Complex reservation question

[wvalx]

I'm planning a vacation during Thanksgiving 11/20-27. I am not a DVC member but I am in the process of purchasing a HHI contract that went to ROFR a couple of days ago. I tried to rent via the Rent/Trade board but there wasn't week long availability at any DVC resort for 2-bedroom. There is availability via Disney cash reservations at OKW.

So my questions are, if I book a cash reservation and my purchase closes in 6 weeks from now:

1.) Once I become a member, if there are certain days that are available via points for OKW rooms during the 11/20-11/27, could I cancel those certain days and get credit back from my cash reservations.

2.) Once I become a member, can I get the cash reservation discount for the days I can't get through points?

3.) If I can do either 1 or 2 above, will I be staying in the same room all week long.

Thanks for any info,
Dave

 

[PEANUT1]

1. yes if there are rooms
2. yes
3. probably, but not a guarentee.

i hope this helps.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yes, you can cancel a cash reservation and get money back up to a certain time. Not sure what that is since we only make DVC reservations anymore.

You will be able to get the DVC cash reservation ONLY if there are cash reservations available at your resort. Those are not unlimited at all times.

Maybe, maybe not....Depends on how busy it is and if the front desk can work with you. Also depends on what size unit you are talking about.

Now the real cruncher....There is unlikely to be anything available for Thanksgiving week even now. That of course also depends on the unit size you are needing. IF you are looking for a studio at OKW during Thanksgiving....don't hold your breath. If you want a larger unit...MAYBE if you waitlist, but I'd expect most everything to be nearly sold out for that week already. I WAS able to change a ressie at OKW for that week when I called a couple of weeks ago changing from a 2 bedroom to a 1 bedroom for the last half of the trip. We will be at OKW from November 18-29. My guess is that you may have luck getting the 26 and 27, but 20-25 is going to be tough.

 

[tjkraz]

2.) Once I become a member, can I get the cash reservation discount for the days I can't get through points?

On this point I'll answer "almost certainly no."

There are two different inventories at DVC resorts: rooms available to DVC members and rooms that are owned by CRO.

Assuming you are referring to getting the 25% DVC member cash discount, that discount is only offered when DVC projects that it will not be able to fill all of the rooms available to DVC members with members staying on points. If a room is in the CRO inventory, the 25% DVC discount does not apply.

You MIGHT be able to get a passholder discount on a cash room, but probably won't know if they are even offered for several months yet.

Finally, when you start mixing DVC point and CRO reservations, there is a chance that you will have to switch rooms. Booking the same resort and room size isn't sufficient. The reservation system sees each reservation as a unique entity. If the resort is pre-assiging rooms to guests, they may not be able to tweak the system such that you remain in the same room for the duration.

Even if they can keep you in the same room, you WILL have to check-in multiple times and be issued new room keys. You'll get a new key for each separate "leg" (booking) of the stay.

 

[wvalx]

Thanks for the responses! If I want DDP and park tickets, will it make the possibility of switching things around that much more complicated? or should/can I add those later to the cash reservation.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for the responses! If I want DDP and park tickets, will it make the possibility of switching things around that much more complicated? or should/can I add those later to the cash reservation.

The park tickets would have to be however you want to purchase them, and if you are doing a CRO stay, you COULD purchase them from CRO, but I'm not sure there is an advantage to that. With the DVC part of your trip, you pay for DDP when you check in (it must be reserved ahead of time though), and you are free to get your park tickets either from the concierge desk or on line or at the downtown Disney or park kiosks. With the $100 off the APs, you might want to consider that as well, since you can usually get 2 year's worth of trips on on AP pass by skewing your stays just short of 365 days. Generally, it is a good financial move to do the AP if you are going to have 10 days or more over the course of 365 days.