Fall Travel Dilemma--Need Advice

[DisneyStarWisher]

I am hoping my fellow Disers can give me some advice. Right now, I am booked for 7 nights in a value studio at AKV for our fall break. We are wanting to just stay 5 nights, so I had planned on cancelling two of the nights, but knew due to my DH's work I was going to have to wait until closer to time to see whether I would need to cancel the first night or the last night. Well, here's the problem. My DH is retiring this year, but he is going to continue coaching football. The team may or may not play on our check-in day (a Saturday) depending on whether they win a previous game, so I figure that night definitely needs to be cancelled. But here's the kicker (no pun intended)...they may play that Tuesday and/or Saturday of our break. The problem is we won't know until about two weeks out, so our points would go in holding if we have to cancel. There is no other break we can travel, and I would prefer not taking days off if I can help it. I'm trying to decide whether to keep the reservation and chance it or not. I will be upset if I cancel it and book other dates (which would require me to take off and would also require flying so an additional cost) and then he doesn't have to work. But if I don't go ahead and book other dates and then he does have to work, there will be nothing available. If I keep the reservation, I'm thinking about travel insurance which I think would cover this situation due to work requirements, but I'm not sure how that works. I realize you get a certain amount to cover each point, but what happens to the points? If anyone has been in this situation, I would love to hear from you. Or if you just have some advice, I would appreciate it! Thanks!

ETA--Additional information that might be helpful...We will be free to travel on weekends after October 22, and I really want to attend F&W.

 

[cvjw]

The DVC insurance only covers the maintenance fees on the points lost, not the actual points. You also have to buy an insurance policy for each year of points used - if you used banked and current points - you buy 2 policies.

Not a very good deal when I researched it.

You do not have many good options if you won't know about a football game until a couple days before the trip. Your points would go into holding if you cancel that close to your trip.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I'd possibly consider some sort of a cash backup. Either rent out my points and book a cash reservation for the time you'd most like to go but have the possible conflict. Cash can be cancelled up to 5 days prior without penalty so it would give you greater flexibility for change. Or take the points from the nights you cancel and book nights for a F&W weekend that you could supplement with a cash booking if necessary and see how the football season is going thinking that you might have a better idea if the games have a good chance of happening.

 

[Anal Annie]

You know how this will work. If you cancel your current reservation (that so very hard to get value studio) they won't make the playoffs. If you keep the reservation they'll go all the way. Your DH won't have other football games on weekends after Oct. 22? I'm just not following how he would be OK to go say the end of Oct or first of Nov but can't go later in Nov when you have break?

I don't know if you've already looked at the Oct.-Nov. availability yet? There's still good availabilty for say a long weekend over Oct. 26-30 or Nov. 3-6. Of course your value studio is gone but there's a standard view available for that last weekend in Oct. (but not over the following weekend in Nov. which is the Wine & Dine marathon weekend). If it was me I would probably just go ahead and pick another travel date. If it has to be a long weekend instead of a week just bite the bullet and get it planned before the availablity starts dropping. I would take Friday and Monday off which is not a huge amount of days. You could fly down Thurs. evening after work and then have all day Fri, Sat & Sun then fly back later on Monday evening and you could have most of Monday too. JM2C. Good luck!!!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

You know how this will work. If you cancel your current reservation (that so very hard to get value studio) they won't make the playoffs. If you keep the reservation they'll go all the way. Your DH won't have other football games on weekends after Oct. 22? I'm just not following how he would be OK to go say the end of Oct or first of Nov but can't go later in Nov when you have break?

I don't know if you've already looked at the Oct.-Nov. availability yet? There's still good availabilty for say a long weekend over Oct. 26-30 or Nov. 3-6. Of course your value studio is gone but there's a standard view available for that last weekend in Oct. (but not over the following weekend in Nov. which is the Wine & Dine marathon weekend). If it was me I would probably just go ahead and pick another travel date. If it has to be a long weekend instead of a week just bite the bullet and get it planned before the availablity starts dropping. I would take Friday and Monday off which is not a huge amount of days. You could fly down Thurs. evening after work and then have all day Fri, Sat & Sun then fly back later on Monday evening and you could have most of Monday too. JM2C. Good luck!!!

Yes, I definitely know how this will work. I have the worst luck! To explain the dates, the last game will definitely be October 22, no matter what. I had edited my post to add that I really want to do F&W which ends on November 13. Yes, we have Thanksgiving Break, but that wouldn't allow me to go to F&W, plus our boys are in college and they will be home for the break so I don't want to miss time with them. (They will not be going on this trip.)

I'd possibly consider some sort of a cash backup. Either rent out my points and book a cash reservation for the time you'd most like to go but have the possible conflict. Cash can be cancelled up to 5 days prior without penalty so it would give you greater flexibility for change. Or take the points from the nights you cancel and book nights for a F&W weekend that you could supplement with a cash booking if necessary and see how the football season is going thinking that you might have a better idea if the games have a good chance of happening.

Thanks for the information about the cash reservation. I just have a feeling that renting the points or even the reservation will not provide us with enough money to book the other nights on cash. For the 45 points I had planned to use for the 5 nights in the value studio, I would probably get only $585 if I rented them for $13/point. Would that even get us two nights? So I would definitely have to add some cash to get at least two more nights. With that plus the added cost of airfare, we are looking at some major expenses that would be unwanted since my DH is retiring.

Thanks for the advice. Keep it coming!

 

[Kidanifan08]

I'd probably drop the current reservation and book a studio at OKW or SSR-standard (if available) right at 7 months for a time when you KNOW you can go. We have done F&W from OKW and it has worked out well. You can also boat to DS, which has become more appealing, particularly as an option to avoid the weekend F&W weekend evenings. As AKV owners, I know the great feeling of having a value studio reservation, so it's hard to let it go. But, the OKW and SSR-standards are an affordable option, if AKV value is not available.

Regarding the cash reservation option, it could be done, but you may need to do value or, at most, moderate. Not a terrible situation, but a DVC studio is always a better option.

 

[CarolMN]

Doesn't your DH have an assistant coach / co-coach that could cover while you are gone? Or one of the parents, maybe? That's what my brother does when he has to miss a game.

Good luck. Hope something works out for you.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I'd probably drop the current reservation and book a studio at OKW or SSR-standard (if available) right at 7 months for a time when you KNOW you can go. We have done F&W from OKW and it has worked out well. You can also boat to DS, which has become more appealing, particularly as an option to avoid the weekend F&W weekend evenings. As AKV owners, I know the great feeling of having a value studio reservation, so it's hard to let it go. But, the OKW and SSR-standards are an affordable option, if AKV value is not available.

Regarding the cash reservation option, it could be done, but you may need to do value or, at most, moderate. Not a terrible situation, but a DVC studio is always a better option.

I like OKW and SSR isn't bad, but if I was going to change the reservation, I would go ahead and book an AKV standard right now for a time I know I can go. If I chance it and keep the reservation, I would be happy to get OKW or SSR with my holding points though.

That leads me to the question of what would be available at 2 months out and when?

Doesn't your DH have an assistant coach / co-coach that could cover while you are gone? Or one of the parents, maybe? That's what my brother does when he has to miss a game.

Good luck. Hope something works out for you.

LOL! My DH said that in our area that would be a quick way of getting fired. Coaches are expected to be at every game. Your brother is lucky!

 

[Kidanifan08]

I like OKW and SSR isn't bad, but if I was going to change the reservation, I would go ahead and book an AKV standard right now for a time I know I can go. If I chance it and keep the reservation, I would be happy to get OKW or SSR with my holding points though.

That leads me to the question of what would be available at 2 months out and when?

I think availability at 2 months out for late October or early November is probably slim. Disboard member @drusba could probably give you more reliable info. As I see it, it is only one trip, of many, and a guaranteed stay at OKW or SSR is better than being shut out at 2 months. Besides, the AKV standard views are marginal, unless you can get a pool/partial Pembe view.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I think availability at 2 months out for late October or early November is probably slim. Disboard member @drusba could probably give you more reliable info. As I see it, it is only one trip, of many, and a guaranteed stay at OKW or SSR is better than being shut out at 2 months. Besides, the AKV standard views are marginal, unless you can get a pool/partial Pembe view.

I realize that if I chance it and then can't go, that I would not be able to attend the F&W. What I meant is what is available at two months out during non-peak seasons and what the non-peak seasons are. For example, if I was left with holding points, would we be able to get SSR in January?

And as far as AKV, I could care less about the views. I just miss the whole atmosphere of AKV. We had to change our trip unexpectedly last year and ended up at OKW. I have really been looking forward to getting back to AKV. So if I decide not to chance, I'll go ahead and book an AKV standard studio right now.

My problem is deciding if I should keep my reservation and chance it or not.

 

[Anal Annie]

I realize that if I chance it and then can't go, that I would not be able to attend the F&W. What I meant is what is available at two months out during non-peak seasons and what the non-peak seasons are. For example, if I was left with holding points, would we be able to get SSR in January?

And as far as AKV, I could care less about the views. I just miss the whole atmosphere of AKV. We had to change our trip unexpectedly last year and ended up at OKW. I have really been looking forward to getting back to AKV. So if I decide not to chance, I'll go ahead and book an AKV standard studio right now.

My problem is deciding if I should keep my reservation and chance it or not.

I always refer to Skier Pete's charts to get an idea of availability. I think at 2 months out you're going to have to be open minded to piece together anything consecutive. AKV Kidani Standard view and SSR at 2 months in the 2nd half of January according to this research are both "mostly open" (but I'm guessing more for weekdays than weekends). This is the first year with SSR having 2 booking categories - in my personal tracking of this it seems that the "standard" view books up faster than the "preferred" due to the point difference so what's left there may be in the higher point category. In the first week of January things (studios especially) book up at 7 months due to the marathon being over the first weekend. If you look at the first week of January right now you can see it's already getting sketchy at a couple of places and the 11 month window just opened (we already have our SSR booked becuz of this). Then later in the month you're dealing with people planning long weekends over MLK weekend etc. Take a look at this his thread - it's very interesting and helpful (I have it book marked).

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-some-1-bedrooms-vgc-update-10-21-15.3419112/

 

[bumbershoot]

For example, if I was left with holding points, would we be able to get SSR in January?

Not over the marathon, most likely.


Holding points mean last minute-ish travel. Is that cheaper or more expensive than having hubby have an extra flight for a game during your trip? Your location is KY; that flight is a lot shorter than my flights to/from WA! Couldn't he just miss a day (cancel the Saturday and chance him having to travel out and back for a Tuesday game)?

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I always refer to Skier Pete's charts to get an idea of availability. I think at 2 months out you're going to have to be open minded to piece together anything consecutive. AKV Kidani Standard view and SSR at 2 months in the 2nd half of January according to this research are both "mostly open" (but I'm guessing more for weekdays than weekends). This is the first year with SSR having 2 booking categories - in my personal tracking of this it seems that the "standard" view books up faster than the "preferred" due to the point difference so what's left there may be in the higher point category. In the first week of January things (studios especially) book up at 7 months due to the marathon being over the first weekend. If you look at the first week of January right now you can see it's already getting sketchy at a couple of places and the 11 month window just opened (we already have our SSR booked becuz of this). Then later in the month you're dealing with people planning long weekends over MLK weekend etc. Take a look at this his thread - it's very interesting and helpful (I have it book marked).

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-some-1-bedrooms-vgc-update-10-21-15.3419112/

Thanks for the info. I'll check it out.

Not over the marathon, most likely.


Holding points mean last minute-ish travel. Is that cheaper or more expensive than having hubby have an extra flight for a game during your trip? Your location is KY; that flight is a lot shorter than my flights to/from WA! Couldn't he just miss a day (cancel the Saturday and chance him having to travel out and back for a Tuesday game)?

It's not just the game. He will have practice every day. If they have a game on Tuesday and win, they will play again on Saturday. Anyway, like I said earlier, with my DH retiring from teaching, things will be tight and flying once would be difficult. Flying back and forth is definitely not an option.