Walking a Reservation

[Pxedstqn98]

Hi Everyone I am brand new to DVC and trying to learn as much as I can so I can use my points wisely and in several of the FB groups I belong to, everyone is talking about “walking” your reservation. What exactly does that mean? I am guessing that it means to get the days you want for your reservation day by day? But not sure....Help

 

[JETSDAD]

Hi Everyone I am brand new to DVC and trying to learn as much as I can so I can use my points wisely and in several of the FB groups I belong to, everyone is talking about “walking” your reservation. What exactly does that mean? I am guessing that it means to get the days you want for your reservation day by day? But not sure....Help

It refers to booking an 11 month reservation ahead of the dates that you actually want and then gradually adding to the end and dropping from the front until you get to the dates that you really want.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

And it's not necessary for the majority of room categories and times of the year. Considering most of the time you can pick up the dates when the walkers "walk" past the dates it's likely even less necessary than it sometimes appears right at 11 months. Basically, it's very possible you wouldn't ever need to figure it out.

 

[Pxedstqn98]

It refers to booking an 11 month reservation ahead of the dates that you actually want and then gradually adding to the end and dropping from the front until you get to the dates that you really want.

Thank you very much, kind of what I was thinking, but at least I now know why I cannot get a reservation in October

 

[Pxedstqn98]

And it's not necessary for the majority of room categories and times of the year. Considering most of the time you can pick up the dates when the walkers "walk" past the dates it's likely even less necessary than it sometimes appears right at 11 months. Basically, it's very possible you wouldn't ever need to figure it out.

Unfortunately my home resort is CC and what I am looking for is a studio in October, but I know they have the least amount of studios at any DVC property, should have paid more attention to that before buying. Oh well, I guess I will just become a stalker ....have the dates on wait list, just not sure if anything will come of it . Thank you for your answer !!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thank you very much, kind of what I was thinking, but at least I now know why I cannot get a reservation in October

If your referencing that you were just trying to book for October now that's well past the 11 month booking and has nothing to do with walking.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Unfortunately my home resort is CC and what I am looking for is a studio in October, but I know they have the least amount of studios at any DVC property, should have paid more attention to that before buying. Oh well, I guess I will just become a stalker ....have the dates on wait list, just not sure if anything will come of it . Thank you for your answer !!

Yes, CCV studios are one of the very difficult ones.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Unfortunately my home resort is CC and what I am looking for is a studio in October, but I know they have the least amount of studios at any DVC property, should have paid more attention to that before buying. Oh well, I guess I will just become a stalker ....have the dates on wait list, just not sure if anything will come of it . Thank you for your answer !!

Keep looking, and maybe your dates will become available at 7 months when folks begin changing.

 

[keishashadow]

Unfortunately my home resort is CC and what I am looking for is a studio in October, but I know they have the least amount of studios at any DVC property, should have paid more attention to that before buying. Oh well, I guess I will just become a stalker ....have the dates on wait list, just not sure if anything will come of it . Thank you for your answer !!

It’s been at least 5 years but, was able to grab a studio there that time frame at 7 months out.

First week in October, three nights starting on a Monday; right at the 7 month window.

All our stays there have been limited to mid week dates and often we’ve had to pay cash @ DLH. Luckily, always managed to get a good deal when the dust settled.

Good luck. Might try grabbing any solo nights & try to link via waitlisting

 

[Sandisw]

Unfortunately my home resort is CC and what I am looking for is a studio in October, but I know they have the least amount of studios at any DVC property, should have paid more attention to that before buying. Oh well, I guess I will just become a stalker ....have the dates on wait list, just not sure if anything will come of it . Thank you for your answer !!

As mentioned, walking is a way to get to your dates at the 11 month window. Once you are past that 11 month window, any lack of rooms is people booking them for stays.

Here is an example, You want to go October 10 to 17. The 11 month window opens on November 10th. However, to get a jump on the room, you go on November 1st and book the room for October 1 to 7th. A few days later, you modify it and change it to October 5 to 12th, and then a few days after that, to your real dates.

Right now, we are two months into the booking window for October so walking isn’t happening anymore for that month. People are now walking for days in December,

 

[epcotized]

Is walking basically a way that some people use to beat the booking window system at the expense of others or is it not as selfish as that sounds?

 

[Sandisw]

Is walking basically a way that some people use to beat the booking window system at the expense of others or is it not as selfish as that sounds?

Yes, it basically is a function of our system that allows you to book and modify outside of 31 days with no penalty and a booking window of 11months plus 7 days.

It used to be 11 months from check out but then people booked daily, and MS had to combine them all. It was later changed to this which created walking.

 

[Marc A.]

Yes, it basically is a function of our system that allows you to book and modify outside of 31 days with no penalty and a booking window of 11months plus 7 days.

It used to be 11 months from check out but then people booked daily, and MS had to combine them all. It was later changed to this which created walking.

I have a question for you on fluctuating points during high seasons....Let's say you have enough points to book 6 nights two weeks after Thanksgiving (hard to get room, I know we are past 11 months, just an ex.) but if you want to start the "walk" prior to Thanksgiving you are only able to book 3 nights because of the holiday point value....once the holiday is over and the points lower will it be a problem to add those 3 other nights??? New to the idea and I'm playing around with a possible trip.
Thanks

 

[Sandisw]

I have a question for you on fluctuating points during high seasons....Let's say you have enough points to book 6 nights two weeks after Thanksgiving (hard to get room, I know we are past 11 months, just an ex.) but if you want to start the "walk" prior to Thanksgiving you are only able to book 3 nights because of the holiday point value....once the holiday is over and the points lower will it be a problem to add those 3 other nights??? New to the idea and I'm playing around with a possible trip.
Thanks

A walk at 11 months can be successful with as little as two nights. It just means you have to move more often.

So, if you only have enough to book 3 nights due to higher Thanksgiving then you move more often until you get to the point where you can add more nights.

As long as you always modify before the check out day, it should work!

 

[Marionnette]

I have a question for you on fluctuating points during high seasons....Let's say you have enough points to book 6 nights two weeks after Thanksgiving (hard to get room, I know we are past 11 months, just an ex.) but if you want to start the "walk" prior to Thanksgiving you are only able to book 3 nights because of the holiday point value....once the holiday is over and the points lower will it be a problem to add those 3 other nights??? New to the idea and I'm playing around with a possible trip.
Thanks

In theory, once you have the first night of the 11-month window plus the next night booked, you can continue to walk a reservation up to the end of your UY if you wish.

With only 3 nights booked, you would have to walk your reservation forward every two days. If you have 6 nights booked, then you can relax and walk forward every 5 days. Your walk is always one day shorter than the number of nights you have reserved. That’s why having only 1 night booked is no use for walking.

 

[Marc A.]

A walk at 11 months can be successful with as little as two nights. It just means you have to move more often.

So, if you only have enough to book 3 nights due to higher Thanksgiving then you move more often until you get to the point where you can add more nights.

As long as you always modify before the check out day, it should work!

Thanks

 

[Marc A.]

In theory, once you have the first night of the 11-month window plus the next night booked, you can continue to walk a reservation up to the end of your UY if you wish.

With only 3 nights booked, you would have to walk your reservation forward every two days. If you have 6 nights booked, then you can relax and walk forward every 5 days. Your walk is always one day shorter than the number of nights you have reserved. That’s why having only 1 night booked is no use for walking.

Thanks

 

[gisele2]

Ok ,I read that summer is not a busy DVC season. But around the Fourth of July is it ? Should I walk my reservation ? Thanks . And what is the mechanics of changing your dates ? How is it done ?

 

[Chuck S]

This year, because of so many banked points in the system from last year, I think everything will be much more difficult to book than normal. I walked two thanksgiving week reservations at OKW for a two bedroom and a GV, (11 of us going) mostly because I needed the GV to not have stairs to the entrance, but have an elevator or ground floor entrance, and there are only 3 of those at OKW. That is the first time I've walked anything.

 

[keishashadow]

This year, because of so many banked points in the system from last year, I think everything will be much more difficult to book than normal.

That’s been my experience thus far at least initially