Walking????

[nalajms]

I think MS should find a way to not allow this but it is what it is for now

That makes no sense at all. Why should they not allow it? And who's to say someone is walking or just can't make up their minds. And at what point do you consider it walking? Let's say I want 10/24 - 10/30, but decided today to book starting 10/23. Would that not be allowed in your scenario?

As an owner at both resorts, I'm ALL for walking at 11m for VGF-standard studio and AVK-club . I've been disappointed in the past. If I want either of those rooms at busy times, I need to either spend the time walking or change my vacation time to less busy times.

And not everyone needs to buy where they want to stay, that's the beauty of DVC (and many other timeshares). You're not locked into staying at 1 resort forever. Wanting to "stay somewhere different" is not the same as "must stay there". Both groups of people would book at 7m.

 

[supersnoop]

The whole +7 days thing is intended to be a convenience, but just opens up a huge loophole. Personally, I think they should do away with the seven day forward booking; either you wait until all days are available or you book each day one at a time. I think that's the best solution, but I guess other people complained enough that they added the extra seven day thing.

 

[skier_pete]

) other members are concerned that if this becomes too prevalent that member services will stop the ability to modify reservations requiring cancelling and rebooking or start charging a fee for modifying reservations to curb abuse and therefore hurt people with legitimate changes.

This would be my bigger concern. While it might be considered slightly rude by some, it is certainly not unethical or illegal. As long as it isn't against any rules, everyone has the right to do it. (Myself I have not done it and don't think I ever would, but I have taken advantage of many things like this before, so would never cast stones.)

However, the risk of it is if it ever became extremely prevalent, DVC could start charging for making changes (many other timeshares do this, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary). In this case, we would all be punished for the few taking advantage of it.

The whole +7 days thing is intended to be a convenience, but just opens up a huge loophole. Personally, I think they should do away with the seven day forward booking; either you wait until all days are available or you book each day one at a time. I think that's the best solution, but I guess other people complained enough that they added the extra seven day thing.

Sorry, that's not a good solution. If I had to book every day for a week's reservation at 7 months, I could get 5 of my days and all of a sudden the 6th day is booked and I lose out.

 

[River Country]

That makes no sense at all. Why should they not allow it? And who's to say someone is walking or just can't make up their minds. And at what point do you consider it walking? Let's say I want 10/24 - 10/30, but decided today to book starting 10/23. Would that not be allowed in your scenario?

As an owner at both resorts, I'm ALL for walking at 11m for VGF-standard studio and AVK-club . I've been disappointed in the past. If I want either of those rooms at busy times, I need to either spend the time walking or change my vacation time to less busy times.

And not everyone needs to buy where they want to stay, that's the beauty of DVC (and many other timeshares). You're not locked into staying at 1 resort forever. Wanting to "stay somewhere different" is not the same as "must stay there". Both groups of people would book at 7m.

WHOA I am not for or against this in anyway and could care less if people do it or don't. I actually am going to try it for my upcoming trip and see how it goes.

As far as buying where you want to stay, I agree about the variety that's available to us as DVC members but on the other side then don't get upset when you can not book a standard view studio at VGF 7 months out.

 

[AllieV]

The only way they could prevent walking is to limit the number of times you can modify a reservation. In a way, it is limited now. Only those who can afford to own a lot of points can do it. You need enough to book all those days plus the weekend differential. If you ultimately want to book 3 prime days, you need to initially spend 8 days' of points to walk it down to 3.

 

[chalee94]

The only way they could prevent walking is to limit the number of times you can modify a reservation...

or start charging a small fee if you call MS to modify a reservation. (or they might charge a small fee for any calls to MS.)

either way, walkers would pick up more of the administrative costs and most of us would stick with internet booking. but DVC has historically minimized those kinds of nitpicky fees so i'd hate to see it start...but if 10-15% of members start trying to walk reservations at 7 months out, i think it would be appropriate to charge those who use the additional services to pay for it rather than everyone paying higher dues.)

 

[River Country]

Not sure how an administrative fee would correlate to lower maintenance fee's? I thought maintenance fees were a calculation based on resort? Which is available in the annual budget report. So how would you do that? If more people were modifying at lets say BWV would those fees go to offset BWV owners or would it go to the home resort of the member modifying the reservation?

 

[RipperSB]

I have never walked a reservation before, like others have said I think it is, at the very least, rude to make a booking you have no intention of keeping. I have made a reservation (around the 11 month mark for our next trip, as a matter of fact) for seven nights and then called MS back every day to add another night following until we had 21 nights booked.

 

[supersnoop]

Not sure how an administrative fee would correlate to lower maintenance fee's? I thought maintenance fees were a calculation based on resort? Which is available in the annual budget report. So how would you do that? If more people were modifying at lets say BWV would those fees go to offset BWV owners or would it go to the home resort of the member modifying the reservation?

Each resort contracts with DVCMC (Management Company), which is a separate entity. In theory, they would reduce the fee that they charge each resort based on the ability to collect a fee from the member. But, I don't think that would go over very well.

The +7 booking window wasn't always in place. It was added as a benefit so people could book their whole vacation as soon as the first day opened up. Otherwise, you'd have to wait until your last day was open, or call and book each day individually. But the added benefit also came with the walking loophole.

So, the question is, which is worse? The number of people who call to walk a reservation, or the number of people who would call each day to book their vacation day-by-day? Honestly, I think that answer could be different if asked from the standpoint of the member or the management company.

 

[chalee94]

Not sure how an administrative fee would correlate to lower maintenance fee's? I thought maintenance fees were a calculation based on resort? Which is available in the annual budget report. So how would you do that? If more people were modifying at lets say BWV would those fees go to offset BWV owners or would it go to the home resort of the member modifying the reservation?

i'm not sure what you are correlating.

let's say MS administrative costs are $100,000 per year. that would be allocated to DVC members as a piece of annual dues for their resorts.

let's say MS starts charging per phone call and picks up $20,000 from callers in 2016. that would leave $80,000 to be allocated to DVC members as a piece of annual dues.

 

[supersnoop]

let's say MS starts charging per phone call and picks up $20,000 from callers in 2016. that would leave $80,000 to be allocated to DVC members as a piece of annual dues.

Since the management company is a completely separate company, that revenue doesn't go back directly to the maintenance budget. There's no guarantee the money would offset dues.

 

[River Country]

i'm not sure what you are correlating.

let's say MS administrative costs are $100,000 per year. that would be allocated to DVC members as a piece of annual dues for their resorts.

let's say MS starts charging per phone call and picks up $20,000 from callers in 2016. that would leave $80,000 to be allocated to DVC members as a piece of annual dues.

Sorry chalee but you are a little off base here as a PP stated there is no guarantee that the money would go to offset dues. It sounds like a nice theory but in actuality it will not likely happen. There may come a day when MS charges for modifications, but the annual dues will likely not be affected

 

[Halle]

The whole +7 days thing is intended to be a convenience, but just opens up a huge loophole. Personally, I think they should do away with the seven day forward booking; either you wait until all days are available or you book each day one at a time. I think that's the best solution, but I guess other people complained enough that they added the extra seven day thing.

When DVC began it was wait until all days are available or book day by day, that was before online booking. We always went Easter break and I always called every day at 9:00AM to add the next day until I had my reservation. More often than not I was on hold 10-20 minutes calling right at 9:00AM

 

[NeesieOnaBoat]

Wow, I've only had my points 3 years, and while I understand why people are doing this, I frankly do not like it. I guess that's life, there are always those who 'work' the system, lol. But it does encourage greedy behavior, and it uses up Member Services time to constantly change a reservation. If this continues, I bet member services will institute penalties or limits on the number of times a reservation can be changed. Would be Karma if once they realize someone is walking, they stop the stroll and put them at the back of the line, lol. That data is super easy to track and member services could see which members follow this pattern.

Now I understand why I'm rarely able to book anything but SS, OKW or AK at the 7 month mark. I would feel a bit guilty spending every day for weeks monkeying with the system to the point of restricting other members access. I guess it's lucky for me that I love my home resort and am fine staying at the ones I can get... they are fewer points anyway!

 

[DisneyQueen1320]

I don't have a problem with it. I doubt many people do it and everyone has the options of walking.

 

[m3owbox]

How long do people usually walk reservations?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The +7 booking window wasn't always in place. It was added as a benefit so people could book their whole vacation as soon as the first day opened up. Otherwise, you'd have to wait until your last day was open, or call and book each day individually. But the added benefit also came with the walking loophole.

.

As I recall it was done because people were ending up with holes in their reservations - due to day by day booking. The +7 eliminates that because you can only book the same type of room but it also means you will have it for the entire reservation. Supposedly 7 days was selected because that is the average DVC length of stay.

 

[suebeelin]

I've never walked but now that I know about it, I would be tempted during peak times for a resort that's not mine (Pvb, GFV) that I don't own at, but would want to stay there someday.

That being said, I'm very happy with my current home resorts and, with the exception of my first few years as an owner (and was disappointed a few times!), book almost exactly at the 10/11mo mark. We actually prefer our homes over most of the other resorts except the two newest ones which we would like to try someday...

 

[Fsudisney]

1) you are holding rooms that you don't intend to use, which interferes with other owners who want to book those nights. it's at least a little rude.

2) at 11 months out, it makes sense only in a very few cases: booking AKV club level or even relatively scarce villa types like AKV value, BLT standard, or BWV standard during new years (or food and wine for BWV).

the whole point of walking is that if i want a reservation that starts dec 25th but wait till jan 25 to try to book it, other home resort owners have had a shot to book dec 25 for the previous week (i.e. someone booking dec 25 as part of a reservation starting on dec 19 or so when they call on jan 19).

3) walking at 7 months seems silly to me. home resort owners can jump in and take nights away from you at any time. if demand isn't high enough for home resort owners to take the villas, you'll probably be fine to wait and book it (or waitlist) at 7 months out and it will come through one way or the other.

hopefully, if others think as you do, it will be considered abuse of the system and DVC will make changes to discourage it (whether by limited changes to reservations or starting to charge for calling MS or something).

Just curious, what do you mean at 7 months a home resort owner can jump in and block you out? At 7 months isn't everyone equal at that resort?

 

[supersnoop]

Just curious, what do you mean at 7 months a home resort owner can jump in and block you out? At 7 months isn't everyone equal at that resort?

If you're trying to walk, day 8 could disappear at any time.