Wait Listing for the first time

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

It never even dawned on me that I may have a problem booking my home resort just after 11 months prior to our trip. It's the first week of December at the Poly.

I logged in today and only 2 out of the 6 nights that we want are available. Should I wait list the whole trip or book the 2 nights that are available and wait list the remainder?

As the title says - this is my first time doing a wait list so I'm clueless. Thanks for any and all help.

Is anyone having this happen as well?

Update 1/10/18: I have been able to get 3 of the 6 nights now. Here's hoping more people are walking so I can grab the last 3.
I have wait listed the remaining 3 days and cancelled the other wait list since I was able to get the 3rd date. This is definitely alot of work - I've been checking every time I get on the computer which is quite a few times a day. LOL

 

[crazywig]

Book 2 and waitlist the other.

 

[gharter]

Several options. I would book what you can get, and wait list the others. Keep looking daily as well as dates have come available before the waitlist fills. If your waitlist hasn't filled by 7 months, I would try and book another resort, but keep the waitlist. Your other option, instead of 1 long waitlist, break it into 2 smaller lists. Often you may have better luck filling smaller waitlists.
Good luck!

 

[SWRdtWD]

11 months you should be ok if you waitlist the hole thing...

My last waitlist for spring break came through in November for a non-home resort in a specific category..so they do still come though than when I started when it was a near certainty. Too many fish in the sea now.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I say book the nights that are there and waitlist the others. Keep checking yourself too.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

MS told me yesterday that the 1st 2 weeks of Dec are the busiest weeks of the year for DVC bookings. Don't know if that's accurate or not.

 

[SWRdtWD]

MS told me yesterday that the 1st 2 weeks of Dec are the busiest weeks of the year for DVC bookings. Don't know if that's accurate or not.

They say that about everything...

It depends on which hotels...the epcot hotels are the hardest in October...without question...monorail in December is really tough.

The summers and spring break are a lot easier to get than one would think.

So the answer is yes and no

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

MS told me yesterday that the 1st 2 weeks of Dec are the busiest weeks of the year for DVC bookings. Don't know if that's accurate or not.

In the sense of being more crowded - no. The resorts run at full capacity year round.

In the sense that you need to be on your toes to make a reservation at 11 months, yes. December is very busy.

 

[supersnoop]

MS told me yesterday that the 1st 2 weeks of Dec are the busiest weeks of the year for DVC bookings. Don't know if that's accurate or not.

True. At least, it’s the most quickly, highest demand time. Not “busiest,” per se, but most difficult to book.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

MS told me yesterday that the 1st 2 weeks of Dec are the busiest weeks of the year for DVC bookings. Don't know if that's accurate or not.

Yes, that is pretty much correct. The first week is worse than the second week though - I would not call them equal.

 

[maburke]

Definitely book what you can and waitlist the rest. Shorter wait lists are much easier to get. And you may get lucky quickly, if someone is walking past your dates.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I booked the 2 available days and wait listed the rest. I did look at the next week and there seems to be plenty of availability then so maybe I'll switch my trip to the 2nd week if I need to. My husband said either week is fine with him - he just wants to stay at our home resort which is his favorite.

I just can't book it the 2nd week right now unless I'm willing to walk which I don't want to deal with.

 

[Cyberc1978]

11 months you should be ok if you waitlist the hole thing...

I recommend booking what you can get and dont waitlisting the "hole thing"

If you waitlist the entire vacation then you most likely wont get it.

My reasoning is that: if you waitlist 1st-8th dec then IF december 1st-7th is available then you wont get them as you waitlisted 1st-8th, also if single days become available you also wont get them even though you are first in line, but only for 1st-8th. For your waitlist to come through all days had to be available at the same time, and then there is still a risk you still wouldn't get them, as the system does not always work as it should. Single days are much easier to get fulfilled than multiple days.

So book all the days which are available even if you have to do 3, 4 or 5 reservations now(they can be combined later) Then create two waitlist for single days. As they are being fulfilled then create a new one for other days. On top of that you should stalk the RAT.

 

[Ghostridethedolewhip]

I recommend booking what you can get and dont waitlisting the "hole thing"

If you waitlist the entire vacation then you most likely wont get it.

My reasoning is that: if you waitlist 1st-8th dec then IF december 1st-7th is available then you wont get them as you waitlisted 1st-8th, also if single days become available you also wont get them even though you are first in line, but only for 1st-8th. For your waitlist to come through all days had to be available at the same time, and then there is still a risk you still wouldn't get them, as the system does not always work as it should. Single days are much easier to get fulfilled than multiple days.

So book all the days which are available even if you have to do 3, 4 or 5 reservations now(they can be combined later) Then create two waitlist for single days. As they are being fulfilled then create a new one for other days. On top of that you should stalk the RAT.

After stalking the RAT and you find what you need, do you have to go in and cancel the waitlist?

 

[CarolMN]

After stalking the RAT and you find what you need, do you have to go in and cancel the waitlist?

If you are able to book something yourself that had a waitlist, then YES, cancel the waitlist. If you don't there's a possibility it will come through and you will end up with extra nights you don't want.

 

[Ghostridethedolewhip]

If you are able to book something yourself that had a waitlist, then YES, cancel the waitlist. If you don't there's a possibility it will come through and you will end up with extra nights you don't want.

Thanks. Wonder what the lag time is from someone stalking and then getting waitlist. I have read some posts that it seems like waitlist is a manual process that MS goes down a list and tries to match up. If that is the case I guess I have some time (during non MS hours) to cancel since it is not automated.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks. Wonder what the lag time is from someone stalking and then getting waitlist. I have read some posts that it seems like waitlist is a manual process that MS goes down a list and tries to match up. If that is the case I guess I have some time (during non MS hours) to cancel since it is not automated.

There is a computer element which matches and sets the room aside. It's just finishing the process that takes a CM. Waitlists match at all times of the day. My experience.