When do you usually find out about a waitlist?

[missycj96]

Hi all, I made reservations for presidents week. Right now half my trip is a 1br and half is a studio. I am trying to get the whole trip in a studio at BLT. And if it doesn't come through I'll still have a great place to stay. But generally speaking, how long from when you make the reservation to when you know about a waitlist? If anyone could share their waitlist experience, I'd appreciate it - especially for a high demand week? thanks all!

 

[Feigned]

This is my recent experience with a waitlist.

I called on June 13 about making a reservation for a 1 bedroom (basically at any resort available) for December 27-January 1. I had called a few days earlier and was told NOTHING was available anywhere. Somehow, the CM from Member Services was able to find 2 nights in a 1 bedroom at SSR and then 2 nights in a 1 bedroom at OKW. Nothing for New Year's Eve.

I went on the waitlist for a 1 bedroom at Saratoga Springs for the whole stay and also on a waitlist for a 1 bedroom standard view at Kidani. I was told to call back periodically as it might increase my chances. I never did.

On July 14th, my waitlist for a 1 bedroom at Saratoga Springs went through for the whole stay, including New Year's Eve. I found this out by looking at the DVC member site. I was glad to just have a whole vacation at 1 resort and all the nights I needed.

On July 21st, my waitlist for a 1 bedroom standard view at Kidani went through for the whole stay as well, cancelling out my reservation at Saratoga Springs. I also found this out by going on the DVC member site. I was surprised because I thought since I already had a waitlist come through that all my waitlists would be cancelled out, even though I wanted to stay at Kidani more. I guess this was not the case.

This was only my second time using a waitlist and both times it has come through for us, so I was pretty pleased, especially since it came through so quickly. Both CMs I spoke to at Member Services made it seem like it would be impossible for me to get the nights I needed, particurly for New Year's Eve.

Good luck!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Since the filling of waitlists is dependent on someone else cancelling (or sometimes in the new resorts upon units being declared into inventory) it really can't be predicted. We've had a waitlist for each trip and have been lucky that they have all filled, but it's been all over the place. One filled right when the 7 month window opened and someone else must have changed their ressie. One filled approx. 5 1/2 months out after being on the waitlist since a little less than 7 months. And I just noticed on the website that I had one fill for Nov. that I put in mid-June.

 

[toniosmom]

So it appears to me that if your first waitlist came through and it was actually your preference, it is in your best interest to call MS immediately and cancel the other waitlist. Right?

 

[Feigned]

So it appears to me that if your first waitlist came through and it was actually your preference, it is in your best interest to call MS immediately and cancel the other waitlist. Right?

Can someone confirm on this? Like I said, I was pretty surprised that after I had one wait list come through, I still stayed on the waitlist for Kidani. I don't know if the CM indicated that was my 1st preference, so to not cancel out my waitlist if I got SSR first or what? I really have only used the waitlist twice.

By the way, the other time I used it we tried to make a reservation only a couple of months out for BWV during F&W. We waitlisted for 2 days, day by day and got both I think a couple of weeks before the trip.

 

[Sandisw]

So it appears to me that if your first waitlist came through and it was actually your preference, it is in your best interest to call MS immediately and cancel the other waitlist. Right?

I know that you can set it up that way when you do the WL's. That is what I did. MS set it up to cancel the second one if the first one came through (didn't matter to me which once was first or second).

But, once it did, I did call just to confirm that the other WL was cancelled and it was.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So it appears to me that if your first waitlist came through and it was actually your preference, it is in your best interest to call MS immediately and cancel the other waitlist. Right?

Recently I been told that if my first waitlist fills then the second will be automatically cancelled and there is no other option. Of course things happen and as the PP mentioned they did not experience that. It sounds like it's not a bad thing to double check but I think it's more likely that if it's not your first choice that comes thru then you'll have to call back and resubmit your other waitlist.

For my Nov. waitlist that did come thru I also set one up to try to change from a lock-off to a dedicated. My first waitlist was to get a 2BR lockoff for Nov. 8th (the one that came thru) since I have a lock-off booked for the 9th-14th and I hoped to add that day. Then I waitlisted for a 2BR dedicated for the 9-14th since I didn't know if the 8th would even come thru and I could keep this waitlist up to 7 days out. The CM kept telling me that if my one waitlist came thru then the other would cancel. I of course questioned why and finally she agreed that it shouldn't since it wasn't for the same days. I need to call back to change the waitlist now to include the 8th for a dedicated but the call will also be to see if the second one cancelled.

Personally I've just decided that waitlists can be an iffy thing. If something happens to it that shouldn't I won't be too surprised.