HHI over Memorial Day Weekend

[DisneyStarWisher]

Currently, I have a reservation for HHI for June 9-14 in a 2 BR. I may want to move it to May 26-31 but won't know until the end of March due to the school schedule and whether or not we have snow days. What would be my chances of getting a 2 BR two months out? I'm sure it's not good especially since these dates include Memorial Day weekend. Any experience with this?

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Actually, just looked again and the dates would be May 27 (checking in on Memorial Day Monday) through June 1 (checking out on a Saturday). We would have a good idea if we could do this around the middle of March. I have enough points to book one night in a 2 BR, but is there a way to book the rest of the nights on cash and that way keep my original reservation. Then if we do get to go at the end of May, could we cancel the original reservation, get the cash back on the May reservation and use points instead? Or would they have to cancel the May reservation and rebook?

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Come on, HHI people! I need some help here. Please....

 

[staceymay00]

Actually, just looked again and the dates would be May 27 (checking in on Memorial Day Monday) through June 1 (checking out on a Saturday). We would have a good idea if we could do this around the middle of March. I have enough points to book one night in a 2 BR, but is there a way to book the rest of the nights on cash and that way keep my original reservation. Then if we do get to go at the end of May, could we cancel the original reservation, get the cash back on the May reservation and use points instead? Or would they have to cancel the May reservation and rebook?

The inventory for points and cash is different, so I don't think you'll be able to cancel the cash villa and turn around and book it with points, I think there will have to be a 2BR available for points in March - no idea how likely that is at HH. If there is a villa available for points, you can secure it first and then cancel the cash reservation.

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[RobDoc]

If available, you should be able to make cash reservations right now for your dates (cash reservations may be made at 11 months even for non-home resorts).

IMO, getting a reservation using points will be very tight 60 days prior to arrival even though 2BRs are the most plentiful villas at the resort. In addition, any villas unreserved 60 days out are also turned over to DRC for cash reservations, so you would also be competing with cash reservations as well as other DVC members for your dates.

If you make a cash reservation now it cannot simply be converted to a points reservation later. There will need to be points inventory available at the time you try to make the reservation using your points.

Regardless, you will know well before 60 days what is available since you can review availability yourself online beginning at 7 months prior.

Good luck!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

The inventory for points and cash is different, so I don't think you'll be able to cancel the cash villa and turn around and book it with points, I think there will have to be a 2BR available for points in March - no idea how likely that is at HH. If there is a villa available for points, you can secure it first and then cancel the cash reservation.

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Thank you for the information on the difference between a cash reservation and a points reservation. I don't think I will even go the route of the cash reservation then since I want to use points only for this trip.

If available, you should be able to make cash reservations right now for your dates (cash reservations may be made at 11 months even for non-home resorts).

IMO, getting a reservation using points will be very tight 60 days prior to arrival even though 2BRs are the most plentiful villas at the resort. In addition, any villas unreserved 60 days out are also turned over to DRC for cash reservations, so you would also be competing with cash reservations as well as other DVC members for your dates.

If you make a cash reservation now it cannot simply be converted to a points reservation later. There will need to be points inventory available at the time you try to make the reservation using your points.

Regardless, you will know well before 60 days what is available since you can review availability yourself online beginning at 7 months prior.

Good luck!

I should know more than 60 days out; it's probably more like 80 days out. Usually we can tell if we are going to get anymore snow by around the first week of March. I can actually already check availability since I also have AKV points. I just know I can't use those points until 7 months out.

I could cancel two nights on the end of my original reservation (leaving three), freeing up enough points to also book three nights at the end of May. Then when I know for sure when we're going, I could try to add two nights onto the end of the reservation. I'd have a better chance of getting two nights than five, right? I just don't know what I'd do if I couldn't add nights. A three-day vacation just isn't enough! And I'd have all these extra points and probably no way to use them. I just don't know what to do.

The reason I'm wanting to move it to May is because we plan on being in Charlotte over Memorial Day weekend. It's crazy to drive to Charlotte, then back home, then two weeks later, drive to Hilton Head. I was just hoping to combine the two trips to save time and money.

 

[kristenrice]

Thank you for the information on the difference between a cash reservation and a points reservation. I don't think I will even go the route of the cash reservation then since I want to use points only for this trip.

I ran into this scenario for April 2013. We normally book a 1BR but decided to invite my parents. We needed 157 points for our 5-night stay but only had 150 HHI points (using three UY) and 3 leftover AKV points. My plan was to book 4 nights on points and then try to book Easter Sunday (only 25 points since it is March 31!) with the AKV points and 4 of the one-time use points at the 7-month mark. My dad decided that they would like to arrive on Saturday night so he offered to pay cash for that night. So at 11 months, I booked Sat and Sun night on cash and then Mon-Thur on points. At 7 months, I didn't set an alarm and got online at noon only to find NO AVAILABILITY for Sunday. I put us on a waitlist, but I am not too confident that it will come through. We have the cash reservation as a backup and we will cancel Sunday night if the waitlist comes through.

By booking a cash reservation, you are not "saving" yourself a room to book on points at a later time. Like a PP mentioned, it is 2 separate inventories. Booking on cash merely guarantees that you will have a room, but if you aren't planning on going if there is no rooms available on points, then a cash reservation would do you no good.