A somewhat complex question about switching reservations at 7 months

[ZephyrHawk]

Okay, here's the deal:

I currently have 2 reservations for January of next year at WL. One is my family's, and one is for our good friends. Come June we want to try and switch to the Poly. Yes, I'm aware that might be difficult. However, after our friends head home, my family intends to stay on a second week at a different hotel (we're thinking BC, but that's not important for this question). I'll have to borrow some points for that second week reservation.

Anyways, is there any benefit to me not booking our second week now (within my 11 months) at the WL? More specfically, is there any potential booking benefit from having those points "free" for when I try to switch to the Poly? I know there's a way to switch exsting reservations fairly quickly using two compters/browsers, but wouldn't it be faster/easier if you already had some points that could be used at the ready? Especially if you're trying to switch 2 rooms at once? Or is the difference so minimal it's not worth bothering about? Or are my chances of switching at all so minimal it's not worth considering?

Also, I'm aware that, if I were to do this in the proposed manner, the first switched reservation would take points "borrowed" from the following year, but since I intend to use those points anyways for one reservation or another, it shouldn't make a difference.

Does that make any sense? I hope so.

 

[supersnoop]

Having the points free to aid the switch is probably a good idea since you're trying to switch two rooms. What happens if you can only get one? If you don't have to cancel the first reservation, then you'll still have two rooms at the same resort to fall back on. If you cancel first, you could lose that room and end up with reservations at different resorts. I doubt that's a desired outcome.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Having the points free to aid the switch is probably a good idea since you're trying to switch two rooms. What happens if you can only get one? If you don't have to cancel the first reservation, then you'll still have two rooms at the same resort to fall back on. If you cancel first, you could lose that room and end up with reservations at different resorts. I doubt that's a desired outcome.

Hmmm...that's a thought as well. But in all honesty, I'm not nearly as worried about being able to get a WL room at 7 months (or less) than I am the Poly. I actually think that if I did only manage to switch one, I'd waitlist the other, and then take my chances at finding a WL room late in the game if the waitlist never came through.

 

[supersnoop]

Hmmm...that's a thought as well. But in all honesty, I'm not nearly as worried about being able to get a WL room at 7 months (or less) than I am the Poly. I actually think that if I did only manage to switch one, I'd waitlist the other, and then take my chances at finding a WL room late in the game if the waitlist never came through.

Then here's my process for holding a reservation while you free up the points from a second one.
http://disboards.com/threads/making...n-you-go-ahead-of-time.3461485/#post-54707122

 

[drusba]

What are you actual dates in Jan that you want for Poly? If they are anytime from Jan 1 through Jan 6, your chances of getting Poly at 7 months out are likely zero. If it includes Jan 7, it is 50/50. If it is Jan 8 and after probability of getting Poly is very high. That also applies to BRV (WL) for whatever your second week is: if you want Jan 6 or before, it will be gone before 7 months out; Jan 7 is more 50/50 and Jan 8 or after is highly likely to be open.