2BR lock-off down to a 1BR??

[Tramp68]

If I have a 2 BR lock-off reservation and the resort is currently "sold out" for reservations, will I be able to drop down to a 1BR and get a room?

It would make sense since they can then rent the studio and actually gain on points used.

Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[erionm]

You would have to cancel the 2-bedroom and try to rebook it as a 1-bedroom. The 2-bedroom lock-off may not become available as a 1-bedroom and a studio just because you cancelled.

 

[drusba]

You likely won't be able to do it. You cannot just change the reservation. You have to cancel and rebook. The moment you cancel the rooms go to the waitlist and you do not get preference.

 

[dvcterry]

I had a very bad experience with this.

There is no alternative to dropping just a portion of your reservation on the membersite. You have to cancel and rebook.

I called and explained this to MS, that we only needed the 1 BDR. MS lost the entire reservation in the process. I could not book the 1 BDR in it's place, apparently it was "picked up" by a waitlist or someone else booking the 1 BDR at the same time. Only one or two of the dates remained available out of our original week-long reservation.

It's possible to get just a part of your room once it gets put back in inventory, but there are also a chance that you may not get the room because of waitlists and the fact that during the cancel/rebook the room is not held during the reservation process.

 

[RobDoc]

If I have a 2 BR lock-off reservation and the resort is currently "sold out" for reservations, will I be able to drop down to a 1BR and get a room?

It would make sense since they can then rent the studio and actually gain on points used.

Anyone have any experience with this?

This is a frequently asked question. The problem is that intuitively you have reserved a Studio and a 1BR that just happen to be connected, but in reality have reserved a 2BR lock-off villa (emphasis on the 2BR).

Before canceling and chancing ending up with nothing, I would first check to see if the 1BR is available and then call and have MS assist with the cancel and rebook. You could still end up with nothing, but the chances are a lot better if there is still an available 1BR before you begin the process.

Good luck!

 

[disneynutz]

I had a very bad experience with this.

There is no alternative to dropping just a portion of your reservation on the membersite. You have to cancel and rebook.

I called and explained this to MS, that we only needed the 1 BDR. MS lost the entire reservation in the process. I could not book the 1 BDR in it's place, apparently it was "picked up" by a waitlist or someone else booking the 1 BDR at the same time. Only one or two of the dates remained available out of our original week-long reservation.

It's possible to get just a part of your room once it gets put back in inventory, but there are also a chance that you may not get the room because of waitlists and the fact that during the cancel/rebook the room is not held during the reservation process.

Probably not and the 2 bedroom inventory availability isn't clear to me. I have been told 2 different stories by MS.

"2 bedroom inventory is automatically made by the computer, combining a 1 bedroom and a studio". That's pretty good software for a company that has software problems.

"A manager decides how many 2 bedrooms to put in inventory, the 1 bedrooms and studios are removed from inventory and the 2 bedrooms are added. At a certain cut off date, 2 bedrooms not booked are turned back into 1 bedrooms and studios". This makes more sense and may explain why rooms suddenly show up including Club Level.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Probably not and the 2 bedroom inventory availability isn't clear to me. I have been told 2 different stories by MS.

"2 bedroom inventory is automatically made by the computer, combining a 1 bedroom and a studio". That's pretty good software for a company that has software problems.

From what I've seen since the online booking started it appears to be the above. Everytime that studios and/or 1BR's are all booked up then there have not been any options for 2BR lockoffs. Amazing I agree that the software could manage it but sometimes miracles do happen.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Probably not and the 2 bedroom inventory availability isn't clear to me. I have been told 2 different stories by MS.

"2 bedroom inventory is automatically made by the computer, combining a 1 bedroom and a studio". That's pretty good software for a company that has software problems.

"A manager decides how many 2 bedrooms to put in inventory, the 1 bedrooms and studios are removed from inventory and the 2 bedrooms are added. At a certain cut off date, 2 bedrooms not booked are turned back into 1 bedrooms and studios". This makes more sense and may explain why rooms suddenly show up including Club Level.

Bill

Something I've always wondered, how does this work since a 2 bedroom is less points than a 1 bedroom + studio? Doesn't that change the total number of points available in a year?

 

[RobDoc]

Something I've always wondered, how does this work since a 2 bedroom is less points than a 1 bedroom + studio? Doesn't that change the total number of points available in a year?

DVC has allotted a certain (unknown to all but MS) number of lock-off villas to be used as 2BRs. The remainder may be reserved as Studios and 1BRs. While the actual number of points in any given year may vary by a small percentage, they remain within statistical norms to satisfy the requirements for the number of points. They also get some leeway based on the number of points used for the non-DVC programs (Disney Collection, Concierge Collection and Adventurer Collection) to make up for minimal variation created by the number of lock-offs reserved as Studios/1BRs vs 2BRs.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

DVC has allotted a certain (unknown to all but MS) number of lock-off villas to be used as 2BRs. The remainder may be reserved as Studios and 1BRs. While the actual number of points in any given year may vary by a small percentage, they remain within statistical norms to satisfy the requirements for the number of points. They also get some leeway based on the number of points used for the non-DVC programs (Disney Collection, Concierge Collection and Adventurer Collection) to make up for minimal variation created by the number of lock-offs reserved as Studios/1BRs vs 2BRs.

I know that has been a popular theory or maybe even MS has stated that at some time but online booking really allows a bit of a view into how things work. The busy first and second week of Dec has provided a good time to see more and it isn't showing that lock offs are set aside. It shows Dedicated 2BR's available but the day that either a studio or 1BR category fills then the 2 BR lockoffs are also gone. I've seen it consistently at AKV, VWL and BLT.

I also was booking BCV for this Feb. several weeks ago in a 2BR and a studio and also saw the same thing happen when the studio I got was the last one. Lock offs were available prior but not after. IMO I've seen it frequently enough to be more than coincidental. VGC is another resort that makes it easy to see because of it's small size.

 

[Tramp68]

Thanks for the responses and an interesting conversation.

In the interest of the safety of my reservation, I will be keeping the 2BR regardless of if our guests can come or not.

No use risking the loss of reservation to save a few points, it just seems like it should be easy to make the change...

 

[kristenrice]

It does seem like it should be easy, but here's why it doesn't work that way. Let's say you booked a 2BR AKV CL at 8am when your 11 month window opened. Now, let's say I tried to book a 1BR AKV CL 5 minutes later but it wasn't available and I had to waitlist it. Fast-Forward 7 months...it is now four months before travel date and my waitlist still hasn't filled but now you decide you only want a 1BR instead of your 2BR. There are no 1BR's available so you would need to join the waitlist. Just because you had a 2BR booked does not allow you to "jump the line" for a 1BR. Your cancelled 2BR *might* be converted into a 1BR and studio and thereby fill someone's waitlist, but it also might remain a 2BR...we don't know. Since you now want a 1BR instead of a 2BR, you have to get in line behind the folks that wanted a 1BR 7 months ago.

I understand and sympathize with your train of thought. We often travel with my parents and they cannot always commit at 11 months. Since we have a small contract, it is not possible for us to book a 1BR and a studio. When the parents come along, we have to really stretch our points by booking a 2BR. Although they have never had to cancel yet, it would be a huge blow to our points if we were "stuck" with a 2BR for the 4 of us, but that's what we would do.

 

[Tramp68]

It does seem like it should be easy, but here's why it doesn't work that way. Let's say you booked a 2BR AKV CL at 8am when your 11 month window opened. Now, let's say I tried to book a 1BR AKV CL 5 minutes later but it wasn't available and I had to waitlist it. Fast-Forward 7 months...it is now four months before travel date and my waitlist still hasn't filled but now you decide you only want a 1BR instead of your 2BR. There are no 1BR's available so you would need to join the waitlist. Just because you had a 2BR booked does not allow you to "jump the line" for a 1BR. Your cancelled 2BR *might* be converted into a 1BR and studio and thereby fill someone's waitlist, but it also might remain a 2BR...we don't know. Since you now want a 1BR instead of a 2BR, you have to get in line behind the folks that wanted a 1BR 7 months ago.

I understand and sympathize with your train of thought. We often travel with my parents and they cannot always commit at 11 months. Since we have a small contract, it is not possible for us to book a 1BR and a studio. When the parents come along, we have to really stretch our points by booking a 2BR. Although they have never had to cancel yet, it would be a huge blow to our points if we were "stuck" with a 2BR for the 4 of us, but that's what we would do.

I certainly am not looking for sympathy or complaining about getting stuck with a 2BR. I am thrilled to keep the 2BR in any case that is what I have the points for. I look at it more from the standpoint that I do not NEED a 2BR at that point and I am trying to HELP someone who needs a studio. I see this as 1 less family that gets to have their choice of vacations, because I have a studio that I do not need. Everything is a matter of perspective. Disney doesn't share mine.