Does MS use banked points first when making a reservation?

[eeyoresmom]

I called MS today just before they closed and made a reservation. The CM said I have 39 points left, 16 of which are banked from '06 and have to be used by Dec. Don't they use the banked points first ?

 

[LisaS]

I called MS today just before they closed and made a reservation. The CM said I have 39 points left, 16 of which are banked from '06 and have to be used by Dec. Don't they use the banked points first ?

Normally yes, provided you are booking a stay for a time period in which the banked points can be used. I have seen one or two posts where people stated that MS missed the fact that there were banked points available, so it does happen occasionally.

I assume you have a December Use Year so the 16 banked points are valid for stays from Dec 1, 2007 - Nov 30, 2008. Were you booking something for Dec '07? How many banked points did you have prior to the call? How many points did the reservation require?

 

[WebmasterDoc]

LisaS points out an important aspect of using banked points. Usually, MS will automatically use any banked points available for the reservation being made.

If you were making a reservation for December, 2007 and the points were banked from your December, 2006 Use Year, they should have been used for that reservation (dependent on the number of points needed for the reservation). It sounds as though the banked points might be from your December, 2005 Use Year, in which case they will expire on November 30, 2007 and could not be used for a December, 2007 reservation.

If they were definitely points banked within the past few weeks (from December, 2006) I would call MS tomorrow to review what was done. If they were, in fact, points banked from your December, 2005 Use Year into your 2006 Use Year, you will need to find a use for them prior to December 1, 2007.

Please let us know what happens!

 

[Dean]

First, they usually do use the banked or borrowed points first but do not have to do so. So if you have banked or borrowed points you want to make sure they use them for any applicable reservation unless you have a home resort reservation you need them for otherwise that is outside 7 months, you should actually tell them to do so and check the accounting during that call. Second, if you have a reservation and then end up with banked or borrowed points in that use year, they will not automatically do anything with them though they may or may not be able to incorporate them into an existing reservation and thus free up better points that might be banked or transferred.

 

[LisaS]

If you were making a reservation for December, 2007 and the points were banked from your December, 2006 Use Year, they should have been used for that reservation (dependent on the number of points needed for the reservation). It sounds as though the banked points might be from your December, 2005 Use Year, in which case they will expire on November 30, 2007 and could not be used for a December, 2007 reservation.

Ah, yes! When the OP stated there were 16 points banked from '06, I interpreted "'06" as '06 UY rather than calendar year 2006 which, with a Dec UY would be the OP's '05 UY. So I expect you are correct that those banked points are '05 points, valid for use only until Nov 30, 2007 and that the OP was making a reservation for Dec '07.

I hope the OP comes back to clarify. I need closure!

 

[WeddingPavilion]

I called MS today just before they closed and made a reservation. The CM said I have 39 points left, 16 of which are banked from '06 and have to be used by Dec. Don't they use the banked points first ?

Change the reservation so you stay the last couple of days in Nov

 

[eeyoresmom]

Op here. I banked 50 '05 points.The reservation I just made was for 66 points.Wouldn't MS use those 50 points,then 16 from my '06 (DEC UY) points?

 

[paults]

while some CM at MS may use the banked pts first, there are some that don't( because they may be new CM's or whatever) . Just remember that it's our job to keep track of OUR pts not MS. They have enough to do without watching over 100,000 members pts. Most of the CM's I talked with for a ressie have asked me about the banked pts I have but if they don't then I tell them what to use first.
We as a whole shouldn't be upset with MS if they don't use the pts we were thinking of but didn't mention.

 

[Granny]

while some CM at MS may use the banked pts first, there are some that don't( because they may be new CM's or whatever) . Just remember that it's our job to keep track of OUR pts not MS.

I tend to agree with this. The hope is that MS watches out for us, but ultimately it is our job to utilize our points wisely.

One tip that I find very helpful is to go over my point status with MS after every transaction. That would include current year plus the next if there's been any activity there. I've never found a discrepancy, but they've always cheerfully looked it up (takes about 3 seconds). Then, just to be safe, I look on the Member website and double check point balances there.

 

[LisaS]

Op here. I banked 50 '05 points.The reservation I just made was for 66 points.Wouldn't MS use those 50 points,then 16 from my '06 (DEC UY) points?

What are the dates of your reservation? We can't really answer your question without knowing whether your trip falls within your '06 UY or your '07 UY. If your trip dates are between now and Nov 30, 07 then yes, the banked points could be used for that trip so you should call MS back to have that corrected. If your trip dates are for Dec 1, 07 - Nov 30, '08 then those banked points are not valid for those dates.

Granny's advice is excellent as always. Whenever you plan to call MS to do anything with your points, write down how many banked and current points you have, and how many you expect to have left after the reservation is made. MS usually tells you what's left after making the reservation but if they don't, ask them. If their numbers don't match what you were expecting, then you can sort out the confusion during the call.

Meanwhile, what are your trip dates for the reservation you just made?

 

[eeyoresmom]

Lisa,the trip is April '07

 

[LisaS]

Lisa,the trip is April '07

OK so that trip is in your '06 UY and your banked '05 points are valid for use for that stay. Give MS a call. They are open today from 1:00 -5:00. They should be able to correct this and use the banked points for your April stay.

Let us know how things turn out.

 

[byoung]

while some CM at MS may use the banked pts first, there are some that don't( because they may be new CM's or whatever) . Just remember that it's our job to keep track of OUR pts not MS. They have enough to do without watching over 100,000 members pts. Most of the CM's I talked with for a ressie have asked me about the banked pts I have but if they don't then I tell them what to use first.
We as a whole shouldn't be upset with MS if they don't use the pts we were thinking of but didn't mention.

I agree, usually tell the CM to use my banked points when calling.

 

[CinderellaPug]

When we made our last reservation, MS told me that they automatically use banked points first (in the UY). Does this differ depending on who you get on the phone at MS?

 

[Dean]

When we made our last reservation, MS told me that they automatically use banked points first (in the UY). Does this differ depending on who you get on the phone at MS?

Yes it does.

 

[LisaS]

When we made our last reservation, MS told me that they automatically use banked points first (in the UY). Does this differ depending on who you get on the phone at MS?

I always tell MS "I have banked points I want to use for this reservation" and they always reply that they automatically use banked points first. I interpreted the word "automatic" to mean their reservation system is programmed to apply banked points first. But the fact that several people have reported recently that this did not happen suggests that it's done manually, in which case it's subject to human error. Based on how many people are reporting wrong info from MS on various topics, it sounds like they have some new staff members who are still learning the system.

 

[Cruelladeville]

It's always a good idea to go over what you THINK you did with MS before hanging up, just to be sure. I am giving current pts to my DD for her vacation(not yet scheduled), so I want to borrow from next year to make ressies--this is not for the faint-of-heart and takes a clear head to accomplish with MS. They are actually very good at watching out for our best interests, but sometimes they don't understand our thinking.