Waitlist Probability - Do You Typically Get Yours?

[Lothlórien]

I am wait-listed from November 29th - December 5th (only a few of those days, truly) at Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani, 1 BDRM Standard. I have a reservation already, I just want to change my dates ever so slightly.

When the Member Services rep was making my waitlist, she said that waitlists come through 85%-90% of the time and the times when they do not it is usually Beach Club and Boardwalk.

Is that true or was she giving me that number trying to be positive?

Either way I will be fine as I already have a reservation, but if I can change the dates, great.

 

[HM2012Butler]

My family has only Waitlisted once and they got it. It was at AKL. Found out around the 30 day mark. I think you have decent chances. Week after thanksgiving usually has mild crowds so I think you will get it. Obviously no guarantee

 

[Lothlórien]

My family has only Waitlisted once and they got it. It was at AKL. Found out around the 30 day mark. I think you have decent chances. Week after thanksgiving usually has mild crowds so I think you will get it. Obviously no guarantee

I just hope it does not come down to the wire like that because that could be a potential issue with airline tickets. I would hate to pay a lot more or not get to fly on my airline of choice.
And.... if Disney will release park hours for late November & December, I am supposed to make dining reservations in a few days.

The 60 day thing with Fastpass reservations will not work with getting a waitlist at 30 days. I think I might have to set a date for myself and say "if I don't get it by xxxx, I will cancel the waitlist and stick with what I have".

 

[CarolMN]

I strongly prefer to book at 11 months and stay put so that a waitlist isn't necessary. But of course, that is not always possible. My luck has been about 50-50 when I do not book at 11 months and need a waitlist.

 

[disneynutz]

IMO waitlists are an extra that MS processes but it isn't their core business. In the past we had much better luck just checking availability ourselves. There are some posts indicating that waitlist matching may have improved.

Rather that spending thousands of dollars on Disney vacations and hoping that a waitlist comes through, we kicked the kids out, got third jobs, sold the cow, and bought our favorite resorts.

Bill

 

[Lothlórien]

In the past we had much better luck just checking availability ourselves. There are some posts indicating that waitlist matching may have improved.

Rather that spending thousands of dollars on Disney vacations and hoping that a waitlist comes through, we kicked the kids out, got third jobs, sold the cow, and bought our favorite resorts.

Bill

Member Services, on 3 occasions, told me that inventory goes to waitlists before it hits the website. If that is the case, would checking several times throughout the day even be necessary? From the way they made it sound, I would never see the inventory online for the 3 nights I need because it hits the waitlist first.

 

[disneynutz]

Member Services, on 3 occasions, told me that inventory goes to waitlists before it hits the website. If that is the case, would checking several times throughout the day even be necessary? From the way they made it sound, I would never see the inventory online for the 3 nights I need because it hits the waitlist first.

Maybe now but not last year, it seems like the matching program was run at night and CM's made reservations during the following day.

Many reported that they found availability online even though their waitlist had not yet been filled.

Bill

 

[bwvBound]

I've been very fortunate with my DVC waitlists, although I tend to stalk side-by-side w/ the passive waitlist. FWIW, most of my waitlists are at smaller properties like the Grand Cal. Mebbe I'm just lucky. ;-)

 

[disneynutz]

Just think about what's required for a match.

You need to be the next person in line and the resort, room size, category, must match exactly. The dates must be a match or longer and the match can only happen when someone cancels or rooms are added to inventory.

Also the system has to work as we expect, remember officially DVC has never told us how or when waitlists are processed. What if it only twice per week?

Bill

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

I was booked at BCV (home resort) last year (also starting on 11/29 as you are) but was hoping to stay @ VGF in a 1BR. I put in a 3 day WL & a 2 day WL. The 3 day came thru first in a week or two. Then I stalked the website for the other 2 days (and also found an additional day) and booked those on my own.

 

[schoen]

I have gotten every single waitlist that has been fewer than 5 nights. I have waitlisted a few week-long stays, and have never had one come through. One time a waitlist came through for me, but I didn't know it, so that was something of a fiasco checking in! I was at the resort, and very confused that they did not have my reservation!

 

[NicoleLarson]

I too fill very lucky. I think I've only had one waitlist not come through. However, they have all been for stays 2 nights or less. My biggest surprise was VGF and it came through 8 days before my stay! I had actually totally forgotten that I had even made it. So there's always hope.

 

[nj disney family]

We just found out last night our waitlist for Sept 3-6 for OKW came through. We just booked about 3 weeks ago and we had 3 nights at OKW then had to switch to SS. So we're happy we don't have to switch now. We're now 2/2 on waitlisting. Good luck.

 

[DebbieB]

That's hard to answer. I haven't done a lot of waitlisting. I did do a 5 night BWV but got 4 of the 5 nights by stalking the website and the 5th came through by waitlist (I kept modifying the waitlist as I picked up nights). Another time I wait listed VGC for 1 night and it never came through.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I had points go into holding. I had surprising luck adding July 2nd to my BLT stay, and July 12th to my VB stay. Both came through within a month of getting the holding points!

 

[zavandor]

I am currently waitlisted for a night at VGC. I wanted 4 nights but only one was available (the second). So I waitlisted the first night as soon as 7 months window opened. Then next day I booked the second night. Then I waitlisted the third night. After a few days, I got the first night, so I waitlisted the 4th night. After a month, the 4th night came through, but I'm still missing the 3rd. Keeping my finger crossed.
As long as you waitlist at 7 months and the waitlist is for a few days, then your chances are good most of the year. Waitilisting a whole week will be more difficult to match because all days would need to became available at the same time. That's why I always baby-step my waitlists, one or two days at a time.

 

[suebeelin]

I've only waitlisted for a handful (3 or less) at either the 7 mo mark or btwn the 7-11mo mark.

I always get my Waitlist....

 

[n2mm]

You folks are so lucky. I swear I must have the worse luck with waitlist and I've never waitlisted more than ONE night. I am waitlisted one night in October BCV studio for my daughter (10/24) (she has a studio for BWV, but would require her changing rooms 3 times for a 4 day trip...). We have a ONE night waitlist for Oct. 31. (we have a BWV studio/pool view, but need a BWV studio/standard to keep from moving). Each of those are because we had to extend our trips in order to get affordable airfare. I did have a one night waitlist for August (8/2), but gave up and used it for the Oct. 31st waitlist and now stalk the website for the August 2nd opening at BWV/standard studio (already have 9 nights that I booked at the 10 month windown). I have an OKW studio booked for that night.....crazy I know. And I seem to always be waitlisting the hardest to get rooms during the worse times. I've probably waitlist about 10 times over the last few years and have gotten, maybe 2 of them.

 

[gharter]

First time as a new owner and waitlisted a day at 2 different resorts for November. Maybe we got extremely lucky, but both came through and we are all set for a great time at EPCOT Food and Wine.

 

[apple9117]

My waitlists have typically gone through as well!