First time booking strategy advice

[Mousemath]

9/19 Edit

Hi, new member question. Booking roughly 6 months out (Mar). This is a 2 Bedroom trip over 6 nights, planning a split stay. I will have to borrow some points to make this happen, so I don’t want to make unnecessary bookings.

I got lucky and got the first two nights in a BLT resort view 2 bed, which I’m happy with. But…. I saw BCV 2 bed was available one of the nights, so I booked that too and put in a waitlist on the second. Because I’m tying up extra points with the double booking, I don’t want to book the final 4 days yet. It’s limited availability for them, will be SSR or OKW only (2 bed).

Question now is how long can I risk not booking those final 4 nights while I wait on the BCV waitlist? I could book 2 now I suppose.

Open to any other suggestions. Thanks!

 

[muppets3d]

When I go to book this, I’ll book the first two nights at BLT or AK, but for the last 4 am I better off booking it as two separate bookings of 1 night then 3 nights, then waitlisting to try to get the third night at my first resort? Sorry if this is confusing.

Yeah that's a good way to do it, make sure you set that waitlist to replace the 1 night reservation if it does come through. In any case, whether the waitlist matches or not you can have member services combine the reservations at the same resort so you won't have to switch rooms. And if your waitlist matching would require borrowing points make sure you allow that when you set up the waitlist.

 

[Willow Ufgood]

Hi, new member question. Booking roughly 6 months out (Mar) once my points arrive which should be within a week. This is a 2 Bedroom trip over 6 nights, planning a split stay. I will have to borrow some points to make this happen, so I don’t want to make unnecessary bookings.

It looks as of today that I could get BLT or AK for my first 2 nights, then for the balance (4) it would have to be OKW or SSR based on the availability I’ve seen. Ideally I’d prefer to go 3 nights / 3 nights. When I go to book this, I’ll book the first two nights at BLT or AK, but for the last 4 am I better off booking it as two separate bookings of 1 night then 3 nights, then waitlisting to try to get the third night at my first resort? Sorry if this is confusing.

Open to any other suggestions. Thanks!

Yes. That's the way to do it. Book BLT or AKV for 3 nights. Then 1 night at OKW or SSR, depending on what's still available and what you would like most. Then 3 nights at OKW/SSR in the same booking category. IOW don't book a standard room for 1 night and 3 nights in a preferred/HH location. Also, make sure that you're not booking a lockoff for one reservation and a dedicated 2BR for the other. You'll want to be able to combine them later if the wait list doesn't come thru.

You will want to choose the same view for the wait list as you book for BLT. Set it up to replace the OKW/SSR 1 night reservation and to borrow points from your next UY if needed.

 

[PolyRob]

I would also put a different number of guests on the placeholder night you add the waitlist to at OKW or SSR.

Sometimes DVC automatically merges reservations for the same resort, category, etc when the guests all match. You can just put yourself on the third night and if/when the waitlist matches update the guests and submit the merge request.

DVC won't separate the first night from a four night OKW or SSR stay if it automatically merged before your waitlist came through.

 

[Mousemath]

I would also put a different number of guests on the placeholder night you add the waitlist to at OKW or SSR.

Sometimes DVC automatically merges reservations for the same resort, category, etc when the guests all match. You can just put yourself on the third night and if/when the waitlist matches update the guests and submit the merge request.

DVC won't separate the first night from a four night OKW or SSR stay if it automatically merged before your waitlist came through.

This is the gold I come here for!

 

[Mousemath]

Resurrecting this thread now that I’m booking:

Hi, new member question. Booking roughly 6 months out (Mar). This is a 2 Bedroom trip over 6 nights, planning a split stay. I will have to borrow some points to make this happen, so I don’t want to make unnecessary bookings.

I got lucky and got the first two nights in a BLT resort view 2 bed, which I’m happy with. But…. I saw BCV 2 bed was available one of the nights, so I booked that too and put in a waitlist on the second. Because I’m tying up extra points with the double booking, I don’t want to book the final 4 days yet. It’s limited availability for them, will be SSR or OKW only (2 bed).

Question now is how long can I risk not booking those final 4 nights while I wait on the BCV waitlist? I could book 2 of the 4 now I suppose.