When should I give up?

[BCV2002]

I'm on a waiting list for a studio at SSR for 12/27-1/3/09. Been on it since May for a room for my DIL's and nothing... From experience, and the experts, when should I give up on the waitlist?

ALSO...are there certain times out that they become available the most (i.e., one month, two months before)? TIA!!

 

[vicki_c]

Member Services told me things would probably start to open again in the fall as people make final decisions on whether they're really going for Christmas or not.

I was lucky, my 1 night waitlist at BCV (12/28) did come through, but it took 2 months.

Don't give up -- there's a lot of time between now and then.

Do you have something else booked just in case (reservation at your home resort if it's not SSR, or a cash room)?

Also, are you just waitlisted for SSR -- you might try adding any studio to your waitlist, not just SSR to possibly improve your chances (although SSR or OKW are you best chances).

 

[CarolMN]

First of all, if you are really going to go no matter what (maybe you already have non-refundable airfare, for example), you should have a back up plan - probably a cash reservation somewhere.

That said, I'd give up the earliest of these criteria:

1. Deadline for cancellation of the back up plan. I wouldn't want to pay a penalty for canceling my back up plan.

2. My banking deadline. If the waitlist didn't come through before my banking deadline, I'd bank the points (assuming I wouldn't need them before the end of my use year) so I wouldn't lose them if the waitlist didn't work.

3. If my back up plan was a reservation at another DVC resort, I'd consider giving up at the 31 day mark if my waitlist reservation would use less points than my existing reservation. It would make me crazy to have a few points in the holding account. I would decide if getting the waitlisted reservation was worth losing the holding points (since I probably would not be able to use them).

In your favor: SSR is the largest resort and is most likely to have movement. IMHO, your chances are better than if you were waitlisted for any of the other resorts.

Not in your favor: You need several days and one of them is New Year's Eve. That night sells out faster than any other night of the year and there is no way to know where you are on the waitlist.

Advice: If you have a back up plan for lodging, call periodically and see if any of your days are available. If so, book them and change your waitlist. MS no longer allows us to waitlist for individual days and the chances of getting a single day are greater than getting a whole week all at once. I strongly suspect NYE is going to be the biggest challenge.

If you can (after considering above factors), stay on the waitlist past the 31 day mark and call several times a day if you get to the 7 day mark. (There are no waitlists once you get within 7 days of arrival. If you still want to get in, you have to call and hope to get lucky)

I agree with MS - there should be some movement later this fall and especially at the 31 day mark. Hope it's enough so that your waitlist comes through.

 

[bookwormde]

As others have said if you have other non-cancelable commitments to the vacation then a back up plan is a must. It is unusual for a member to be so committed to SSR that they do not wait list for other resorts. I do not know if you can add other resorts without loosing your place in line at SSR but if that is an option you might check with MS since this increases your possibilities.

bookwormde