A Newbie Question - Short Points - What are options?

[newt1912]

The following is a hypothetical situation that I haven't figured out how it would be handled. I know when short on points in a given use year, I will be able to borrow from the next use year. But from the thread "Have you ever borrowed all of your next year points" I can see myself getting into that situation so I want to plan ahead and figure out how to handle a situation of being short on points.

Again-hypothetical: I only have 200 points available. I want to book a week during choice season which is 214 for a 1BR. I am 14 points short. I am unable to get a night paying cash with a decent discount. All I need is 14 points! But 14 points is not a full night's allotment. So I book 6 nights using points - Sat through Thurs - and use 167 points. I book the 7th night paying top dolllar cash but want to change it to points. I have 33 points available and need 14 more to do this. What are my options?

I believe I could post on the rent/trade board and ask to purchase a 14 point transfer. That sounds like the easiest way to do it. But the DVC member may not want to or be able to make a transfer because of the 1 transfer/use year rule. I am sure I could very easily rent/purchase 14 points from another member but since 14 points is only a portion of a full night, how do I go about getting those 14 combined with my left over 33 to book the 7th night using all points? My take is that this is impossible but I may not be understanding how things can work with MS.

My brain is saying that the easiest way/only way to handle this scenerio is to have to rent a full night's points and have the member I am renting from call MS and book the night I need for me. Correct? But will MS allow that member to call and make a change to my existing cash paying night by saying that he/she is now changing that to points?

Sorry if I have not presented this correctly or if I sound dumb about how all this works. I may never need to do this scenerio but I have been wondering. I love playing with different vacation scenerios but I always seem to come up short a few points - and most times with my scenerios I am short by 15 or less points.

Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

You cannot change cash nights to points. They come from separate inventories. There would have to be a points night available for the other member to make the reservation for you.

 

[Dumbo]

Your first and last night of your 7 day trip are both weekend nights. One other option for you is to book a studio for either the first or last night. Then book the 1 bedroom for the other 6 nights. That should free up the 14 points you would need otherwise.


Dumbo

 

[newt1912]

Originally posted by Dumbo
Your first and last night of your 7 day trip are both weekend nights. One other option for you is to book a studio for either the first or last night. Then book the 1 bedroom for the other 6 nights. That should free up the 14 points you would need otherwise.


Dumbo

I do realize that I could do what you suggest but remember this is hypothetical and I just want to know how one handles this situation - with the renting of other member's points or the transfer of points.

Truthfully, unless a trip involved just my husband and myself I could never imagine moving from 1 room to another just to avoid points. I would never do it if traveling with anyone other than the 2 of us. What a hassle! But, believe me, when it is just me and my husband, we will be doing what you suggest - either getting to know the All Stars on a Saturday night or using a studio for the Sat. night.

From the 1 post I just learned that you cannot turn a cash reservation into a points reservation because the rooms come out of different areas. See, I did not realize that so I just learned something about this hypothetical situation.

I am just hoping to learn a lot from these boards.

 

[WDWguru]

For the most part your assumptions are correct. The main problem is combining your 33 points with the 14 needed...no matter how many days the vacation may be for. Instead of cash payment for a night(very expensive) I see one of three options:

1) Buy/Rent the night completely from another user (47 points) then bank your remaining 33 points forward - then you will have extra for the next couple years.

2) Buy/Rent the night completely from another user (47 points) then sell/rent your 33 points, thus the difference is really only the 14 points you needed.

3) Most users do not transfer points during a use year, thus I think you could easily get someone to use their one transfer for the 14 points. You will probably have to pay a premium for the 14, but then it is done all at once.

My two cents:

 

[newt1912]

Originally posted by WDWguru

3) Most users do not transfer points during a use year, thus I think you could easily get someone to use their one transfer for the 14 points. You will probably have to pay a premium for the 14, but then it is done all at once.

My two cents:

The transfer scenerio is the one I was hoping to hear is more often done between members. Sounds easy! One member helping another and getting some cash with the transaction. But, what do you mean by "have to pay a premium for the 14?" Seems that points are going for $10/point. Would a member transfer usually result in the expected payment of more than the going price per point? If so, how much more than the going price per point?

Thanks again to all who help me.

 

[WDWguru]

There is no precedence that I know of. Depending on the scenario of the seller/renter, as is always the case.
If you catch one at the end of the use year with 14 points left and having not used the transfer, you might get the points for less than the going rate.

If you catch one at the begining of the use year, they might decide the going rate (currently $140) is not worth the sell and total use of their transfer...thus maybe a couple, three dollars more per point - a total charge of $30 to $40 more, thus still a better deal for you.

Like I said, no precedence, just looking at the laws of supply and demand...fewer small point scenarios that would fit your needs (transfer), so I would be prepared to pay at least the top going rate. The seller/renter is not making a bunch of money on this deal, thus you are, in a sense asking for a favor. I believe the DVC community is a good one and someone would step up and help you, but there MAY very well be a small premium.

Once again, my two cents:


FYI - on a transfer, the points transferred in retain their home resort availability - thus, if you are booking in BWV and you transfer in OKW points, you will have to wait for the 7 month window to book that night. So you will probably want points from the resort you are trying to book or your home resort.