Walking Reservations

[AstroBlasters]

I spoke to DVC at WDW back in March, in person. When I was told about the incentives and asked if I was looking to buy more points, I replied unless/until DVC held up their end of my current contracts and cracked down on walking and commercial renting, I would not be buying more points from DVC. Well, they responded they were trying to determine the definition of commercial renting, but walking was definitely prohibited, but they just couldn’t come up with an easy way to stop it. I replied that all they had to do was prohibit changing a reservation made before 10 months out. Oh, DVC said, that would be an easy way to stop it, I should write DVC admin. To which I replied, one of the forums came up with at least 6 ways to stop it in 24 hours, so obviously the problem wasn’t that admin couldn’t figure out a way to stop it. To which they did not have a reply.

I’ve read the other threads on walking and commercial renting and all the arguments that they aren’t the reason that availability at 11 months is not at all what it was 5+ years ago. I don’t find a single one with hard and fast evidence that is convincing. I know there’s people on this forum that argue the other way.

The one true fact is that unless/until DVC does enact policies to eliminate walking and commercial renting, none of us will really know.

Would you actually buy more direct points if they made changes or would you just buy more resale?

 

[Mirabell Rose]

Would you actually buy more direct points if they made changes or would you just buy more resale?

I would like some more direct. I have both. I would like some more direct to use at the new resorts as there will be three (riv, cabins, lakeshore) soon that only allow direct points. I also had been told by DvC that when the 42’s expire they will be replaced by resticted resorts. I think the one Disney land DVC is also restricted, but not sure.

 

[Mirabell Rose]

I was ready to buy at the cabins, but they stuck a stupid sink outside the bathroom instead of a washer and dryer, and my husband works out every morning and there is no gym.

 

[VandVsmama]

Well, I personally am going to walk my Aulani reservation forward by one day tomorrow morning so I can get the specific date range we need. The standard view studios are already gone for my dates, which fall smack dab in the middle of spring break next year.

 

[MeridaMonkey]

I was ready to buy at the cabins, but they stuck a stupid sink outside the bathroom instead of a washer and dryer, and my husband works out every morning and there is no gym.

Same for me, except I couldn’t get past the fact that the cabin sleeps 6 but there’s only one shower (and no tub!!)….a bathroom setup like the Poly longhouse studios would have been perfect!

 

[geargrinder]

I walked a week long Grand Villa reservation. 600 points was too much to risk having the wrong dates.

 

[Girlstar30]

What happens if you book a reservation and your walking it, but then some days aren't available closer to the days you actually want, the whole thing confuses me

 

[Tatebeck]

What happens if you book a reservation and your walking it, but then some days aren't available closer to the days you actually want, the whole thing confuses me

That only happens if you try to "walk" at the 7 month window.

The whole point of walking is guaranteeing yourself that you have a room secured for any date you wish in the future.

At the 11 month mark you book a room for at least a couple days. You now have a check in and check out date, and nobody can start a walk or book that single exact physical room you have reserved. Only once you let your check out date get to the 11 month window can someone else book it (once the system thinks you are checking out and then someone else can book their check-in at that point at the 11 month window)

Now that you have secured that room, and when you go to do a modify search for it, the system includes that single room as available for booking for you, but not for anyone else. When you search availability on the modify screen, the days you already have are available to still choose, and you can add days onto the end of the reservation or drop some of the first days of the reservation. So you can continually go in and modify the stay, move it forward a couple days ahead of the 11 month window, and nothing can stop you unless Disney themselves pulls rooms from inventory for a refurb or something.

 

[Girlstar30]

That only happens if you try to "walk" at the 7 month window.

The whole point of walking is guaranteeing yourself that you have a room secured for any date you wish in the future.

At the 11 month mark you book a room for at least a couple days. You now have a check in and check out date, and nobody can start a walk or book that single exact physical room you have reserved. Only once you let your check out date get to the 11 month window can someone else book it (once the system thinks you are checking out and then someone else can book their check-in at that point at the 11 month window)

Now that you have secured that room, and when you go to do a modify search for it, the system includes that single room as available for booking for you, but not for anyone else. When you search availability on the modify screen, the days you already have are available to still choose, and you can add days onto the end of the reservation or drop some of the first days of the reservation. So you can continually go in and modify the stay, move it forward a couple days ahead of the 11 month window, and nothing can stop you unless Disney themselves pulls rooms from inventory for a refurb or something.

Ooohhhh ok, Thank you!!!

I was looking to do that for Aulani, but I'm like wait a minute, some days are gone by the time i can book, how do people do this

So walking really only works well at the 11 month window at your home resort only? Here i thought you could walk anywhere and didn't understand how people were doing it, i dont foresee myself walking SSR but I can totally see it for AKV club level I mean, just kidding, it's unethical and nobody should be doing that ‍

 

[Tatebeck]

Ooohhhh ok, Thank you!!!

I was looking to do that for Aulani, but I'm like wait a minute, some days are gone by the time i can book, how.do people do this

So walking really only works well at the 11 month window at your home resort only? Here i thought you could walk anywhere and didn't understand how people were doing it

You can try, but if you are doing it for a long time it will often get interrupted at a non home resort at 7 months. If you see a room with all dates available between what you can book now at the 7 month window and your desired date you could try, but its no guarantee like at the home resort at 11 months. For example I did it at 7 months for a couple days for a grand villa for my upcoming October stay since we have 9 adults and a 2BR would have been a tight squeeze. But any more than a couple days for a popular room is likely to get interrupted

 

[Girlstar30]

You can try, but if you are doing it for a long time it will often get interrupted at a non home resort at 7 months. If you see a room with all dates available between what you can book now at the 7 month window and your desired date you could try, but its no guarantee like at the home resort at 11 months. For example I did it at 7 months for a couple days for a grand villa for my upcoming October stay since we have 9 adults and a 2BR would have been a tight squeeze. But any more than a couple days for a popular room is likely to get interrupted

Makes total sense, thanks again!

 

[Tatebeck]

So walking really only works well at the 11 month window at your home resort only? Here i thought you could walk anywhere and didn't understand how people were doing it, i dont foresee myself walking SSR but I can totally see it for AKV club level I mean, just kidding, it's unethical and nobody should be doing that ‍

Yeah its a fight to get a club level at any time. Even to start a walk. Be prepared to log in every morning for weeks to get one. I have a stay coming up in a 1BR club but I was never able to get a room at booking time in the morning. I got the room one day at a time in early December as people walked by. Got a total of 4 nights so not bad. And the 1BR is easier than the Studio. I have heard that there are some people who get a night started in a club studio and then will extend for the full 30 days and try to start another walk and basically live there.

And yes, I agree that nobody SHOULD be walking, but for some reason they allow it to go on, so unfortunately we have to do what we have to do in order to try and get a room we want. If everyone else is walking and you aren't then your chances are much worse to get a popular room.

 

[Girlstar30]

Yeah its a fight to get a club level at any time. Even to start a walk. Be prepared to log in every morning for weeks to get one. I have a stay coming up in a 1BR club but I was never able to get a room at booking time in the morning. I got the room one day at a time in early December as people walked by. Got a total of 4 nights so not bad. And the 1BR is easier than the Studio. I have heard that there are some people who get a night started in a club studio and then will extend for the full 30 days and try to start another walk and basically live there.

And yes, I agree that nobody SHOULD be walking, but for some reason they allow it to go on, so unfortunately we have to do what we have to do in order to try and get a room we want. If everyone else is walking and you aren't then your chances are much worse to get a popular room.

Exactly!!! I see two nights at 1 bedroom club level now and I want to book it SO BAD and my stupid AKV points haven't loaded yet ahhhh this is so torturous.

I think we're going to end up preferring one bedrooms (havent stayed in one yet) so thats perfect! I probably won't get to go until 2027, but I look forward to it! Geez people doing the most trying to live there They should just have more club level rooms or a points add on option! (I don't know if that's possible)

 

[Brian Noble]

What happens if you book a reservation and your walking it, but then some days aren't available closer to the days you actually want

 

[VandVsmama]

Happy to report that I was able to walk my Aulani reservation by one day so now we have the dates we want for next March! Woo! Now if only the airfare would be cheaper.

 

[Headless]

Same for me, except I couldn’t get past the fact that the cabin sleeps 6 but there’s only one shower (and no tub!!)….a bathroom setup like the Poly longhouse studios would have been perfect!

No tub, no washer dryer, the bunks are in 'the main bedroom' instead of on the other side of the wall. And the yearly maintenance fees..... yeah it was an instant no for us once we look at everything for the cabins. I'll stay there one day but off a 7 month booking for a lazy split stay.

As for walking thinking next year might be the first I do it. still waiting to see if the wife wants sept or dec 2026 and if it's dec I know I'm walking after our last dec trip.

 

[DanCali]

I was ready to buy at the cabins, but they stuck a stupid sink outside the bathroom instead of a washer and dryer, and my husband works out every morning and there is no gym.

Same for me, except I couldn’t get past the fact that the cabin sleeps 6 but there’s only one shower (and no tub!!)….a bathroom setup like the Poly longhouse studios would have been perfect!

We got what seemed to be an ordinary cabin when we stayed there. Some representative photos below.

- It definitely had a tub in the bathroom. Maybe some of them are ADA and don't have a tub, but we did.

- There was no sink outside the bathroom. There was one sink in the bathroom (along with a toilet and tub/shower and a closet with ironing board, iron and hair dryer) and another sink in the kitchen. It's was indeed not a split bathroom setup.

I wouldn't buy there because of restrictions and dues. Would definitely use direct points to go back though! Great for a no-parks visit.

 

[MeridaMonkey]

We got what seemed to be an ordinary cabin when we stayed there. Some representative photos below.

- It definitely had a tub in the bathroom. Maybe some of them are ADA and don't have a tub, but we did.

- There was no sink outside the bathroom. There was one sink in the bathroom (along with a toilet and tub/shower and a closet with ironing board, iron and hair dryer) and another sink in the kitchen. It's was indeed not a split setup.

I wouldn't buy there because of restrictions and dues. Would definitely use direct points to go back though! Great for a no-parks visit.

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THANK YOU for sharing these photos!! Still not buying CFW, but it is my backup for the first half of my October stay (assuming my Poly waitlist doesn’t come through) and the tub was the biggest sticking point….I may call MS and get more details on the cabins with a tub and see if there’s any way to request one…

 

[DanCali]

What happens if you book a reservation and your walking it, but then some days aren't available closer to the days you actually want, the whole thing confuses me

That only happens if you try to "walk" at the 7 month window.

It can also happen if you want during the 11 month window at a resort that is undergoing refurbishment. Someone may be walking a reservation for March next year but the resort may take out of inventory some of those units for a couple of days in April because they are scheduled to be renovated then. If most of those units types are being walked, some of the walkers will get stuck at that point.

 

[Girlstar30]

It can also happen if you want during the 11 month window at a resort that is undergoing refurbishment. Someone may be walking a reservation for March next year but the resort may take out of inventory some of those units for a couple of days in April because they are scheduled to be renovated then. If most of those units types are being walked, some of the walkers will get stuck at that point.

Note to self: Avoid refurbishments, good to know because I know akv is coming up for a big one