What's the best booking approach??

[Avery&Todd]

We had a June reservation at CCV (home resort which I booked at the 11 month window) which has been cancelled and we've moved our plans to Dec. 17-22nd. As you can guess, there was no availability for those 6 nights so I wait listed them all..yes, as one big lump of nights and not broken out into 3 and 3 like has been suggested before... which I now realize was a newby mistake.

Anyhoo, over the weekend I managed to find 2 open nights and booked them separately (@ CCV) - it was a moment of panic and excitement all rolled into one. My 7-month window doesn't open for another 13 days.

I know there are a lot more experienced folks out here and I'm hoping for some advice.

Here is what my reservations currently look like:
Dec. 17
Dec. 18
Dec. 19 - booked
Dec. 20
Dec. 21
Dec. 22 - booked

and again, I also have a wait list for the entire 6 nights as well.

My questions are for right now:

1. Is it better to cancel the 6 night wait list and then book 2 wait lists for Dec 17 & 18th (Thurs & Fri) and also Dec. 20 and 21 (Sun & Mon)?

OR

2. Should I go ahead and cancel my individual nights of Dec. 19 and 22nd and keep my big wait list?

and, what happens IF on my 7-month window if I just happen to get all 6 nights b/c someone cancelled? Will the system cancel my other randomly booked nights? I don't have enough points to keep these random nights AND book 6 more nights - I currently have 280 pts and 6 nights at 240 pts OR is it safer to cancel any random night I have at like 7:30am that morning before the window opens? I'm looking for the most productive process here since MS said I need to be online at 8am on the dot and only enter my name and they'll go in and add additional names after the fact since I need to be quick-quick! (I also haven't considered borrowing points from the next year to keep all my reservations until I have all the nights and then cancel what I don't want...)

OR do I keep my random nights, then at my 7-month window I only look for the random nights I don't have booked until I have all 6 and then have MS combine them for me? (Yes, all same room type of 2-bedroom)

THANK YOU ALL for your help! I feel like I might understand this whole DVC booking process one day!

 

[Marionnette]

We had a June reservation at CCV (home resort which I booked at the 11 month window) which has been cancelled and we've moved our plans to Dec. 17-22nd. As you can guess, there was no availability for those 6 nights so I wait listed them all..yes, as one big lump of nights and not broken out into 3 and 3 like has been suggested before... which I now realize was a newby mistake.

Anyhoo, over the weekend I managed to find 2 open nights and booked them separately (@ CCV) - it was a moment of panic and excitement all rolled into one. My 7-month window doesn't open for another 13 days.

I know there are a lot more experienced folks out here and I'm hoping for some advice.

Here is what my reservations currently look like:
Dec. 17
Dec. 18
Dec. 19 - booked
Dec. 20
Dec. 21
Dec. 22 - booked

and again, I also have a wait list for the entire 6 nights as well.

My questions are for right now:

1. Is it better to cancel the 6 night wait list and then book 2 wait lists for Dec 17 & 18th (Thurs & Fri) and also Dec. 20 and 21 (Sun & Mon)?

OR

2. Should I go ahead and cancel my individual nights of Dec. 19 and 22nd and keep my big wait list?

and, what happens IF on my 7-month window if I just happen to get all 6 nights b/c someone cancelled? Will the system cancel my other randomly booked nights? I don't have enough points to keep these random nights AND book 6 more nights - I currently have 280 pts and 6 nights at 240 pts OR is it safer to cancel any random night I have at like 7:30am that morning before the window opens? I'm looking for the most productive process here since MS said I need to be online at 8am on the dot and only enter my name and they'll go in and add additional names after the fact since I need to be quick-quick! (I also haven't considered borrowing points from the next year to keep all my reservations until I have all the nights and then cancel what I don't want...)

OR do I keep my random nights, then at my 7-month window I only look for the random nights I don't have booked until I have all 6 and then have MS combine them for me? (Yes, all same room type of 2-bedroom)

THANK YOU ALL for your help! I feel like I might understand this whole DVC booking process one day!

I would cancel the current wait list and then set up two separate ones for 12/17-12/19 & 12/20-12/22. Shorter waitlists are more apt to be filled than longer ones. Then, I would continue stalking for my missing nights. You can begin by choosing to modify the 12/19 stay and looking for the nights before and after it. That way you don’t have to have MS combine multiple reservations.

Your existing reservations will not be automatically canceled if your wait list fills, unless you specified that one or the other should be when you set up the wait list. MS will not borrow points to fill a wait list unless you authorized borrowing when you set up the wait list.

Getting all 6 nights at the 7-month mark exactly is not likely to happen. Keep in mind that some owner that have all or part of your nights booked may be arriving before you and they would be switching resorts days earlier than your 7-month mark. Just keep stalking between now and when you plan to arrive. At 7 months, you may want to alter your plans and stay at another resort that has openings (most likely SSR). CCV is in high demand for the Christmas season.

 

[Avery&Todd]

I would cancel the current wait list and then set up two separate ones for 12/17-12/19 & 12/20-12/22. Shorter waitlists are more apt to be filled than longer ones. Then, I would continue stalking for my missing nights. You can begin by choosing to modify the 12/19 stay and looking for the nights before and after it. That way you don’t have to have MS combine multiple reservations.

Your existing reservations will not be automatically canceled if your wait list fills, unless you specified that one or the other should be when you set up the wait list. MS will not borrow points to fill a wait list unless you authorized borrowing when you set up the wait list.

Getting all 6 nights at the 7-month mark exactly is not likely to happen. Keep in mind that some owner that have all or part of your nights booked may be arriving before you and they would be switching resorts days earlier than your 7-month mark. Just keep stalking between now and when you plan to arrive. At 7 months, you may want to alter your plans and stay at another resort that has openings (most likely SSR). CCV is in high demand for the Christmas season.

GREAT! thank you so much!

 

[Avery&Todd]

Getting all 6 nights at the 7-month mark exactly is not likely to happen. Keep in mind that some owner that have all or part of your nights booked may be arriving before you and they would be switching resorts days earlier than your 7-month mark. Just keep stalking between now and when you plan to arrive. At 7 months, you may want to alter your plans and stay at another resort that has openings (most likely SSR). CCV is in high demand for the Christmas season.

So lets just say that I can find a resort at 7 months for all 6 nights, will the system let me book that reservation along with the random nights at CCV at the same time? I'm trying to figure out if I just need to book something else at 7-months and forget about CCV??

Right now BCV has most of my six nights available - what's the probability I could get that resort instead of CCV?

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, the system will let you keep the two nights and book the other 6 at a different resort,

One thing you can do at the 7 month mark to help is modify the one night and change the dates to all six....this way, if you find something it will replace at least that night if you are short on the points.

Defiintely change the wait list and keep stalking. Things are changing all the time.

 

[Avery&Todd]

Yes, the system will let you keep the two nights and book the other 6 at a different resort,

One thing you can do at the 7 month mark to help is modify the one night and change the dates to all six....this way, if you find something it will replace at least that night if you are short on the points.

Defiintely change the wait list and keep stalking. Things are changing all the time.

THANKS again!! I feel like stalking the DVC website is now my part-time job!

Is there a DVC app I can search on my phone or is it desktop only??

I was able to go in and cancel the 6 night wait list and now I have 2 wait lists in between the 2 nights I was able to book!

I had NO idea I'd actually be able to get those 2 random nights - I was just checking on Sunday and then POOF they were there!

 

[Sandisw]

THANKS again!! I feel like stalking the DVC website is now my part-time job!

Is there a DVC app I can search on my phone or is it desktop only??

I was able to go in and cancel the 6 night wait list and now I have 2 wait lists in between the 2 nights I was able to book!

I had NO idea I'd actually be able to get those 2 random nights - I was just checking on Sunday and then POOF they were there!

No app, but you can go to the website on your phone to make it easier, I search on mine and my iPad all the time.

 

[Avery&Todd]

No app, but you can go to the website on your phone to make it easier, I search on mine and my iPad all the time.

BRILLIANT!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

You might even want to just make two single night waitlists for Dec 20 and 21. When (note I didn't say if), those nights come through you'll have four nights in a row. In the mean time stalk for the earlier nights. Single nights are even easier to get than two nights.

 

[Avery&Todd]

You might even want to just make two single night waitlists for Dec 20 and 21. When (note I didn't say if), those nights come through you'll have four nights in a row. In the mean time stalk for the earlier nights. Single nights are even easier to get than two nights.

THANK YOU!

 

[Avery&Todd]

I just wanted to come back and say THANK YOU @Marionnette , @Deb & Bill and @Sandisw for your great suggestions - since Sunday I have been able to get 3 of our needed 6 nights @ CCV for our stay!!

*Fingers crossed* that I can get the remaining 3!! Let the stalking continue!

 

[Philsfan77]

I just wanted to come back and say THANK YOU @Marionnette , @Deb & Bill and @Sandisw for your great suggestions - since Sunday I have been able to get 3 of our needed 6 nights @ CCV for our stay!!

*Fingers crossed* that I can get the remaining 3!! Let the stalking continue!

Where theres a will...theres a way!

 

[kniquy]

My questions are for right now:

1. Is it better to cancel the 6 night wait list and then book 2 wait lists for Dec 17 & 18th (Thurs & Fri) and also Dec. 20 and 21 (Sun & Mon)?

OR

2. Should I go ahead and cancel my individual nights of Dec. 19 and 22nd and keep my big wait list?

I would do #1 - put in your shorter waitlists as they are more likely able to be filled vs a longer trip.

I would also book something else on property cash so that at least you have something booked in case your WL doesn't come through.

Also think about where you are waitlisting - you are obviously doing it at CCV right now BUT there less of a chance of it getting filled there vs say AK. You may want to open up your options to other resorts maybe something you have wanted to try or a place you never even thought of trying. 7 month availability will be much better at AK and SSR

So lets just say that I can find a resort at 7 months for all 6 nights, will the system let me book that reservation along with the random nights at CCV at the same time? I'm trying to figure out if I just need to book something else at 7-months and forget about CCV??

You can have over lapping reservations as long as you don't need the points from your CCV booking. If you need the points then you will have to cancel, but seeing you only have dates in the middle of your trip you could cancel and book a new resort at the 7 month mark.

I think competition for the fall dates are just going to be worst now than ever with all these people having to cancel and re-book. We had a July trip (2 studios at Poly) and ended up re-booking for a 2BR at OKW. It actually worked out better because it was a lot less points, but obviously not at the resort i wanted. We are getting excited about OKW - a new resort for us, we have always wanted to try Olivia's and we will be close to Disney Springs.

You just have to make the best of what you have been given.

 

[Avery&Todd]

ok - here's another question - with all this stalking that I'm doing for our December dates, has anyone found that it's OK to just refresh over and over the search criteria that I've entered or is it better to re-enter the search criteria each time?

I was just wondering if I kept the search criteria entered and just refreshed over and over my screen if it was really submitting a fresh new search or if it was just showing me the results from the last search?

OR....perhaps I'm just obsessing and over-thinking this too much, which is always a possibility!

 

[Marionnette]

ok - here's another question - with all this stalking that I'm doing for our December dates, has anyone found that it's OK to just refresh over and over the search criteria that I've entered or is it better to re-enter the search criteria each time?

I was just wondering if I kept the search criteria entered and just refreshed over and over my screen if it was really submitting a fresh new search or if it was just showing me the results from the last search?

OR....perhaps I'm just obsessing and over-thinking this too much, which is always a possibility!

Refresh works for me.

 

[Avery&Todd]

Refresh works for me.

and when I refresh I do get the "circle of blue dots" so I assumed/figured that it was really refreshing, but my DH always says I should know what "assuming" does....so I thought I'd just check!

 

[Sandisw]

I also hit refresh and it seems that it works better if the first time it is taking too long!

 

[Avery&Todd]

I know everyone is wondering but this morning I got the remaining 3 nights I needed for a 2br at CCV!! As was suggested I was able to go in and modify my existing reservations, so I only have 3 reservations for them to combine, 1 night, 3 nights and 2 nights instead of 6 individual nights!!

THANKS to everyone who humored me and answered my questions and gave such great advice!

and I'm super excited about being able to reschedule our Welcome Home trip!