Booking points and Cash??????????

[River Country]

I have enough points for 3 available nights in a 2BR at GFV. Monday Wednesday and Saturday. My stay would be from Monday to Sunday so my question is.............can I, if available, book cash for the missing nights and only have 1 reservation or is each night a separate reservation? Also how can you tell if cash is available other than calling MS?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I have enough points for 3 available nights in a 2BR at GFV. Monday Wednesday and Saturday. My stay would be from Monday to Sunday so my question is.............can I, if available, book cash for the missing nights and only have 1 reservation or is each night a separate reservation? Also how can you tell if cash is available other than calling MS?

If cash is available, it will be on the Disney site. The other nights would be separate reservations, if available. You can't merge a points and a cash reservation.

 

[River Country]

Just got my answer from MS

1. they are all spate reservations and would require check in and out each time
2. Cash is not available for the GFV the week I was looking at

Oh well

 

[River Country]

If cash is available, it will be on the Disney site. The other nights would be separate reservations, if available. You can't merge a points and a cash reservation.

Thank You

 

[southerngirl528]

Just got my answer from MS

1. they are all spate reservations and would require check in and out each time
2. Cash is not available for the GFV the week I was looking at

Of course MS is correct in what they told you but there is more to the story. Yes, a cash rez and a points rez will be 2 different rez's with 2 different rez #s. They can't be linked (or at least they couldn't in the past) BUT Members Svcs can book both a cash rez (at DVC resorts ONLY as available and sometimes a Member discount is available) for you as well as your points rez and they can cross-reference the reservations. IOW, they can put a note on each rez giving the rez # of the opposite rez and state that it is a "continuous stay" so the the FD will be alerted and can often keep you in the same room if you have the identical room type booked on both. It not only is a help to the booking member but it also is a big help to Housekeeping not to have to turn a room around needlessly. It benefits everyone to try and keep you in the same room. (again, this can only happen if both the cash and points rez are the identical room category)

In this scenario you would have to "check out" and check back in, but that's a formality if all goes as planned and the resort books you in the same room for both rez's. You would simply go to the FD, they check you out in the computer and check you back in on the 2nd rez. It does NOT always have to require a room change. I have seen this done many times, and one added advice would be to notify the resort at least 10 days in advance and make them aware of both rez's and ask that they notate that it's a continuous rez to increase your chances of staying in the same room.

 

[Dean]

Of course MS is correct in what they told you but there is more to the story. Yes, a cash rez and a points rez will be 2 different rez's with 2 different rez #s. They can't be linked (or at least they couldn't in the past) BUT Members Svcs can book both a cash rez (at DVC resorts ONLY as available and sometimes a Member discount is available) for you as well as your points rez and they can cross-reference the reservations. IOW, they can put a note on each rez giving the rez # of the opposite rez and state that it is a "continuous stay" so the the FD will be alerted and can often keep you in the same room if you have the identical room type booked on both. It not only is a help to the booking member but it also is a big help to Housekeeping not to have to turn a room around needlessly. It benefits everyone to try and keep you in the same room. (again, this can only happen if both the cash and points rez are the identical room category)

In this scenario you would have to "check out" and check back in, but that's a formality if all goes as planned and the resort books you in the same room for both rez's. You would simply go to the FD, they check you out in the computer and check you back in on the 2nd rez. It does NOT always have to require a room change. I have seen this done many times, and one added advice would be to notify the resort at least 10 days in advance and make them aware of both rez's and ask that they notate that it's a continuous rez to increase your chances of staying in the same room.

There are 2 parts. There is cash through CRO and cash through MS. Cash through MS is actually a points reservations and those can be linked if they are the same view type. Cash through CRO can't be linked. But if they are the same view type (a little tricky if through CRO) then one should be able to stay in the same unit (with planning) but would have to check in again. Potentially one could also get the Dining Plan for just segments that were DVC in this situation as well.

 

[River Country]

Thank You for the additional info everyone

 

[southerngirl528]

Cash through MS is actually a points reservation

Cash reservations for DVC villas are from developer inventory not the condo association (member owned). DVC retains a very small percentage of ownership (it used to be 4% for DVC, not sure if that still stands), but the amount of inventory for cash varies widely as DVC Members use their points for a non-DVC reservation. Non-DVC entities have zero interest in being paid in "points" so the amount of inventory from the condo association that equals the points spent by the member for the non-DVC rez (say a Concierge Collection or Disney hotel, or a Disney cruise) are moved to the developer managed inventory to be sold for cash in order to pay for the non-DVC stay. It is correct that if MS books the points rez and a member cash rez they can be linked. MS uses a different system from when I worked there long ago so I always add a qualifier in case things have changed somewhat.

I've often had members ask why there is often cash availability for a DVC villa but no points availability. It is because it varies according to how much members are "trading out".

Dean is absolutely correct that any cash rez's made via DRC cannot be linked with a DVC points rez. But they can be cross-referenced as I described in my previous post. And I also very much agree that it is much trickier to match up room types/views, etc., when booking both cash via DRC and points rez.

 

[Dean]

Cash reservations for DVC villas are from developer inventory not the condo association (member owned). DVC retains a very small percentage of ownership (it used to be 4% for DVC, not sure if that still stands), but the amount of inventory for cash varies widely as DVC Members use their points for a non-DVC reservation. Non-DVC entities have zero interest in being paid in "points" so the amount of inventory from the condo association that equals the points spent by the member for the non-DVC rez (say a Concierge Collection or Disney hotel, or a Disney cruise) are moved to the developer managed inventory to be sold for cash in order to pay for the non-DVC stay. It is correct that if MS books the points rez and a member cash rez they can be linked. MS uses a different system from when I worked there long ago so I always add a qualifier in case things have changed somewhat.

I've often had members ask why there is often cash availability for a DVC villa but no points availability. It is because it varies according to how much members are "trading out".

Dean is absolutely correct that any cash rez's made via DRC cannot be linked with a DVC points rez. But they can be cross-referenced as I described in my previous post. And I also very much agree that it is much trickier to match up room types/views, etc., when booking both cash via DRC and points rez.

There is additional inventory where DVC reserves with cash through MS, these are at the end of the day, points reservations.