A Sad DVC Reservation Tale (at least for me)

[tecodis]

I could kick myself on my December DVC reservation!


I bought AKV-Kidani in June and had my guide jump through hoops (bless her!) to get me booked into SSR for early December, which was booked solid, with my developer points. I considered it a deal breaker actually if no DVC resort could be booked as I had already bought plane and MVMCP tickets.

I had a business trip to California planned for August and planned two nights to visit Disneyland. Booked a reservation at Paradise Pier and paid the deposit. I really wanted Grand Californian but it was sooo expensive.

After MUCH agonizing thought going back and forth, I decided to cancel the December reservation to stay at the Grand Californian with my developer points (didn't have enough for the CG without canceling it). If I wouldn't pay the rack price then I figured I'd might as well use points. Had kept my Caribbean Beach reservation for December the whole time anyway.

Late last week I find out they moved the business trip ahead one week. Okay - scrambled to change the Grand Californian reservation but was able to. Mind you reservations using developer points isn't exactly high-tech at this point.

Now, today, I find out it will likely be moved again to late October or November!

So now I will likely have to cancel my Grand Californian point reservation within the 30 day window. This means now I will probably loose 78 developer points since they will be placed in the holding account status. I won't be able to use them within 60 days.

Ugh!!!!!

 

[AdventurerKat]

I could kick myself on my December DVC reservation!


I bought AKV-Kidani in June and had my guide jump through hoops (bless her!) to get me booked into SSR for early December, which was booked solid, with my developer points. I considered it a deal breaker actually if no DVC resort could be booked as I had already bought plane and MVMCP tickets.

I had a business trip to California planned for August and planned two nights to visit Disneyland. Booked a reservation at Paradise Pier and paid the deposit. I really wanted Grand Californian but it was sooo expensive.

After MUCH agonizing thought going back and forth, I decided to cancel the December reservation to stay at the Grand Californian with my developer points (didn't have enough for the CG without canceling it). If I wouldn't pay the rack price then I figured I'd might as well use points. Had kept my Caribbean Beach reservation for December the whole time anyway.

Late last week I find out they moved the business trip ahead one week. Okay - scrambled to change the Grand Californian reservation but was able to. Mind you reservations using developer points isn't exactly high-tech at this point.

Now, today, I find out it will likely be moved again to late October or November!

So now I will likely have to cancel my Grand Californian point reservation within the 30 day window. This means now I will probably loose 78 developer points since they will be placed in the holding account status. I won't be able to use them within 60 days.

Ugh!!!!!

You might try renting them out so at least it's not a total loss.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Since you used your points to reserve and then cancel the Grand Californian, they are now considered reservation points, so you are very limited in their use. Perhaps someone with experience can chime in here. Sorry it all fell through for you..

 

[jade1]

You think its bad now, wait until they start charging you for any changes on top of everything-as some have proposed for the new ressie system. Talk about adding insult to injury.

 

[moredisneyplease]

best of luck to you!! I hope something good (like a trip to either DL or WDW) comes out of this.

 

[goldilocks_63]

Perhaps your guide could extend the date the dev points would be good for...

or you could use them for a local stay at for a weekend hotel....

GOldi

 

[DebbieB]

So now I will likely have to cancel my Grand Californian point reservation within the 30 day window. This means now I will probably loose 78 developer points since they will be placed in the holding account status. I won't be able to use them within 60 days.

Ugh!!!!!

What is your use year? Holding account points expire at the end of your use year. They can only be reserved within 60 days of arrival, not within 60 days of cancellation.

 

[ACDSNY]

You can cancel a DL reservation up to 4 days prior to check in and the points go back into the UY the reservation falls under. They are considered reservation points, not holding points. The points can then be used for anything except DVC resorts or World Passport Collection, so you can make another DL reservation for your new dates.

 

[JimMIA]

The obvious lesson here is that DVC works much better for solid plans than it does for uncertain plans.

As I understand your OP, you've now paid $95 twice and all you've ended up with are reservation points you might have a hard time using. Plus, if you do get to use them, you'll have to pay $95 AGAIN.

And...your "deal breaker" is also now gone.

If this scenario is typical of your use of DVC, I think you are going to be disappointed pretty often.

 

[M4travels]

As I understand your OP, you've now paid $95 twice and all you've ended up with are reservation points you might have a hard time using. Plus, if you do get to use them, you'll have to pay $95 AGAIN.

Actually, the $95 fee is not charged for the DLR hotels.

Michael

 

[JimMIA]

Actually, the $95 fee is not charged for the DLR hotels.

Michael

Ooops...my bad.

 

[tecodis]

What is your use year? Holding account points expire at the end of your use year. They can only be reserved within 60 days of arrival, not within 60 days of cancellation.

So I don't have to use the points within 60 days? Just can't book until within 60 days as long within use year?

These are developer points so normally I would have until June 21, 2009 to use them.

 

[tecodis]

You can cancel a DL reservation up to 4 days prior to check in and the points go back into the UY the reservation falls under. They are considered reservation points, not holding points. The points can then be used for anything except DVC resorts or World Passport Collection, so you can make another DL reservation for your new dates.

So if I cancel, I can use them again when by business trip does finally take place in the Fall?

 

[ACDSNY]

So if I cancel, I can use them again when by business trip does finally take place in the Fall?

Yes, you can rebook if the new dates are available as when you cancel a DL reservation they are not holding points, but reservation status points. You can reschedule your dates anytime, not just 60 days out. I have made reservations for DL only a month before our trips, so your new dates should be available. Since it looks like you've recently purchased DVC you developer points shouldn't expire until next June, check your contract docs and it should have the date on them.

 

[huey578]

I'm curious, if trip insurance was purchased would it have covered something like this?

 

[JimMIA]

I'm curious, if trip insurance was purchased would it have covered something like this?

Obviously, the coverage varies from company to company. But generally, trip insurance pays for non-refundable losses due to a specific set of causes -- generally illness of the insured or close family member and travel disruption by storms, etc.

If a person's travel plans changed -- even if they were changed by someone else, like a boss -- that would not be covered by typical trip insurance.

Your question is a very good example of the kind of question knowledgeable consumers should ask before they purchase trip insurance. Trip insurance is great, but only if it covers your specific issue.

 

[shelby101301]

I would check back with member services. We kind of went back and forth booking as to what was allowed and what wasn't. There seems to be all kinds of special rules to use the bonus points. I was glad for the free points, but am glad it's not that hard to deal with for our regular points!

We are using ours in the last possible week before losing them, because I got pregnant on the trip we bought into DVC! No way were we going to Disney pg, so now we are bringing a 3 month old. We must be crazy!