Booking DLH or PPH with points

[northshoremama]

hello, not sure if this is the best place to post this, but thought i'd share.

i used points to book a 2night stay at GCH at the 7 month mark a few months ago (for a march 2017 stay). i should have booked 3 nights and then cancelled the first night if not needed. now i'm on the waitlist for an extra night. i'm thinking that i'll likely not get the waitlist because it's GCH. i called in my waitlist request yesterday. the CM who helped me said that i could convert my points and stay at the 'hotel' side of GCH for my first night or at DLH or PPH for less points. I asked about the $95 fee, and the CM said that is waived at GCH because of the limited amount of villas at GCH. I was not aware of this. he also warned me that if I did convert my point and the waitlist became available, that I could NOT be able to convert my points back.

anyhow, I'm currently waitlisted for the first day (I didn't convert any points...yet). in the next month or so, once we finalized flight plans, if we don't get the waitlist, I will likely convert points to stay at the hotel side of GCH for the first night, then have bell services hold unto our suitcases the next morning until our villa is ready.

just curious if anyone has done this before?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I think you may have your acronyms a little mixed up as I'm assuming you have two nights booked at the villas (VGC) and are waitlisting for one more night there? It's not possible afaik to waitlist for a hotel room. You're curious if anyone has used points at one of the DL hotels? Yes, I've done that at various times for all 3 hotels there. Disney has never charged the $95 fee for DL hotels nor does the "Rule of 4" apply so you can book a hotel room at DL even if you are in the last 4 months of your UY. Once you reserve a room outside of DVC the points will become reservation points and will have to be used for a non-DVC stay. They cannot be converted back and used for a DVC room.

 

[northshoremama]

I think you may have your acronyms a little mixed up as I'm assuming you have two nights booked at the villas (VGC) and are waitlisting for one more night there? It's not possible afaik to waitlist for a hotel room. You're curious if anyone has used points at one of the DL hotels? Yes, I've done that at various times for all 3 hotels there. Disney has never charged the $95 fee for DL hotels nor does the "Rule of 4" apply so you can book a hotel room at DL even if you are in the last 4 months of your UY. Once you reserve a room outside of DVC the points will become reservation points and will have to be used for a non-DVC stay. They cannot be converted back and used for a DVC room.

thanks for catching that! yes, I'm very new to DVC and still getting a hang of the acronyms! yes, i meant i have a reservation via points for a 2 night stay at VGC. i am waitlisted for another night at VGC. the CM said i could convert points to add that extra day to stay at GCH, PPH, or DLR if the waitlist at VGC doesn't work out. I'm thinking because it's VGC, the waitlist will likely not happen. i think staying at GCH for one night even though it's more points that PPH or DLR would be better (less 'travel' between hotels...LOL).

 

[Maddysdaddy]

Unless things have changed, be aware that there are only a finite amount of rooms available at GCH/DLH/PP to book with DVC points, and once those are gone, you may well be out of luck for anything on property.

Ran into this last year, where I held off booking at one of the hotels hoping that a waitlist would come through, and by the time I pulled the plug on the waitlist, GCH & PP were all booked and I was one night short at the DLH.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

thanks for catching that! yes, I'm very new to DVC and still getting a hang of the acronyms! yes, i meant i have a reservation via points for a 2 night stay at VGC. i am waitlisted for another night at VGC. the CM said i could convert points to add that extra day to stay at GCH, PPH, or DLR if the waitlist at VGC doesn't work out. I'm thinking because it's VGC, the waitlist will likely not happen. i think staying at GCH for one night even though it's more points that PPH or DLR would be better (less 'travel' between hotels...LOL).

I wouldn't count out the waitlist. VGC sees cancellations too.

Keep in mind that there are only so many rooms available to trade for at the hotels but I've gotten into the hotels on points on pretty short notice so that's just going to depend. Have you also checked out booking on cash? If nothing else it could be a backup while you wait to see if you can get VGC because once you book the hotel side that's where the points have to stay. Personally I'd want to give the waitlist a bit of time.

 

[wench]

I had one night WLs for VGC fill 3 different times in the last year or so. I wouldn't give up hope yet.

Traditionally using points to stay at a non DVC resort is a horrible exchange rate & not the best use of your points. Have you checked if there are other room types available in the villas for your night? For example, if you're wanting a studio, maybe check for a 1 bedroom instead. It would probably save you points over a DLH or PP stay. And then, if your WL comes through, you can have it set to cancel/replace the backup reservation.

Worst case, if it were me, I would book a cash night rather than use points on a non DVC room. But I know it's not always easy to pull money you didn't budget for out of thin air. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Also, I have been on the waitlist for VGC and found nights in a studio myself by checking myself. Just a fluke but got 2 nights back to back once this way, one night at a time. So check yourself too, if you get the chance.

I have used points there for DL Hotel and GC as well, but usually try to land a room at the Villas, of course. (I also have used $$ for rooms there, they are sometimes discounted).

 

[northshoremama]

there's 5 of us, so I'd need the 1bedroom villa. if I get the waitlist, will I be notified via email?

 

[DebbieB]

I wouldn't count out the waitlist. VGC sees cancellations too.

Keep in mind that there are only so many rooms available to trade for at the hotels but I've gotten into the hotels on points on pretty short notice so that's just going to depend. Have you also checked out booking on cash? If nothing else it could be a backup while you wait to see if you can get VGC because once you book the hotel side that's where the points have to stay. Personally I'd want to give the waitlist a bit of time.

I ran into that, I booked the hotel before the villas opened. GCH was hard to get with points, I got PPH instead. Be sure to check the points chart, the hotel points required are high at GCH.

https://secure.cdn3.wdpromedia.com/...e-pier-hotel/2017 DLR Pt Cht FINAL 073116.pdf

 

[wench]

there's 5 of us, so I'd need the 1bedroom villa. if I get the waitlist, will I be notified via email?

My experience is that you get the normal confirmation email that you get whenever you've booked a reservation. It was bit confusing to me the first time. Because I already had nights booked & was adding one each to the beginning & end, I wasn't sure why they'd resent my confirmation. Then after a day or two, I looked at it again & realized it included 1 more night than it originally had. When my others filled the same thing happened, but of course I understood what was happening those times.