Can last minute changes happen?

[karebear1]

We are going to BCV's next January. We were planning on taking our adult children with us, so when I booked, I booked for a 2 BR villa. Now the kids aren't sure if they're going or not. They probably won't be able to committ until Christmas. Is it possible to keep the ressie for Jan. 9-18th and down scale to a 1 BR or studio once we get there with now penalty or loss of points?

 

[Pa@okw95]

I think within 30 days you are in big trouble. Your adult kids might also have trouble getting airline tickets on such short notice to MCO. Someone else will give you a better answer I am sure.

 

[Lisa F]

"Downsizing" from a 2br to a 1br or a studio involves more than just releasing half of your room. You must cancel the 2br and there must be either a 1br or a studio available at the time of booking. If someone is on the wait list they will have priority over you, so you may lose your reservation alltogether of you do this.

Additionally, normal "cancellation" rules apply to the extra points, if you cancel within 1-30 days your points go into the holding account, if you cancel the day of, you lose them completely.

Lisa

 

[HookdonWDW]

If I were in your shoes, I'd do one of two things:

1. Get your adult children to firm up their plans, or uninvite them (probably not what you want to do)

or

2. If you can afford it, use a few more points, and try to change your reservation to a studio and a 1BR, and ask that they note that you'd like connecting rooms on your reservation. This way, if your children back out, you can cancel the studio. The points will still go into holding, but at least you won't lose them altogether. You might even be able to rent out the studio on the rental board.


Another thing that might factor into this is your Use Year... will you have enough time to utilize the points before they expire if your children back out?

Good Luck!

 

[Granny]

If you can afford it, use a few more points, and try to change your reservation to a studio and a 1BR, and ask that they note that you'd like connecting rooms on your reservation.

Please note that there is no guarantee that your rooms would, in fact, connect or that they would even be close to each other. This is a good suggestion, but just wanted you to be aware that, in general, there are no guarantees with any room reservation other than the size of the accommodation.

 

[Chuck S]

And if you wait until you get there to try to downsize, AND even if there is a smaller room available, your points are already considered "used", you would lose them completely if you don't cancel/change prior to check in day.

Personally, I'd tell my guests to commit at least 60 days prior to arrival date, if tehy don't I'd cancel the ressie.

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

I know how you feel... for our big family trip last summer, my DD 21 & DNiece20 (at the time) had been planning to go, so we borrowed points and booked an extra studio for the trip. From Income tax return time to 60 days out, the trip money for both of them ended up getting spent. There was a period of "we don't know if we can go or not", and we had to be firm about a decision date. Finally we cancelled the studio and they didn't end up going.

Too bad, but DH & I wound up getting our last minute October trip out of it to use the points and our AP that was good until Dec.

You have a good batch of suggestions above... I hope things work out so they can join you. Either way, have a great trip and enjoy your planning!

 

[Lisa F]

Mrs. Snowgod

Couldn't you have just had MS use your borrowed points first, freeing up "current year's" points that could be banked to next year? I knwo you got an extra trip out of it, but might be worth keeping in mind if you do the same thing again in the future. Unless ALL of the points were borrowed... but generally when I've borrowed points and then had to cancel a portion of the reservation, they had no problem using up the borrowed points first and freeing up the current points.

Lisa

 

[Snowgod]

DW (Above) and I stayed in a 2BR alone (Due to friends not going) and just loved the peace and quiet. MIL ended up using the spare room for part of stay.

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

Yes, you are right... we could have worked around it and didn't "have to" go to use them.

BUT, we figured, we had the APs, and we had the points that would have been used already had the girls gone along, so when we arranged the time off from work and got a cheap flight, we had all the justification we needed!

DH is referring to ANOTHER trip that we planned for extra people who ended up cancelling. Thank goodness my Mom was very happy to join us. Everybody should have a mom in FL who doesn't mind last-minute stand-in invitations!

(Hi dear)

 

[Poorman]

What I would do is book a 1 BR villa(if that is what you want,or a studio if you want to go that way). And take your chances with getting a 2BR if kids do go. I think in January you would have a good chance of getting a 2BR at short notice. Then theres always OKW.

Good luck. Rich

 

[Lisa F]

Mrs. Snowgod,

I suspected it was something like that but just in case you didn't know I wanted to point it out! I've used that "justification" before myself!

Lisa

 

[karebear1]

I do have a mom in Florida.... and she is coming. So, would the 2br be better, or would a 1br suffice? Are the pull outs comfy in BCV's? She kinda has a bad back- would it just be better to stay with the 2 br?

 

[Pa@okw95]

Stay with the 2 bedroom, your guest will have her own bath room and will not have to sleep in the living room. It really surprises me on htis site how many people actually think about using those pull out beds in the living room.