waitlisting

[Pdollar88]

I'm new to DVC - just purchased last year, and I'm heading out on my first partial points trip this week. I'm looking at future reservations at other resorts, not just my home resort. Is waitlisting a good strategy? Is it likely that waitlisting will result in an opened up reservation?

Just wondering if I should I book something I can get at Saratoga Springs or Old Key West, and waitlist my preferred resort.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Waitlisting is hit or miss. It will obviously depend on the resort, room type, time of year, and length of stay. A shorter waitlist might be more likely to come through than longer. So make a reservation at 11 months at your home resort (not sure where your home resort is), and then look to adjust based on what is available at 7 months. In some cases, you might not even need to waitlist. Also, one option we like is the potential of a split stay (not sure if you're interested), where we stay 3/4 nights at our home resort and 3/4 nights at a new non-home resort. If you opt for something like that, a word of advice - "split" your original reservations at 11 months. For example, make a 4-night res at OKW (if that's your home resort), and then follow that with a 3-night (again, just an example). Then if you decide to waitlist for 3 nights at Beach Club, you will have a specific 3 nights to waitlist and replace the 3 nights at OKW. If you have a 7-night single reservation, you can only waitlist/replace all 7 nights. If your waitlist does not come through for a split stay, you can call/chat/email Members Services later to take your 2 OKW reservations, and merge them into a single reservation, if they are the same room category. Sorry - hope this makes sense and doesn't confuse the issue more. It's just a waitlisting lesson we learned awhile back.

The 7-month strategy would be to 'stalk' (checking regularly when eligible), and then 'waitlist'. Also be open to what 'other' resort you might wish to visit. Plan A might not be available, but Plan B could be. Good luck - hope you get to stay where you want to stay!

 

[Pdollar88]

Waitlisting is hit or miss. It will obviously depend on the resort, room type, time of year, and length of stay. A shorter waitlist might be more likely to come through than longer. So make a reservation at 11 months at your home resort (not sure where your home resort is), and then look to adjust based on what is available at 7 months. In some cases, you might not even need to waitlist. Also, one option we like is the potential of a split stay (not sure if you're interested), where we stay 3/4 nights at our home resort and 3/4 nights at a new non-home resort. If you opt for something like that, a word of advice - "split" your original reservations at 11 months. For example, make a 4-night res at OKW (if that's your home resort), and then follow that with a 3-night (again, just an example). Then if you decide to waitlist for 3 nights at Beach Club, you will have a specific 3 nights to waitlist and replace the 3 nights at OKW. If you have a 7-night single reservation, you can only waitlist/replace all 7 nights. If your waitlist does not come through for a split stay, you can call/chat/email Members Services later to take your 2 OKW reservations, and merge them into a single reservation, if they are the same room category. Sorry - hope this makes sense and doesn't confuse the issue more. It's just a waitlisting lesson we learned awhile back.

The 7-month strategy would be to 'stalk' (checking regularly when eligible), and then 'waitlist'. Also be open to what 'other' resort you might wish to visit. Plan A might not be available, but Plan B could be. Good luck - hope you get to stay where you want to stay!

This is so helpful! Thank you!

 

[crisi]

We always book home and then have a list of "resorts we'd rather stay at" at seven months. Often, because we bought a resort we like, we stick with the resort we have. Then we switch to whatever resort is open at seven months that is above home on our "want" list. I don't waitlist or stalk, since bought where I "don't mind ending up" and it isn't worth the stress of uncertainty to me to waitlist.

You won't have much luck waitlisting high demand rooms - those that disappear for home resort owners long before the seven month window opens (i.e. VAKL concierge and value, BWV standard, etc.). And your chances are better, but not great, at rooms that are available at seven months, but snapped up within the first hour of reservations.