Booking for our first time - some questions before I can book on August 8th (tomorrow!)

[ninafeliz]

we purchased Riviera direct in February, (December use year) banked our first years points, and are ready to book our first stay. I think I have the general idea, but I want to make sure I am ready.

We want to book July 8-17 2021 in a standard view 2 BR. To do this we will use all of our banked and current (next years) points, and will need to buy 16 one time use points.

So I know I can book on August 8th and 8 AM on the website, correct? But can I book all 9 nights, and how do I go about purchasing the one time use points? Do I have to call for that?

do you think I will have any trouble getting this? We don't have enough points for preferred view for that long, we would have to stay a couple of nights somewhere else or shorten our stay and I really don't want to have to do that. I'm thinking at 11 months we should be ok, but I also don't want to have an issue because I wasn't prepared or messed it up myself.

Thanks in advance for any help in what to expect!

 

[sethschroeder]

Can't get 1 time use points til 7 months. You can just borrow points from the following year. When making the reservation the borrowing will automatically be prompted to occur.

Once you borrow you can't return those point back though be aware.

 

[sethschroeder]

Also you can check tonight to see what availability is. If it's available now it should be in the morning.

If for some reason it's not available tomorrow morning just keep checking on following days as people cancel or change reservations a bunch the first couple weeks.

 

[AaronEuth]

You also will only be able to book the first 7 nights but you can add on the rest day by day or just wait 2 more days and add them on then.

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

Once you borrow you can't return those point back though be aware.

I did not know this, I always assumed they went back if they were cancelled in time.

 

[drusba]

At exactly 11 months out, you can book a maximum of 7 nights. You can then modify your reservation to add nights in days thereafter. Think of actual restriction as you can never have a departure date from WDW that is more than 11 month plus 7 days from date you call or go online to make or modify a reservation.Thus, if you made a 7 night reservation on Aug 8 for July 8-15, 2021, on Aug 10, you could, if you had the additional points, modify the reservation to add the nights of July 15 and 16, with a check-out date of July 17..

One time use points are available only when reserving (or modifying a reservation) at 7-months out.Moreover, they are availlble only by calling MS.

You could borrow points but I would avoid doing so at this time because of the continuous, not yet beaten, covid risk, which necessarily means there is some risk that your reservation could be canceled next year and any borrowed points may expire by Nov 30, 2021.

In essence, your safe reservation now is to use only points already available (banked and Dec 2020 points). In deciding whether to accept that, be aware that Riviera is already demonstrating an 11-month problem at times for getting standard view studios and 2BR lock-offs. Essentially, Disney is "overselling" the studios by having a low-point minimum purchase requirement, a high point per night requirements for the rooms, a high purchase price, a limited number of standard view view rooms, and the willingness to sell lots of points applicable to the larger units, GVs and 2BR's, to those who can afford only enough points to get smaller units such as studios. That problem does not exist yet for dedicated standard 2BRs, and probably will not happen even if attempting to get a lock-off 2BR with a July 8 arrival date, since July 8 is during one of the lowest DVC demand times of the year, July 6-31. But it could affect your ability to add-on any nights at 7-months out when you can get one-time-use-points.

 

[Donna M]

If one time use points are not returnable, then you may be better off borrowing. You will lose cash with one time use points and the value of your borrowed points on the other hand if the resorts are closed and DVC doesn't give you them back. All depends on the chances you want to take.

 

[sethschroeder]

If one time use points are not returnable, then you may be better off borrowing. You will lose cash with one time use points and the value of your borrowed points on the other hand if the resorts are closed and DVC doesn't give you them back. All depends on the chances you want to take.

You can't return one time use points or buy them until 7 months.

Borrowing points also locks them in to the year you borrow them in to as well. You can not return them to the original year even if you cancel.

 

[Sandisw]

I think the chances are good for you to get what you need given the timeline of your trip.

As mentioned, book the 7 nights and then go from there in adding the nights a few days later. To secure the 9 nights, borrowing allows you to do it all know, but those 16 points become part of 2020 and will need to be used before November 30th, 2021.

Since you will also have banked points in that situation, and only needing 16, I’d probably do that.

At 7 months, if your first or last night is still available, you can call, book it with OTU points, and then bank 16 of the 2020 points back to 2021 to replace what was borrowed...assuming you plan to travel in your 2021 UY.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I did not know this, I always assumed they went back if they were cancelled in time.

It's never been that way until Covid hit and only for those reservations where the resorts were closed.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Phone calls tomorrow are only for booking foR 2021 DVC MC, or I think reservations within the next week.

MS will be opened for other things on Sunday.

So plan on doing what you can on Line tomorrow!

 

[ninafeliz]

Can't get 1 time use points til 7 months. You can just borrow points from the following year. When making the reservation the borrowing will automatically be prompted to occur.

Once you borrow you can't return those point back though be aware.

Thanks, I had completely forgotten that you can't get one time use points until 7 months! That does throw a monkey wrench into our plan.

Also you can check tonight to see what availability is. If it's available now it should be in the morning.

If for some reason it's not available tomorrow morning just keep checking on following days as people cancel or change reservations a bunch the first couple weeks.

Right now there looks to be pretty much full availability from March forward in both 2 BR SV and 2 BR SV lockoff

At exactly 11 months out, you can book a maximum of 7 nights. You can then modify your reservation to add nights in days thereafter. Think of actual restriction as you can never have a departure date from WDW that is more than 11 month plus 7 days from date you call or go online to make or modify a reservation.Thus, if you made a 7 night reservation on Aug 8 for July 8-15, 2021, on Aug 10, you could, if you had the additional points, modify the reservation to add the nights of July 15 and 16, with a check-out date of July 17..

One time use points are available only when reserving (or modifying a reservation) at 7-months out.Moreover, they are availlble only by calling MS.

You could borrow points but I would avoid doing so at this time because of the continuous, not yet beaten, covid risk, which necessarily means there is some risk that your reservation could be canceled next year and any borrowed points may expire by Nov 30, 2021.

In essence, your safe reservation now is to use only points already available (banked and Dec 2020 points). In deciding whether to accept that, be aware that Riviera is already demonstrating an 11-month problem at times for getting standard view studios and 2BR lock-offs. Essentially, Disney is "overselling" the studios by having a low-point minimum purchase requirement, a high point per night requirements for the rooms, a high purchase price, a limited number of standard view view rooms, and the willingness to sell lots of points applicable to the larger units, GVs and 2BR's, to those who can afford only enough points to get smaller units such as studios. That problem does not exist yet for dedicated standard 2BRs, and probably will not happen even if attempting to get a lock-off 2BR with a July 8 arrival date, since July 8 is during one of the lowest DVC demand times of the year, July 6-31. But it could affect your ability to add-on any nights at 7-months out when you can get one-time-use-points.

Thanks so much for all of this info, it was very helpful! It stinks that studio bookings cause 2 BRs (only lockoffs, I know) to become unavailable. It is really unfortunate in the resorts that only have lockoffs. Before I understood DVC better I had thought 2 BR would be the easiest to get, now I realize 1 BRs are probably easier. I really wish they had a 1 BR that could hold 6 people!

If one time use points are not returnable, then you may be better off borrowing. You will lose cash with one time use points and the value of your borrowed points on the other hand if the resorts are closed and DVC doesn't give you them back. All depends on the chances you want to take.

We would rather risk OTU points (cash) than points from 2021.

You can't return one time use points or buy them until 7 months.

Borrowing points also locks them in to the year you borrow them in to as well. You can not return them to the original year even if you cancel.

I knw you can't return one time use points, but that's a good reminder. we would just have to gamble those 16 points, we're ok with that. Given all of the answers on this thread I don't think we want to borrow the 16 points.

I think the chances are good for you to get what you need given the timeline of your trip.

As mentioned, book the 7 nights and then go from there in adding the nights a few days later. To secure the 9 nights, borrowing allows you to do it all know, but those 16 points become part of 2020 and will need to be used before November 30th, 2021.

Since you will also have banked points in that situation, and only needing 16, I’d probably do that.

At 7 months, if your first or last night is still available, you can call, book it with OTU points, and then bank 16 of the 2020 points back to 2021 to replace what was borrowed...assuming you plan to travel in your 2021 UY.

That's an excellent idea, borrowing the points and then at 7 months getting the OTU points and banking 16 of the 2020 pts. However, since we don't know for sure we could get that last night I don't want to count on it and possibly not be able to put the points back by banking.

Phone calls tomorrow are only for booking foR 2021 DVC MC, or I think reservations within the next week.

MS will be opened for other things on Sunday.

So plan on doing what you can on Line tomorrow!

Seriously? You can only call for booking the cruise, or is it just that wait times will be bad? It seems hard for me to believe they won't allow other calls? However, based on what I think we decided, I won't be booking tomorrow, I'll be booking Sunday.

Thanks so much for all of the input!

Based on all of this info, I think we have decided to change it up a little. I don't want to borrow any 2021 points to book a night, for various reasons. What I think we will do is book nights 2-9 (July 9-17) on Sunday, August 9th (well, I guess 7 nights on the 9th and add the 8th night on the 10th). Then at 7 months we will go ahead with getting OTU points to book the first night at Riviera if it is available, but if that night isn't available we will take advantage of trying a different DVC resort or room type and do a split stay 1 night and 8, and we just won't unpack for that one night. That way we get to try something else that we either might not like as well so we don't want to commit to a week or that we would never be able to get for a week at 7 months, but we happen to be able to get that one night. Just off of the top of our heads we thought a treehouse villa, or trying for BCV or BWV for just the one night (not sure how likely those would be, but they were just thoughts). I'm decently sure we'll be able to get a 2 BR somewhere for that 1 night. The bonus for this plan is that if we do go with a resort other than Riviera there is a good chance we won't need to buy any OTU points, that we'll have enough to book using ours and maybe have a few to bank.

Does this sound like a decent plan, are there any flaws I haven't thought of?

 

[bobbiwoz]

It’s a notification regarding MS for Saturday August 8. It is typical of what’s done the day they initiate DVC MC bookings.


Member Services to Exclusively Support Member Cruise Bookings on August 8
Booking begins Saturday, August 8 for the 2021 Member Cruise to the Western Caribbean! Member Services will be open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on August 8 exclusively to book reservations—as well as assist with any Resort arrivals within the next 5 days. Due to the popularity of the Member Cruise, you may experience longer-than-usual wait times.
The Member Online Booking tool will remain available for Members who wish to book or modify Resort reservations. Member Services will reopen with normal operations at 9:00 AM on Sunday, August 9 to support all Membership requests.

 

[Disneykate605]

Just off of the top of our heads we thought a treehouse villa, or trying for BCV or BWV for just the one night (not sure how likely those would be, but they were just thoughts).

Does this sound like a decent plan, are there any flaws I haven't thought of?
[/QUOTE]

I think that sounds like a good plan. Just an fyi boardwalk does not have any dedicated 2-bedrooms...Only 2- bedroom lock-offs ...so it might be difficult to get a 2 bedroom at 7 months but you never know.

 

[Deb & Bill]

A standard two bedroom at BWV or a two bedroom (dedicated or lockoff) at BCV could be difficult at seven months, but you won't know unless you try. THV shouldn't be too hard to book.

 

[kboo]

You could borrow points but I would avoid doing so at this time because of the continuous, not yet beaten, covid risk, which necessarily means there is some risk that your reservation could be canceled next year and any borrowed points may expire by Nov 30, 2021.

In essence, your safe reservation now is to use only points already available (banked and Dec 2020 points). In deciding whether to accept that, be aware that Riviera is already demonstrating an 11-month problem at times for getting standard view studios and 2BR lock-offs.

^^^ Yes, all of the above; also, I was going to suggest that you book a 2BR lock off if possible, again because it gives you a little more flexibility. If you want to modify down to a 1BR or a studio, you can, or if you wanted to unlink them so they are separate reservations I *think* you might be able to do it. Hope you got what you wanted today.

 

[DebbieB]

I think that sounds like a good plan. Just an fyi boardwalk does not have any dedicated 2-bedrooms...Only 2- bedroom lock-offs ...so it might be difficult to get a 2 bedroom at 7 months but you never know.

Pool/Garden is your best bet.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Ninafeliz,
So did you get it with no problem?

 

[ninafeliz]

Just off of the top of our heads we thought a treehouse villa, or trying for BCV or BWV for just the one night (not sure how likely those would be, but they were just thoughts).

Does this sound like a decent plan, are there any flaws I haven't thought of?

I think that sounds like a good plan. Just an fyi boardwalk does not have any dedicated 2-bedrooms...Only 2- bedroom lock-offs ...so it might be difficult to get a 2 bedroom at 7 months but you never know.
[/QUOTE]

That's a good point, but actually the more I think about it the BW would be one of our later choices for the one night for a variety of reasons.

A standard two bedroom at BWV or a two bedroom (dedicated or lockoff) at BCV could be difficult at seven months, but you won't know unless you try. THV shouldn't be too hard to book.

There are so many possibilities for just one night, it's kind of fun to think about them! I'm glad it's a Thursday night, it seems like that might give us more chance than a weekend of some different availability. But I was looking over the poitns charts and choices this morning, and there are so many that sound fun to try that I'm not really worried about getting something. I mean, even a regular SS 2 BR would be good, we could walk to DS that evening. We could even do 2 Poly studios, or AKL, or the THV, or CC. After thinking about all of those I'm thinking we might consider a different resort that one night even if Riviera has availability at 7 months. Maybe not, for settling in ease, but maybe. The bonus is that except for VGF we have enough points for everywhere else I checked, and wouldn't need OTU points.

^^^ Yes, all of the above; also, I was going to suggest that you book a 2BR lock off if possible, again because it gives you a little more flexibility. If you want to modify down to a 1BR or a studio, you can, or if you wanted to unlink them so they are separate reservations I *think* you might be able to do it. Hope you got what you wanted today.

I booked a regular 2 BR. I figured we would rather have 2 queen beds instead of a pull down, and we don't ahve a use for a second entrance or extra kitchenette that I can think of. We have 6 people in our immediate family and are taking 3 grandparents, so even if something happened and grandparents don't go we still would need a 2BR. Given that I can't see any reason we would need to drip to a 1 BR or studio.

Are there any reasons other than possibly dropping one of the rooms that you would recommend a lockoff? I could always change.

Ninafeliz,
So did you get it with no problem?

I booked a dedicated 2 BR with no problem. I didn't even get up at 8:00, because this was a rare day to sleep in for my DH and I, so I booked at about 10:00. When I looked yesterday it was wide open, so I figured I would be fine and I was. I will need to add the 8th night tomorrow, I was hoping to do it online but tonight it won't even let me see the site, so I'll see what'e going on in the morning.

As I mentioned above, is there any reason I should do a lockoff instead of a dedicated 2 BR? We have 9 people, so we definitely need the 2 BR, and I figured 2 beds would be better than a pull down. Since we have the living room I didn't think the floor space in the 2nd BR would be a big deal, same with the kitchenette. But I'm open to changing if there's something I didn't think of.

 

[ninafeliz]

I went online today and the option to modify is there, but it won’t let me add another day at the end to make it 8 nights. It’s a day later, so I thought I could now add another day at the end. Am I misunderstanding something?