Walking a reservation ?

[WDWLODGE]

So I've never done this before, and I am trying this at 7 months out for a non-home resort. Our trip starts on Nov. 12, so today I can book from 11/06 for a stay through 11/13(7-nights). The dates at the resort I want to switch to are only available from 11/10 - 11/13. Will I be able to just book the 4-nights and add on each day until we have the 10-nights(11/12-11/21) that we want. I just don't want to let go of our current reservation if it won't work.

 

[Splashboat]

No, they won't let you do that. You can only book consecutive nights starting within your window - so if the 6th isn't available it doesn't matter if all the other dates are available today.
Maybe someone else will switch today and you can get something to open up for you - good luck!

 

[drusba]

Walking at 7 months usually does not work and often for the reason you are seeing in that the day you want to begin walking is fully booked preventing you from making a reservation.

I do not know the resort and room category you are looking for but be aware that if your intent is to start a vacation on Nov 12, you may have a decent chance of getting a near park resort, at least BLT lake view or BWV pool/garden view, if you simply wait until April 12 to reserve. Nov is a very high DVC demand time from beginning of Nov through the Monday of Veteran's Day weekend and the Tuesday to Sat of Thanksgiving week. The time in between those two is a more moderate demand time and usually easier to get at 7 months out.

 

[crisi]

There is also a non-zero chance that one of the nights in the middle will be booked up by home resort owners already.

 

[twinsouvenirs]

If you were going to walk a ressie... would you need to have extra points on hand, or do you always do this by phone and have them cancel the extra day each day as well as adding one?

I'm not sure if daily calls to MS are worth it

 

[nalajms]

If you were going to walk a ressie... would you need to have extra points on hand, or do you always do this by phone and have them cancel the extra day each day as well as adding one?

I'm not sure if daily calls to MS are worth it

You don't need daily calls. Lets say you want a 4 night stay but start walking 10 days prior. On Jan 1 you start your walk and book 4 nights. You have until Jan 4 to call back and cancel nights 1-3, add on nights 5-7. Call back Jan 7, drop 3, add 3, repeat....

It's much easier if you have extra points because you can book up to 7 days and wait till day 7 to call.

 

[twinsouvenirs]

That only works at the 11 mo mark, right? It wouldn't necessarily work at 7 mo if I understand correctly.

 

[nalajms]

That only works at the 11 mo mark, right? It wouldn't necessarily work at 7 mo if I understand correctly.

Yes, you can only effectively walk a reservation at 11m.

You can do the same thing at 7m, but you'd only beat out other non-home resort owners.

 

[twinsouvenirs]

It also seems like you'd have to use double the points if you wanted to keep your home resort reservation as 'insurance' that you'd have a place to stay.

 

[WDWLODGE]

Just an update, at 11 months I booked our Home resort, VWL for 11/12 - 11/22. We wanted to try out BLT this trip. On the morning of April 9th I noticed that BLT-Lake View was available from 11/9 on. VWL was also available(I had been watching for a few days and it was always available) so I knew if I didn't get BLT I had a good chance to get my VWL ressies back. So I went online a little before 7AM and cancelled our VWL ressies and booked BLT for 11/09 - 11/16 at 7AM. I then called MS on April 15 and moved our reservation to start on 11/12 and added 3 days to the end for our 11/12-11/22 trip.

 

[twinsouvenirs]

So basically, it worked! Good news!!!

 

[gmi3804]

If I wanted to walk a four-night stay, would I have to wait until that first desired night was the fourth night of my eligible 11-month window, book four nights, then call each of the following three days to add an additional night by walking? Or do I have to wait until 11 months from that first night?

What time does the online system "open?" Is it at midnight EST?

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

If I wanted to walk a four-night stay, would I have to wait until that first desired night was the fourth night of my eligible 11-month window, book four nights, then call each of the following three days to add an additional night by walking? Or do I have to wait until 11 months from that first night? What time does the online system "open?" Is it at midnight EST?

Online opens at 8AM EST. Walking a reservation means you start before your first day. So say you want to check in April 11 but you want to walk a ressie at 11 months to give yourself a better chance of getting it. You can book today for April 8 for 7 nights. Every day you would call in cancel a day off the beginning and add a day on the end until you get to the right check in day for you. Same goes for 7 months.

 

[nalajms]

If I wanted to walk a four-night stay, would I have to wait until that first desired night was the fourth night of my eligible 11-month window, book four nights, then call each of the following three days to add an additional night by walking? Or do I have to wait until 11 months from that first night?

What time does the online system "open?" Is it at midnight EST?

You can start "walking" whenever you want. Generally people start a few days or weeks before the first night. You book however many nights you can with the points you have. If you booked 7 nights, you'd need to call every 6 days to take off 6n and add 6 more. Then at the 11m window of your first desired night, you finalize the nights you want.

Online opens at 8am Eastern.

 

[nalajms]

So say you want to check in April 11 but you want to walk a ressie at 11 months to give yourself a better chance of getting it. You can book today for April 8 for 7 nights. Every day you would call in cancel a day off the beginning and add a day on the end until you get to the right check in day for you. Same goes for 7 months.

You don't need to call every day. If you've got April 8-15, no one else can book that room until the 11m window comes up for April 16. So as long as you call by the 11m mark for April 15, you'll be able to get April 16+.

Doesn't work for 7m exactly like 11m. At any point in the walk, a home resort owner can come in and book April 16+. So in that case, it might be worth it to call every day.

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

You don't need to call every day. If you've got April 8-15, no one else can book that room until the 11m window comes up for April 16. So as long as you call by the 11m mark for April 15, you'll be able to get April 16+.

Doesn't work for 7m exactly like 11m. At any point in the walk, a home resort owner can come in and book April 16+. So in that case, it might be worth it to call every day.

Thanks nalajms for clarifying. I own at SSR so I never really have to walk at 11 months, I have only done it at 7 so I go the daily route