Will I have to move?

[colleen costello]

Dear husband has a conference in June in Orlando, which means an extra trip to WDW for me! As usual, I am practically out of points. If I book the nights I can "afford" on points, and add a Saturday night for cash, can I stay in the same room? Is it GUARANTEED? I am planning on the Wilderness Lodge. If I might have to move rooms ANYWAY, a room in the Lodge is a lot less expensive than a room in the Villas.

So: We will leave the Marriott (conference center) on a Saturday. I will pay cash for Saturday night at the VWL then Sunday thru Thursday I want to stay on points. Can I keep the same room?

Thanks!

 

[DebbieB]

I did this in May at OKW, did Fri & Sat Member discount cash, then Sun-Thurs nights points. Member Services told me with the member discount it would be guaranteed not to move, it would be treated as one reservation. When we checked in on Friday, we got key cards and a parking permit for the entire week. We got trash & towel on Monday, day 4 of the linked reservation. A couple of weeks before we checked in, an AP rate came out about $20 lower per night. I called member services and they said an AP rate could not be linked and there would be no guarantee that we would not have to move. I decided it wasn't worth the trouble to save about $40 total.

 

[Chuck S]

Can't you book cash through MS, even if there is no discount available and/or using AP rates? I've never had to book cash, as I've had enough points (so far) for my stays, but I always thought as long as the ressie was made through MS, no matter the actual "rate" that the ressie could/would be linked.

 

[Lew]

We have never been able to book AP rates through MS. In the past we have booked AP rates through CRO, point nights through MS of course, and then had MS link the two reservations.

Be sure you have your AP reservation number from CRO as MS does not have access to it on their computers.

 

[Laurabearz]

We have paid cash for a night or two, and like the above poster said.... you can have MS link the ressies and all should go smoothly!

Good luck, have fun!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Originally posted by DebbieB
I did this in May at OKW, did Fri & Sat Member discount cash, then Sun-Thurs nights points. Member Services told me with the member discount it would be guaranteed not to move, it would be treated as one reservation. When we checked in on Friday, we got key cards and a parking permit for the entire week.

Whew! I hope this is the case at HHI also. I recently made ressies there for February. Cash on Saturday nite, then points on Sunday-Thursday. MS told me that there was a real good chance we wouldn't have to move, but it wasn't guaranteed, they said.

 

[CarolAnnC]

I have done this several times succesfully without having to move rooms. However, one time even at check in, it was reiterated that I may have to move. Had to actually go down to "check out" and get new keys for the remainder of my stay. We did not have to move to another room at that time, but I was uneasy not knowing if I had to pack up that morning.

Good luck!!

 

[ripleysmom]

You cannot pay for a room at the Lodge and then continue your stay there as a DVC member on points. They are 2 different areas and you will have to move to the Villas portion of the hotel when your stay starts as a DVC member. The only way that you could do it is to book a studio in the Villas portion of the hotel for that Saturday.

 

[colleen costello]

Thanks guys - - sounds good. Ripley's Mom, I hear what you are saying. The reason I posed the question was that "Lodge" rooms are cheaper. If I would pay cash for a Villas room, then have to switch rooms ANYHOW, might as well save the money and spend the first night or two in the Lodge side. This summer I had a Lodge night booked for only $139 and felt that was a real bargain. Villa rooms, even with a member discount, are WAY higher than that. As it turned out, we just waitlisted and wound up using points in the Villas for the whole visit. The worst scenario here is that I pay cash for two nights in the Lodge, then move over to the Villas on points.

Thanks all!