Why the 7 day limit

[supersnoop]

I understand that, it wasn't the point, the question is why the 7 day limit.

Wouldnt even say being able to book 30 days still be a level playing field? Everyone can still have the same booking opportunity.

Allowing 7 days, or any days from r that matter, opened a loophole allowing people with more points an unfair advantage. 30 days would be fair if everyone had 30 days worth of points. 7 seems like it was enough to provide a benefit without tilting the scales too much out of whack.

 

[pkrieger2287]

It is now available to modify online, but they are having issues, especially with adding additional days. The system currently wants to cancel the entire reservation and make a new one, Disneys IT department at its finest....LOL

My wife just messaged me about seeing the "modify" button available next to reservations. Until it decides to not try and cancel the reservation I think calling is the safer bet. Lol

Thanks for the update!

 

[DougEMG]

I normally go for 4 weeks at a time. Currently I book the first week right at 11 months and then every few days add a few more days on to the reservation. Now if I could book all 4 weeks at once (when my window opens) I would be able to get a jump on everyone else at the 11 and 7 month booking window by being able to book so far out in advance. That 7 month window would turn into an 8+ month window for me.

It seems to me that the 7 day restriction is a good balance between stopping large point owners to effectively get ahead of everyone else when booking and having members calling every day to book 1 day at a time.

 

[drusba]

I normally go for 4 weeks at a time. Currently I book the first week right at 11 months and then every few days add a few more days on to the reservation. Now if I could book all 4 weeks at once (when my window opens) I would be able to get a jump on everyone else at the 11 and 7 month booking window by being able to book so far out in advance. That 7 month window would turn into an 8+ month window for me.

It seems to me that the 7 day restriction is a good balance between stopping large point owners to effectively get ahead of everyone else when booking and having members calling every day to book 1 day at a time.

In actuality, other than the ability to escape having to make repeated calls to modify your reservation, there is no real advantage at 11 months out for the large point-holder even if you could reserve 30 days at 11 months out. The ability to walk reservations eliminates any perceived advantage. Example:

Assume there are five members who each have enough points for about a week. Each decides he wants an AKV club level studio for Dec 1 to 5, 2019. Each goes online Oct 1, 2018 and reserves a club level studio for Sep 1-5, 2019, thus filling all five exisitng club level studios for those dates. Each now controls his own destiny. As long as the member keeps calling every 3 or 4 days and modifies the reservation by dropping days at the beginning and adding them at the end, they will continue to be the only ones who can have those studios for the time reserved and in the future.

Now assume you have enough points for 30 days, you can reserve up to 30 at once, and you want 14 nights beginning Dec 1, 2019 in a club level studio. You decide to do a little over-reseving to get what you want and go on line on Dec 15, 2018, and try to reserve a club level studio for Nov 15 to Dec 15, 2019 with the plan to drop Nov 15 to Dec 1 later.

What you will find is that you cannot make that reservation because those five walkers are preventing you from reserving the first night you need, Nov 15 and they will continue to block you out as long as they keep walking their reservations.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I normally go for 4 weeks at a time. Currently I book the first week right at 11 months and then every few days add a few more days on to the reservation. Now if I could book all 4 weeks at once (when my window opens) I would be able to get a jump on everyone else at the 11 and 7 month booking window by being able to book so far out in advance. That 7 month window would turn into an 8+ month window for me.

It seems to me that the 7 day restriction is a good balance between stopping large point owners to effectively get ahead of everyone else when booking and having members calling every day to book 1 day at a time.

Not really. The one thing about walking is that it is an even field - as long as someone has enough points to book at least 2 nights then they can walk and will tie up the room even against large point holders looking to book 30 days. This is because it is necessary to have the first day available in order to book the reservation.

Where the large point owner has the advantage is in not needing to call as often to move the booking dates forward.

 

[cmwade77]

My wife just messaged me about seeing the "modify" button available next to reservations. Until it decides to not try and cancel the reservation I think calling is the safer bet. Lol

Thanks for the update!

I agree, so annoying.

 

[DougEMG]

Not really. The one thing about walking is that it is an even field - as long as someone has enough points to book at least 2 nights then they can walk and will tie up the room even against large point holders looking to book 30 days. This is because it is necessary to have the first day available in order to book the reservation.

Where the large point owner has the advantage is in not needing to call as often to move the booking dates forward.

While walking will have that effect. A large point holder won't have to do as much work to walk.

My assumption though is that the majority of people do not walk and if that is true then large point holders would have an advantage.

 

[cmwade77]

While walking will have that effect. A large point holder won't have to do as much work to walk.

My assumption though is that the majority of people do not walk and if that is true then large point holders would have an advantage.

Well, I has walked the end of my reservation for the first time. I didn't start the 7 days early though and that is because I live on the west cost and getting up that early every morning was not fun. We we're going to stay at Boardwalk and if I had walked from 7 days early, we could have managed it, but we got AKL Kidani with a Savannah View instead, which actually saved 10 points, as all that was left was preferred views at Boardwalk for our dates.

But given my experience, yes, I can understand why there might be people who wouldn't want to mess with walking reservations. But once they have the modify tool working right, maybe they can start opening online reservations at midnight, then as long as you can stay up that late (9:00 for us west coasters), you could walk a reservation without having to get up insanely early and put everyone on a more equal footing.

 

[DougEMG]

maybe they can start opening online reservations at midnight, then as long as you can stay up that late (9:00 for us west coasters), you could walk a reservation without having to get up insanely early and put everyone on a more equal footing.

I would love that. People on the west coast are definitely disadvantaged by having to get up at 5am to be online right at 8am EST.

 

[cmwade77]

I would love that. People on the west coast are definitely disadvantaged by having to get up at 5am to be online right at 8am EST.

Yeah, would still cause issues for some international guests, so there will never be a perfect time, but if they were to go with midnight Eastern time, I would imagine it would work for the majority.

 

[southerngirl528]

I would love that. People on the west coast are definitely disadvantaged by having to get up at 5am to be online right at 8am EST.

As awful as that is, what I hate is with my Hawaii (non Disney) TS, while on vacation there, I have to get up at 2am to be ready to call in and/or log in at 9am EDT.

Yeah, would still cause issues for some international guests, so there will never be a perfect time, but if they were to go with midnight Eastern time, I would imagine it would work for the majority.

I agree that the bulk of the member base is located eastern U.S. and with all other TS I know of, they tend to put their call center/booking hours to coincide with their call center location hours.

 

[cmwade77]

As awful as that is, what I hate is with my Hawaii (non Disney) TS, while on vacation there, I have to get up at 2am to be ready to call in and/or log in at 9am EDT.



I agree that the bulk of the member base is located eastern U.S. and with all other TS I know of, they tend to put their call center/booking hours to coincide with their call center location hours.

My point is the majority reside in the U.S. and for call center hours, yes, EST is fine, but online booking opening at midnight EST would work well for everyone in the U.S. and would make it easier on you in Hawaii as well, I was actually just thinking about how early you have to get up this morning. At least ADRs are easier for you, we have to get up at 3 AM for those, you would be what 11 PM?

 

[southerngirl528]

My point is the majority reside in the U.S. and for call center hours, yes, EST is fine, but online booking opening at midnight EST would work well for everyone in the U.S. and would make it easier on you in Hawaii as well, I was actually just thinking about how early you have to get up this morning. At least ADRs are easier for you, we have to get up at 3 AM for those, you would be what 11 PM?

Totally agree with your premise. I guess the down side is that there is no time that would be great for all DVC members.

I WISH I lived in Hawaii!!! I just visit every year in our non-DVC TS.

 

[bwvBound]

People on the west coast are definitely disadvantaged by having to get up at 5am to be online right at 8am EST.

I don't see calling at 5A PT as a disadvantage? Sure, I need to be up a bit earlier and wash down some coffee to get the brain working ... but at least I'm still at home. I'm guessing East Coast owners might be trying to phone from their morning commute or, worse, from their desk at work. Both of these situations would, for me, be nerve wracking and problematic. I'd rather the earlier hour, still on "personal time."

 

[cmwade77]

I don't see calling at 5A PT as a disadvantage? Sure, I need to be up a bit earlier and wash down some coffee to get the brain working ... but at least I'm still at home. I'm guessing East Coast owners might be trying to phone from their morning commute or, worse, from their desk at work. Both of these situations would, for me, be nerve wracking and problematic. I'd rather the earlier hour, still on "personal time."

But midnight Eastern time would be on personal time for most and my work would let me call. 5 AM is too early for me to be coherent.

 

[hakepb]

I’m Guessing 7 days fit the 80/20 rule, in that 80% of DVC stays are 7 or fewer nights. That gave them a good % of Member Service staff savings (while they kept adding more resorts) without a massive rule upset.

 

[bwvBound]

But midnight Eastern time would be on personal time for most and my work would let me call. 5 AM is too early for me to be coherent.

So again, as a west coaster, I'm selfishly OK with the current setup (8A Eastern). The time works well for me and might either discourage or disadvantage my competition living in other timezones. I'm not running for the board and have no particular interest in making this equitable for all parties. ;-)

 

[Dean]

Ok, so why the 7 day limit at the 11 month and 7 month window?

When I ask member services, they say there are very good reasons for it, but never say what such reasons are. Seems to me all it does is cause people to tie up member services by having to call each day to add on another day. Although they have told me that online modifications should be up an running bu probably next week, which is basically the day after I will be done modifying my reservation.

Really though, I would like to know what the logical reason for this is vs being able to book your entire trip at the 11/7 month window, as I am sure there must be a good reason, I just cant think of one.

They could do more or less. It used to be one day at a time. To do longer they'd basically have to take away the ability to modify those reservations. My guess is the reason for the 7 day choice is that often that's the length of stay anyway and it fits within the calendar and for exchanges. It is the logical choice.

 

[Dean]

As awful as that is, what I hate is with my Hawaii (non Disney) TS, while on vacation there, I have to get up at 2am to be ready to call in and/or log in at 9am EDT.



I agree that the bulk of the member base is located eastern U.S. and with all other TS I know of, they tend to put their call center/booking hours to coincide with their call center location hours.

Or you could buy another week there or elsewhere and book a month earlier.

 

[southerngirl528]

Or you could buy another week there or elsewhere and book a month earlier.

Like the way you think, Dean! I actually do own a total of 3 weeks at my home resort, so I call at 13 months as we usually lock off one week, can't do that online. We book consecutive weeks. But if you want to put a bug in Santa's ear for me, I sure would love a fixed week to join with my floating ones!!