Another 1st Time Ressie Question

[goaliewife]

Boy has this turned into an ordeal.

We will be calling to make our first ressie at our home resort within the next two weeks. It was going to be just DH, myself, DGS and DGD. It has now turned into DH's sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew as well. We only have enough points for a one-BDRM spot at our home resort and we do not want to borrow from next year's points because we have something cooking for those points already.

My question is.................to get a 2-BDRM place at our home resort, can we just pay for the remaining points? It isn't a lot of points (55) for the extra BDRM and I feel that the extended family should pay for this anyway.

Is this something that can be done? We initially only bought 200 pts p/year thinking that this would be enough for the two of us to take the grandchildren on vacation yearly and we figured that after the first couple of years if it looked like we needed more points we would purchase more points. Whew, we haven't even made our first ressies, and we are needing more points.

Hope someone can help with this dilemma. Thanks

 

[DIS-NH]

I think there are a few options for you.

1. use your 200 points, and get as many nights as you can. You can then pay for the additional nights. This option may be expensive.

2. Borrow the additional points from your next years allotment of points.

3. Try "renting" the points from another DVC memner. See the rental page for info.

Good Luck

 

[goaliewife]

Thanks for your help. Since posting my original question, I have called MS's twice and our DVC guide once also.

I asked the first person at MS about financing the extra points. Well I guess that I worded that incorrectly. The first person I spoke to at MS's said that she had never heard of anyone doing this before. So I then called our guide and I told him that I think that I worded my question to MS incorrectly and asked him if we could pay for the extra points or the extra night and he said of course we could and that I should call MS back and if I have trouble there again to call him back. So I called MS's again and spoke to a different person and she understood me correct since I worded it correctly this time and asked if we could PAY for the extra points. She said of course and that when we make the reservation we should book 5 nights at whatever the points are and book the last night for CASH.

So that is what we will do next week. Whew. Now if anyone backs out on me they are out of my will.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Be prepared for the sob story about 30 days out from your reservation. "Oh, we didn't know that little Susie was going to .... that week. So we won't be able to go. Is that a problem?" "Oh, we didn't know that you meant THAT week. We can't go THAT week. How about THIS week? Is that a problem??"

Get it in writing. Let them know what is is going to cost them to be there - transportation to WDW (if they have to fly or drive), what tickets cost (they'll have to buy those, no discount), food isn't free, etc.

You can't just buy points for a one time use. All you can do is what DIS-NH suggested or add on to your contract with more points, purchased as a resale or through Disney directly.

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip)...... She said of course and that when we make the reservation we should book 5 nights at whatever the points are and book the last night for CASH.

So that is what we will do next week. Whew. Now if anyone backs out on me they are out of my will.

The Will threat isn't good enough - your guests need some "skin in the game" asap to prevent any problems.

Seriously (and especially since you said the extras should pay for the difference), ask them for the money to pay for that cash night. Be sure to tell them it is non-refundable and that you have committed to a 2 bedroom even if they have to back out. Most non-members do not understand how DVC works and that cancelling the 2 bedroom and re booking a 1 bedroom at the last minute may not be possible.

In my experience, if the guests have non-refundable airline reservations or have paid a portion of the accomodations in advance, they nearly never back out. They either really think about it up front (and cancel before you commit to anything you can't rearange) or they stick to their plans.

We have had many threads about how "friends and family - mostly family" have cancelled out at the last minute and left the DVC member holding the bag. Don't let it happen to you!

Hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[goaliewife]

QUOTE: "In my experience, if the guests have non-refundable airline reservations or have paid a portion of the accomodations in advance, they nearly never back out. They either really think about it up front (and cancel before you commit to anything you can't rearange) or they stick to their plans.

We have had many threads about how "friends and family - mostly family" have cancelled out at the last minute and left the DVC member holding the bag. Don't let it happen to you!"

You are all the best and you think the way that I do.....

I have already told the "in-laws" that I am booking on a certain date. If they are hemming and hawing at that time, I am booking a one bdrm for the four of us only, THAT'S IT. If they commit and say that they are going, I will get the price of the 6th night, plus figure a portion of the 2bdrm for the five nights divided by all of us and DH and I will decide what would be fair for his DS and family to pay and they will pay before I book it. That way they are truly committed. If I do not have their money in hand, I will not book it. I know in my heart that they would not back out once committed, but problems do arise and emergencies happen and I understand that, but I am not going to pay for their emergencies.

And to Deb & Bill, you are right we cannot just pay for points, but we can pay cash for the last night's stay if we book it at the same time, which works out perfectly with a few points to spare and put toward's next year's trip to Italy.


Thank you for all of your input. You are all the best.