Combining Points with Another Family

[ChristmasJay83]

My wife and I are hoping to purchase DVC by the end of this year. We recently found out some friends of ours are looking to do the same thing.
We are planning a joint trip in the summer of 2024, and the original plan was to use all of OUR points. But, now that they are buying some of their own, is there a way to "combine" some or all of our points into a single reservation?

 

[AnnaS]

Since you will both own points - are you looking to book one reservation and be together (2 BDR?).

How about you each book your own reservation - a studio each?

Two of my sons own small contracts. Many times they need some of our points. I usually do a transfer into my account. Since we own at different resorts, I have to wait until the 7 month window opens up if I want to make one reservation at once. We have booked a 2BDR so we can be together (help with the grandchildren & sometimes two studios or 1 BDR & 1 studio/depending on our traveling party).

I have also booked a few nights with my points and a few nights with their contract. Linking the reservation so one does not have to move (not guaranteed but so far no one in our party has had to move).

It can be down, but it is so much easier if you both own at the same resort.

 

[ChristmasJay83]

Since you will both own points - are you looking to book one reservation and be together (2 BDR?).

Ideally, we're like to be together (likely Treehouses or AKV 2bdr). There will be 9 people between the 2 families.

 

[drusba]

If you mean for the same room, then to make a single reservation using both memberships would require one DVC owner to transfer points to the other DVC owner who would then use both sets of points to make the single reservation. Transfer is a final transaction and thus if, for any reason the trip were cancelled, the transferred points could not be returned to the original owner.

A second method is to actually make two separate reservations with one owner using his own points to reserve the beginning portion of the trip in a room and the other owner the ending portion of the trip in the same type of room. The members would put on each reservation, as guests in the rooms, all the persons of both families so that the occupants listed for both reservations are the same. Then the members would jointly contact DVC member services and have DVC "link' the reservations. That will result in being able to have the same room for both reservations (as some have noted, that is not guaranteed 100%, but I have linked reservations between two memberships more than a dozen times and never had to change rooms).

Note that points from one DVC resort cannot be used for any reservation at another DVC resort until 7 months out, e.g., if you use the transfer method, and the points are from different resorts, they cannot be used together to make a single reservation until 7-months out.

 

[AnnaS]

Ideally, we're like to be together (likely Treehouses or AKV 2bdr). There will be 9 people between the 2 families.

So a transfer or two separate reservations. Hopefully you both own at the same resort (can be tricky if it's a busy time of the year.

@drusba explains it a little simpler/easier

 

[ChristmasJay83]

If you mean for the same room, then to make a single reservation using both memberships would require one DVC owner to transfer points to the other DVC owner who would then use both sets of points to make the single reservation. Transfer is a final transaction and thus if, for any reason the trip were cancelled, the transferred points could not be returned to the original owner.

A second method is to actually make two separate reservations with one owner using his own points to reserve the beginning portion of the trip in a room and the other owner the ending portion of the trip in the same type of room. The members would put on each reservation, as guests in the rooms, all the persons of both families so that the occupants listed for both reservations are the same. Then the members would jointly contact DVC member services and have DVC "link' the reservations. That will result in being able to have the same room for both reservations (as some have noted, that is not guaranteed 100%, but I have linked reservations between two memberships more than a dozen times and never had to change rooms).

Note that points from one DVC resort cannot be used for any reservation at another DVC resort until 7 months out, e.g., if you use the transfer method, and the points are from different resorts, they cannot be used together to make a single reservation until 7-months out.

This is EXACTLY what I needed to know. thank you so much! I really appreciate it!