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Thread: Waitlists how do they work

  1. #1

    Waitlists how do they work

    It's nearly booking time, we would like wilderness lodge studio but it's not available for all nights we need, so do we go on waitlist but still book another resort so we have a definite reservation and if wilderness becomes free Disney just switches all details to wilderness lodge and cancels original accommodation. Or can you not book any accommodation if you are on waitlist for a certain period and have to just sit and wait fingers crossed hoping that the one you want comes up meaning that you may not get any accommodation at all. Also can you wait list more than one accommodation for the same period giving you more chances. Going to do online booking for first time too to save the long distance phonecalls.if you do get lucky and your waitlist comes up how do you find out about new accommodation.
    Thank you


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  3. #2
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    I would follow the general rule of book somewhere so you have something for your desired dates. Most people book their home resort at 11 months out for this very reason.

    Once you submit your name for a waitlist for a specific resort, if it comes up, you will get notified automatically and the points needed for that reservation will be taken out of your account. (I think we got an e-mail and a paper conformation.) You can also see your details at DVCMember.com. If you do your waitlisting right at the 7 month mark, (assuming you are not waitlisting at your home resort) I think your chances for getting into the alternate resort is pretty good as other people's plans change.

    One thing to keep and eye on is the number of points needed for the waitlisted resort vs the number of points used for the orig. reservation. If you borrowed points to get your first ressie and you need fewer for your waitlisted resort, you will most likely have to bank some points later to compensate since you cant put back borrowed points. At the same time, if you need to borrow some for the waitlisted resort, be sure you have the points to borrow and/or that you take that into consideration as well so you are not caught short the following year.

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  4. #3

    cool so i book 6 nights somewhere and waitlist wilderness lodge if wilderness lodge comes up they do all the numbers, transfer point from one resort to another and cancel my orginal resort and change booking to wilderness lodge and i have to do nothing as long as im not having to borrow next years points and buy the one time use points. thank you


  5. #4
    Also can you wait list more than one accommodation for the same period giving you more chances?
    Yes, we just did that.

    We booked at 11 months for a week at our home resort, a studio at Saratoga Springs.

    Then 4 months later, at the 7 month mark, we tried to change to the Boardwalk. But all the days were not available.

    We then put in two wait lists for the same time frame. When you wait list you put in the information for the current reservation to cancel if the wait comes through.

    The two wait lists are
    The same nights at a Boardwalk Studio preferred view.
    and
    The same nights at a Boardwalk 1 bedroom standard view.

    Each of the waitlists are more points than the current reservation ( 5 more and 52 more) but we have points available for the current use year. Now if any of the waits come through Disney will book the new place and cancel the old reservation.

    Now we only have to hope and pray.
    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
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  6. #5

    fingers crossed for you then! i now understand, im happy to stay anywhere but somewhere new (for me) is always a bonus!


  7. #6
    Visiting WDW Since 1982
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    My only suggestion for bochnikm would be to wait-list Beach Club as well. We really like the Boardwalk Villas but have found the BC to be a real nice alternate that we've grown to like even better. Plus, we've found it easier to get into the BC.

    Stan

  8. #7

    So booked 6 days at saratoga. And then 5 days at saratoga we are staying at friends for two days between these two bookings. There seemed to be more availability around for the 6 day booking as food and wine has finished by then so we waitlisted. Wilderness. Lodge. And boardwalk. A day after booking we got a mail saying we had been moved to wilderness lodge and then the following day another mail saying we had moved again to boardwalk! We now have wilderness lodge and beach club waitlisted for our first week but as this is the final week of food and wine we may not be as lucky.
    Thank you all for the advice once again


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