grand villa cash?

[luv2vacation]

Hi
I checked with MS today and a grand villa was not avaiable for cash on a weekend in June. Is it hard to pay cash for a grand villa? Also if it is not avaiable now what are the chances it might come avaiable for cash? Thanks

 

[PamOKW]

I assume you were looking to book it with the member discount. I'm not sure what the chances are on being able to do this. Any member discount is hard to come by. Your chances might be better at the 60 day mark but that's assuming it is still available. Which leads to two other questions...did you see whether it is available for points? Also, you might call regular Disney reservations and see whether they have a GV in their inventory and what price they quote you.

 

[luv2vacation]

I am trying to rent it at any rate. MS does not have it available also CRO does not have it either. Yes it is aviable on points but we were looking to stay 9 nights in the grand villa. Points during the week days and cash on the week end. We do not have enough points for the wekend. I know I could rent them, but i think it is cheaper to pay cash on the weekend.

 

[RobDoc]

The first prioirity for MS is to reserve everything in the member inventory using ooints. Once they are satisfied that a room will not be needed for a point reservation, it will be released for member cash reservation and, at 60 days prior, it will be released to CRO for cash reservations.

Sometimes, when there is a past history of availability, the room may be available for cash very early (HH will have a lotof cash availability for members for December and January eah year). AT other times, there may be little or no cash availability until 60 days prior (even then, CRO may have some cash availability to pay for non-DVC reservations).

Keep calling MS to see if June opens up. If there is anything left in April, it will be released for cash reservations.

Good luck!

 

[luv2vacation]

Thanks for all info!!
Is the 60 day mark usually when the give a member discount for rooms available?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Are you looking for a specific resort?

 

[luv2vacation]

Yes
OKW.
Right now we are in a 2 bedroom unit and a studio. We would like to all stay in a grand villa together.

 

[floridafam]

Just keep checking availability for cash and points.

I called about a Beach Cottage and VB next October and it was already available for cash through MS.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Some of the early availability for cash nights may come from the 4% of each resort that Disney maintains control of. I have booked cash nights at different times of the year at different resorts up to 11 months out. Just keep calling.

 

[luv2vacation]

Thanks everyone!!
I will keep calling and let everyone know if I end up with a grand villa.
Anyone know about the member discount? Right now no discount for the weekend for the 2 bedroom. Can this change?
I have one at the regular rate through MS (so I do not have to change units) and if a discount comes along can I get it? Or do I have to cancel and rebook the weekend again?

 

[RobDoc]

If you already have cash nights reserved thru MS, the discount (25%) will be applied automatically if it becomes available. You won't have to keep asking or make a new reservation. I've had that happen on two occasions- where, after making a cash reservation at rack rate, I got a new confirmation with the discounted rate about 2 months before arriving.

Hang in there and see what happens- but I would still call regularly to check on the GV cash nights.

Good luck!

 

[luv2vacation]

Thanks WebmasterDoc for the info. I thought I had to keep calling to see if a discount was available. So they will change it to the new rate without me even asking? Sounds great to me!!
Is there usually a member discount in June?

 

[RobDoc]

My experience with the discount has been in late June at HH- twice.

I can't vouch for June anyplace else!

Good luck!!

 

[sparkysfriends]

I actually have a HH grand villa reservation for this Feb. 14 - 21. I was going to use all points for it, but surprisingly, the first and last nights were only available through cash. So we're using points for the weeknights and are paying cash for the 2 weekend nights with the member discount. I know some members always like to do this, but it just kind of happened for us. Member Services was surprised that the availability was only available on cash for those 2 nights, but it worked out just fine.
Something interesting that I did find out is that there are always a certain number of rooms available for cash at HH. It is a law in South Carolina. The Grand Villa surprised me though. Another thing that I have found in the past is that the member discount on rooms has usually been available earlier rather than closer to the reservation dates. At least in HH. It's the only place I've ever paid cash for any part of my reservation. They offer the discount until a certain percentage of rooms are booked and then they stop offering it. You can sometimes still pay cash at that point, but no member discount.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by sparkysfriends
....(snip)......Something interesting that I did find out is that there are always a certain number of rooms available for cash at HH. It is a law in South Carolina. .........

What an odd law! I wonder why it was ever passed. Anyone know or care to venture a guess?

 

[Jimbo]

What an odd law! I wonder why it was ever passed. Anyone know or care to venture a guess?

SC also has a law that only allows bars and restaurants to pour liquor out of those little airplane bottles. My wife ordered a Long Island Ice Tea on our first trip, and the bartender practically got carpal tunnel from all the bottles that he had to open. So nothing on the books in SC can be too much of a surprise.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by WebmasterDoc
If you already have cash nights reserved thru MS, the discount (25%) will be applied automatically if it becomes available. You won't have to keep asking or make a new reservation.

Doc,
I've never had MS tell me that if the 25% discount becomes available it would be automaticaly applied to an existing cash reservation. I'm not saying it doesn't happen as you describe, but I just don't know if it a firm policy at MS.

Personally, I've been calling every week or so for the member discount to be applied to a rack rate reservation we have later this year. MS tells me it is not available yet and I should keep checking. BTW, I've read here that other members have received the member discount for the same time/resort/room type I'm waiting on. It seems that MS releases blocks of member discounted rooms at various times during the booking windows.

I booked a member discounted room for TG at HH several weeks ago.

I think MS likes to keep members guessing.