Stalking vs. Waitlist - Stalking Wins Again

[lawgator]

I have had mixed results with stalking v. waitlist. Yesterday the WL worked for me to change one day from a studio at OKW to the "near HH category" studio at OKW on June 23 (the night of the after hours Typhoon Lagoon party for DVC members). It also worked for me to get a New Year's Eve lake view studio at the Polynesian. WL does obviously work best for single day changes, but it's best to use both methods.

 

[kboo]

My stalking v waitlist ended up being ... a tie, with waitlist winning in OT:

Note - we are 9 mo out at BLT, I was looking for the last night in a LV studio, which also happened to be the night before the princess half:

Did my usual AM stalk as I got into the office. Nothing had changed much in the last 2 weeks, so I was on the RAT to see what studios/1BR were available, and lo and behold, the whole week I wanted in the LV studio (I had already booked the 1st 6 nights) was available! So I go to try to book it on my desktop, while canceling my original reservation on my phone. I notice I am a bit miffed that both of my waitlists (including that Friday night) are still showing. Why are they letting someone book the whole week?

I go through the whole **** process of canceling on my phone and booking on my computer and only at the final confirmation, it tells me that Friday night is NOT avaialable! So now I'm pissed but I better re-book the 6 nights in case I lose that. And at the same time I call MS and sit on hold as I'm completing my booking.

I go back to my dashboard and my waitlists and now I've got a new reservation w same dates as the old reservation, but my Friday night waitlist is gone. Dammit! So now I'm on the phone and want to make sure I didn't lose my place in line for that night.

When the CM looks me up, she goes, "oh! your waitlist came through!" So she added that night to my reservation.

So - it looks like stalking found the space, but the waitlist took it as I was trying to book it myself. I guess it's good to know that the waitlist worked, this time. But I wonder now how long it was open. The CM said I got the only opening on that Friday night and it's back to showing no studios or std 1BR available for 2/23.

 

[Eastcoast02]

Just got all my needed info today to book online and not much for my dates. What is the best method of obtaining what you need? Book the random inconsecutive dates and waitlist/stalk the gaps? Once I book something though those points must be used by their expiration date in the event I cancel (Feb UY) right?

 

[fairytalelover]

this is very interesting information

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

I am a crazy stalker and normally get what I want that way. Very rarely does a waitlist fill before I find it myself. Waitlists have worked for me a few times though!

 

[kmorlock]

The ROFR thread helped us so much. I wish there was a thread similar for posting Waitlists that came through. It might help us see patterns? I have Waitlists for Kidani Dedicated STD to replace lock offs I currently hold but, not sure how much stock to have that they will come through on WL.

 

[kmorlock]

Stalking just worked for 2 of our 3 night stay at Kidani! So happy!!! WL is just added on for the first night though. Our standard lock off on the 14th shows available now.

 

[Eastcoast02]

I have a studio at Poly booked for 11/6 & 11/7, and SSR booked for the tail-end of our stay 11/12 & 11/13. I waitlisted 11/8 at Poly hoping it comes through and can then waitlist the next day. Studio availability for my stay is nearly nonexistent. The original plan was AKL and I'm really surprised its all booked up yet I was able to get two consecutive nights at Poly.
Booking the most dates at the front end is what is most important to me since I have an offsite reservation to fall back on.

 

[ahen]

So my husbands birthday is December 9 and my son's is December 8. I ended up booking at Saratoga, it was the only option. I've waitlisted the same dates as well. should I keep checking as well? I have luck with dining reservations that way.

 

[Roxyfire]

Score one in the win column for stalking: I was able to grab a studio at VGF for the night of October 5th. Sure it's only one night but since we'll be attending the Halloween party that night, we can have a short commute there and back.

 

[ahen]

I got one night on Oct 17 also at VGF, counted that as a win.

 

[sndral]

So my husbands birthday is December 9 and my son's is December 8. I ended up booking at Saratoga, it was the only option. I've waitlisted the same dates as well. should I keep checking as well? I have luck with dining reservations that way.

Yes, keep checking on the site.

 

[BlakeNJ]

Why is the waitlist system so flawed? it's 2017 for goodness sake. Im on a waitlist and have little time to constantly check RAT (new term for me lol!)

 

[wdw4rfam]

Why is the waitlist system so flawed? it's 2017 for goodness sake. Im on a waitlist and have little time to constantly check RAT (new term for me lol!)

I agree. All cancelled reservations should be held until they are checked against waitlists. I have heard so many times of people seeing their dates and booking themselves before the waitlist grabs it.

 

[Firepath]

I just picked up a one night studio at VGC for next week. Never thought that would happen! I did have it wait listed but only for the last couple of weeks. I wonder if that's because the wait lists are no longer valid within 7 days.

 

[disneynutz]

Since Disney pays for the waitlist process and the rooms will be filled anyway, there really isn't a reason for them to spend any money to improve the process.

Bill

 

[apple9117]

I agree! stalk stalk stalk!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Score one in the win column for stalking: I was able to grab a studio at VGF for the night of October 5th. Sure it's only one night but since we'll be attending the Halloween party that night, we can have a short commute there and back.

I got one night on Oct 17 also at VGF, counted that as a win.

As in you had waitlists for those rooms for those nights? Or just that you kept checking for rooms and picked up something that would work or that you hoped for but hadn't waitlisted?

I just picked up a one night studio at VGC for next week. Never thought that would happen! I did have it wait listed but only for the last couple of weeks. I wonder if that's because the wait lists are no longer valid within 7 days.

Yes, if a waitlist is expired then it's expired and you would have to pick it up by checking the website.

For waitlist wins - earlier in the week I put in a waitist for 1 night at VGC for June 25th. I did that in the morning some time. I checked the website late in the afternoon and it was all matched up and filled. A couple of weeks ago I had the same thing happen for 4 nights. Set it up when the room was unavailable at 8am. I'm west coast so that was actually 5am so I went back to bed. When I got up it was matched although not finalized.

I've picked up rooms by "stalking" but they have never been what I've had waitlisted - just restricted to 2 waitlists so everything else needs to be searched for manually. One time for last Dec I saw a PVB studio open that I had waitlisted but my waitlist was gone from the dashboard although no reservation was showing. That's when I confirmed about the disappearance from the dashboard meaning it had matched as I called in and confirmed my waitlist had matched and just needed to be finalized. So, at least 2 rooms had gotten cancelled that day. I got one and the other one went out for general availability.

Really though I have no idea how it all is working but that's just been my experiences.

 

[ahen]

So last night a Poly bungalow opened, and despite its about a zillion points I did it. It's my husbands 60th birthday and my son's 23 so I really didn't want SSR. I am not planning on telling him we are staying there, I want to make it a special birthday. And there's room for my daughter and SIL to come as well so it will work out well.

 

[Roxyfire]

As in you had waitlists for those rooms for those nights? Or just that you kept checking for rooms and picked up something that would work or that you hoped for but hadn't waitlisted?

I had a waitlist for the Poly for that night, but was basically stalking for whatever I could get.