holding account point experiences?

[missycj96]

Hi all - due to a quite unexpected medical situation, it looks like I am going to end up with 90 holding points for a trip I won't be able to go on next week. Can anyone share their experiences with holding points? Were you able to use them? I'd like to hear what people's experiences have really been. I have an April use year so I have a while to use the points. Thanks! Missy

 

[Sandisw]

I wasn't in a holding points situation, but I was a new DVC member last year and was able to secure an August reservation in June. I had one already booked but we wanted to change resorts.

We were only looking for studios, but there was availability at AKV, SSR, OKW, and BWV when I called. They even had some 1 bedrooms available at these resorts along with VWL.

So, depending on when you plan to reschedule, I think you should be able to book something. If you plan anything from October through the holidays, I think it will be hit or miss.

 

[DMKEDM]

We wound up with 150 (or so) holding account points after last winter's "snowmageddon" did in our Feb trip...

In late Feb, a client asked me to give a speech in Orlando in early April...the speech was the Fri after Easter...

I called to see if I could do the weekend at BLT after the speech...had no trouble getting Thurs-Mon, and used just over 100 of my holding points for the reservation...got it on first phone call, no wait list--a BLT standard view studio...and I had choices of resorts, too...

Still have 46 holding points to use...have a trip in August; thought next month I might try to switch the borrowed points I used for that reservation for the remaining holding account points...won't know til I hit the 60-day mark whether I can do it...but it's a time of year when availability is best, so I have some hope...

If that doesn't work, I have T-giving reservations...in late Sept I can try switching points again, altho I have essentially no hope for that, given that it's T-giving week...chances of availability are slim! But, we have a one-bedroom at SSR, so maybe I can switch out one or two of the early-in-week (Sun-Mon?) days?

My last possibility is to book a few days in Jan--my use year is Feb--(obviously can't do that til November, due to the 60-day restriction)...

I'm feeling relatively lucky that I got to use 104 of my holding points, though, especially in April, right after Easter...

FWIW: Last year, not using holding points, I did a very last-minute 5-day reservation (one-bedroom at BCV) during spring break week...it took lots of phone calls, lots of clearing-up-the-mess afterwards (MS totally messed up the completed reservation and blamed it on me for having made so many changes...I started by booking OKW (a day here and a day there) and then over the course of about 3 weeks adding my missing days and switching over to BCV...probably a total of 6 changes over the course of the 3 weeks)...but it happened and it was a great trip--and eventually I got things sorted out w/MS...

Since the key to using holding points (I think) is finding availability only 60 days from check-in, probably the experience w/spring break last year will be helpful for you to know, even tho they weren't holding points...

Good luck to you...

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Due to friends cancelling at the last minute 2 days of our vacation stay (I had booked them their ownstudio accom.) I ended up with 36 points in holding which as you know can only be used withing 60 days of the stay. I was a little worried. I already had a reservation at OKW for June for 4 days staying in a 1br. I planned on using those holding points to upgrade to a 2 br but when I was allowed to use those points, OKW 2br's weren't available for the entire lenght of my stay so I had to change to SSR. Booking at 60 days is a little harder especially if it's during a busy Disney time but it is doable I think as long as you are flexible about where to stay.

 

[thepops]

If you explain to the CM what the medical issue is that came up, they might be able to not make them holding points. (they may or may not need doctors documentation on that). I think you only get a 1 time exemption on that, so you'd have to decide if it's worth it for 90 points.

 

[foreUT]

If you explain to the CM what the medical issue is that came up, they might be able to not make them holding points. (they may or may not need doctors documentation on that). I think you only get a 1 time exemption on that, so you'd have to decide if it's worth it for 90 points.

I have had to cancel several times because of work or family and, although you might not get first choice on resorts, I have always been able to book some type of accommodation. Good luck!