Theme Park Report
Disney Vacation Club has changed its reservation modification rules in a move that effectively limits “reservation walking,” a practice in which Members repeatedly adjust a booking to secure difficult-to-get dates.
According to WDW News Today, citing DVC Fan, modifications to the travel dates or room type on a confirmed reservation can now be made only when the reservation’s original check-out date is within 11 months of the modification request. Previously, the booking window was applied to the check-in date rather than the end of the stay.
Reservation walking involves booking a stay that begins before the dates a Member actually wants. A Member could reserve a longer stay days or weeks in advance, then repeatedly modify the booking by removing an earlier night and adding a night at the end. This allowed the reservation to retain dates beyond the original check-in date while the Member moved the stay toward the desired period.
The practice has been controversial among Disney Vacation Club Members because it can affect access to reservations during the booking process. Requiring the original check-out date to fall within the 11-month window reduces, but may not completely eliminate, the ability to use that strategy.
Members can still update guest information or cancel a reservation at any time, according to the report. The updated rule specifically applies to modifications involving travel dates and room types.
WDW News Today also noted that Disney Vacation Club Member Experiences and Club Management Vice President Shannon Sakaske said in 2024 that the company was examining how reservation walking affected the booking process for Members.
