Why do you call when you're waitlisted?

[nilseks]

Sorry if this is a really stupid newbie question, but...
Why do people on the boards always say to call every day if you are waitlisted? My understanding is that if a reservation opens up, MS will notify you.

We are booked at OKW from 12/3 to 12/10 with 2 studios. We have been waitlisted since MS opened at the 7 month window. Have not heard anything (and I'm really not holding my breath since we need 2 studios). What would be the benefit of calling every day? Don't they just go down the waitlist in order? What am I missing?

 

[Deb & Bill]

What are you waitlisted for?

 

[DebbieB]

Sorry if this is a really stupid newbie question, but...
Why do people on the boards always say to call every day if you are waitlisted? My understanding is that if a reservation opens up, MS will notify you.

We are booked at OKW from 12/3 to 12/10 with 2 studios. We have been waitlisted since MS opened at the 7 month window. Have not heard anything (and I'm really not holding my breath since we need 2 studios). What would be the benefit of calling every day? Don't they just go down the waitlist in order? What am I missing?

Say for example you are waitlisted for 12/3 to 12/10. In order for your waitlist to be filled, all those nights have to become open. If 12/3 to 12/9 opens, you are still waitlisted because the total did not come through. But if you call and they say 12/3 to 12/9 is open, you could book it and change your waitlist to just the night of 12/9. Also, some people have reported being able to "catch" a cancellation before the waitlist is run.

 

[jupers]

Also, you have to waitlist for 1 specific view, if you don't care about what view you have and want a certain resort sometimes you can catch an opening. I originally booked our f & W trip at SSR but persistence paid off and I got all 4 nights at BWV. The waitlist did not help me.

 

[nilseks]

Thank you for the helpful explanations...now I understand! Good information to know, but in this case I guess I will just sit tight and wait for a miracle. We're going with my brother and I don't think he would have any interest in doing a split stay. There will be 7 of us and packing up and moving all of us to another resort probably wouldn't be his idea of fun, especially with the way SIL overpacks, haha!

Oh, and we are waitlisted at BWV for 2 studios. I know, I know...snowball's chance in hell...

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Oh, and we are waitlisted at BWV for 2 studios. I know, I know...snowball's chance in hell...

One studio will be hard, two? Extremely difficult. Make sure you don't get one studio at one resort and another at the BWV.

 

[Granny]

Also, some people have reported being able to "catch" a cancellation before the waitlist is run.

I think this is the most common reason people call often. A glitch in the booking system allows someone to grab a recently cancelled room before the waitlist gets it. Apparently waitlist requests are run during the off hours that MS is not open.

I agree with Deb & Bill. The OP is leaving it to chance that they may end up with studios at two different places. What room category is being waitlisted? Unless it is Preferred Water & Garden, I'd say it is unlikely to come through at that high demand time of the year. Good luck!

 

[nilseks]

Our 2 studios were booked from one DVC membership and they are 'linked' (or so they tell me when I call). But are you saying there is still a chance one studio waitlist could come through and they would just automatically move us?

I've seen several over BWV studio waitlists come through (we're waitlisted for a standard); I've just been assuming our hasn't (and won't) because we need two. Now do I need to start worrying that we'll be split up?

 

[Robin"D"]

we were spilt in two different rooms, but with three different reservations...
standard room, then a savanna view, then back to a standard view….we were on the wait list for a standard view, but I did call every day, while on the phone, I got my request for a standard view, they fixed my reservations and put them all on one reservation [ for DDP propose] …this is why I would call

Hope this helps....

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[2binak]

I think this is the most common reason people call often. A glitch in the booking system allows someone to grab a recently cancelled room before the waitlist gets it. Apparently waitlist requests are run during the off hours that MS is not open.

That's what happened to us. We were waitlisted for night 5 of a 6 night stay at BWV. Dh & I decided to do a split stay instead, 3 nights at BWV and 3 nights at AKL so I called MS to check availability at AKL and was told there were no savannah views available for the dates we wanted. The CM then said, "Do you not want to spend all 6 nights at BWV?" I said, "I do, but we're waitlisted for night 5." She said, "I see a room for that night matching the rest of your stay. Do you want me to book it?" I of course said "YES!" and so we are now staying at BWV, in the same room, for all 6 nights. I'm not sure how or why the room made it to inventory without going to the waitlist, but it did. So in our case, even though I wasn't calling to check on our waitlist, it definitely made a difference to call.

 

[sunshine1259]

Boy, am I glad that this questioned was asked. I just assumed that they would call you. I didn't think that one particular day/room at a time may open up. I will have to start calling for our December visit to Grand California Villas. I really would like to be there for my birthday. Never been to Disneyland in December, so this would really be a treat. I don't really expect to book anything, though, it being the Christmas season and all.

 

[Halle]

Historically is there a time of day that is best to call.