Why is "stalking" a thing if there's a waitlist?

[DoubleBaconBLT]

Does stalking give you a chance to grab an available reservation before it goes to the waitlist? Is there a benefit to stalking? Does the waitlist mechanism have like a delay built into it to allow stalking to work?

I feel like if the waitlist is instant, then stalking would not be a thing. So there must be some delay or other nerf to waitlists. Appreciate any insights anyone has.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Well, I've scooped nights by stalking. It seems there is a delay in waitlists though apparently none of us really know for sure. If I REALLY want another night or more it is worth my time to hit that "update" button. I often get my dates just when I am ready to give up!

 

[AstroBlasters]

Does stalking give you a chance to grab an available reservation before it goes to the waitlist? Is there a benefit to stalking? Does the waitlist mechanism have like a delay built into it to allow stalking to work?

I feel like if the waitlist is instant, then stalking would not be a thing. So there must be some delay or other nerf to waitlists. Appreciate any insights anyone has.

The waitlist is not instant.

 

[Sandisw]

It is odd the way it works and we really are not sure.

I have seen rooms I cancel not show back up and other times it does.

That’s why it’s good to stalk!! And sometimes, one will have a match but because a CM has to process another room will show up in the meantime.

 

[DebbieB]

I’ve used it and it worked. Example: 5 nights in mid November. No nights available, put in waitlist for 5 nights around September for BWV studio preferred view. Not long after, nights 3 to 5 showed up, I booked and changed waitlist. Night 2 came up, booked it and changed waitlist. Night 1 came through on the waitlist and Member Services combined them. I had a cash reservation as a backup.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

Does the waitlist mechanism have like a delay built into it to allow stalking to work?

yes

 

[Willow Ufgood]

I've stalked when I had a wait list and gotten the room before the wait list pulled it out of inventory. I've also been surprised by a wait list getting filled when I had been rabidly stalking the same room. The best way to get what you want is to do both.

 

[RuntheMouse]

I stalked w/o a waitlist in place and recently picked up a couple of nights at CCV in early December. I was still stalking and decided to put in a waitlist for an additional night. That matched 20 minutes after I put in the waitlist, so who knows!

 

[JOLT]

I have waisted and stalked multiple reservations. I would say more often than not when I cancel the waitlist that date pops back up to book which leads me to believe my waitlist worked it just wasn't blessed by the cast member yet.

 

[Sandisw]

I have waisted and stalked multiple reservations. I would say more often than not when I cancel the waitlist that date pops back up to book which leads me to believe my waitlist worked it just wasn't blessed by the cast member yet.

This has happened to me more times than I can count. I’d say 95% of the time i get it stalking and then cancel the waitlist, the room pops back a second time!!

 

[js]

I've stalked when I had a wait list and gotten the room before the wait list pulled it out of inventory. I've also been surprised by a wait list getting filled when I had been rabidly stalking the same room. The best way to get what you want is to do both.

This is exactly me too. I have been very good at piecing together 7-10 night stays with stalking and WL for October monorail/BW areas.

 

[marmentrout85]

I've stalked when I had a wait list and gotten the room before the wait list pulled it out of inventory. I've also been surprised by a wait list getting filled when I had been rabidly stalking the same room. The best way to get what you want is to do both.

Totally agree. I've only had one waitlist not come through for me so far, and it was because I stalked and booked it before the waitlist could even go through.

 

[CraigInPA]

If I was to guess, the waitlist task runs only periodically, perhaps once every 30 minutes or an hour. I can't imagine that DVC would built a process for waitlists only into the cancellation process. That would be highly inefficient and fraught with numerous problems.

 

[DVCKing]

 

[VGCgroupie]

I’ve had a WL setup for a few days, I had a spare minute so I checked availability and my date was there to be booked but my WL had not fulfilled.

 

[sndral]

Why stalk? Sometimes what you want shows up & you can grab it. This used to happen more frequently, I think DVC’s tech has improved how often they grab cancellations to fill waitlists
Also, If you’re trying to piece together a longer stay, or are a little flexible w/ dates, views, whether you’ll split stay, etc. w/ stalking you see other options, for example, say you’ve waitlisted 2 views at BWV & while stalking you spot those days open at BC & decide that’ll work for you - so you grab them instead. Or say you have 5 days waitlisted starting on a certain date, via stalking you spot 5 open days if you arrive a day earlier or later, so you adjust your days.
Finally, it’s hard to just patiently wait, stalking gives you something to do .

 

[tidefan]

I would always stalk. I don't know what everyone else does to be so successful with it, but we've been members since 2007 and have NEVER had a waitlist fill. Now maybe because we don't usually do stays under 3-4 nights, but we've never had one fill.

That said, I have been able to find things via stalking.

One thing that I don't like is that the waitlist makes you pick a specific resort/room type when often I'm like I'll take any non-GV/Cabungalow room at WDW...

 

[Willow Ufgood]

I book what I can and wait list single nights that aren't open. It increases my chances of success if I'm only seeking one night. I never wait list an entire stay.