UPDATE: Just returned. Post 7 --- Reservation adding on options: looking for input

[Disney Dreams]

Okay, here's the situation:

We have 6 nights booked via points at AKL. We would like to add two days to the far end of our stay. For ease of conversation let's say Night 1 - 6.

We have a savannah view during our stay (Nights 1-6). We can book a standard view for the first night we want to add on (Night 7). We can book a standard view at the other AK building for the second night we want to add on (Night 8).

We REALLY don't want to move rooms twice in two days.

For those of you really well-versed in DVC rules, etc..., if we add these rooms to our reservation and later drop them, what happens to our points? (I get confused with the various rules, Collections, etc...)

If we book a savannah view room for cash for the extra nights, will we have to move or can we stay in the same room? (I guess what I'm really asking here is: Does DVC has suite 1, 2, and 3 specifically or does DVC just has a set number of suites at any one given time?)

Essentially, what are our options? Thanks for the help!

- Dreams

 

[maburke]

How far out is this reservation? Would you have to borrow to add the two nights? If not, and you make your decision more than 30 days in advance, you risk nothing by adding the two nights to the reservation. You can also waitlist the nights in a room that would match what you already have.

 

[Disney Dreams]

How far out is this reservation? Would you have to borrow to add the two nights? If not, and you make your decision more than 30 days in advance, you risk nothing by adding the two nights to the reservation. You can also waitlist the nights in a room that would match what you already have.

Thank you so much for replying. Seemed like no one out there had anything to offer, idea-wise. I appreciate your input.

Sorry, I forgot to mention it's less than 30 days away at this point, but more than 14 days. We have points for the two nights, no borrowing needed. Given that we are less than 30 days and the points would NOT be borrowed, what happens to the points if we book one of the two nights, but don't get the second so have to cancel the one? (Did that make sense?? LOL!)

Wailist: Great thought! Thank you, completely forgot about that option. If we waitlist it AND we have the points, our current reservation for days 1-6 remains untouched? Don't want to somehow lose what we have when adding two days for waitlist. - eek -

Thanks for clarifying some of the ins and outs of some "advanced" rules and ways when it comes to points. It's out first time using them other than for a cruise.

We (me and DH) appreciate it,
Dreams

 

[DougEMG]

If you cancel within 30 days of arrival, up to the day before arrival, the points go in a holding account and must be used by the end of the use year, but can only be used within 60 days of the arrival date (i.e., you could not call 90 days in advance and book a reservation using points in holding.

Placing a waitlist for both nights together with the 7 days seems like an option. You might as well create 2 waitlists, one for the same room type so you don't have to move and one for a different room type so you only have to move once. Just make sure you cancel the second one if the first one comes through.

Another option is to book a room only with cash. I think that has a 7 day cancellation policy as well.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If DVC has any member cash discounted rooms available you could book thru them and you would not have to move.

If you book a cash room thru CRO then you might have to move but the resort will usually attempt to leave you in the same room. I would not count on that happening though.

And since you are less than 30 days out then any point reservation you cancel will place your points into holding and as was mentioned means they need to be used before the end of this UY. And you holding points are restricted so you can only book a reservation that is 60 days or less in advance of when you call.

 

[crocko]

You could also keep an eye open to see if anyone is listing AKL for those 2 nights.

Last year, we decided (fairly last minute) to add 4 days to our trip and there was virtually nothing available to book through DVC. At virtually the last-minute, I was able to work out a deal with someone who was looking to "sale" a reservation for those exact 4 nights.

This route would force you to spend cash, but would be cheaper than paying directly for a room.

 

[Disney Dreams]

We just got back last night (well, 1am this morning) WAAAAAA! and I just wanted to share how this all worked out in case it can help someone some day. Thank you to everyone who helped and offered ideas for us. This was our first stay since buying DVC and we appreciated the assistance with answers to questions along the way.

Our initial reservation:
October 7, 2012 - October 12, 2012 Kidani

Then we added two nights because we could not get frequent flyer seats home on the 12th. (Oh darn! We HAVE to stay another two nights!) But, where to sleep? We could not get Kidani or Jambo so we waitlisted them. We then booked a cash rooms at Jambo for the two add-on nights.

I then was able to snag a room for points at Jambo house for the night of the 12th. So, we were still going to have to move rooms.

Cancelled waitlist and cash room for the night of the 12th. Up to the day we departed, had nothing but the cash room for the night of the 13th.

So upon departure we had the following:
October 7 - 12, 2012 DVC reservation on points at Kidani
October 12, 2012 Cash reservation at Jambo (move #1)
October 13, 2012 Waitlist at both Jambo and Kidani, Cash reservation at Jambo

When we checked in at Kidani on the afternoon of the 7th we explained to them that we were hoping we could stay in the same room at Kidani on the 12th and asked if there was any chance of staying for points on the night of the 13th.

They called Operations who determined there was availablitiy, but we had to call Member Services at DVC to set it up. MS didn't see the availability. They talked with Operations. In the end, the left hand connected with the right hand and we were able to arrange it so we stayed the entire eight nights at Kidani on points.

Someone at Kidani's front desk then worked on making it so we could stay in the same room our entire stay. Double .

And that's how our AKV DVC visit ended up.

Thanks everyone for all the tips and guidance. We appreciated it!

- Dreams

 

[dvcterry]

that is great how it all worked out.

 

[maburke]

Thanks for updating! It's always good to hear how a situation was resolved after a question was asked here. Especially when it's a good outcome.

 

[BestDadEver]

We just got back last night (well, 1am this morning) WAAAAAA! and I just wanted to share how this all worked out in case it can help someone some day. Thank you to everyone who helped and offered ideas for us. This was our first stay since buying DVC and we appreciated the assistance with answers to questions along the way.

Our initial reservation:
October 7, 2012 - October 12, 2012 Kidani

Then we added two nights because we could not get frequent flyer seats home on the 12th. (Oh darn! We HAVE to stay another two nights!) But, where to sleep? We could not get Kidani or Jambo so we waitlisted them. We then booked a cash rooms at Jambo for the two add-on nights.

I then was able to snag a room for points at Jambo house for the night of the 12th. So, we were still going to have to move rooms.

Cancelled waitlist and cash room for the night of the 12th. Up to the day we departed, had nothing but the cash room for the night of the 13th.

So upon departure we had the following:
October 7 - 12, 2012 DVC reservation on points at Kidani
October 12, 2012 Cash reservation at Jambo (move #1)
October 13, 2012 Waitlist at both Jambo and Kidani, Cash reservation at Jambo

When we checked in at Kidani on the afternoon of the 7th we explained to them that we were hoping we could stay in the same room at Kidani on the 12th and asked if there was any chance of staying for points on the night of the 13th.

They called Operations who determined there was availablitiy, but we had to call Member Services at DVC to set it up. MS didn't see the availability. They talked with Operations. In the end, the left hand connected with the right hand and we were able to arrange it so we stayed the entire eight nights at Kidani on points.

Someone at Kidani's front desk then worked on making it so we could stay in the same room our entire stay. Double .

And that's how our AKV DVC visit ended up.

Thanks everyone for all the tips and guidance. We appreciated it!

- Dreams

Awsome

 

[bobbiwoz]

How wonderful that it worked out so well!

 

[mybabesuz]

We have been in this situations twice.
We have always Magically been able to get a room on points when we asked at the resort.
The exact same situation.
They would say, yes there is a room, call MS, they would say no room.
MS would talk directly to resort, magically the room would open up.
Once it was Dec. 20, our flight home was canceled and another time it was July 4th, we were only able to book a cash reservation.
Both times we were able to stay in our room on points.

 

[antree]

So glad it worked out for you. We weren't so lucky a few years ago. We had to move and change hotels for one night in the middle of our stay. Hotel said there were no rooms at the inn. We moved from BWV to OKW for one night then back to BW.