Walking- October 2021- 50th Anniversary?

[FRANKTSJR]

Maybe we should call it "stroll". Members would be less likely to look down on us- LOL.

 

[iona]

I get the impression some people may have just walked straight on past though - my wailist for 9/30 to 10/4 has come through already.

 

[cmarsh31]

I also got my 9/3‐10/3 waitlist. Had a AKV standard studio booked, waitlist for the value came through Thursday. Did NOT expect to get that one.

 

[paults]

so glad I walked my BWV GV

 

[fflmaster]

I have my stay setup for the 50th at BLT (home resort), but the kids really were hoping for AKL. Being we have to wait till the seventh month window, do people try and walk those as well? Start at the month prior and walk until at the seventh month window opening?

 

[CarolMN]

Some do. Normally, I would say it isn't necessary for AKV, but given the HUGE demand for 10/1 and what happened at the 11 month window, I'd recommend that you do so. Good luck!

 

[drusba]

I have my stay setup for the 50th at BLT (home resort), but the kids really were hoping for AKL. Being we have to wait till the seventh month window, do people try and walk those as well? Start at the month prior and walk until at the seventh month window opening?

The obvious problem with trying to walk with the 7 month window is that any owner of the resort can take anything that might be open before you can get it. There are some times when walking the 7 month window may work but it usually does not involve walking a long time. A weekend start sometimes works, e.g., something that is open for the time you want, such as a Sunday to Friday, but may disappear just before or right in the morning at 7 months out from the Sunday may be possible to get by beginning a walk on the higher point cost Fri before your desired start date.

Also, I have seen some holidays that favor walking. Example, for July 3 to 5 some BLT lake View rooms or BWV pool/garden rooms may be open for more than a week at 7 months out from June 28 or 29 but gone by June 30 or July 1, suggesting that beginning a walk in late June may achieve getting the room. The same can happen for Easter time in that rooms that are usually open for that time period may disappear for the Monday to Friday of Easter week 7 months out from Easter or from the day before Easter but are open for the the whole week 7 months out from Good Friday.

In any event, getting AKV for the 50th at 7 months out will likely be difficult. Even absent the 50th, the Jambo rooms tend to disappear during the Fall frenzy season before 7 months out and that is also true of Kidani standard views and at times savanna view, particularly if seeking a studio. If by 50th you are including October 1, there is a real chance nothing wil be open since, amazingly, many rooms that usually never disappear right at 11-months have already booked full for Oct 1 and couple days around it, including AKV rooms. In other words, Oct 1 is looking like the hardest day to get of the year in 2021, an honor usually occupied by Dec 31.

 

[hcortesis]

Just modified a future trip. New reservation uses less points than original reservation. I don't believe the points have gone back into my account yet. Does it normally take a few days for the points to adjust?

 

[drusba]

Just modified a future trip. New reservation uses less points than original reservation. I don't believe the points have gone back into my account yet. Does it normally take a few days for the points to adjust?

If it is just a normal modification done 31 days or more before arrival date and does not involve leaving borrowed points out of the new reservation, then changes in point status in your account should have happened inmmediately. If the modification was done less than 31 days before arrival or leaves borrowed out of the new reservation, then you are dealing with the "temporary" covid-related rules, and changes could take some time, possibly a week, for the points to be shown as not subject to the holding rule or borrowed points being returned to original use year.

 

[hcortesis]

Thanks. Trip is for next October. Two reservations using about 20 points fewer each. Took a screen shot of my Dashboard before and after transaction. Didn't see any difference

 

[CraigInPA]

I have my stay setup for the 50th at BLT (home resort), but the kids really were hoping for AKL. Being we have to wait till the seventh month window, do people try and walk those as well? Start at the month prior and walk until at the seventh month window opening?

Walking a 7 month reservation is very risky. It's possible to start your walk a month before and then find yourself blocked when you hit the final period you want, because all of the rooms are booked by owners at that resort who aren't moving.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks. Trip is for next October. Two reservations using about 20 points fewer each. Took a screen shot of my Dashboard before and after transaction. Didn't see any difference

Go into the actual Manage Points section and see what that says. If it doesn’t seem correct, then dig further into the points activity statement.

That will tell you how many were changed when modified as it will show your original canceled and the new one booked. Everything goes back right away. There is no delay just remember banked and borrowed points are used first so you’d see the change with current UY points. . So, if what you are seeing there doesn’t seem correct, give a call.

 

[hcortesis]

Go into the actual Manage Points section and see what that says. If it doesn’t seem correct, then dig further into the points activity statement.

That will tell you how many were changed when modified as it will show your original canceled and the new one booked. Everything goes back right away. There is no delay just remember banked and borrowed points are used first so you’d see the change with current UY points. . So, if what you are seeing there doesn’t seem correct, give a call.

Ok, heading there now

 

[suebeelin]

I have my stay setup for the 50th at BLT (home resort), but the kids really were hoping for AKL. Being we have to wait till the seventh month window, do people try and walk those as well? Start at the month prior and walk until at the seventh month window opening?

I think the rooms at BLT are in much higher demand bc of its proximity to MK; the main celebrations should be at MK.

Maybe do a side trip at a later year for AKL?

im assuming you’ve waitlisted AKL to replace the MK res?

 

[fflmaster]

I think the rooms at BLT are in much higher demand bc of its proximity to MK; the main celebrations should be at MK.

Maybe do a side trip at a later year for AKL?

im assuming you’ve waitlisted AKL to replace the MK res?

Can't waitlist AKL yet, contracts are only at BLT and BC.. So, we have to wait and hope at the 7th month window rooms are still available.

 

[FRANKTSJR]

Update- After my initial whining about walking, I managed to get the two rooms I needed without issue for October 2021. Actually seemed to be easier than last couple of years and only had to walk one of the two SV BWW Studios.

 

[Llama mama]

So when walking and modifying a reservation, is it best to add the end dates you want , then remove the beginning dates ? Can it be done as one transaction or do I modify separately?

 

[JETSDAD]

So when walking and modifying a reservation, is it best to add the end dates you want , then remove the beginning dates ? Can it be done as one transaction or do I modify separately?

It can be done at the same time.

 

[appleorchard]

I’ve never, in 20 years of owning DVC, walked a reservation. But I was kicking myself for not doing it for Jersey week when I needed a standard view 2 BR at BW, our home resort. Due to the only being able to use half of next years pints,, it had to be standard view. And this is a “big trip” with several granddaughters and their moms, so it had to be a 2 BR.

Never once did I think it would be a problem when I signed in at 8 am to start booking for Monday, before Jersey week officially begins. It was the most frustrating time I’ve ever had booking a room. But by logging in every day at 8 am, and checking rather compulsively over the next 5 days, I did manage to get every day I needed. I also waitlisted the whole stay, which Member Services almost guaranteed me would be successful 11 months out, but I’m too paranoid to take the chance!

After reading this thread and others, I might begin walking reservations. I’ve never thought it was right or fair, but I guess, when in Rome... I did get the dates I wanted, but it made for a stressful week. For my whole family!

 

[martin33]

Ok- having just read this entire thread I have to admit I'm a little nervous about booking a 1 bedroom at BCV for Oct 2021. I have never walked a reservation in our 6 years of ownership but was going to try given I have a conference with fixed dates. We own at OKW, but wanted to try BCV for that trip. When should I begin walking this ? When can I begin ? I don't think I can book beyond July 13 at this point as thats 7 months from today. So if I started today and my desired dates are Oct 10 to Oct 15 (ie 5 days)...do I book a 5 day block however far in advance of this arbitrarily ie July 13-18 as one booking, and then each day go online and drop day one, and add day 5 ?(ie after initial booking of July 13-18 the next day I would login and modify by changing the dates to July 14- 19th etc, and July 15-20th the day after etc ...Sorry for the dumb question but I'd rather be foolish here and have this figured out before hand. Any advice appreciated.