Changing a reservation

[mskayjay]

I'm sorry if this has been asked. I don't often get to utilize the DVC side of things.....

A friend is allowing us to use (buy) his points for this year. When he and my DH called for reservations, they were told there were no studios available, only one bedrooms which obviously burn through points much quicker. We didn't want the one bedroom but since that was all that was available, DH and friend booked the stay without asking me if I was okay with it. The difference is a 6 night stay versus a two week stay so it really makes a huge difference for us. I see studios available at the resort villas and would like to have our friend change the reservation. Can he do that???? And also, if the exact dates we want aren't currently available, can he wait list so if someone cancels we can get the studio instead of the one bedroom?

I apologize for bothering you all with this but when I tried to ask this as a general question to a DVC rep just now, she told me that since I wasn't the member she couldn't talk to me. I explained I was trying to avoid the aggravation of calling and waiting for a cast member for the member if the answer was that it was not possible and just needed the correct answer to pass on to him IF we could do this and then he would call when he had some time off and her comment was "the DVC members pay my salary, not you". Ewww......she needs a pixie dusting! I really was just trying to not be a pest for our friend and get general info, had already explained the situation, and all she needed to say was "yes HE could do that/no HE can't do that but HE needs to call back for anymore info than what I have just given you". *sigh*

 

[disneynutz]

If you are seeing a DVC Villa available for a cash booking, your friend should have explained that those rooms belong to Disney and not the DVC. DVC Members would have to book them like any cash Guest, not using points.

Bill

 

[mskayjay]

Thank you for that bit of information. So it is possible for a studio to show up at say VWL, that is owned by Disney and not DVC so a DVC member would not be able to book it, correct? Can he wait list us to get into a studio though if one comes up at the resorts we're already booked at?

 

[disneynutz]

Thank you for that bit of information. So it is possible for a studio to show up at say VWL, that is owned by Disney and not DVC so a DVC member would not be able to book it, correct? Can he wait list us to get into a studio though if one comes up at the resorts we're already booked at?

Correct you can't book it using points. DVC resorts book up early, if you really want a longer vacation staying in a studio, maybe you should consider next year and have your friend book early.

Bill

 

[castleri]

Thank you for that bit of information. So it is possible for a studio to show up at say VWL, that is owned by Disney and not DVC so a DVC member would not be able to book it, correct? Can he wait list us to get into a studio though if one comes up at the resorts we're already booked at?

He can have two active waitlists so could do that. You don't say what resorts you are booked at - that may make a big difference in the chance of a waitlist coming through. What time of year are you talking about - that can also make a big difference. I just reached the end of a waitlist for BCV that was in place for 3 1/2 months with no luck. This was for Labor Day weekend and I really didn't expect to get it. I called yesterday and got a studio at AKV Kidani for Sept 6 and 7 and had a choice of several others so
timing can make all the difference. We also have BLT and OKW for the week before which was made in May. Had hoped to change the OKW to the BCV but it just wasn't meant to be and I am fine with it since I was only waitlisting because someone in our group wanted to stay there. I guess it will depend on how much time and effort this person wants to put in on your behalf but it can be waitlisted for a studio. Good luck and hope you have a great trip no matter how it turns out.

 

[mskayjay]

Thank you both for the information. I absolutely agree we should have done this sooner, but there have been some unexpected and unfortunate family issues that made planning this a bit tough for DH and I. Suffice to say we need to and are looking forward to unplugging during this trip.

The trip was originally Nov 22- Dec 5 but has been shortened to Nov 26-Dec 2 and we gave any combo of OKW, AKL, BCV, and VWL as places we would stay and also said split stay was perfectly okay. *edit* sorry! forgot to add we did get a split stay w/ AKL and WL. 4/2 split.

We will absolutely have a fantastic time no matter what! I guess our best option if we can't change things is to pay cash to extend the trip and hopefully I have a pin available to do that!

Again, thanks so much for the help.

 

[rlovew]

Thank you both for the information. I absolutely agree we should have done this sooner, but there have been some unexpected and unfortunate family issues that made planning this a bit tough for DH and I. Suffice to say we need to and are looking forward to unplugging during this trip.

The trip was originally Nov 22- Dec 5 but has been shortened to Nov 26-Dec 2 and we gave any combo of OKW, AKL, BCV, and VWL as places we would stay and also said split stay was perfectly okay. *edit* sorry! forgot to add we did get a split stay w/ AKL and WL. 4/2 split.

We will absolutely have a fantastic time no matter what! I guess our best option if we can't change things is to pay cash to extend the trip and hopefully I have a pin available to do that!

Again, thanks so much for the help.

I am not surprised you had little availability with thos dates since they span over Thanksgiving- you are looking for the hardest time of year to get in DVC with the beginning of Dec. If you have a waitlist put in place for SSR you have the best chance of getting a studio for the trip. It looks like that wasn't a resort you had on you choice list so you would have to decide if the longer trip is worth taking that resoret for (it happens to be my DH's 2nd favorite resort although I normally book us at our home resort of BLT).

 

[tjkraz]

Agree with the other posters--that is an extremely difficult time to book on just 2.5 months notice. Lucky to get anything, IMO.

Your friend can only have TWO active wait list requests at a time. Any combination of dates, room size, resort and view is one request. I would recommend SSR and OKW non-HH as your two requests for greatest chances of success.

As for member services not talking to you, that's absolutely correct. MS was spending an ever-increasing time servicing point renters and other non members. About 4 years ago they adopted a firm policy of only dealing with members. Even innocent procedural questions must be posed by the point owner.

Good luck.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...I apologize for bothering you all with this but when I tried to ask this as a general question to a DVC rep just now, she told me that since I wasn't the member she couldn't talk to me. I explained I was trying to avoid the aggravation of calling and waiting for a cast member for the member if the answer was that it was not possible and just needed the correct answer to pass on to him IF we could do this and then he would call when he had some time off and her comment was "the DVC members pay my salary, not you". Ewww......she needs a pixie dusting! I really was just trying to not be a pest for our friend and get general info, had already explained the situation, and all she needed to say was "yes HE could do that/no HE can't do that but HE needs to call back for anymore info than what I have just given you". *sigh*

Nah, you just need education on DVC. No pixie dusting required here. You got a lot more information than most callers.

And a long waitlist for this time frame is not going to happen. Two days here, maybe three days there. But not a whole week or even two weeks.

 

[mskayjay]

Again thank you all for your information! We did have the option of SSR for the full 2 weeks and didn't want it. When I found out how limited we were for other options I suggested we take it but friend and DH had gone ahead and booked this. I was always of the impression that the week after Thanksgiving was very quiet so I honestly did not expect things to be booked but again, I'm not familiar with DVC so perhaps usage is different than the cash room side of the resorts. Everything else is fully available right now.

We will absolutely plan way ahead next time. Things just got out of control with finding out a family member is terminally ill and other things so we just couldn't get this ironed out. Either way, I'M GOING TO DISNEYWORLD for my belated 50th birthday gift, we'll extend the trip by paying cash, and have a fantastic time!

hugs
K

 

[tjkraz]

Again thank you all for your information! We did have the option of SSR for the full 2 weeks and didn't want it. When I found out how limited we were for other options I suggested we take it but friend and DH had gone ahead and booked this.

Well, unless you want to stick with your 6-night 1B split stay, I would suggest calling back as quickly as possible and seeing if the SSR Studio is still available.

Thanksgiving is NOT a slow period. The early part of December can be slow in general, but since it is in the lowest cost DVC season it is arguably the HIGHEST demand period for DVC members. I don't know what resorts you are hoping to get off the waitlist but honestly I think your chances are very, VERY slim of getting a full 2 weeks in a studio off the waitlist for a period that includes Thanksgiving and early December.

Waitlist requests are only filled if all requested nights come available simultaneously AND you are the top person on the waitlist. The odds of someone else canceling a 2 week Studio stay that matches your dates is remote. The odds of that happening AND you being tops on the waitlist are infinitely small.

 

[mskayjay]

Well, unless you want to stick with your 6-night 1B split stay, I would suggest calling back as quickly as possible and seeing if the SSR Studio is still available.

Thanksgiving is NOT a slow period. The early part of December can be slow in general, but since it is in the lowest cost DVC season it is arguably the HIGHEST demand period for DVC members. I don't know what resorts you are hoping to get off the waitlist but honestly I think your chances are very, VERY slim of getting a full 2 weeks in a studio off the waitlist for a period that includes Thanksgiving and early December.

Waitlist requests are only filled if all requested nights come available simultaneously AND you are the top person on the waitlist. The odds of someone else canceling a 2 week Studio stay that matches your dates is remote. The odds of that happening AND you being tops on the waitlist are infinitely small.

We're good... I don't want to inconvenience our friend any more than I have to with this and it sounds like we just really didn't fully understand what we were doing so we'll just let it ride. If I could call directly myself, I would make changes but since I can't, we'll just deal with it. We did want a split stay, we were trying for OKW, AKL, and BCV with WL as a backup. We did not want SSR because we were very unimpressed with it when we went to look into buying DVC so its okay. We should have been much quicker with our requests but again, there were pressing family issues going on. I think we "may" be getting their points again next year and we'll have a much better grasp on how quickly we need to request, etc. For now, we have 4 nights Jambo w/Savanna and the 2 nights at VWL. WL is our usual place to stay so we'll just move over to the hotel for a few extra nights at the end of the trip or something.