For those that have recently switched at 7 months,

[disneygrandma]

what was the approach you used? Did you check availability first? If so, was MS able to hold that villa until they brought up your resv? Did they then cancel your existing resv to use the points for the new resort resv? OR did you start off by saying that you want to modify a resv, and then proceed with checking for availability, after your existing resv was brought up? OR did you use some other approach? What did you say to MS as soon as they answered the phone? AND then how did MS handle the switch?

My 7 mo mark is in a few days, and I'm getting nervous about it. I just want to make sure I approach it in the correct way. Our daughter and her family really, real-l-l-ly want BLT, and I don't want to disappoint them.

I've never switched before, but I do know that in the past MS would have had to cancel the existing resv so they could use those points for the new one. By doing so, I would have taken a chance of losing both rooms. I believe things can be handled differently under the new system, and I just want to confirm that with those that have recently switched.

Thanks so much!

 

[Jay2009]

I called earlier this week to switch and told MS that I was thinking about switching to a different resort if there was availability. I originally had a treehouse villa, but as the number of people had changed I was looking to possibly change resorts. I had looked at the points charts and figured out what my first, second, and third choices were and first asked them about availability at the three resorts, and then picked the one I wanted. (AKV Kidani standard view) At no point did MS say that they had to cancel my original reservation to check availability at other resorts.

Hope this helps, and good luck getting BLT!

 

[kamik86]

I just had them bring up my old reservation and make the switch. They didn't cancel one and then do the other or anything like that since I still had the same confirmation number even though its now a split stay! (We decided to bring my mom for half the trip so wanted a 1 bedroom for that half and a studio for the rest)

 

[LaurenT]

You won't risk losing anything. I just switched from AKV to BCV at 9 am this morning...my 7 mnth window. You can't ask about availability until they have your member number, last 4 of ss#, etc...so, just know which bottons to push, call at exactly 9 am and you'll be on an even playing field with everyone else. I am now waitlisted for my first night and am switched over to BCV for the other 7 nights. It's still my original res number...which technically has a split stay right now, since I'm still in Kidani for the first night. WHEN my wait list comes through, I will have 8 nights BCV - it will still be the same res #...

 

[palhockeymomof2]

When I called to switch...I let them know I was looking to move my existing reservation over to BCV....they saw it was open and made the switch...as others have mentioned....my reservation number is the same........
under the old system they use to tell me there was a chance they could lose both reservations since they had to cancel the old one first then book the new one...with a new reservation number....i like this new system much better

 

[purpliequeen]

Agreed with the previous posters. We've switched many times exactly at the 7 mo. mark and never ever lost a reservation (knock on wood). Good luck!

 

[disneygrandma]

Thanks so much for the quick responses. OK, I'm feeling better about what to do. Now to keep my fingers crossed that BLT will be available! Congrats to everyone who's been lucky in getting their 7 mo resv's!

 

[jngwright]

You won't risk losing anything. I just switched from AKV to BCV at 9 am this morning...my 7 mnth window. You can't ask about availability until they have your member number, last 4 of ss#, etc...so, just know which bottons to push, call at exactly 9 am and you'll be on an even playing field with everyone else. I am now waitlisted for my first night and am switched over to BCV for the other 7 nights. It's still my original res number...which technically has a split stay right now, since I'm still in Kidani for the first night. WHEN my wait list comes through, I will have 8 nights BCV - it will still be the same res #...

What buttons should we push? I am getting my fingers ready!!

 

[disneygrandma]

I did a test call this morning (hungup before MS answered), just to make sure the buttons hadn't changed. It's still #1 and then a second #1. I also wrote down the last 4 #'s of my SS, just in case I had a brain freeze. I had printed off the page with my resv info so I have all that in front of me (membership #, resv # and dates, etc) and then wrote the above info on this page. I also printed off the info on our points so I can double check the totals after the switch is made. The membership # for this resv has 2 different contracts/resorts, so I want to make sure the extra points are coming out of the correct resort.

Now all that's left is to make the phone call, and hold my breath while availability is checked.

 

[MinMinn]

Let us know how it goes! My 11-month window opens next Wednesday. I'll be booking a week at Saratoga. Then on July 16th at 9am I'll be calling to switch to:
BWV Std 1br
AKL Value 2br
AKV Savannah 1br
BCV 1br
OKW 1br

in that order. I am totally obsessed with figuring out the order of preference and how many points we can use, etc. I think I'll have withdrawal when the reservations are finally booked.

Do I have any chance in heck of getting any of these for Thurs-Thurs surround president's day? I'm guessing some of my choices are hard to come by.

 

[MrShiny]

I check availability all the time when I'm even remotely thinking of booking - any existing reservation isn't touched until everything is confirmed.

Call at 9:00 ET (remember US clocks "spring forward" this weekend!). 1 - another 1. Have your number, last 4 of your social. You may also need to provide your address and email - don't be afraid to just rattle that all off (although I've found that make MS CM's have a harder time keeping up when I do that!).

Good luck!

 

[Greatfalls]

Here's a related question. If you buy one-time use points as part of your reservation, do you risk losing the room to another reservation in the time the it takes for them to transfer you and charge the extra points? I ask this because once I tried to reserve at 9am at the 7-month mark, and they told me the room I wanted was available, but by the time I gave them the information to reserve, someone else had gotten the last room.

 

[disneygrandma]

Success this morning for BLT! I gave my member #, name & last 4 of SS, and then said that I have a 5 night resv that I want to switch to BLT. It took a while, but eventually it was done. During that time I had to ask twice if it was available. His answer was "I don't think we'll have a problem." So I don't know if he "held" a room from the get-go or not. On the website under the activity section, it shows the original resv as being modified, and the total points put back in to the acct, and then modified again for BLT with that total being taken out. The new resv used more points. It kept the same reservation #.

Now I can breathe!

 

[LaurenT]

Glad to hear it worked out for you! Now you can start planning for your ADR's in a month!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Today at only 3 months, I called to see if I could get a 2 bedroom at VB for a weekend in June, and I wanted to give up the 3 OVIRs that I had. The two bedroom was about 16 total fewer points. The MS person, did put me on hold and she called someone to "release" the 2 bedroom. She said it was necessary to do that because it was the last one. I actually did have enough other points to have both reservations, but that wasn't necessary. The "release" worked, and now I have 16 more points to use!

I know the OVIR's have a nicer view, but this way we could be together, the DGC's family doesn't have to be split up into 2 rooms, and we'll have the kitchen.

Bobbi

 

[DVCconvert]

Today at only 3 months, I called to see if I could get a 2 bedroom at VB for a weekend in June, and I wanted to give up the 3 OVIRs that I had. The two bedroom was about 16 total fewer points. The MS person, did put me on hold and she called someone to "release" the 2 bedroom. She said it was necessary to do that because it was the last one. I actually did have enough other points to have both reservations, but that wasn't necessary. The "release" worked, and now I have 16 more points to use!

I know the OVIR's have a nicer view, but this way we could be together, the DGC's family doesn't have to be split up into 2 rooms, and we'll have the kitchen.

Bobbi

I'm glad that worked out for you!

 

[disneygrandma]

LaurenT, I wish I could be making the ADR's. Unfortunately, I'm not going on this trip. My daughter & her family are going to WDW for the 1st time without grandparents. It was their dream to stay at BLT, so I'm happy that I was able to get that for them today.

 

[PEANUT1]

Congrats!! I hope to have the same luck in a few days!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I goofed, I have 26 more points, not 16!

Pixie dust for you, PEANUT 1!

Bobbi

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Today at only 3 months, I called to see if I could get a 2 bedroom at VB for a weekend in June, and I wanted to give up the 3 OVIRs that I had. The two bedroom was about 16 total fewer points. The MS person, did put me on hold and she called someone to "release" the 2 bedroom. She said it was necessary to do that because it was the last one. I actually did have enough other points to have both reservations, but that wasn't necessary. The "release" worked, and now I have 16 more points to use!

I know the OVIR's have a nicer view, but this way we could be together, the DGC's family doesn't have to be split up into 2 rooms, and we'll have the kitchen.

Bobbi

Hey Bobbi.

So have we learned that they can hold a room or not?