Changing reservation question

[emilymad]

Sometimes I think I understand how all this works and other times I feel clueless.

I have a 5 night reservation at BLT for the end of September. We would like to try to get in at the BWI. This morning around 8:45 I saw 3 nights available online. Since I borrowed all of the points for my reservation I waited until 9am to call to change the reservation instead of booking online. There was 25 minute hold time on the phone. By the time it was my turn my online session holding the 3 nights had expired.

MS canceled the 3 nights at BLT and then went to grab the nights at BWI. By then only 2 nights were available. By some pixie dust MS was able to get back those nights at BLT for me. So I am back to the same 5 nights as my original reservation.

So, did I handle this correctly? I have to wait to call MS instead of doing anything online correct? We don't want to borrow any more points.

If I set up waitlists and they came through I wouldn't have the issue of maybe losing the first reservation correct?

 

[nalajms]

MS should have held the BLT reservations until the nights at BWI were booked. If you get someone who tells you they can't hold a room until it's booked, I'd call again and hope for a more experienced MS.

You were very lucky that your nights at BLT were still available!

 

[supersnoop]

Member Services cannot hold a reservation.

Here are my instructions for booking one reservation while cancelling another.

Using two devices or two different browsers (NOT two instances of the same browser), you can start the process of booking your new reservation.
Get to the point where it says the reservation is held for 20 minutes. There will be an option to borrow points on this screen. Don't click it yet.
Now, on a second device or different browser, cancel the current reservation.
DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE. Don't search for availability or anything else, just cancel the reservation. A search will invalidate the session on your other device.
Go back to the computer and select the "Borrow points" option. Then click cancel on the screen that pops up. That action will refresh your point balance with those released from your cancelled reservation.
Now you can complete your new reservation with the points from your previous, cancelled reservation

 

[DVC Owner in MA]

Thanks for posting those instructions. It's nice to know there is an option to do this online when what you want is available.

 

[emilymad]

Member Services cannot hold a reservation.

Here are my instructions for booking one reservation while cancelling another.

Using two devices or two different browsers (NOT two instances of the same browser), you can start the process of booking your new reservation.
Get to the point where it says the reservation is held for 20 minutes. There will be an option to borrow points on this screen. Don't click it yet.
Now, on a second device or different browser, cancel the current reservation.
DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE. Don't search for availability or anything else, just cancel the reservation. A search will invalidate the session on your other device.
Go back to the computer and select the "Borrow points" option. Then click cancel on the screen that pops up. That action will refresh your point balance with those released from your cancelled reservation.
Now you can complete your new reservation with the points from your previous, cancelled reservation

Thanks! This is very helpful!

Would that work if I want to only cancel part of the existing reservation?

 

[emilymad]

MS should have held the BLT reservations until the nights at BWI were booked. If you get someone who tells you they can't hold a room until it's booked, I'd call again and hope for a more experienced MS.

You were very lucky that your nights at BLT were still available!

I feel very lucky! I am tempted to not even mess with anything this time but I would like to know the procedure for the future.

 

[nalajms]

Member Services cannot hold a reservation.

What? Is this new? They definitely could have grabbed the BWV nights before canceling the BLT nights for OP. I've had this done several times in the last 12 months.

Anyone using the 2 devices method should be aware of the slight risk of losing both rooms. Look for the "I had Poly at 8am" thread. The current online booking system is still having issues. Several times in the last 2 months, I have been kicked out of a booking after filling in room occupant names.

 

[supersnoop]

Thanks! This is very helpful!

Would that work if I want to only cancel part of the existing reservation?

No, it will not work if you want to cancel part of the reservation. You'd have to cancel the whole think and rebook the part you want. When I say "DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE," that's because searching for availability will invalidate the page where you're holding the new reservation. So, definitely don't try to use this method if you only want to cancel part of the reservation. Maybe call up MS a few days prior and see if they can split it into two separate reservations for you first.

 

[supersnoop]

What? Is this new? They definitely could have grabbed the BWV nights before canceling the BLT nights for OP. I've had this done several times in the last 12 months.

Anyone using the 2 devices method should be aware of the slight risk of losing both rooms. Look for the "I had Poly at 8am" thread. The current online booking system is still having issues. Several times in the last 2 months, I have been kicked out of a booking after filling in room occupant names.

Some people have reported that supervisors can hold inventory, or maybe they just know the secret handshake required to make it happen. But front-line reps either don't have the knowledge or ability to do so.

 

[emilymad]

No, it will not work if you want to cancel part of the reservation. You'd have to cancel the whole think and rebook the part you want. When I say "DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE," that's because searching for availability will invalidate the page where you're holding the new reservation. So, definitely don't try to use this method if you only want to cancel part of the reservation. Maybe call up MS a few days prior and see if they can split it into two separate reservations for you first.

That is what I thought but I just wanted to double check. Thanks again for all the great info!

 

[magicaldisney]

Member Services cannot hold a reservation.

Here are my instructions for booking one reservation while cancelling another.

Using two devices or two different browsers (NOT two instances of the same browser), you can start the process of booking your new reservation.
Get to the point where it says the reservation is held for 20 minutes. There will be an option to borrow points on this screen. Don't click it yet.
Now, on a second device or different browser, cancel the current reservation.
DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE. Don't search for availability or anything else, just cancel the reservation. A search will invalidate the session on your other device.
Go back to the computer and select the "Borrow points" option. Then click cancel on the screen that pops up. That action will refresh your point balance with those released from your cancelled reservation.
Now you can complete your new reservation with the points from your previous, cancelled reservation

A big thank you to you supersnoop. I just used this method over the weekend to switch resorts at the 7 month mark and it worked out great!

 

[sgrap]

Member Services cannot hold a reservation.

Here are my instructions for booking one reservation while cancelling another.

Using two devices or two different browsers (NOT two instances of the same browser), you can start the process of booking your new reservation.
Get to the point where it says the reservation is held for 20 minutes. There will be an option to borrow points on this screen. Don't click it yet.
Now, on a second device or different browser, cancel the current reservation.
DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE. Don't search for availability or anything else, just cancel the reservation. A search will invalidate the session on your other device.
Go back to the computer and select the "Borrow points" option. Then click cancel on the screen that pops up. That action will refresh your point balance with those released from your cancelled reservation.
Now you can complete your new reservation with the points from your previous, cancelled reservation

Just so I have this straight . . I have 2 computers. I pull up let's say Google Chrome on one and Internet explorer on the other. Or can I use Google Chrome on 2 devices? Or Google Chrome and Internet Explorer on 1 computer?

I pull up my new reservation on one but don't borrow points. So that reservation is essentially on hold? Then I cancel my current reservation with the other device/browser. Then I go back to the new reservation and borrow points but click cancel and it will refresh my points balance but keep my new 'on hold' reservation. Then I can book.

Just want to make sure I have it all straight before I try it! Thanks for figuring out this method!!!

 

[wilma-bride]

Just so I have this straight . . I have 2 computers. I pull up let's say Google Chrome on one and Internet explorer on the other. Or can I use Google Chrome on 2 devices? Or Google Chrome and Internet Explorer on 1 computer?

I pull up my new reservation on one but don't borrow points. So that reservation is essentially on hold? Then I cancel my current reservation with the other device/browser. Then I go back to the new reservation and borrow points but click cancel and it will refresh my points balance but keep my new 'on hold' reservation. Then I can book.

Just want to make sure I have it all straight before I try it! Thanks for figuring out this method!!!

You can use Google Chrome or IE on both, just on different devices. It would probably actually work if you were to use Chrome and IE on the same device, since they are different browsers but, personally, I would use two devices since that would be safer.

 

[supersnoop]

Just so I have this straight . . I have 2 computers. I pull up let's say Google Chrome on one and Internet explorer on the other. Or can I use Google Chrome on 2 devices? Or Google Chrome and Internet Explorer on 1 computer?

I pull up my new reservation on one but don't borrow points. So that reservation is essentially on hold? Then I cancel my current reservation with the other device/browser. Then I go back to the new reservation and borrow points but click cancel and it will refresh my points balance but keep my new 'on hold' reservation. Then I can book.

Just want to make sure I have it all straight before I try it! Thanks for figuring out this method!!!

Yes. make sure you don't do anything else on the second device. If you search for a room, then your current hold will be released.

 

[sgrap]

Yes. make sure you don't do anything else on the second device. If you search for a room, then your current hold will be released.

Thanks! Another question: If you are wanting to make the new reservation right at 8 a.m. at the 7 month mark, how far in the online reservation process can you go just before 8 a.m.? Do you have to wait to start the search at 8 a.m., or can you get to the point where you check availability? I don't want to be all ready but then have to start over because it doesn't refresh for the new availability (if any of that makes sense). Thanks!

 

[sgrap]

Has anyone tried this recently to know if this method still works?

 

[Cyberc1978]

Has anyone tried this recently to know if this method still works?

Yes the 2 browser trick still works I use it frequently.