Cancelling a reservation when a mix of points are used?

[DVC Grandpa]

If I were to book more than one room, one day at a time, at the eleven month window, using current year and barrowed points, and have to cancel one of those rooms (30+ days prior), into what years account would the points go?

The example would be…I have 120 points in my current years account and another 200 points in the next years account when I start making the reservations for the two rooms. If each night requires 20 points per room, and I make the reservations on a daily basis, I would use 40 points each time I extend the two reservations. After the third day I would be barrowing 40 points each day or a total of 80 of the next year’s points. If one of the rooms were cancelled, would the current UR points (60) go back into the current year account providing the cancellation was made 30 or more days in advance?

 

[RobDoc]

The points will always be returned to the Use Year appropriate for the date of the reservation. If any points were borrowed, they will remain in that Use Year (and cannot be returned to their original UY). Banked points will also remain in the year into which they were banked.

If the cancellation frees up current points that could still be banked, be sure to request that MS reallocate the points used for the other reservation to use the banked/borrowed points first - since those points must be used or they will expire.

Enjoy!

 

[DVC Grandpa]

The points will always be returned to the Use Year appropriate for the date of the reservation. If any points were borrowed, they will remain in that Use Year (and cannot be returned to their original UY). Banked points will also remain in the year into which they were banked.

If the cancellation frees up current points that could still be banked, be sure to request that MS reallocate the points used for the other reservation to use the banked/borrowed points first - since those points must be used or they will expire.

Enjoy!

Does this mean I can replace the current year points for the reservation I did not cancel with those I barrowed for that cancelled room? If so then I would have used barrowed points prior to using current year points and that I then can bank whatever current rear points were not required for the reservation, providing I am in the banking window.

 

[RobDoc]

Yes, MS will usually allow us to reallocate the points (there are some situations where it might NOT be allowed- if the points came from different resorts where some nights were reserved at 11 months and others at 7 months) to make sure the borrowed and/or banked points are used first. If your banking deadlines are appropriate you could still bank and freed up current points.

In most cases there will be no problem doing what you ask.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

Thanks Doc.

I want to make Thanksgiving reservations but I have one son who is questionable. It is nice to know that I won't loose the points if plans don't work out.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks Doc.

I want to make Thanksgiving reservations but I have one son who is questionable. It is nice to know that I won't loose the points if plans don't work out.

Don't forget about your banking deadlines. You could only bank 100% of your points at 6 months. Then you start losing the ability to bank points after that.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

Don't forget about your banking deadlines. You could only bank 100% of your points at 6 months. Then you start losing the ability to bank points after that.

I will only be cancelling one room and my UY is February so I will have until October 31, 07 to get things inorder.

 

[RobDoc]

I will only be cancelling one room and my UY is February so I will have until October 31, 07 to get things inorder.

With a February Use Year, you can bank uo to 100% of your points thru July and up to 50% thru October. If you own a 200 point contract and the points freed up by cancelling total more than 100 points, you won't be able to bank them all if past July 31, 2007. If you bank 100 points before July 31, you will not be able to bank any more after that date - so be sure to plan to cancel as early as possible in order to maintain maximum flexibility.

If you cancel as late as October 31, you will be able to bank a maximum of 100 points - providing you have not banked any previously during that Use Year.

 

[Dean]

Does this mean I can replace the current year points for the reservation I did not cancel with those I barrowed for that cancelled room? If so then I would have used barrowed points prior to using current year points and that I then can bank whatever current rear points were not required for the reservation, providing I am in the banking window.

DVC will not always allow one to substitute the points within a reservation. Technically this would be a cancellation and rebooking. However, DVC is very variable on this issue and you can usually get it done as Doc suggests if you are persistent.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

Doc, The 200 point contract was used only as an example; I can wait until the October banking 50% deadline.

Dean, what is considered “within a reservation”? My current plan includes five different reservations when all said and done. A one bedroom (lock off) switching to a two bedroom and then back to a one bedroom for the remainder of time. This would be considered three reservations. In addition I will need two additional one bedroom units.

As you can see, doing one day at a time all of the reservations will start out using the ’07 points and when they are exhausted the barrowing will begin…about half way thru the stay.

Is this considered "within a reservation" in your opinion? Do you believe, knowing what I intend to request, that this would be a cancellation and rebooking if I had to cancel one room or would DVC allow the juggling of points? I still would need to barrow points, but not as many.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[RobDoc]

In this case "within a reservation" could include your multiple reservations.

As I already mentioned and Dean added to, there are situations where you would need to actually cancel and rebook reservations to use banked and borrowed points and free up current points. Some CMs will do this easily and others will challenge the ability to accomplish what you want. If all points used are from your Home Resort and all were reserved more than 7 months ahead, you will probably have no trouble with a reallocation - if those conditions are not all met - and some of the reservations were reserved within 7 months or using points from other resorts and IF there is a waitlist of other members wanting the same dates, you might not be allowed to shift the points around. There are certainly variables to be dealt with, but this is doable if the conditions are right and you are persistent when asking for assistance.

It might be wiser to try to use the current points for the reservation you think might need to be cancelled and use the banked and borrowed points for the portions not likely to change - that would remove most chance from the process. I'd let MS know up front what you are trying to do and enlist their help right from the start. It could help if they have your concerns noted in the reservation right from the start.

 

[Dean]

Doc, The 200 point contract was used only as an example; I can wait until the October banking 50% deadline.

Dean, what is considered “within a reservation”? My current plan includes five different reservations when all said and done. A one bedroom (lock off) switching to a two bedroom and then back to a one bedroom for the remainder of time. This would be considered three reservations. In addition I will need two additional one bedroom units.

As you can see, doing one day at a time all of the reservations will start out using the ’07 points and when they are exhausted the barrowing will begin…about half way thru the stay.

Is this considered "within a reservation" in your opinion? Do you believe, knowing what I intend to request, that this would be a cancellation and rebooking if I had to cancel one room or would DVC allow the juggling of points? I still would need to barrow points, but not as many.

Thanks for all the help.

The issue in question is called re-allocation. It's when you have points that are limited or of less use due to being banked/borrowed or a use year with less time left and you'd like to substitute them for other points. Either points that can be banked or points that have a better home resort or a better use year. Say you have two reservations for 100 points, one with banked points and one with current use year points you could bank if you wanted. Assume you cancel the one with banked points and would like to substitute them for the current year points then bank those. DVC considers that a cancellation and rebooking. That means if there is a wait list, you lose your reservation. If there's no wait list, no problem assuming there are no use year or home resort issues. Until about 1999, you could do this readily even if there was a wait list. They changed their ruling and made it a cancellation. Still, some of the CM know how to get around it and if you are persistent, know how to prompt them correctly and/or are willing to call back if you are told no, you can still usually get it done.

Some would say it's a victimless crime for MS to simply sub the points even if there is a wait list. Some would qualify it and say it's OK if the same home resort. I would absolutely disagree in both cases but maybe it's just me. Regardless, now you know what it is and that it can be a controversial issue.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

The issue in question is called re-allocation. It's when you have points that are limited or of less use due to being banked/borrowed or a use year with less time left and you'd like to substitute them for other points. Either points that can be banked or points that have a better home resort or a better use year. Say you have two reservations for 100 points, one with banked points and one with current use year points you could bank if you wanted. Assume you cancel the one with banked points and would like to substitute them for the current year points then bank those. DVC considers that a cancellation and rebooking. That means if there is a wait list, you lose your reservation. If there's no wait list, no problem assuming there are no use year or home resort issues. Until about 1999, you could do this readily even if there was a wait list. They changed their ruling and made it a cancellation. Still, some of the CM know how to get around it and if you are persistent, know how to prompt them correctly and/or are willing to call back if you are told no, you can still usually get it done.

Some would say it's a victimless crime for MS to simply sub the points even if there is a wait list. Some would qualify it and say it's OK if the same home resort. I would absolutely disagree in both cases but maybe it's just me. Regardless, now you know what it is and that it can be a controversial issue.

I will contact MS and tell them that I would like to use the ’07 points for a specific room reservation up front but prior to starting the reservation making process. If I get a negative response I could make a reservation for nights prior to the actual desired nights which would use the ’07 points and then as I make the day by day actual desired reservation for that room I could cancel day by day one of those day thus freeing up the current UY points for use in making the actual desired added day.
This seems to be a lot of work but then I could be saving 239 points if the room had to be cancelled prior to October ’07 at which time I could bank them. The alternative would be that they would go into the holding account for use prior to 2/1/08 which would not happen…can’t get back by that time.

Any foreseen problems doing it this difficult way?

 

[Dean]

I will contact MS and tell them that I would like to use the ’07 points for a specific room reservation up front but prior to starting the reservation making process. If I get a negative response I could make a reservation for nights prior to the actual desired nights which would use the ’07 points and then as I make the day by day actual desired reservation for that room I could cancel day by day one of those day thus freeing up the current UY points for use in making the actual desired added day.
This seems to be a lot of work but then I could be saving 239 points if the room had to be cancelled prior to October ’07 at which time I could bank them. The alternative would be that they would go into the holding account for use prior to 2/1/08 which would not happen…can’t get back by that time.

Any foreseen problems doing it this difficult way?

I don't see any problems and don't see it as much work to specify which points to use. I always do so as well as checking the accounting of all reachable use years to make sure all is correct.