Walking A Reservation

[carlbarry]

Beyond the hassle, it also risks unintended consequences. If DVC decides walking is getting out of hand and increasing personnel costs for MS (which is bad for the broader membership), it has been speculated that they may begin to charge a fee for each call to change a reservation (whether walking or not) to discourage the behavior...which might also ding members who were not trying to walk a reservation or possibly open the way for other fees being charged for using your membership.

I also own a Wyndham timeshare. With them, you get a certain number of free "transactions," depending on how many points you have. I have a very small number, so I get only once a year.
Every time you call Wyndham or go on line for a booking or to change a booking, it is a "transaction." If you call the same day, it is not an extra transaction. So if this was applied to DVC, say you booked at 11 months. Then you changed at 7 months. Bang, an extra "transaction" that you would be charged for. Call a few days later to add a day, bang, another "transaction" and another fee.

 

[ziravan]

I also own a Wyndham timeshare. With them, you get a certain number of free "transactions," depending on how many points you have. I have a very small number, so I get only once a year.
Every time you call Wyndham or go on line for a booking or to change a booking, it is a "transaction." If you call the same day, it is not an extra transaction. So if this was applied to DVC, say you booked at 11 months. Then you changed at 7 months. Bang, an extra "transaction" that you would be charged for. Call a few days later to add a day, bang, another "transaction" and another fee.

1. Wyndham just changed their rules for transaction fees from $30/day to $20 per transaction even if on same day.

2. DVC deciding to nickel and dime us with fees would be a far worse outcome than walking ever will be.

 

[carlbarry]

1. Wyndham just changed their rules for transaction fees from $30/day to $20 per transaction even if on same day.

.

And dollars to donuts Wyndham says they changed the policy because members requested it--just like they said when they stopped allowing transfer of points between owners.

 

[AnnaKat]

Found this via Google:

This is a method some DVC members have devised to help secure some hard-to-get reservations, which involves reserving a room days or even weeks ahead of the intended travel dates and then continuing to add and delete dates over time.

Basically, book a trip, and "walk" it to the dates you really want, all while keeping the type of room you want to get.

It is NOW being done like 2 months in advance for the Value Villas(as there are ONLY 18)
and for the AKL Club Villas(as there are ONLY 5)

 

[AnnaKat]

I also own a Wyndham timeshare. With them, you get a certain number of free "transactions," depending on how many points you have. I have a very small number, so I get only once a year.
Every time you call Wyndham or go on line for a booking or to change a booking, it is a "transaction." If you call the same day, it is not an extra transaction. So if this was applied to DVC, say you booked at 11 months. Then you changed at 7 months. Bang, an extra "transaction" that you would be charged for. Call a few days later to add a day, bang, another "transaction" and another fee.

DVC CMs say it is not bothersome to them @ ALL; DVC Managers said the same thing!!!!
SO NO charging extra fees!!!!!

 

[Castillo Mom]

I walked two reservations for our last trip for PVB, a room for myself and immediate family and a 2nd room for my DSIL. Dates were 9/22/17-10/7/17. Based on what I had read, it was better to not take any chances and walk the reservation. I got everything I needed.

I'm a new PVB owner now, so I won't need to do this for next year unless I decide to try to get us into BCV for F&W.

 

[nicki.momof3]

We have gone every spring break and Christmas break for the last 10 year (7-10 day trip). We have NEVER walked a reservation (who has the time for that) and we have always gotten our first choice. Most of the time we do not stay in our home resort - we typically move to BLT, BWV, BCV

 

[fairytalelover]

Can’t we “walk” a reservation online ourselves? Do we have the call to “walk” a reservation ?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Can’t we “walk” a reservation online ourselves? Do we have the call to “walk” a reservation ?

Walking requires modifying an existing reservation which can't be done online.

 

[sleepydog25]

Is it acceptable? Does member services frown upon it? Who has done it and if you havent why not?

Yes. Reportedly no. I have not, mostly because it hasn't been necessary. I agree with a) "If it weren’t for people walking, you wouldn’t need to walk hardly anything" and b) "This creates the unique situation where the member's 'cure' worsens the disease." At some point, Disney will address the issue, and it's doubtful we'll like the solution.

 

[fairytalelover]

I’m not sure if I’m understanding how to walk a reservation yet. I appreciate your explanations. Let’s say for example, I want to stay from 10/13 to 10/20 So when do I start walking a reservation?

 

[Deb & Bill]

I’m not sure if I’m understanding how to walk a reservation yet. I appreciate your explanations. Let’s say for example, I want to stay from 10/13 to 10/20 So when do I start walking a reservation?

If the 13th falls on Columbus Day holiday weekend, you might need a week or a bit more than a week to start walking. You are looking out for your competition for the villa you want. If they are going to start their trip before the weekend, you want to plan on that.

 

[carlbarry]

I'm also still a bit confused by the process.
Let's say in the above example, I want to stay on Oct. 13th, and for simplicity, it's not Columbus day weekend.
Therefore, I make a reservation 7 months out at the resort, for October 6-13. That would be February 6.
Then on February 7, I call DVC and ask that the reservation be changed to October 7-14.
Then on February 8, I call DVC and ask that the reservation be changed to October 8-15.
And I keep doing that every day, until I get to February 13, which would be the corresponding 7 month mark for an October 13 one week stay.
Is that correct?

 

[ParkHoppers]

The actions of a MINORITY will push Disney to make changes that effect ALL. Probably with a negative twist we won’t like. But people have no issue with it as long as they get theirs. SMH.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

I'm also still a bit confused by the process.
Let's say in the above example, I want to stay on Oct. 13th, and for simplicity, it's not Columbus day weekend.
Therefore, I make a reservation 7 months out at the resort, for October 6-13. That would be February 6.
Then on February 7, I call DVC and ask that the reservation be changed to October 7-14.
Then on February 8, I call DVC and ask that the reservation be changed to October 8-15.
And I keep doing that every day, until I get to February 13, which would be the corresponding 7 month mark for an October 13 one week stay.
Is that correct?

No. Walking does not reliably work for seven month reservations, because while you are doing the walk, someone who has points at that resort can go ahead and reserve the dates you are targeting. And if any date gets booked up between your walk and your target, your walk is blocked. Walking only reliably works at 11 months at your home resort.
Walking at 7 months might give you a slight advantage over other people who are booking at 7 months, but can be thwarted by an owner.
The one way it might work for you at seven months is if you need say 5 days, and you notice two days before your window that 7 days are available. You could book all 7 days, then later unbook the first two days. (Assuming you have enough points to do this without borrowing).

 

[Deb & Bill]

No. Walking does not reliably work for seven month reservations, because while you are doing the walk, someone who has points at that resort can go ahead and reserve the dates you are targeting. And if any date gets booked up between your walk and your target, your walk is blocked. Walking only reliably works at 11 months at your home resort.
Walking at 7 months might give you a slight advantage over other people who are booking at 7 months, but can be thwarted by an owner.
The one way it might work for you at seven months is if you need say 5 days, and you notice two days before your window that 7 days are available. You could book all 7 days, then later unbook the first two days. (Assuming you have enough points to do this without borrowing).

Exactly. You walk a reservation at 11+ months out, not seven plus months out.

 

[carlbarry]

Exactly. You walk a reservation at 11+ months out, not seven plus months out.

OK. That's what had me confused: how it would work effectively at 7 months.
So now I have another question, as someone who has been an owner for only 9 years:
I have never had trouble booking my home resort OKW at 11 months out. I usually book for early December, which as we all know is a popular time for DVC owners.
Am I correct in assuming that the walking is done during very busy seasons, such as Christmas?

 

[fairytalelover]

I understand that walking a reservation at 7 months is not as beneficial as at 11 months because those who have that resort as their home will be able to block you but isn’t it worth a try to gain an advantage over others trying to book at 7 months?

 

[CMNJ]

I'm also still a bit confused by the process.
Let's say in the above example, I want to stay on Oct. 13th, and for simplicity, it's not Columbus day weekend.
Therefore, I make a reservation 7 months out at the resort, for October 6-13. That would be February 6.
Then on February 7, I call DVC and ask that the reservation be changed to October 7-14.
Then on February 8, I call DVC and ask that the reservation be changed to October 8-15.
And I keep doing that every day, until I get to February 13, which would be the corresponding 7 month mark for an October 13 one week stay.
Is that correct?

Yes that is the idea but 7 months from Oct is March not Feb. I think that walking at 7 months is a gamble since you could put in all the time and effort and still get shut out by an owner at any point. It does give you a leg up vs the other 7 month bookers though (since you would be shutting them out) so I could see some giving it a shot if they had a lot of time on their hands (to call and modify the reservation every day)

 

[CMNJ]

I understand that walking a reservation at 7 months is not as beneficial as at 11 months because those who have that resort as their home will be able to block you but isn’t it worth a try to gain an advantage over others trying to book at 7 months?

Depends on if the time involved (call to member services every day) is worth it to you since the outcome is less certain.