Cancelling a Reservation ............... Where Do Points Go

[hayesdvc]

I want to make sure I understand what happens when you have to cancel a reservation for either unforeseen circumstances or because you have made a different resort reservation at the 7 month mark. When are the points simply redeposited back into your account? I believe I have read if you cancel a reservation within 30 days of the check in date, the points are frozen and you have 60 days (from when?) to use or lose them with no other options, right? Can cancelling a reservation effect banking or borrowing. I simply want to make sure I have the general concept so I will not run into any surprises.

 

[DebbieB]

I want to make sure I understand what happens when you have to cancel a reservation for either unforeseen circumstances or because you have made a different resort reservation at the 7 month mark. When are the points simply redeposited back into your account? I believe I have read if you cancel a reservation within 30 days of the check in date, the points are frozen and you have 60 days (from when?) to use or lose them with no other options, right? Can cancelling a reservation effect banking or borrowing. I simply want to make sure I have the general concept so I will not run into any surprises.

If over 30 days, the points go back into your account in the use year they came from for the reservation. Banked and borrowed points used remain in the use year for the reservation.

If 30 days or less, points become holding points. Holding points can be used for a reservation 60 days or less before check-in and expire at the end of the use year of the reservation.
Example - Use year April 2016. Cancel reservation for May, 30 days or less. You want to reschedule for 8-1-16 check-in. You can only make the reservation 60 days before 8-1-16. Points expire 3-31-17.

 

[hayesdvc]

If over 30 days, the points go back into your account in the use year they came from for the reservation. Banked and borrowed points used remain in the use year for the reservation.

If 30 days or less, points become holding points. Holding points can be used for a reservation 60 days or less before check-in and expire at the end of the use year of the reservation.
Example - Use year April 2016. Cancel reservation for May, 30 days or less. You want to reschedule for 8-1-16 check-in. You can only make the reservation 60 days before 8-1-16. Points expire 3-31-17.

So in your example, the points that were cancelled within 30 days of the reservation CANNOT be banked prior to 11/30; they would have to be used or lost prior to 3/31?

 

[DebbieB]

So in your example, the points that were cancelled within 30 days of the reservation CANNOT be banked prior to 11/30; they would have to be used or lost prior to 3/31?

Correct. If you have a serious circumstance for cancelling, always talk to Member Services. They may waive the holding rules.

 

[LisaS]

So in your example, the points that were cancelled within 30 days of the reservation CANNOT be banked prior to 11/30; they would have to be used or lost prior to 3/31?

DVC sells enough points at each resort to book nearly every room for nearly every night of the year. If they allowed us to cancel without penalty right up until check-in, there would be rooms left empty and that would throw the system out of balance. There would be too many points in circulation for the number of rooms available to be booked. The Holding Account penalty encourages those on the fence to cancel at least 31 days out, increasing the chances that someone else will book that room.

A cancellation 30 days or less from check-in creates last-minute inventory. The penalty for late cancellations is that the returned points go into the Holding Account. Points in Holding cannot be banked and can only be used to book last-minute inventory, whatever room nights happen to be available within 60 days of your check-in date.