What is walking a reservation?

[Bullseye]

One way you will know walking might be happening is if a day you couldn’t get today is open tomorrow.

So, keep trying and if it isn’t there at 8 am, try again a little while later because remember, you may have home resort owners switching out too and those rooms might not show up for a little bit. I had luck with that just last monthl

If you see a date show up, book it. If there are walkers, you should be able to slowly get what you want.

The other piece is that what you want is popular and that it is t walking but just a busy time and busy days. Right now, that is what is happening for Rivera. Not sure what you are trying to get, but some rooms will always be tough

Thanks Sandi! I tried again this morning and the first day again isn't available so I cant get any of them. Friday is my "real" 7 month mark so I'm just going to see what I can get and then waitlist. I don't have the time or patience to do this walking nonsense everyday . When I'm supposed to already be in my car commuting to work, instead I'm futzing around at home trying unsuccessfully to secure a villa and ending up annoyed. It's not worth it.

Four or five years ago I never had a problem securing this same reservation at seven months. The past couple years it seems like I can't even string five nights together, let alone the eleven I'm hoping for. Oh we'll...que sera sera

 

[JETSDAD]

Thanks Sandi! I tried again this morning and the first day again isn't available so I cant get any of them. Friday is my "real" 7 month mark so I'm just going to see what I can get and then waitlist. I don't have the time or patience to do this walking nonsense everyday . When I'm supposed to already be in my car commuting to work, instead I'm futzing around at home trying unsuccessfully to secure a villa and ending up annoyed. It's not worth it.

Four or five years ago I never had a problem securing this same reservation at seven months. The past couple years it seems like I can't even string five nights together, let alone the eleven I'm hoping for. Oh we'll...que sera sera

Out of curiosity, do mind me asking what you are trying to book?

 

[Bullseye]

Out of curiosity, do mind me asking what you are trying to book?

2BR at BC

 

[Marionnette]

I feel your pain. I’m dealing with my 11-month window and was hoping to add a few nights in a AKV CL studio at the end of a reservation. Of course, with the limited number of rooms and the large number of walkers, I wasn’t able to get in on the first night...or the second or the third. But here it is a week later and by piecing nights together, I was finally able to fill in a gap at 6 AM today and I have all of my nights.

I know that not everyone can be online all day, every day looking for those elusive nights. But following behind the walkers usually works for me. It just takes patience and persistence.

 

[Sandisw]

2BR at BC

I realize it is a pain but I think if you try at lunch time or something, you should have some good luck.

Maybe don’t try right at 8 am but a Little later so that those walking have released the room. What I have found is that days that weren’t available yesterday are there today which can get you started and as people drop, you’ll walk into what you want.

I agree it’s much harder these days and it’s because walking is easier. But, in the end, having online ability, IMO, is worth it, although I also realize it’s a pain for many.

 

[Philsfan77]

So technically you don't have to modify the reservation everyday ? just every 2-3 days? Never tried walking, but I need to book 2 rooms at copper creek, first week of christmas next year, and it might be necessary.

 

[JETSDAD]

So technically you don't have to modify the reservation everyday ? just every 2-3 days? Never tried walking, but I need to book 2 rooms at copper creek, first week of christmas next year, and it might be necessary.

Once every 6 days should technically work (barring something like a room being taken out of service).

 

[Sandisw]

So technically you don't have to modify the reservation everyday ? just every 2-3 days? Never tried walking, but I need to book 2 rooms at copper creek, first week of christmas next year, and it might be necessary.

As long as you modify it before the window opens for the next night you want, it will work.

So, say you book a 5 night stay and want to move it forward. As long as you do it before window opens for what would be night 6, you’ll be fine. Doing it 4 days I would work.

With a 7 day trip, night 6 is fine. With the online system it is certainly easy to modify daily, but it’s not necessary.

 

[JETSDAD]

So technically you don't have to modify the reservation everyday ? just every 2-3 days? Never tried walking, but I need to book 2 rooms at copper creek, first week of christmas next year, and it might be necessary.

Just to note as well, this is only true for 11 month bookings. At 7 you would probably want to move it daily in order to reduce the risk of an owner blocking your walk.

 

[Frederic Civish]

A lot of times, when people are walking reservations, they come along later in the day and release the first day, or several days, as they move the reservation forward. This means that if you can't get the day or the whole reservation that you want, keep checking back every day, right at the opening date of the window and for 3 or 4 days later. Check it several times per day. The day you want might become available.

Also, don't hesitate to make a waitlist request for each day you need. They might become available at any time, and if you have the priority position on the waitlist, because you did it as soon as your day wasn't available, you might be able to pick it up.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Seems a little sketchy. I get it...it's simply manipulating the rules that are in place. But still. Do you think Disney will restrict the number of modifications that can me done to a reservation? That would certainly be a way to curtail it. And if you are looking to book at your home resort, walking is moot correct (since you are allowed to book at the maximum of 11 months out at your home resort)?

 

[JETSDAD]

Seems a little sketchy. I get it...it's simply manipulating the rules that are in place. But still. Do you think Disney will restrict the number of modifications that can me done to a reservation? That would certainly be a way to curtail it. And if you are looking to book at your home resort, walking is moot correct (since you are allowed to book at the maximum of 11 months out at your home resort)?

Walking is mostly done at the 11 month mark (and somewhat at 7 months). In between there is no reason to walk. Restricting the number of modifications would only hurt members, especially when trying to piece together a reservation or for reservations longer than 7 nights.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Walking is mostly done at the 11 month mark (and somewhat at 7 months). In between there is no reason to walk. Restricting the number of modifications would only hurt members, especially when trying to piece together a reservation or for reservations longer than 7 nights.

Got it. This is all new to me so thanks for the info. Another question...the furthest any DVC member can book out is 11 months for their home resort. Wouldn't walking a reservation not really matter at 11 months because you could only walk your reservation into that one day, whereas someone else from that home resort could book their their entire stay starting on that same day at 8am?

 

[JETSDAD]

Got it. This is all new to me so thanks for the info. Another question...the furthest any DVC member can book out is 11 months for their home resort. Wouldn't walking a reservation not really matter at 11 months because you could only walk your reservation into that one day, whereas someone else from that home resort could book their their entire stay starting on that same day at 8am?

At 11 months for hard to get rooms there will often be far more people trying to get what may be just a few (or just one) openings. Some days there are no openings so you couldn't even book an 11 month reservation. What walking does is give you more chances at getting a room locked in and then you would just change the dates as you go until you get to your desired dates. Nobody else can block you because you're booked beyond the 11 month date (11 month bookings being able to be 7 nights into the 11 month window).

 

[DVCSunDevil]

At 11 months for hard to get rooms there will often be far more people trying to get what may be just a few (or just one) openings. Some days there are no openings so you couldn't even book an 11 month reservation. What walking does is give you more chances at getting a room locked in and then you would just change the dates as you go until you get to your desired dates. Nobody else can block you because you're booked beyond the 11 month date (11 month bookings being able to be 7 nights into the 11 month window).

Aha...makes more sense now. Thank you!

 

[Brandon Lagarde]

Given the difficulty in booking some resorts within the 7 month window, this is a fantastic thread to improve chances of getting a reservation.

 

[Sandisw]

Given the difficulty in booking some resorts within the 7 month window, this is a fantastic thread to improve chances of getting a reservation.

Just be aware that this isn’t always a sure thing at the 7 month window as an owner of the resort can come in an book a room to interrupt your walk,

I have had that happen. But, it certainly can give you a little bit of an advantage over someone else. If you are within the 7 month window, it doesn’t work at all because everyone can book then.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Just be aware that this isn’t always a sure thing at the 7 month window as an owner of the resort can come in an book a room to interrupt your walk,

I have had that happen. But, it certainly can give you a little bit of an advantage over someone else. If you are within the 7 month window, it doesn’t work at all because everyone can book then.

Just so I understand, do mean an owner of the home resort can come in and bump you from your room if your reservation carried over that 7 month threshold?

 

[JETSDAD]

Just so I understand, do mean an owner of the home resort can come in and bump you from your room if your reservation carried over that 7 month threshold?

They could block your walk. If you're trying to get a stay 3 weeks from now and book your 7 nights now, because they're still within their 11 month window they can simply book the 8th night and that makes it so you can't walk your reservation (assuming there is no more availability).

 

[DVCSunDevil]

They could block your walk. If you're trying to get a stay 3 weeks from now and book your 7 nights now, because they're still within their 11 month window they can simply book the 8th night and that makes it so you can't walk your reservation (assuming there is no more availability).

Got it. Thanks!