Booking strategy when flights are unknown

[4eversleepy]

Hello everyone! Excited new (hopefully) member here. Just entered ROFR on 350 points at CCV and beyond excited. We are already looking at booking our first DVC trip and I just want to make sure I understand modifying reservations. I assume most of the time when we books trips we are going to be reserving the resort first and finding flights later. In this case, I was thinking of booking an extra night or two on the front and back end to change dates based on flights, and then drop those extra days once we have flights booked.

Example: Lets say we want to stay 5 nights anywhere between the 1st and 9th. So we book the full duration, and then once we book flights, we modify it to trim it down to say the 3rd through 8th.

If this is done before the 30 day mark, then we get those points back as normal points and can bank them assuming we aren't past our deadline. If its past the 30 mark I know they enter the holding account.

Do I understand this correctly? Any downside to doing this or is this pretty standard practice with everyone?

 

[WinterSolider]

DO NOT borrow points to do this.

But yes, if you have enough banked and current-year points to book the longer range of dates up front, your strategy is spot-on.

Where it starts getting messy is if you're planning more than one trip at a time. Say you have a July trip that's holding a few extra nights on the front and back end, but you also want to book October before your July dates are 100% settled. Then you really want to stay on top of which dates are the most sure thing, which dates are likely to be cancelled, etc.

 

[Anal Annie]

I have been known to use this strategy from time to time. Usually my dates are pretty set but sometimes the right flight or price is what's important. I did this the last time we went to Aulani because those flights were quite costly. I would not borrow points to do it and I always make sure to figure out our final plan before my banking deadline. I usually book my flights several months in advance so I never have to worry about the 30 day cancelation rule on the room.

 

[pixieprincess925]

Also don't forget to release your points in time for banking!

 

[CarolMN]

Just a quick "correction": You must cancel at least 31 days in advance of check in day to avoid points going to holding status. It's not one month, but 31 days, so count the days carefully.

But try not to wait until the last minute in case MS is closed or the website starts acting up on you. Been known to happen.

 

[drusba]

The two risks to avoid:

1. You must make the change to fewer nights 31 or more days before arrival to avoid points taken out of the reservation from going into holding.

2. You must make the change by no later than the end of the eighth month of your use year to be able to bank any current use year points taken out of the reservation.