Wait list success

[venkmen]

This is our first trip as DVC members and we have wait listed Animal Kingdom and boardwalk (home is boulder ridge). We are traveling in February of 2020. How often does a wait list come through? Is it usually last minute?

Just looking for some experience from others

Thanks

Daniel

 

[nickys]

This is our first trip as DVC members and we have wait listed Animal Kingdom and boardwalk (home is boulder ridge). We are traveling in February of 2020. How often does a wait list come through? Is it usually last minute?

Just looking for some experience from others

Thanks

Daniel

What size of room and what category at each resort? And how many nights? If you’ve waitlisted a value room at AKL or a standard room at BWI then your chances are much lower than if you went for a higher points cost category. And the longer your waitlist, the lower your chances.

Do you have a back-up plan, like a reservation at your home resort or a non-DVC room? That is always reccomended in case the waitlist doesn’t come through.

 

[venkmen]

What size of room and what category at each resort? And how many nights? If you’ve waitlisted a value room at AKL or a standard room at BWI then your chances are much lower than if you went for a higher points cost category. And the longer your waitlist, the lower your chances.

Do you have a back-up plan, like a reservation at your home resort or a non-DVC room? That is always reccomended in case the waitlist doesn’t come through.

We are staying for 8 nights (currently booked at bay lake tower). We are staying in a studio standard view and that is what we waitlisted at the two other resorts as well. So regardless we are booked we were just curious how the waitlist process worked and how often it came to fruition.

 

[FCivish3]

At Animal Kingdom, make sure you waitlist at Kidani (or Kidani AND Jambo if you can). Kidani has many more rooms than Jambo and is much more likely to have something open up. Both are excellent

 

[nickys]

We are staying for 8 nights (currently booked at bay lake tower). We are staying in a studio standard view and that is what we waitlisted at the two other resorts as well. So regardless we are booked we were just curious how the waitlist process worked and how often it came to fruition.

In general a waitlist for a day or two is much more likely to come through.

8 nights means someone cancelling a week, and if others had waitlists in before you for those nights then they will get their’s fulfilled, even if that leaves orphan nights somewhere.

Good luck though, it’s always possible.

 

[venkmen]

At Animal Kingdom, make sure you waitlist at Kidani (or Kidani AND Jambo if you can). Kidani has many more rooms than Jambo and is much more likely to have something open up. Both are excellent

Thank you for the insight; we had placed kidani as the waitlist honestly by guessing. So that is good to hear.

 

[MickeyCB]

We went to Disneyland one time a few years ago. July and a weekend.
I have no idea how it happened, but I wait listed Grand Californian and a few weeks ahead of time got a 2BR villa facing Mickey"s Fun Wheel! It was awesome.

 

[Phonedave]

This is our first trip as DVC members and we have wait listed Animal Kingdom and boardwalk (home is boulder ridge). We are traveling in February of 2020. How often does a wait list come through? Is it usually last minute?

Just looking for some experience from others

Thanks

Daniel

As others have said, there are a lot of factors that go into it. Value type rooms (views or studios) tend to be harder to get - people want to save points so more people go for them. Longer stays are harder to get as well - because you need a room to open for the full time of your reservation. For the same reason, "odd" timings (like Tuesday to Tuesday instead of Saturday to Saturday) are harder to get.

Time and location also comes into play. For example I am wait listed for a studio in both Boardwalk and Beach Club for "NJ weekend" during Food and Wine. You will have to pick me up off the floor if that comes through.

On the other hand, when we go for a week in June in either a 1BR or a 2BR, I have never had an issue getting at least my second choice wait list, if not my first. Most of the time well before our trip.

-dave

 

[ryguy]

So if you wait list at your home resort do you have priority over someone who's home resort is somewhere else? Or is it first come first serve?

 

[nickys]

So if you wait list at your home resort do you have priority over someone who's home resort is somewhere else? Or is it first come first serve?

No you don’t get any priority at your home resort. Now obviously if you waitlist during your 7-11 month window, then you will be higher up the waitlist than someone who has a different home resort, since they cannot waitlist until the 7 month mark.

However your whole waitlist needs to be fulfilled at once, so someone below you on the list may jump ahead.

Example, the BLT waitlist might look like this (nights requested shown)

A - wants Mon thru Sat
B - wants Tues
B - wants Wed
C - wants Fri & Sat
D - wants Mon thru Wed

Someone cancels and releases Wed thru Sat.

A needs extra nights that are not available, so doesn’t get any.
B will get Wed night.
C will get Fri & Sat

Thurs is still untaken, so returns to the RAT (resort availability tool).

A and D remain on the waitlist. So does B for the Tuesday night.

So you need to think carefully about what to request. If you just need two nights but need both or none, then you could waitlist 2 nights at different room categories, different room sizes or different resorts.

If you must be in a standard studio at BWV, then you would likely waitlist each night separately.

 

[ryguy]

No you don’t get any priority at your home resort. Now obviously if you waitlist during your 7-11 month window, then you will be higher up the waitlist than someone who has a different home resort, since they cannot waitlist until the 7 month mark.

However your whole waitlist needs to be fulfilled at once, so someone below you on the list may jump ahead.

Example, the BLT waitlist might look like this (nights requested shown)

A - wants Mon thru Sat
B - wants Tues
B - wants Wed
C - wants Fri & Sat
D - wants Mon thru Wed

Someone cancels and releases Wed thru Sat.

A needs extra nights that are not available, so doesn’t get any.
B will get Wed night.
C will get Fri & Sat

Thurs is still untaken, so returns to the RAT (resort availability tool).

A and D remain on the waitlist. So does B for the Tuesday night.

So you need to think carefully about what to request. If you just need two nights but need both or none, then you could waitlist 2 nights at different room categories, different room sizes or different resorts.

If you must be in a standard studio at BWV, then you would likely waitlist each night separately.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Makes sense now.

 

[raymusiccity]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Makes sense now.

We have a frustrating wait list at Aulani. We're staying 5 nights in a 1 bedroom. Right smack in the middle is one night that someone previously reserved. We're waitlisted so that, hopefully, we wont have to move in for 2 days, move for 1 day, then check back in for 2 days!

 

[Nottamus]

We are DVC owners @ AKL, and like stated above..the category of room makes a difference.

Values sell out quick as does club level.

We have wait listed both, with no success.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

We are DVC owners @ AKL, and like stated above..the category of room makes a difference.

Values sell out quick as does club level.

We have wait listed both, with no success.

Are you saying that at the 11 month mark, you were still shut out of reserving values and club level?

 

[Nottamus]

Are you saying that at the 11 month mark, you were still shut out of reserving values and club level?

not right at the 11 month mark...but they are the first to go.
Club level being the fastest to go.
Value, next.

we have the most luck RIGHT as window opens.

 

[nickys]

Are you saying that at the 11 month mark, you were still shut out of reserving values and club level?

Walking occurs for those room types pretty frequently.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Walking occurs for those room types pretty frequently.

I've heard that sort of thing happens, but would never do it myself. Just seems wrong.

 

[Phonedave]

I've heard that sort of thing happens, but would never do it myself. Just seems wrong.

Yeah, I don't like that practice either. Not sure what they can do about it (people do have legitimate reasons to change dates after all) but I wish there was some rules around it.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Yeah, I don't like that practice either. Not sure what they can do about it (people do have legitimate reasons to change dates after all) but I wish there was some rules around it.

I also completely understand changing dates if something happens. Flights might have to be moved, or a doctor appointment comes up that can't be changed, things like that. Maybe Disney could allow a max of 2 or 3 changes per reservation, which, while not eliminating the practice, at least makes it not quite as onerous, and would still allow for legitimate changes. People wouldn't be able to walk a complete week ahead then.

 

[nickys]

I also completely understand changing dates if something happens. Flights might have to be moved, or a doctor appointment comes up that can't be changed, things like that. Maybe Disney could allow a max of 2 or 3 changes per reservation, which, while not eliminating the practice, at least makes it not quite as onerous, and would still allow for legitimate changes. People wouldn't be able to walk a complete week ahead then.

They would also have to distinguish between someone simply adding days on to make a longer reservation, and changing both ends of a reservation.