Changing resort reservations - point penalty?

[moreisgood]

I'm new to DVC (considering buying resale.) I see the advice to make a reservation at your home resort at 11 months. Then, when the entire collection opens up, try to change your resort to another resort. What happens if the new resort uses less points than the first reservation at your home resort?
Do you then have to use those points before the end of the use year or forfeit them? If you have to forfeit them, would it be a good idea to see if they could be rented out (via the known internet sites), even at a discount?

My husband's opinion of buying DVC is this:

 

[crisi]

I'm new to DVC (considering buying resale.) I see the advice to make a reservation at your home resort at 11 months. Then, when the entire collection opens up, try to change your resort to another resort. What happens if the new resort uses less points than the first reservation at your home resort?
Do you then have to use those points before the end of the use year or forfeit them? If you have to forfeit them, would it be a good idea to see if they could be rented out (via the known internet sites), even at a discount?

My husband's opinion of buying DVC is this:

If you are cancelling before your banking deadline- you can bank them. If its after your banking deadline, you need to use them.

But, and here is an important newbie catch - a lot of those "use less points rooms" are really hard to get by non owners - if you are looking at value rooms at VAKL or standard view at BLT or BWV, it may not be a problem you have.

 

[kristenrice]

In addition to what Crisi mentioned, if you use any borrowed points to make your reservation, they cannot be put back if the new reservation uses fewer points. Banking and borrowing are final transactions. You could have member services use any banked and borrowed points first which would free up the current points which could then be banked, provided you are not past your banking deadline.

 

[DizBub]

I would only go ahead and make that switch if I was within my banking deadline. I'd rather keep the original reservation than lose any points it might save.

I made a reservation at 11 months and am hoping to switch to another resort at 7 months. If I get it, it will save 51 points that will be put back into my account so they can be banked. The vacation is booked for Sept and my banking deadline is Sept 30. Could even waitlist it. If the vacation was in Oct or Nov this wouldn't work.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Same thing if you go on the waitlist. There are actually two waitlists - one that goes until 31 days out, the other until seven days out. If you don't get your waitlist until seven days out and the new reservation takes less, you can't even bank those anymore, even if you are within your banking timeframe.

At 30 days out, any points from a cancelled or revised reservation that are not used for the reservation become holding points. And they cannot be used to make a reservation more than 60 days out. Plus they expire at the end of the use year.

 

[DizBub]

Same thing if you go on the waitlist. There are actually two waitlists - one that goes until 31 days out, the other until seven days out. If you don't get your waitlist until seven days out and the new reservation takes less, you can't even bank those anymore, even if you are within your banking timeframe.

Thanks for pointing that out. I would definately do the 31 day waitlist. If it doesn't come through in 6 months minus 1 day I figure it isn't meant to be.

 

[moreisgood]

Thank you everyone. This is always very helpful. So, if I'm really hoping to switch, reserving something at less points than I hope to spend for my preferred vacation, would be prudent.

I've never heard about 31 and 7 day wait lists. How do they each work?

 

[DizBub]

Thank you everyone. This is always very helpful. So, if I'm really hoping to switch, reserving something at less points than I hope to spend for my preferred vacation, would be prudent.

I've never heard about 31 and 7 day wait lists. How do they each work?

Basically when you switch resorts you are cancelling your current reservation and rebooking another one and all cancellation policies apply.

This is from my reservation sheet.

For Disney Vacation Club Member Vaction Point Reservations at a disney Vacation Club Resort

31+ days before Check-In Date:
All Vacation Points used to make the reservation, including borrowed Vacation Points, will be returned to your account in the Use Year in which the reservation falls.

30 days to 1 day before Check-In Date:
All Vacation Points used to make the reservation will be placed in the Holding Account in the Use Year in which the reservation falls.

On the Check-In Date:
all of the Vacation Points used to make the resevation will be forfeited.

When you waitlist they will offer you 2 ways to do it. The 31 day waitlist means it will expire automatically if it doesn't come through, preserving your points.
You can waitlist up to 7 days prior to check-in but like it says, any saved points will go into Holding. That means you can't use those points to book anything beyond 60 days. If you can't travel again that soon or there is no availability they will expire at the end of your Use Year.

 

[moreisgood]

Basically when you switch resorts you are cancelling your current reservation and rebooking another one and all cancellation policies apply.

This is from my reservation sheet.

For Disney Vacation Club Member Vaction Point Reservations at a disney Vacation Club Resort

31+ days before Check-In Date:
All Vacation Points used to make the reservation, including borrowed Vacation Points, will be returned to your account in the Use Year in which the reservation falls.

30 days to 1 day before Check-In Date:
All Vacation Points used to make the reservation will be placed in the Holding Account in the Use Year in which the reservation falls.

On the Check-In Date:
all of the Vacation Points used to make the resevation will be forfeited.

When you waitlist they will offer you 2 ways to do it. The 31 day waitlist means it will expire automatically if it doesn't come through, preserving your points.
You can waitlist up to 7 days prior to check-in but like it says, any saved points will go into Holding. That means you can't use those points to book anything beyond 60 days. If you can't travel again that soon or there is no availability they will expire at the end of your Use Year.

DizBub, I think I need a little clarification on the term "you can't use those points to book anything beyond 60 days." I've seen it before, but I'm not exactly sure of what it means.
A. You must use the points in the 60 days, starting from the cancellation date, or lose them, immediately at the 60 day mark. And I'm assuming your stay would need to be completed by day 60.
B. You can use them till the end of your use year, but you can't book a vacation that starts sooner than 60 days from the booking date. Ex. In February, you can't book at July vacation.

Which is correct? Or neither?

Thank you!

 

[DizBub]

DizBub, I think I need a little clarification on the term "you can't use those points to book anything beyond 60 days." I've seen it before, but I'm not exactly sure of what it means.
A. You must use the points in the 60 days, starting from the cancellation date, or lose them, immediately at the 60 day mark. And I'm assuming your stay would need to be completed by day 60.
B. You can use them till the end of your use year, but you can't book a vacation that starts sooner than 60 days from the booking date. Ex. In February, you can't book at July vacation.

Which is correct? Or neither?

Thank you!

Holding account and the 60 day thing is the one issue that confuses me the most. It had to be explained to me very slowly last year.

I had to cancel a trip last Oct and had a large number of points go into Holding. Essentially you can't use these points to book anything beyond 60 days of your arrival. For instance, I couldn't use them for a January trip unless I waited until November to book it. I have a Feb UY and they would have expired Jan 31. Luckily, I was able to use them later in October.

I hope I explained it so you can understand it because I'm still not so sure myself.

 

[CarolMN]

DizBub, I think I need a little clarification on the term "you can't use those points to book anything beyond 60 days." I've seen it before, but I'm not exactly sure of what it means.
A. You must use the points in the 60 days, starting from the cancellation date, or lose them, immediately at the 60 day mark. And I'm assuming your stay would need to be completed by day 60.
B. You can use them till the end of your use year, but you can't book a vacation that starts sooner than 60 days from the booking date. Ex. In February, you can't book at July vacation.

Which is correct? Or neither?

Thank you!

B. is exactly correct.

Holding points expire at the end of the use year. They cannot be used to reserve a vacation that has a check-in day more than 60 days away from the day you call to reserve.

 

[moreisgood]

B. is exactly correct.

Holding points expire at the end of the use year. They cannot be used to reserve a vacation that has a check-in day more than 60 days away from the day you call to reserve.

Thanks to both of you! It's all about understanding the rules!

Any other sneaky ones I may not be thinking about?

 

[lodge]

Here's one about the entry doors (yes, a Florida LAW): http://www.dumblaws.com/law/1281

(it doesn't apply to DVC, but interesting and makes sense... be on the look-out for non-compliance)

 

[CarolMN]

Thanks to both of you! It's all about understanding the rules!

Any other sneaky ones I may not be thinking about?

New members often are not aware of the 4 month rule. It only applies if you are booking something other than a DVC resort or an exchange via RCI or the LBVTC.

The 4 month rule says that if you want to stay at one of those non-DVC/non-RCI/non-LBVTC options during the last 4 months of your use year, you must reserve the stay during the first 8 months of your use year.

So for example, if you have a February use year and want to stay at the Poly in December, 2013, you have to make the reservation on or before September 30, 2013. (Of course all reservations are subject to availability).

Again, it only matters if you are booking one of the options mentioned. None of them are particularly good uses of DVC points, though.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Here's one about the entry doors (yes, a Florida LAW): http://www.dumblaws.com/law/1281

(it doesn't apply to DVC, but interesting and makes sense... be on the look-out for non-compliance)

That's basically the Life Safety Code (NFPA 101). Doors that open inward to a large gathering space impede egress in an emergency. Doors to an individual lodging space (i.e., villa, hotel room) open inwards to not impede egress through the exit corridor. You are running down the hallway to get away from the fire and someone opens their hotel/villa door and it hits you in the face, blocks others from exiting. That won't happen because the door opens into the lodging space instead of outwards from the lodging space.

One of the few areas where doors open out into the egress corridor is in a mental health unit, so the patients cannot barricade the door so staff cannot get into the room in an emergency.

 

[LisaS]

I've never heard about 31 and 7 day wait lists. How do they each work?

I don't think there are two wait lists. I think there is just one wait list and one of the pieces of information (along with the resort, room type, check-in date and number of nights) is the expiration date. When they set up your wait list you can request to have it expire either 31 days out or 7 days out.

If you are waitlisting for something that costs the same or more points you can opt to stay on the wait list until 7 days out. If you are waitlisting for something that costs fewer points then you would most likely want to have the waitlist expire 31 days out to avoid having the points that are freed up go into the Holding account.

Once you are within 7 days of check-in you can still check online or call MS to see if there is availability for the room you want, again assuming you want to change to something that costs the same or more points (or you don't care about losing the points, you really want that room!). There are times when guests cancel at the last minute so even within 7 days of check-in, you might find the room you want has suddenly become available.

 

[DizBub]

I don't think there are two wait lists. I think there is just one wait list and one of the pieces of information (along with the resort, room type, check-in date and number of nights) is the expiration date. When they set up your wait list you can request to have it expire either 31 days out or 7 days out.

If you are waitlisting for something that costs the same or more points you can opt to stay on the wait list until 7 days out. If you are waitlisting for something that costs fewer points then you would most likely want to have the waitlist expire 31 days out to avoid having the points that are freed up go into the Holding account.

Once you are within 7 days of check-in you can still check online or call MS to see if there is availability for the room you want, again assuming you want to change to something that costs the same or more points (or you don't care about losing the points, you really want that room!). There are times when guests cancel at the last minute so even within 7 days or check-in, you might find the room you want has suddenly become available.

Well stated!!

 

[moreisgood]

I don't think there are two wait lists. I think there is just one wait list and one of the pieces of information (along with the resort, room type, check-in date and number of nights) is the expiration date. When they set up your wait list you can request to have it expire either 31 days out or 7 days out.

If you are waitlisting for something that costs the same or more points you can opt to stay on the wait list until 7 days out. If you are waitlisting for something that costs fewer points then you would most likely want to have the waitlist expire 31 days out to avoid having the points that are freed up go into the Holding account.

Once you are within 7 days of check-in you can still check online or call MS to see if there is availability for the room you want, again assuming you want to change to something that costs the same or more points (or you don't care about losing the points, you really want that room!). There are times when guests cancel at the last minute so even within 7 days or check-in, you might find the room you want has suddenly become available.

That's a very good strategy!

 

[crisi]

Another plan which will work pretty well if home is a bigger resort is to book one less night at home, so you are using fewer points. When you switch at seven, add the night you want. If the rooms aren't available wanted to switch to, add the night at home and be content.

Its rare to have an issue booking right at seven months at SSR, OKW or the savannah view rooms at VAKL (though you might have to move Jambo to Kidani), and its common for the waitlist at BWV not to come through for standard view rooms booked at seven months from late September through mid-January.

 

[moreisgood]

Another plan which will work pretty well if home is a bigger resort is to book one less night at home, so you are using fewer points. When you switch at seven, add the night you want. If the rooms aren't available wanted to switch to, add the night at home and be content.

Its rare to have an issue booking right at seven months at SSR, OKW or the savannah view rooms at VAKL (though you might have to move Jambo to Kidani), and its common for the waitlist at BWV not to come through for standard view rooms booked at seven months from late September through mid-January.

In my mind, it seems that OKW and SSR, are where I'd end up, if I'm late in planning. there are so many units there. And you mentioned BWV. I think that's where I should buy (or BCV) if we want a chance to stay there during F&W, when the kids gets older. The thought of being near the MK is nice, but walking "home" after dinner in Epcot sounds like longer term plan.

And we could always reserve a one bedroom at our home resort (not optimal, but doable), and then try to get a 2 BR at another resort.