my browser and settings, but not been able to find a way to not have the reservation time stamp based on my "check availability" time.

Ok. Thanks. I’ll try again. But gives some hope. Lol

 

[crisi]

It’s also reasonably close to the west coast, which is a huge part of their market.

Yeah, but that doesn't explain the June crunch - I mean, California schools get out then, but Californians have a ton of trave travel options that are as affordable as "lets take the kids to Hawaii."

 

[Kingdome8]

You have to wait till 8AM to hit "check availability". You can't hit "check availability" before 8AM and hit "continue" after 8AM. It goes off when you did the search not when you try to book. That seemed to change 1-2 years ago. Some on the boards seem to still be able to, but most can't. I have played with my browser and settings, but not been able to find a way to not have the reservation time stamp based on my "check availability" time.

Well. I did this and it worked. Thanks man. Huge relief. Got a 1 bedroom now tommorow gotta try for a studio.

 

[Sandisw]

Well. I did this and it worked. Thanks man. Huge relief. Got a 1 bedroom now tommorow gotta try for a studio.

Just to clarify since you had mentioned getting a 2 bedroom. Having a studio and a 1 bedroom booked as their own reservation is not the same and doesn’t mean you up with a 2 bedroom.

You can try to request they do put the one bedroom and studio connected buts it not a guarantee.

 

[Kingdome8]

Just to clarify since you had mentioned getting a 2 bedroom. Having a studio and a 1 bedroom booked as their own reservation is not the same and doesn’t mean you up with a 2 bedroom.

You can try to request they do put the one bedroom and studio connected buts it not a guarantee.

Yeah I know. Just no 2 bedrooms with availability. So will take what I can get.

 

[Kingdome8]

You have to wait till 8AM to hit "check availability". You can't hit "check availability" before 8AM and hit "continue" after 8AM. It goes off when you did the search not when you try to book. That seemed to change 1-2 years ago. Some on the boards seem to still be able to, but most can't. I have played with my browser and settings, but not been able to find a way to not have the reservation time stamp based on my "check availability" time.

Can I book 2 rooms at same time under my name. Or should I put in my wife’s name. I have one reservation in my name. And going for a second one today for same resort same week. Wondering if I can just book to my name and switch or put in her name.

 

[drusba]

Can I book 2 rooms at same time under my name. Or should I put in my wife’s name. I have one reservation in my name. And going for a second one today for same resort same week. Wondering if I can just book to my name and switch or put in her name.

I have done that many times using only my name, usually during the 11-month window when I am still not sure of family members actually coming for the second room. You just need to change it later to provide for actual participants in the rooms, and to change the lead name for the second room requires contacting MS. Nevertheless, you can also just use your wife's name as lead on the second room and then change that later, so either way should work

 

[RoseGold]

You can put in a waitlist for a 2BR and call MS to make a note that they should cancel the 1BR and the studio, or cancel X days or whatever. They are matched by humans, and you can make the notes more clear than what the online system allows.

 

[Winston Wolf]

So if someone is walking a reservation, and they drop the first day and add on one more to the end...does availability in the middle matter? Or only if that date on the end is available? Is the system smart enough to know that they already have the rooms for those middle dates, or does it basically "rebook" the entire trip so that if there is a day in the middle which shows no current availability then they can't move the reservation? Kind of confusing.