Booking for a friend?????

[quandrea]

My friend wants to come with us in October but hadn't committed yet. I've watched availability at Animal Kingdom disappear. Is she better off booking through Disney or member discounted cash? All that's left for points is a savannah view. She wanted standard and I'm also reluctant to put that many points in jeopardy should she cancel.

 

[POTCfan]

If you have hesitation, do not offer to put your points up. Just direct her to the best deals. Undercover Tourist is now offering rooms, but they seem on par with Disney discounts. I've never used member discounted cash.

 

[quandrea]

If you have hesitation, do not offer to put your points up. Just direct her to the best deals. Undercover Tourist is now offering rooms, but they seem on par with Disney discounts. I've never used member discounted cash.

I think you are right. I so want to help out and I want her to join us, but if she cancels I'd have 22 points that I couldn't use before expiry. 48 if she cancels past my banking deadline. I'll just help her find the best deal.

As an aside, member discounted rooms at Kidani for a studio are $303 plus tax. With central reservation, the room is $404. Same cancellation policy as central reservations--5 days out for refund in full.

 

[Lisa F]

yeah this is a recipe for ruining a friendship. I think you just have to be honest with her if she has any expectations about using your points that basically your cancellation policy for DVC is a lot more strict than cash and you will lose a lot of money if she can't truly commit.

The member discount is 25% and when there is some kind of a room only discount i believe deluxe and DVC are 30% off, so it's a pretty good discount to have access to at any time. You could book it and keep an eye out for other promos to save the extra 5% (about $20 a night) but it's going to be around there no matter what.

 

[quandrea]

yeah this is a recipe for ruining a friendship. I think you just have to be honest with her if she has any expectations about using your points that basically your cancellation policy for DVC is a lot more strict than cash and you will lose a lot of money if she can't truly commit.

The member discount is 25% and when there is some kind of a room only discount i believe deluxe and DVC are 30% off, so it's a pretty good discount to have access to at any time. You could book it and keep an eye out for other promos to save the extra 5% (about $20 a night) but it's going to be around there no matter what.

Agreed. Today is the day I could book and no word from her. I understand that people don't get how one needs to jump on a reservation with a timeshare and that reservations are basically written in stone. I have booked a member discounted room for her as a placeholder, so she has a place to stay with a generous cancellation policy. It's way more expensive than renting DVC though. I think she will have some significant sticker shock. I know I did.

Thanks for the heads up on the 30% off potential discount. I'll keep an eye out.

If the trip is meant to be, it will happen.

She could also book a mod for a good price but then we will be at different resorts.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Agreed. Today is the day I could book and no word from her. I understand that people don't get how one needs to jump on a reservation with a timeshare and that reservations are basically written in stone. I have booked a member discounted room for her as a placeholder, so she has a place to stay with a generous cancellation policy. It's way more expensive than renting DVC though. I think she will have some significant sticker shock. I know I did.

Thanks for the heads up on the 30% off potential discount. I'll keep an eye out.

If the trip is meant to be, it will happen.

She could also book a mod for a good price but then we will be at different resorts.

I thought the member had to stay in a member discounted cash reservation.

 

[quandrea]

I thought the member had to stay in a member discounted cash reservation.

No. I booked yesterday. I'm staying down the hall so maybe that changes things?

 

[mustinjourney]

I have a friend that sounds like yours. They're super excited at the prospect and even are the ones asking and suggesting about a combined trip. I tell them how it works and that they're getting something at least 40% cheaper than normal, but they can't cancel...and they need to give me a heads up they're going 11 months ahead of time. They're still excited after all this.

Then it's radio silence when it's time to actually pull the trigger.

One thing I can say for sure -- if they do ever come on a trip with us, it won't be sharing a 2 BR. Definitely get them a separate studio so that if they do cancel, I'm not stuck with all those extra points and no way to try and recoup some of the costs.