What are your 11 month booking pro tips?

[Steelers0854]

We are going to look to book a longish weekend (Thurs-Sun) next December at the Poly (Island Tower), in a Studio (not Duo) but I would take a Duo or a 1 BR if I had to. I have yet to book something at the 11 month window since we became owners. Just wondering what your tried and true tips are to getting the best results when the window opens? Do you have specific pages queued up? Do you do any prep work beforehand?

Second, related question, can you only book the first day of your stay at 11 months, or can you book you’re entire stay even if the second + days are beyond the 11 month mark?

Thanks all!

 

[davidhr]

I open the page, make the search selection and wait until my laptop clock hits 8:00 to click search and quickly select the room I want if available. After that the room is in hold for you, so you don't have to be in a hurry, but it's advisable to do it quickly and add guests later. You can book up to 7 nights that first day.

Some people use the .gov clock and things like that, but I have been very lucky without it. Also I'm somewhat flexible and can book another room type if what I wanted at first isn't available.

There's also the "method that must not be named" in these forums if you want to got here.

 

[Steelers0854]

I open the page, make the search selection and wait until my laptop clock hits 8:00 to click search and quickly select the room I want if available. After that the room is in hold for you, so you don't have to be in a hurry, but it's advisable to do it quickly and add guests later. You can book up to 7 nights that first day.

Some people use the .gov clock and things like that, but I have been very lucky without it. Also I'm somewhat flexible and can book another room type if what I wanted at first isn't available.

There's also the "method that must not be named" in these forums if you want to got here.

Thanks! So on the “Start Your Search” page you just select 1 guest before hitting search?

 

[Disdreaming479]

If you would like to do a split stay, set up the dates that way at 11m. At 7m modifications are easier this way. A few days are easier that a whole week. I recommend checking on availability in the days (week) leading up to your trip. Sometimes you need to start your booking a few days early. You can modify your trip afterwards to reflect the actual trip days. If you want to add more days after your original 7 days, you can add one day at a time starting the following day.

 

[davidhr]

Thanks! So on the “Start Your Search” page you just select 1 guest before hitting search?

It works either way. The system won’t force you to add other guests names even if you search for more than one.

 

[lowlight]

Everyone is going to walk it, especially for spec rentals. You’ll have better luck with the 1BR for sure.

 

[JackosinDIS]

Everyone is going to walk it, especially for spec rentals. You’ll have better luck with the 1BR for sure.

There doesn’t appear to be any walking going on for these rooms at the moment. I think OP will be safe just booking at the 11 month mark.

 

[JackosinDIS]

Search for your dates at 7.55am on the date 11 months before the check-in date for your stay.

Select the room type you want and it will open up the calendar for that room if the nights are available.

Right at 8am (not before), click ‘continue’. Your room will then be held while you enter the guest details and go through the rest of the process.

If you don’t get the dates, then make a waitlist straight away.

You could walk, but looking at the general availability for studio rooms at the moment, it doesn’t look like it will be necessary.

 

[MICKIMINI]

I have two computers ready to go, logged in and have been too quick on the draw with one and gone to the next. If you have enough current points, you can double book and give yourself a breather, think it over and then cancel the unwanted reservation. Definitely get at least one reservation at 8 am before the "bots" potentially grab what you want. There is nothing worse than a day "missing" in the middle of your desired reservation due to some unknown event! Good luck!

 

[lowlight]

There doesn’t appear to be any walking going on for these rooms at the moment. I think OP will be safe just booking at the 11 month mark.

I assure you there will be (and is) walking going on for the studio at the newest DVC property at peak DVC season (week after Thanksgiving to week before Christmas). There are likely more rooms available than walkers at the moment, so it isn’t reflecting in lack of availability. If 20 out of 21 rooms are booked, you are going to have no way of knowing what’s being walked besides using common sense and historical walking patterns for new resorts.

 

[JackosinDIS]

I assure you there will be (and is) walking going on for the studio at the newest DVC property at peak DVC season (week after Thanksgiving to week before Christmas). There are likely more rooms available than walkers at the moment, so it isn’t reflecting in lack of availability. If 20 out of 21 rooms are booked, you are going to have no way of knowing what’s being walked besides using common sense and historical walking patterns for new resorts.

Ok I’ll rephrase… there doesn’t appear to be a level of walking that would affect OP’s ability to book at the 11 month mark at the moment. I’ve just booked 2 standard views for Jersey week with no issues, so there seems to be enough inventory to go round. May change in the coming weeks but we’re not in BWV territory yet.

 

[lowlight]

Ok I’ll rephrase… there doesn’t appear to be a level of walking that would affect OP’s ability to book at the 11 month mark at the moment. I’ve just booked 2 standard views for Jersey week with no issues, so there seems to be enough inventory to go round. May change in the coming weeks but we’re not in BWV territory yet.

I know what you’re saying, but weeks 49/50 have been seriously competitive lately for monorail resorts. If we don’t see it in the next 3 weeks, I will come back here and apologize to you.

 

[Steelers0854]

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the tips and tricks, going to be “fun” come next month.

 

[davidhr]

Search for your dates at 7.55am on the date 11 months before the check-in date for your stay.

Select the room type you want and it will open up the calendar for that room if the nights are available.

Right at 8am (not before), click ‘continue’. Your room will then be held while you enter the guest details and go through the rest of the process.

If you don’t get the dates, then make a waitlist straight away.

You could walk, but looking at the general availability for studio rooms at the moment, it doesn’t look like it will be necessary.

This doesn’t work anymore. You have to wait until 8:00 to click search.

 

[JackosinDIS]

This doesn’t work anymore. You have to wait until 8:00 to click search.

Are you sure? My experience is you can now search pre 8am and click continue after. It changed recently.

 

[davidhr]

Are you sure? My experience is you can now search pre 8am and click continue after. It changed recently.

If it changed in the last 1.5 months you might be right. Haven’t booked since then, but for a while you weren’t able to search before 8 and it didn’t work during my last booking a few weeks ago.

 

[sethschroeder]

Book tomorrow or the next day or the day after. Doesn't matter if you want the room practice the 8am EST booking.

Competitive rooms do get walked and it's a toss up if people are for or against it.

In the end start trying to book now and if you don't get what you want instantly put in your wait list.

 

[JackosinDIS]

If it changed in the last 1.5 months you might be right. Haven’t booked since then, but for a while you weren’t able to search before 8 and it didn’t work during my last booking a few weeks ago.

Yes it changed recently it seems, so no need to wait until 8am to search (until they change it back again!).

 

[davidhr]

Yes it changed recently it seems, so no need to wait until 8am to search (until they change it back again!).

Maybe it’s their strategy to keep us paying attention

 

[GOOFY D]

Curious - I am seeing something recently that I have not seen before. When trying to book at the 11 month window, I am noticing that the room I want to book is already unavailable before the booking window opens. For instance, today (12/5) if I look at the available rooms (prior to 8am window opening) the next available date is 11/6 (not 11/5 that should be available for booking at 8am). How and why does this happen?