walking a reservation

[dwight16]

so i have been on the board over the last month talking about a pending 7th month booking mid october a Wednesday to a Monday 5 nights. I need a 2 bed room and i know its going to be at AKL or VWL. right now they both have space and i know that can change any moment. here is my question i have enough points with out having to borrow 2016 to book a full week at a 2 bedroom. so should i book saturday to saturday then call the next day to add and drop and call the day after that to add and drop and then a few days later to drop the first 2 days.......does this work is it worth it? i have a feeling most people go saturday to saturday so is it smart to do this? i really would only do this for VWL our first choice i dont think a 2bedroom will be hard for AKL please advise

 

[cmrdgrs]

Walking may not be necessary for your dates since you are looking for a 2 bdrm. Since 2006, when I became an owner, I have never walked a reservation. To me, this is one giant hassle and something I'm not interested in doing. What are your travel dates?

 

[nalajms]

so should i book saturday to saturday then call the next day to add and drop and call the day after that to add and drop and then a few days later to drop the first 2 days.......does this work is it worth it?

That's a lot of work and there's no guarantee that owners won't come in and book certain days before you get to 7m+7days. But that's the gist of walking a reservation.

 

[dwight16]

oct 14th to the 19th. 5 nights i know its a busy time for DVC but not sure how busy its for non epcot resorts...i know they will fill up at 7 months...but BVC and BWV and VGF and most of BLT are already booked up for basically that whole month so i guess maybe there wont be that many people hitting the 7th month window.....we are ok with AKL just wanted to try VWL so thats my goal

 

[nalajms]

oct 14th to the 19th. 5 nights i know its a busy time for DVC but not sure how busy its for non epcot resorts.../QUOTE]

Perhaps you'll have luck with people trying to get into Poly?
If you're going to put in the effort, you might want to start walking on the 8th or 9th. If the halloween party is on Friday night, then VWL will book up. Plus you're going to have the Columbus day crowd flying in early.

Good luck!

 

[cmrdgrs]

oct 14th to the 19th. 5 nights i know its a busy time for DVC but not sure how busy its for non epcot resorts...i know they will fill up at 7 months...but BVC and BWV and VGF and most of BLT are already booked up for basically that whole month so i guess maybe there wont be that many people hitting the 7th month window.....we are ok with AKL just wanted to try VWL so thats my goal

Yes, you are in a busy season, Food and Wine is still going to be going on and you also have Mickey's Halloween party dates too. If it were me, I wouldn't be bothered walking, but that's me. You have the concept down if you choose to. 2 bdrms are usually last to book up. IMO, I think if you logon to the DVC system the morning your 7th month window opens you will get the room you want. JMHO, but walking is a hassle and just bogs up the DVC system. Good luck with your decision and getting your desired room.

 

[dwight16]

Columbus day is the monday before i want to arrive and i am not sure when the Halloween party dates will be put out but i thought it was closer to summer....i think your right i will just get what i get

 

[nalajms]

2 bdrms are usually last to book up.

2 bedrooms are usually gone shortly after studios.

i think your right i will just get what i get

At the very least I would check 10/12 and 10/13 and book if all night are available.

 

[loveglobe]

I've been trying to grasp the concept of walking, and as far as I can figure, it's a way of inching in ahead of the seven month line, but since you can only move one day at a time the most you'd be able to walk ahead before the seven month doors open to people who don't have existing reservations is a few days. Is that right? This does seem like a lot of work but I guess if you're desperate to get exactly what you want it could be worth the hassle, though perhaps annoying to other members who may want to book the nights you're tying up temporarily.

 

[CMOORE185]

There have been many threads on walking a reservation and most believe walking only truly works at 11 months. I believe the problem at 7 months is that the owners that can book at 11 months can come in anytime and take the reservation you are looking for so it may backfire on you.

 

[Anal Annie]

It may not be ethical to everyone but I think it's worth a shot. I have only done it for VGC but I think it worked as there are so few studios there and we wanted to book a few nights there prior to heading to Aulani. If we didn't get those few nights the whole trip would be screwed. The whole trip hinged on securing this studio and I wanted to get the jump on anyone who was waiting for the same dates. Rather than starting an entire week prior tho I just went ahead and booked a full week starting 4 nights earlier than the 3 nights we actually wanted. Once I got to the 7 mo. window of the day we really wanted the ressie to start I called and canceled off the first 4. Those studios stay completely booked almost all the time so I have no regrets doing it. I figure I probably made someone's waitlist dream come true when I canceled.

 

[cmrdgrs]

I don't think walking is "unethical" DVC allows it and CMs will even advocate it and share this information with Members. So, if a DVC member has the desire to walk, personally, I say have at it. However, I do think that it isn't really something that DVC expected people to do. If there is a way to work the system, people always find a way to do it and then you add the internet to the mix and it becomes the best known "secret" between whomever thought of it and the hundreds of thousands of people that read it on the internet. All I can say is that if it becomes a perceived problem, I think Disney will shut it down, and who knows what that change will bring.

 

[supersnoop]

2 bdrms are usually last to book up.

Two bedrooms don't book up last. They book up almost as quickly as studios. That's because most two bedrooms are lock-offs, and, when someone books a studio, it takes the two bedroom out of inventory.

 

[disneynutz]

2 bedrooms are usually gone shortly after studios.

If all of the studios are booked then the 2 bedroom lock-offs will not be available, only the 2 bedroom dedicated units will remain if the resort offers them.

Bill

 

[dwight16]

well I am probably just going to wing it. I hate having to go during busy times in terms of dvc I love my May and end of August booking times nothing to worry about.

 

[cmrdgrs]

Two bedrooms don't book up last. They book up almost as quickly as studios. That's because most two bedrooms are lock-offs, and, when someone books a studio, it takes the two bedroom out of inventory.

Next time I'll be more specific supersnoop. When I think of a 2 bdrm, I think of a dedicated 2 bdrm. Personally, if I am booking a 2 bdrm, I am not interested in a 2 bdrm lockoff, because I'm interested in the 2 queen bed setup in the second bdrm. Obviously, 2 bdrm lock-off sell out at the same time as studios, since the lockoffs are combined studio/1 bdrm combinations.

 

[dwight16]

Ahhhh ok they just have dedicated 2 bedrooms left so all studios for that time must have at least one night booked. To add another layer of complication we are one kid heavy party of 9 but 4 are driving in so we don't need magical express. I was thinking about leaving the youngest kid off since its an 8 person limit and just getting her a magic band before we go.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

well I am probably just going to wing it. I hate having to go during busy times in terms of dvc I love my May and end of August booking times nothing to worry about.

Personally I'd also just wing it. I think you'll be fine to get one or the other and will likely still have your choice.

Ahhhh ok they just have dedicated 2 bedrooms left so all studios for that time must have at least one night booked. To add another layer of complication we are one kid heavy party of 9 but 4 are driving in so we don't need magical express. I was thinking about leaving the youngest kid off since its an 8 person limit and just getting her a magic band before we go.

AKV has a 9 person limit in the 2 bedroom and you should be able to book 9 into VWL too although there is only sleeping space for 8.

 

[dwight16]

has anyone booked 9 into a 2 bedroom dedicated at vwl before????? we are 6 adults and 3 kids 10, 4 and 4

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

has anyone booked 9 into a 2 bedroom dedicated at vwl before????? we are 6 adults and 3 kids 10, 4 and 4

When you pull it up on the booking tool here is the message (it is the same for all the older resorts):

Sleeps 8 – 9th guest can be accomodated, but must provide their own bedding and linens