Waitlists can be very useful and actually work when used properly. However, it won't solve everything. For instance, it probably won't help you a lot with the most popular reservations, such as AKV Value and AKV Concierge, and some others. I know people will come on and say they got Jambo House Value Studios on the Waitlist, and it CAN happen, but I certainly wouldn't depend on that, though I think it is reasonably dependable otherwise.
Grand Californian is also a special category since it only has 50 rooms and is in incredible demand. I have NEVER seen more than 1 or 2 nights pop up occasionally at Grand Californian and I don't think the waitlist is likely to help you there, but you could try it, as long as you have other rooms booked at a different hotel or property, to fall back on, since that is probably what you will end up using..
ALL of the resorts are getting a bit harder to get at the 7 month window. However, at 7 months, the availability is often BEST for SSR, OKW, Animal Kingdom and Poly.
Here are a couple of points to keep in mind:
1. Make sure you choose the EXACT units you want, and if you make more than one request for the same type of units (in order to combine them together, later) DO make sure that they REALLY ARE THE SAME TYPE OF UNITS AND THE SAME VIEWS, or you won't be able to combine them. A LOCKOFF is a unit consisting of a ONE BEDROOM PLUS A STUDIO. Together they make a 2 bedroom unit, but they can be locked off into separate units, and booked as separate units. Lockoff Reservations cannot be combined with non-lockoffs, and if you book them consecutively, you will need to change rooms every time your room is a new category or a new view. Truthfully, because the Studios are very popular and go first, separately, leaving a 1 bedroom unit behind to reserve separately, most Lockoffs will be split into two units by the time they are reserved. LOCKOFFS show up in the lists as TWO BEDROOM LOCKOFFS if they are still available intact, but they also show up as Studios and One Bedrooms on the same list.
2. Shorter reservations in smaller blocks are more likely to get filled from the waitlist than longer reservations in longer blocks. This only makes sense, because 3 days might become available but if your waitlist specifies only a 7 day block then those 3 days will be given to someone else. If you ARE able to get reservations for consecutive or even overlapping days, in the exact same type of units with the same views at the same resorts, then by calling member services you can combine them all into a single reservation. If you DO NOT do this, then there is always a risk that you will need to check out of your room in the morning and check into another room of the same type in the afternoon, if they aren't combined into one. Of course, as I said, if they are not identical rooms with identical views, then you definitely WILL need to hop from one room to another on the 'cusp' days. It can definitely be kind of a hassle to pack your things, check out, leave your bags will Bell Services, go to the park, and come back later to check in and take your things to your new room.
3. Friday and Saturday TEND to be a bit harder to get than other days.
4. Holiday weeks and very popular months and festivals are significantly harder to get on the Waitlist than less popular travel times. This includes the Food and Wine Festival and Disney Race / Marathon days and similar things.
5. You are most likely to get your waitlist filled if you choose less popular units/views. Some resorts have 3 or 4 different 'views.' Lower point cost views tend to be more popular and are harder to get. Standard view generally goes before Premium views (Lakeside, Savannah View, Theme Park View). An example is Boardwalk, where Standard Views go first and Boardwalk Views because they are considered 'worth it,' go fast, but Pool Views and Garden Views, which are the same point cost as Boardwalk Views are the last to book. However, we have stayed in those Garden Views and they are great. Call Member Services and request a room overlooking the Commons Area near the Boardwalk.
6. Studios almost always book out first. You can still get them on the waitlist IF there are lots of Studios (including the Studios from the Lockoffs). One Bedrooms tend to book last, and often have just as many units as there are Studios, but their point cost is higher. However One Bedroom units have the great advantage of a full kitchen and a bit more space, while Studios are just Hotel rooms.
7. It helps a lot to choose larger resorts that have more rooms, since they will get more 'turnover.' LOOK UP details on how many rooms there are, but APPROXIMATE number of rooms available across ALL categories is as follows
SSR --- 800 two bedroom units (about HALF are Lockoffs and can become a STUDIO and a ONE BEDROOM, 40 are three bedrooms, and 60 are 'Treehouse' rooms.
OKW --- 525 units. (Almost all are 2 bedrooms, but half are LOCKOFFS)
Kidani --- 300 two bedrooms. About HALF are lockoffs, which makes them a separate category and can become Studios and one bedrooms.
Jambo --- 125 units. Set out as 45 studios (including a FEW value Studios) and about 80 two bedroom LOCKOFF units.
Poly --- 360 units and they are ALL Studios. I am not counting the 20 Lake Cabins which are horrendously expensive.
Bay Lake Tower --- About 300 two bedroom units with half being lockoffs.
Boardwalk --- 380 units divided into about 100 Studios and 130 One Bedrooms and 150 Two Bedrooms which are ALL Lockoffs.
Beach Club --- 200 units. About 35 Studios, 20 one bedrooms and around 150 two bedrooms with half of them being LOCKOFFS.
Copper Creek --- 150 units. 40 studios, 20 one bedrooms and 90 two bedrooms with half being lockoffs
Boulder Ridge --- 125 units. 20 studios, 27 one bedrooms and about 90 two bedrooms, with half being lockoffs.
Riviera --- 130 units. 15 Deluxe Studios, 10 'Tower Studios' (2 people), 12 one bedrooms, and about 90 two bedrooms with half being lockoffs. MORE rooms will become part of DVC as they are sold. Currently RIVIERA owners who buy on the Resale market CANNOT book at other resorts, and owners at other resorts who purchase on the Resale market CANNOT book Riviera, though they can book all the other resorts at the 7 month window.
Grand Floridian --- About 90 two bedrooms. Half are lockoffs.
Grand Californian --- 50 two bedroom units. Half become lockoffs.
Aulani --- 400 two bedroom units. Half are lockoffs.
8. FIRST, DO book out the dates for the actual reservation you want, at your HOME RESORT. Do this during the 7 to 11 month window, while they are still available, and then make plans to REPLACE them at 7 months when booking for ALL resorts opens up. Don't expect to just be able to book any full week that you want, at 7 months, especially during the Fall Food and Wine time. HOWEVER, if you actually start RIGHT AT 7 months before whatever your travel date and learn how to use the WAITLIST, you should be able to do it. I suggest you put in a couple of requests on your desired Waitlist reservation - splitting up your vacation block into a few days, rather than just a sold week - and then just piecing the days together as they come in. You can call Member Services once all the reservations are available and have them combine it into one, as long as they are all IDENTICAL.
Right from the beginning, split your HOME RESORT reservation into at least 2 blocks, say Thursday, Friday and Saturday (since those are most popular) and Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then, set your waitlist requests so that when one of those blocks is filled on your waitlist, it REPLACES the same block on your home resort. If you have LOTS of points, you could even just keep some duplicate reservations for a while at your home resort AND your desired waitlist resort, and then kill your old ones once the new ones are done.
9. Set reminders on your Computer, Phone, Calendar and other things to remind you to start checking for reservations and making Waitlist requests right on the first day that the 7 month window opens.
If you start using the waitlist very early and put in your waitlist requests starting right on the first days, at 7 months out, you should get good priority. Large resorts are easier, such as Poly, OKW, SSR and Animal Kingdom - Kidani. These are incredibly large resorts with so many rooms that Waitlists are usually pretty easy. At Jambo and Kidani, the Jambo rooms generally go first, with the VALUE rooms being almost impossible to get (though I have got them, as an owner, through the waitlist). Next most popular are Standard Studios at either resort, and then other standard rooms. I personally love the Savannah View rooms and always choose them, but I understand that a lot of people want to save points by using Standard.
10. I have often found that you can pick up days, one day at a time, starting on the morning AFTER the opening of the 7 month window, as people who are 'walking reservations' pick up the next day or two and drop the old ones off the end of their reservation. So WATCH the reservation list and pick up one day at a time, and then combine them together. I call this 'Pearls on a String.'
11. KEEP IN MIND, ONCE YOU SET A WAITLIST REQUEST, YOU CANNOT MODIFY IT, EXCEPT TO CANCEL IT. So, choose what you want, and even consider overlapping a little if you want. If I make a Waitlist, but a few days become available that are the same as the waitlist request, I pick up the days, and keep trying to string them together. Once I get enough, THEN I cancel the waitlist request. But I have lots of points so I can generally overlap if necessary, and carry duplicate days / reservations. Many people don't have that many points. So you will need to modify things depending on what YOU have available to use.
12. Points are tools. If you have a lot, you can put them all out there, making multiple reservations. Then 'trim' the reservations down once you have what you want. DO BE CAREFUL. If you Borrow points, they remain borrowed. If you wait too long to cancel the 'extra' reservations or extra days, then you will be stuck with Holding Points.
13. When you set up a Waitlist Request, you can choose to have it end 30 days before the travel date, so that if it not filled by then, they won't book your waitlist with say, 2 weeks to go. OR, you can choose to set it to expire 7 days before the travel date. You have to decide what the risks are to you if they book your reservation with just 10 days before travel. Is that enough time for you? Because if they DO book it and then you cancel, your points will become HOLDING POINTS which are significantly less flexible and easy to use, and cannot be banked. So only schedule the Waitlist Request to the 7 day window if you are sure.
14. As someone else has pointed out, if your Waitlist Request will use the same number of points or MORE points than your current reservation that you will be replacing (and if you DO set it up to REPLACE the current reservation) then you can go ahead and make your Waitlist request to end 7 days before travel since YOU WILL NOT end up with HOLDING points.
15. The best time to get a Waitlist Request is early early early, starting right at the 7 month window. BUT, a significant number of people also drop their reservations in the last few days before they reach the 30 day window, since they have decided not to go and don't want to get saddled with Holding Points. So a significant number of good reservation days can often be picked up just before or around the 30 days before travel window. Keep an eye out for them at this time, IF you have the flexibility to use them. You will need to watch the Reservation lists yourself, to do this. I know people who routinely get up at 5 AM or 6 AM during these times (depending on where they are in the country) to check these days that become available, and grab them. If you do this, you will see that there apparently are a LOT of people out there doing the same thing, since days will come and go quickly.
16. Remember, when it comes to Waitlists, the Early Bird gets the worm. (Early in the morning. Early in the 7 Month window.)
----- I will modify this post as I look at it and think about it, but I hope this is a bit helpful. AND, I would love to hear suggestions, experiences and disagreements from others based on how THEY use it.
