Do developer points have home-resort 11-month advantage?

[CNMooner]

We just purchased an add on at AKV and took the developer points. I wanted to make a ressie for May-- am I not able to do this? Do developer points have home-resort 11-month advantage?

 

[MouseHouse71]

I believe they can only be booke 7 months out, even if you use them at your home resort.

Good Luck!

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

I am getting so confused and frustrated!
( I just posted this over on the operations board)
My guide is giving me the impression that you can book at the 11 month window with your developers points, (as long as you use them at your home resort).
We have been wafflling between getting the discount or the points for some time. And my guide is aware of this. I basically told her we only want to get the point incentive if we can use it for a 2 bedroom at AKV in July. So she said when we are ready to sign the deal, she will call inventory and "put it on hold" for us! Is she just trying to make a sale or what!

 

[Luv2trav]

No you cannot. My guide was wrong too. When she went to make the reservations for us she was told 7 months in advance...I already knew this so I wasn't too upset..

 

[TyRy]

We just bought this past weekend and our guide told us a couple of times that the double points could only be booked at the seven month window, but were good until next August. We ended up taking the $$ discount since we had to finance. Worked out much better.

 

[CNMooner]

Oh well. Wow, I'm sure it's going to be hard to book ANYWHERE in the next 7 months, that's for sure!

 

[Luv2trav]

Oh well. Wow, I'm sure it's going to be hard to book ANYWHERE in the next 7 months, that's for sure!

I doubt that. We went during memorial day this year and we didn't reserve until 5-6 month prior to leaving. We got VWL......

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

Oh well. Wow, I'm sure it's going to be hard to book ANYWHERE in the next 7 months, that's for sure!

I would have to agree. We are wanting to stay at AKV in a 2 bedroom over the 4th of July. I highly doubt we will be able to get it. I am just frustrated because our guide told us she could "hold it" if we proceeded with the sale. How upset I would have been to find out after the fact that you can only book at the 7 month window!

 

[CNMooner]

I doubt that. We went during memorial day this year and we didn't reserve until 5-6 month prior to leaving. We got VWL......

I would imagine that the bulk of the developer points have been issued since you made your ressie...I'm hearing reports all over the place of limited to no availabilty.

 

[Luv2trav]

I would imagine that the bulk of the developer points have been issued since you made your ressie...I'm hearing reports all over the place of limited to no availabilty.

That's true but if you call right at the 7 month mark that really doesn't make a difference. No other double developer points owner can book any earlier than you either. So just make sure you call at the 7 month mark. I have mind already blocked off to remind me. I probably won't get my first choice but I am confident I will get something that I am interested in.

 

[Donald is #1]

I would have to agree. We are wanting to stay at AKV in a 2 bedroom over the 4th of July. I highly doubt we will be able to get it. I am just frustrated because our guide told us she could "hold it" if we proceeded with the sale. How upset I would have been to find out after the fact that you can only book at the 7 month window!

Do you have enough points without borrowing from next year on your contract? If you do, could you book using the normal points and then at 7 months switch the reservation to the developer's points? I'm not sure if this scenario will work, but it might.

 

[DMKEDM]

First, we got double developer points (200 points from a 100-point add-on) on July 20...booked a 1-BR at BCV for Jan 4-11 w/no trouble, no waitlist, no availability issues at all...all villa sizes and all resorts were open at the time...that would have been about a week into the seven-month window at the time...

Next, yes you can book w/regular points and then switch them to developer points...several posts on these boards over the past couple of weeks talking about having done this.

Third, ask your guide to get the "hold" on your AKV reservation before you finalize your sale...booking w/developer points starts w/MS putting a hold on your accommodations (it's a separate system from the regular booking system; bookings w/developer points do NOT show up on your dvcmember.com vacations page)...maybe the guide can do it where us regular folks can't...it's certainly worth a try...

In our experience (about 15 months of DVC ownership and 7 booked trips so far), we've found much less trouble w/availability than you might think from reading these boards...sometimes you have to use the W/L and sometimes you have to be flexible as to resort or villa size, but we've never been "shut out"...even including T-giving 5 months out the year we bought...definitely talk to your guide about what your "break points" are...make it clear your purchase is contingent on getting that reservation and it's very possible your guide will be able to make it happen...

Good luck and lots of pixie dust!

 

[pyrxtc]

well, I don't know about only booking 7 months out,but i booked the end of April into May for AKV's Concierge about 2 weeks ago. That was about 9 months out and I had no problem booking using my DDP's.

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

well, I don't know about only booking 7 months out,but i booked the end of April into May for AKV's Concierge about 2 weeks ago. That was about 9 months out and I had no problem booking using my DDP's.

It doesn't seem quite fair that some are able to use their developers points at the 9 month point, and yet yesterday my guide told me that these points can only be used at the 7 month window. I called her specifically with this question, because over the weekend she made it seem like we could book at the 11 month window, but called to get clarification. I think there needs to be a clear standard.

 

[pyrxtc]

My guide didn't book it, I call member services and they did everything for me. I don't ahve a reservation number yet since it has to be entered by hand but I ahve a written (e-mail) guarantee and reps name and all that I ahve my dates. I will continue to call to assure myself every few weeks until i ahve the reservation in hand but I know I'll be there. I was never told there was a limit and I had until August to use the points and that was the only caveat, with the exception of 7 months at other resorts.

 

[Luv2trav]

well, I don't know about only booking 7 months out,but i booked the end of April into May for AKV's Concierge about 2 weeks ago. That was about 9 months out and I had no problem booking using my DDP's.

Are you sure they didn't use your actual points. I was told NO can do until 7 months... I wouldn't trust it until I had confirmation in hand.

 

[pyrxtc]

Are you sure they didn't use your actual points. I was told NO can do until 7 months... I wouldn't trust it until I had confirmation in hand.

well, my actual points are banked so I know they weren't used. i ahve the confirmation code for that. It is in my acct that I only have 6 points left and showing both reservations but one hasn't been manually entered so it has no # yet. I was told that as long as it shows through my acct, then it is a guarantee. I don't know why other people are having a problem booking mroe than 7 months out for their home resort. My guide told me that these worked just like the regualr points so 11 home advantage and 7 months anywhere.

 

[childsplay]

I don't know why other people are having a problem booking mroe than 7 months out for their home resort. My guide told me that these worked just like the regualr points so 11 home advantage and 7 months anywhere.

They are having a problem because you are not suppossed to be able to use Developer Points before the 7 month mark. Please understand that I am not saying you did anything wrong, and i fully believe that your guide said you could use them at the 11 months at your home resort, but this is another example of rules not being applied/enforced consistantly which invariably leads to frustration for those who are having the rules applied to them in a more restrictive manner.

 

[Inkmahm]

Next, yes you can book w/regular points and then switch them to developer points...several posts on these boards over the past couple of weeks talking about having done this.

I'm one that did this with my regular AKV points and then switched to banked VWL points at 7 months. BUT, the restriction is that the room has to be available to book at 7 months for anyone. If it isn't, then you can't switch points and you are stuck using the original points.

 

[Luv2trav]

I'm one that did this with my regular AKV points and then switched to banked VWL points at 7 months. BUT, the restriction is that the room has to be available to book at 7 months for anyone. If it isn't, then you can't switch points and you are stuck using the original points.

I was told the same thing. So I am just waiting for the 7 month to make our ressies... To be honest I am not that stressed out about it. If the room I want isn't available I have other back up options.. I am sure one of them will be available..