combining reservations?

[Mtnman44]

Sorry for more newbie questions. There is so much to learn! Thanks everyone.

I was wondering, can two separate reservations with adjoing dates be combined into one "stay" so as to require only one checkin with no room changes.

By this I mean: Suppose I use my home resort points to book a 5 day (sun to thur) stay at my home resort at 11 months. At 7 months I use points from another contract to book the Friday and Sat nights directly following my 5 day stay (same room type). Once these reservations are booked, can they be combined into just one 7 day stay for convienience purposes? I would assume the resort would like this as it is also uses less houskeeping resources.

Thanks!

 

[jekjones1558]

Yes. Just ask the CM when you call for the 7 month days to either modify the original reservation to add the 2 new days or to link the first 5 days to the last 2 days. It will be as if you had one reservation all along.

 

[dianeschlicht]

It's called "linking" the reservations.

 

[Mtnman44]

Dang! This is like the dream discussion board. I keep getting the exact answers I was hoping to hear!!!

THanks again.

 

[Dean]

Dang! This is like the dream discussion board. I keep getting the exact answers I was hoping to hear!!!

THanks again.

The reservations must be for the exact same type of room and all through MS to truly have them linked. For example, one cannot link a lockout 2 BR with a dedicated 2 BR. For one CRO and one DVC, you can ask that you not change rooms, not guaranteed, but you'll have to check out and back in regardless.

 

[YoMickey]

On the other hand can I un-combine a single reservation so I do not have to do the dining plan every day!

Maybe a 5-day and a 3-day

 

[Dean]

On the other hand can I un-combine a single reservation so I do not have to do the dining plan every day!

Maybe a 5-day and a 3-day

My understanding is you can't split a single reservation but you can split a linked reservation. But if the days are available, you can cancel part and then rebook the rest separately. This is however one of the areas where you will find different results with every call.

 

[Disney Doll]

They will "link" the reservations. They will usually tell you that they cannot guarantee that you will not have to move, but I have linked reservations many times over the years, and have never had to move.

 

[Caskbill]

On the other hand can I un-combine a single reservation so I do not have to do the dining plan every day!

Maybe a 5-day and a 3-day

Basically what you're doing is cancelling part of your vacation and then booking a separate one. Booking the separate one depends on availability.

You could then have the dining plan for just one of the reservations.

Note: You cannot link the two reservations. If you do, then you have to purchase the dining plan for the full thing. And, since you can't link them, then you have to check-out, and check back in, and most likely even have to move.

We know this for fact because we already had the same idea a few months ago when we made a reservation, then later wanted to add on some days additional days without having the dining plan for them.

To have the dining plan on just one of the reservations, we couldn't link them and would have to move. If we wanted to link the reservations and not move, we would have had to get the dining plan for the full length of stay.

So you probably won't want to do that just to have a partial dining plan.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Basically what you're doing is cancelling part of your vacation and then booking a separate one. Booking the separate one depends on availability.

You could then have the dining plan for just one of the reservations.

Note: You cannot link the two reservations. If you do, then you have to purchase the dining plan for the full thing. And, since you can't link them, then you have to check-out, and check back in, and most likely even have to move.

We know this for fact because we already had the same idea a few months ago when we made a reservation, then later wanted to add on some days additional days without having the dining plan for them.

To have the dining plan on just one of the reservations, we couldn't link them and would have to move. If we wanted to link the reservations and not move, we would have had to get the dining plan for the full length of stay.

So you probably won't want to do that just to have a partial dining plan.

ACK, now I am confused. Bill, are you saying that linked reservations can't have the dining plan for some portions and not others? We are doing linked ressies for December starting with the 2 of us in a studio for 1 night, moving to a 2 bedroom for 5 nights with 3 guests, and finishing up for 5 nights in the 1 bedroom portion, again with just the 2 of us. It was my understanding that we could have the dining plan for the 2 bedroom portion only, but what you are saying makes me think that's not true now. I certainly don't want to pay dining plan for 5 people for 11 nights when the 5 are only there when we have teh 2 bedroom portion of the ressie. Explain please .

 

[dianeschlicht]

Okay, I think I have it now. The term "linked" doesn't apply in my case, since, while I have them "linked" to prevent moving, they are still 3 seperate accommodation types, so I CAN just do the DDP for the 2 bedroom portion and teh number of people on that part of the ressie.

 

[Caskbill]

Diane, I think you're correct that in your case it's not exactly linked the same way. Technically you're moving between reservations. You'll probably have to check-out and then check back in between your 'moves', and most likely there will be mousekeeping at each stage.

In our case we have a villa, and wanted to add on a few extra days and stay in the same villa, but didn't want to have the dining plan for the extra days. We could either treat it as a 2nd reservation, check-out and check-in, and probably have to move, or link both halves together to make a single reservation, except we would then have to have the dining plan for the full length of stay.

So it looks like our situation and yours are just different enough that you can have the dining plan for one portion only. Let us know how it works out and whether you had to check-out and check back in.

 

[Dean]

ACK, now I am confused. Bill, are you saying that linked reservations can't have the dining plan for some portions and not others? We are doing linked ressies for December starting with the 2 of us in a studio for 1 night, moving to a 2 bedroom for 5 nights with 3 guests, and finishing up for 5 nights in the 1 bedroom portion, again with just the 2 of us. It was my understanding that we could have the dining plan for the 2 bedroom portion only, but what you are saying makes me think that's not true now. I certainly don't want to pay dining plan for 5 people for 11 nights when the 5 are only there when we have teh 2 bedroom portion of the ressie. Explain please .

I think Bill is saying that a linked reservation is counted as one and that either you get the DDP for the entire thing or nothing. I believe he is correct. One cannot truly link rooms that are not the exact same type. In that case you're simply asking not to move but there are no guarantees and you will have to check out and then back in, at least technically. I've done this several times and never had to move or vacate the unit. In this case you should be able to get the DDP for part or all. If you get it for all, it would actually be two separate plans. You should be OK in this situation.