Walking a reservation

[DebbieB]

I'm wondering if I should try this out... We are staying 11/28/14(Friday after thanksgiving) till 12/6/14. Should I be worried I won't be able to get that Friday? Should I walk it?

Which resort and room type?

 

[CarolMN]

I'm wondering if I should try this out... We are staying 11/28/14(Friday after thanksgiving) till 12/6/14. Should I be worried I won't be able to get that Friday? Should I walk it?

It's probably not necessary to walk it - it will depend on what you want. AKV club level, yes and maybe a few others.

What resort, villa size and view / booking category do you want?

 

[Pbuttadad]

Which resort and room type?

It's a standard view studio at bwv. My dilemma is also that I'm booking 2 sv studios for those dates and also a 3 studio for that m-s

 

[Pbuttadad]

It's probably not necessary to walk it - it will depend on what you want. AKV club level, yes and maybe a few others. What resort, villa size and view / booking category do you want?

^^^^^^

 

[angey77]

I have never heard of this "walking" business until I tried Monday (unsuccessfully) to book a value room at AKL exactly 11 months out (at 8 a.m.), only to have the first day only booked. A few days later and a pattern is forming by checking days prior to the check-in date, I notice I am a victim of a walker or walkers. This was not an issue for us last year, apparently a lot of members are catching on to this.
I'm sorry, but I think walking is wrong. It's not against the DVC rules, as I'm sure pro-walkers will proclaim, but I think it's quite rude and shows a sense of entitlement. There are members out there who genuinely want/need a reservation at exactly 11 months out for their home resort and now they are forced to do more work so someone can guarantee their own stay days/weeks/months out.
Guess I will have to play the game, as everyone else does because one person started it. I actually plan on waking up early tomorrow and every day the rest of this week to try to actually book the room I INTEND TO KEEP for that time period. It will be bonus if I throw a walker off his/her path. I hope DVC notices these patterns soon and does something about it.

 

[Dasha Hermosilla]

I have never heard of this "walking" business until I tried Monday (unsuccessfully) to book a value room at AKL exactly 11 months out (at 8 a.m.), only to have the first day only booked. A few days later and a pattern is forming by checking days prior to the check-in date, I notice I am a victim of a walker or walkers. This was not an issue for us last year, apparently a lot of members are catching on to this. I'm sorry, but I think walking is wrong. It's not against the DVC rules, as I'm sure pro-walkers will proclaim, but I think it's quite rude and shows a sense of entitlement. There are members out there who genuinely want/need a reservation at exactly 11 months out for their home resort and now they are forced to do more work so someone can guarantee their own stay days/weeks/months out. Guess I will have to play the game, as everyone else does because one person started it. I actually plan on waking up early tomorrow and every day the rest of this week to try to actually book the room I INTEND TO KEEP for that time period. It will be bonus if I throw a walker off his/her path. I hope DVC notices these patterns soon and does something about it.

Good luck. The site was down initially this AM so if you had NEEDED to start a reservation today you would have been screwed unless you had the time to sit and hit refresh on your computer. I had to leave to walk my kids to school at 8:10 and it was still down. It was back up by the time I got back and what I wanted was gone... So you need to allow for IT "glitches" and plan accordingly.

And maybe just more people are seeing the "value" in value and not people walking? I would not assume it's someone walking a reservation necessarily-It could be someone that just happens to be checking out the day after you want to check in? Never know....

 

[angey77]

Good luck. The site was down initially this AM so if you had NEEDED to start a reservation today you would have been screwed unless you had the time to sit and hit refresh on your computer. I had to leave to walk my kids to school at 8:10 and it was still down. It was back up by the time I got back and what I wanted was gone... So you need to allow for IT "glitches" and plan accordingly. And maybe just more people are seeing the "value" in value and not people walking? I would not assume it's someone walking a reservation necessarily-It could be someone that just happens to be checking out the day after you want to check in? Never know....

Lucky for me, someone gave up a reservation because this afternoon, my waitlist became a secured reservation.
Point is the whole walking thing just screams "self-entitlement." I hope it's only a matter of time before Disney catches on and hopefully does something about it. Members shouldn't have to work harder at exactly 11 months out to book their stays simply because someone else wants to just slide right along.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Lucky for me, someone gave up a reservation because this afternoon, my waitlist became a secured reservation.
Point is the whole walking thing just screams "self-entitlement." I hope it's only a matter of time before Disney catches on and hopefully does something about it. Members shouldn't have to work harder at exactly 11 months out to book their stays simply because someone else wants to just slide right along.

DVC knows all about it and have actually encouraged people at times to do it.

 

[angey77]

DVC knows all about it and have actually encouraged people at times to do it.

Sorry, still think it's shady. Nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise. Just because something is not against the rules does not make it right.
The CM I talked to yesterday had not heard of it and seemed to not be impressed either. I wrote MS a long email yesterday, expressing my distaste for this practice. That's all I can do for now.
It reminds me of topics of the past that weren't "against the rules" but have led to tighter restrictions (Howie's Angels, disability pass, booking ADRs in general, etc.). I'm hoping this goes the same direction eventually.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Sorry, still think it's shady. Nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise. Just because something is not against the rules does not make it right.
The CM I talked to yesterday had not heard of it and seemed to not be impressed either. I wrote MS a long email yesterday, expressing my distaste for this practice. That's all I can do for now.
It reminds me of topics of the past that weren't "against the rules" but have led to tighter restrictions (Howie's Angels, disability pass, booking ADRs in general, etc.). I'm hoping this goes the same direction eventually.

Years ago, when members booked by checkout date. they would book the first night of their stay as a one night stay. The next day they would add a second day. And so on until they got all the nights of their stay. Member services would do this without any problem. Walking is just the new version of booking day by day.

 

[angey77]

Years ago, when members booked by checkout date. they would book the first night of their stay as a one night stay. The next day they would add a second day. And so on until they got all the nights of their stay. Member services would do this without any problem. Walking is just the new version of booking day by day.

And once again, just because MS is allowing this to happen at the time being, it still doesn't mean this is not shady or showing off a sense of self-entitlement.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I'm not sure how you define self-entitlement. If somebody is willing to call everyday at 8:00 am to change the reservation and you're not... How is that self-entitlement? And what if you need a particular room on a particular date ... Say you can only arrive on Christmas Eve ... How many rooms would be left if you dare wait to the 11th month?

The system is set up so this is the only way to make sure you get the room you need.

 

[angey77]

I'm not sure how you define self-entitlement. If somebody is willing to call everyday at 8:00 am to change the reservation and you're not... How is that self-entitlement? And what if you need a particular room on a particular date ... Say you can only arrive on Christmas Eve ... How many rooms would be left if you dare wait to the 11th month?

The system is set up so this is the only way to make sure you get the room you need.

Actually, I booked two of my three rooms needed 11 months out by NOT walking (and the third by a waitlist I was put on exactly 11 months out), so walking is not the only way to ensure a room.
Outside of ensuring a reservation for that one member, walking pushes that member's problems that go with going during peak times (or their set week of vacation) onto other members' vacations and planning time in order to get what that one particular member wants days/weeks down the line. Walkers don't even want the days others may want/need, these days are just pawns in the game. With that, the members wanting/needing those days now face the possibility of getting up daily because someone else booked their days and is slowly cancelling each of those days and is moving on. That's where I get to calling it self-entitlement. I don't go during peak times for a reason, I don't want to deal with the headaches and extra costs that go with peak times. So, I choose non-peak times. Why should I deal with peak time headaches? Because other members have them because they choose them?
By the way, booking windows, according to DVC.com, open 11 months and seven months "before check-in date." Then according to Home Resort Priority: "Your Disney Vacation Club Membership allows you the privilege and flexibility to reserve accommodations at your Home Resort 11 months in advance of the check-in date."
Check-in date. That is pretty clear.
I'm sorry if people feel they need more justification for how I feel. Like I said, members walking win until DVC does something about it, if anything at all, but its not an honest practice.
If people didn't participate in this walking, or if DVC does something to stop it, there's a slim chance anyone would be waking up every day days/weeks in advance to book a reservation. I'm sure waking up every morning to adjust a vacation for days or weeks is no fun for those trying for Dec. 24, I feel for you. But until something is done about this, I can and will express my distaste for it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

....
By the way, booking windows, according to DVC.com, open 11 months and seven months "before check-in date." Then according to Home Resort Priority: "Your Disney Vacation Club Membership allows you the privilege and flexibility to reserve accommodations at your Home Resort 11 months in advance of the check-in date."
Check-in date. That is pretty clear. ....

So their check in date is constantly moving. Lots of people aren't quite sure of which date they want.

It's a loophole that DVC allows. Now should they require a fee to change a date or the requirement to cancel and rebook, that's another thing.

 

[angey77]

So their check in date is constantly moving. Lots of people aren't quite sure of which date they want.

It's a loophole that DVC allows. Now should they require a fee to change a date or the requirement to cancel and rebook, that's another thing.

Oh come on! Yeah, their date is moving alright. Wink, wink. Not sure which date they want daily for days/weeks/months at a time. Uh huh. Lol. I know there that is the case for some people (because I know I have had to change my reservation in the past), but I really hope people walking don't call and say that on a daily basis. If I was a MS CM, my intelligence would be insulted.

 

[Sur]

I'm not sure how you define self-entitlement. (snip)
The system is set up so this is the only way to make sure you get the room you need.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

Actually, I booked two of my three rooms needed 11 months out by NOT walking (and the third by a waitlist I was put on exactly 11 months out), so walking is not the only way to ensure a room.
Outside of ensuring a reservation for that one member, walking pushes that member's problems that go with going during peak times (or their set week of vacation) onto other members' vacations and planning time in order to get what that one particular member wants days/weeks down the line. Walkers don't even want the days others may want/need, these days are just pawns in the game. With that, the members wanting/needing those days now face the possibility of getting up daily because someone else booked their days and is slowly cancelling each of those days and is moving on. That's where I get to calling it self-entitlement. I don't go during peak times for a reason, I don't want to deal with the headaches and extra costs that go with peak times. So, I choose non-peak times. Why should I deal with peak time headaches? Because other members have them because they choose them?
By the way, booking windows, according to DVC.com, open 11 months and seven months "before check-in date." Then according to Home Resort Priority: "Your Disney Vacation Club Membership allows you the privilege and flexibility to reserve accommodations at your Home Resort 11 months in advance of the check-in date."
Check-in date. That is pretty clear.
I'm sorry if people feel they need more justification for how I feel. Like I said, members walking win until DVC does something about it, if anything at all, but its not an honest practice.
If people didn't participate in this walking, or if DVC does something to stop it, there's a slim chance anyone would be waking up every day days/weeks in advance to book a reservation. I'm sure waking up every morning to adjust a vacation for days or weeks is no fun for those trying for Dec. 24, I feel for you. But until something is done about this, I can and will express my distaste for it.

I agree.

Sent from my IPad using DisBoards.

 

[Missyrose]

I really don't understand why people believe walking to be such a big crime against the DVC community. How is it any different than being online at 8am to get the reservation you want? Why is one person more deserving of that villa simply because their reservation starts a few days before mine?

 

[angey77]

I really don't understand why people believe walking to be such a big crime against the DVC community. How is it any different than being online at 8am to get the reservation you want? Why is one person more deserving of that villa simply because their reservation starts a few days before mine?

Where is that smilie that banged its head against the wall? Did the Dis get rid of it?
That is my point: reservations are not about DESERVING.
A person checking in earlier should get a shot at that villa first because their stay starts earlier than yours (11 months from check-in date). I don't think I really have to explain the logistics of that again.
What's the difference? When people get online at 8 a.m. to book 11 months out from the first day of their stay, if they don't get it because the resort is genuinely booked up, that's one thing. But to log in and find your stay has days missing because someone booking days (or even longer) after you wants to ensure their stay and plans on canceling those days, thus making you and MS do more leg work for THEIR convenience, that's messed up.
It's not a "big crime," it's just straight out inconsiderate.
I'm glad other members on here have voiced the same frustrations as myself. Now, make sure you voice your concerns with DVC.
I'm really tired of talking in circles here. Keep doing the walking, that's fine, but as I said before, don't expect people to be understanding of it or be a super supporter of this method when it messes with their own time, money and vacations.

 

[sweetdana]

I think there are WAYYYYY more walkers in this disboard community, then in real ownership life.

I have known 2 other owners, an acquaintance and a friend. Both never really understood the 7/11 month window and certainly didn't track the dates. If they decided to go.. they would call and go.. One if within the 7 month window would check other resorts, and if not there yet, just booked home and never traded.

I bet the #s of actual walkers (ESP NOW WITH ONLINE BOOKING) is so low, it is just not a priority.