Borrowing and canceling?

[XMom]

What happens if we make a reservation for Nov 2014 and borrow from our next use year (Dec 2104), to make it then end up canceling a few days off the front of it?

What happens to the points we don't need anymore? We've never cancelled any days but someone told us to make a reservation for Nov 1-10, then cancel the 1st-4th and just keep the 5th-10th which are the days we will be at WDW. They said that we would have a better chance of getting the days we want if we do it that way.

We are not creative with our points and usually just stay at The Grand Californian to use our points.

Thank you!

 

[vicki_c]

The points you borrowed would remain in the use year into which you borrowed them. However, by working with Member Services to make the change, you can request that they keep the borrowed points in use for our reservation and use the current year points for the cancelled portion. Then you could later bank those points to the following year. How that would work for you depends on how many points you borrowed, how many are involved in the cancelled nights, etc.

I don't actually understand the advice you were given though or why, in your particular case, that's going to help,you get the nights you need.

 

[southerngirl528]

Agree with vicki_c. And I also do not understand the advice you were given. What exact dates are you wanting for your trip? And who was it that told you to book more than you apparently need? Borrowing points, like banking them, is ALWAYS a final transaction, so you just want to be very sure of your dates/rez before doing either transaction.

 

[Chic]

If a member cancels a confirmed reservation made with banked or borrowed points, the cancellation will not return those points to their original Use Year.

If the reservation is cancelled more than 30 days before the arrival date, then those banked or borrowed points will remain available for another reservation during the same Use Year into which the points were banked or borrowed.

If the reservation is cancelled 30 or fewer days before the arrival date, then those banked or borrowed points are placed into a "Holding Account". Holding account points may be used for another reservation during the same Use Year into which the points were banked or borrowed subject to the guidelines of the holding account which are listed below.


"Holding Account Guidelines"
The points can be used for a new DVC Resort reservation during your current Use Year as long as the reservation is booked 60 or fewer days before the new check-in date. In other words, if you plan to use these points for a DVC Resort vacation, you’re limited in your vacation planning; you cannot book a DVC Resort vacation more than two months in advance. These points cannot be banked or borrowed. These points will expire at the end of your Use Year if they are not used.

 

[Chic]

I don't actually understand the advice you were given though or why, in your particular case, that's going to help,you get the nights you need.

The reason someone recommended they book the reservation for more days than the actual trip is to increase the chance of availabilty during a difficult season to confirm accommodations. It's just another form of "walking a reservation" to avoid being blocked out by no availability. If the member were using points in their current use year to make this reservation, it would be simple to return the extra points back into their account after they cancelled the first few days of the reservation. Then their points would return to their account and they would have accommodations secured for the exact dates they actually want to travel.

 

[XMom]

The reason someone recommended they book the reservation for more days than the actual trip is to increase the chance of availabilty during a difficult season to confirm accommodations. It's just another form of "walking a reservation" to avoid being blocked out by no availability. If the member were using points in their current use year to make this reservation, it would be simple to return the extra points back into their account after they cancelled the first few days of the reservation. Then their points would return to their account and they would have accommodations secured for the exact dates they actually want to travel.

Yes, that is how it was explained to us. We have used all our points for our current use year of Dec 2013. Regardless if we switch at the 7 mo mark to another resort(BW or BC) we will need to borrow 13 additional points.

So if I reserve a few extra nights up front and the points come from our Dec 2014 use year, is that where they will go when we cancel the up front nights in May which is 6 months out? We want a reservation for Nov 5-10 for the Wine & Dine Half.

 

[DebbieB]

What happens if we make a reservation for Nov 2014 and borrow from our next use year (Dec 2104), to make it then end up canceling a few days off the front of it?

What happens to the points we don't need anymore? We've never cancelled any days but someone told us to make a reservation for Nov 1-10, then cancel the 1st-4th and just keep the 5th-10th which are the days we will be at WDW. They said that we would have a better chance of getting the days we want if we do it that way.

We are not creative with our points and usually just stay at The Grand Californian to use our points.

Thank you!

If you are making the reservation at the 7 month mark for a non-home resort, you can only reserve 7 nights at the window. You can then add the other dates day by day.

Yes, that is how it was explained to us. We have used all our points for our current use year of Dec 2013. Regardless if we switch at the 7 mo mark to another resort(BW or BC) we will need to borrow 13 additional points.

So if I reserve a few extra nights up front and the points come from our Dec 2014 use year, is that where they will go when we cancel the up front nights in May which is 6 months out? We want a reservation for Nov 5-10 for the Wine & Dine Half.

If the entire reservation is borrowed 2014 points, the points for the nights you cancel will have to be used by 11-30-14 (date of stay).

If the reservation is part 2013 & borrowed 2014, you can ask them to return the 2013 points in the reservation and you could bank them by 7-31-14. Any borrowed points left would have to be used by 11-30-14.

 

[Chic]

Yes, that is how it was explained to us. We have used all our points for our current use year of Dec 2013. Regardless if we switch at the 7 mo mark to another resort(BW or BC) we will need to borrow 13 additional points.

Do you need the 13 borrowed points for the 5 nights during your actual stay or do you need those to add the extra 4 nights up front?

If you only need to borrow 13 points to confirm a reservation for more than the actual 5 night stay, I would suggest that you book Nov. 1-8 and then cancel a day and add a day each time you call in to extend the reservation. With this in mind, you will not need to borrow points because each time you cancel a day, those points will be returned to your account and can be used for the extra day added on to the end of the reservation.

 

[vicki_c]

The reason someone recommended they book the reservation for more days than the actual trip is to increase the chance of availabilty during a difficult season to confirm accommodations. It's just another form of "walking a reservation" to avoid being blocked out by no availability. If the member were using points in their current use year to make this reservation, it would be simple to return the extra points back into their account after they cancelled the first few days of the reservation. Then their points would return to their account and they would have accommodations secured for the exact dates they actually want to travel.

It didn't sound like walking to me, so I didn't get that from the original post. I think of walking as day by day, not multiple days.

 

[Chic]

It didn't sound like walking to me, so I didn't get that from the original post. I think of walking as day by day, not multiple days.

She will have to walk the reservation day by day because her planned dates are more than 7 days total. Her only other choice is to wait a few days after the 7 month window opens so she can book all 9 days at once but that would defeat the whole purpose.

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, that is how it was explained to us. We have used all our points for our current use year of Dec 2013. Regardless if we switch at the 7 mo mark to another resort(BW or BC) we will need to borrow 13 additional points.

So if I reserve a few extra nights up front and the points come from our Dec 2014 use year, is that where they will go when we cancel the up front nights in May which is 6 months out? We want a reservation for Nov 5-10 for the Wine & Dine Half.

Any points that you borrow from 2014 UY to 2013 UY will have to be used by November 30, 2014. If the trip you are making in November 2014, as stated, uses a mix of 2013 and borrowed 2014 UY points when you make it and then cancel out part of it, MS will use up any borrowed points first and then return 2013 points for you to bank.

If the entire trip is made up of borrowed points and you cancel, then you will have those points stuck. Only borrow points if you have an equal or greater amount of 2013 UY points as part of the reservation that can be returned if you cancel part of the trip.