Best way to change resort at 7 months

[BLTtinkerbell]

I am booked at my home resort (BLT) and would like to try to switch to BWV or BCV at 7 months.

My plan is to check availability the night before. In the morning, should I try online or call Member Services?

 

[OKW Lover]

I prefer to do this type of transaction over the phone. I've never really cared for the on-line booking system except for straight forward bookings.

 

[supersnoop]

Online gives you a one-hour advantage over booking over the phone. If you need to free up points from the first reservation in order to make the second, there are ways to do that online, too. Some people feel more comfortable doing that over the phone, but the risks are the same.

 

[drusba]

Since your planned trip is sometime between mid-April and mid-Sep, you should be able to easily get BWV pool/garden view whether you do it online or wait to call at 9 a.m. at 7 months out. Usually that is also true for BCV other than possibly holiday times and key event weekends like Star Wars weekends, but in 2016, BCV will be under renovation and thus there will be a number of rooms out of service per week, probably making 7 month reservations more difficult at times. Note if you see an opening for BWV standard or boardwalk view at 7 months and want either of those, then doing the switch online at 8 a.m. may be necessary to have a chance.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

Just checked for my April trip. The 2 bedroom pool/garden view at BWV is not available on my second night. All views for 1 bedroom are available. There will be four of us, two adults & two teen boys. I wish 1 bedrooms had two bathrooms.

 

[Minniesgal]

I always do this online as you have 1 hour advantage.

MS has to follow the same cancel and rebook procedure as you do so there is not benefit to losing that hour.

BWV availability is excellent for March. I've had switched to BCV but when I found out the refurb was so far behind I switched to BWV Boardwalk View for Easter weekend a few days ago. I was amazed it was available and it is still pretty available with just the odd day missing.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

Thanks for all your help! I was able to get a one bedroom at BWV, boardwalk view! I am wait listed for two bedroom standard view & pool/garden view, but very happy that I got into BWV!

 

[Savagekids]

Did you do it over the phone or online? Did you have to let your previous reservation go before booking this one? I'm looking to do the same thing in a couple of weeks and I'm new at DVC.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

Did you do it over the phone or online? Did you have to let your previous reservation go before booking this one? I'm looking to do the same thing in a couple of weeks and I'm new at DVC.

I did it over the phone. I was too nervous to do it online. I've never made changes online & didn't want to mess it up.

The CM had to cancel my existing reservation first & then booked the new room.

Good luck! I hope you get what you want!

 

[Millionaire2K]

I did it over the phone. I was too nervous to do it online. I've never made changes online & didn't want to mess it up.

The CM had to cancel my existing reservation first & then booked the new room.

Good luck! I hope you get what you want!

There is nothing to worry about using online. You just cancel and book like Disney MS will do for you on the phone. You can also search for the room you want and be ready to re-book as soon as you cancel. I trust you're smart enough to do it. Have faith.

PS. Enjoy your trip.

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

If I were to do this online, is the process below how you recommend going about changing resorts at 7 months?

1. Check resort availability to confirm room available
2. Quickly cancel the current reservation
3. Book new reservation

Is there an option to cancel current reservation when you are booking new reservation, or is that a separate transaction?

 

[Millionaire2K]

If I were to do this online, is the process below how you recommend going about changing resorts at 7 months?

1. Check resort availability to confirm room available
2. Quickly cancel the current reservation
3. Book new reservation

Is there an option to cancel current reservation when you are booking new reservation, or is that a separate transaction?

You have to cancel then book. But Disney does the same thing on the phone. On the phone they also warn you that you may loose both rooms if they fill before they complete the request. I see no advantage in waiting to call.

 

[Jennasis]

What about having TWO computers (or a computer and a phone/tablet)? On one of them you have the new reservation ready to click BOOK NOW, and the other ready to click CANCEL. Then cancel one and book the other one right after the other?

 

[supersnoop]

What about having TWO computers (or a computer and a phone/tablet)? On one of them you have the new reservation ready to click BOOK NOW, and the other ready to click CANCEL. Then cancel one and book the other one right after the other?

You can do this in two different browsers. You can also go ahead and start the booking process and get to the point where it holds the room before you cancel. After you cancel, you can select the "borrow points" link and cancel out of that menu after it pops up. That action will refresh your available points.

 

[disfanforlife]

Just checked for my April trip. The 2 bedroom pool/garden view at BWV is not available on my second night. All views for 1 bedroom are available. There will be four of us, two adults & two teen boys. I wish 1 bedrooms had two bathrooms.

We stayed in a one bedroom at BWV for our first stay there March 2014. We normally get a 2 bedroom but one of our kids wasn't with us that trip. There was plenty of room, but slightly inconvenient having only one bathroom. Our next family trip we have 2 bedroom booked at AKV & BLT and will be happy to have the extra bathrooms, because we have 7 people going.

 

[mousestruck]

If you make the switch on line, do the points from the canceled reservation immediately go back into your account? I will need the points from my old reservation to make the new one, so I'm worried there will be a delay and I'll lose my chance to reserve an available room. My home resort is AKV and I can book that now, but I need to wait another month to try for the Poly (for end of June) - which is available as of now.

 

[2boysmommy]

If you make the switch on line, do the points from the canceled reservation immediately go back into your account? I will need the points from my old reservation to make the new one, so I'm worried there will be a delay and I'll lose my chance to reserve an available room. My home resort is AKV and I can book that now, but I need to wait another month to try for the Poly (for end of June) - which is available as of now.

I just did this today. I cancelled a BLT reservation and booked a VGF reservation. As soon as I cancelled BLT I went to the booking page to book VGF. It was seamless - the points were available and I had no issues.
I chose to go this route over doing it on the phone as I worried about the one hour time difference between the booking window online and Member Services opening on the phone. It ended up that it would not have been an issue as there are still VGF rooms available for our dates (Memorial Day week).

 

[maburke]

If you make the switch on line, do the points from the canceled reservation immediately go back into your account? I will need the points from my old reservation to make the new one, so I'm worried there will be a delay and I'll lose my chance to reserve an available room. My home resort is AKV and I can book that now, but I need to wait another month to try for the Poly (for end of June) - which is available as of now.

Do this:

You can do this in two different browsers. You can also go ahead and start the booking process and get to the point where it holds the room before you cancel. After you cancel, you can select the "borrow points" link and cancel out of that menu after it pops up. That action will refresh your available points.

It works (I've done it) and you don't risk being left with nothing.