How do cash rooms work?

[chimera]

We're getting ready to send our brand-new SSR contract back and noticed something about cash rooms. How does that work? Is the discount better than AP or FL resident?

TIA

 

[DebbieB]

The DVC member discount is 25%, usually not as good as an AP discount or Florida Resident. They only make it available if they anticipate the room will not be reserved for points. So if it's a high occupancy time, you may not be able to get it. I've used it to add a Friday or Saturday night to my May OKW reservation to save points.

 

[Scoootch]

In addition to what DebbieB just said, although the rate may not be as good as an AP or FL res. rate through CRO, if you are able to book cash nights through MS with the discount they can actually LINKyour cash nights to a points ressie so if for example you book a Sat. stay on cash with the Member discount and book points for say Sun.-Thurs. nights they can link the ressies and it would be like one long ressie where you don't have to check out and then in again having to get new room keys and you also won't have to move/change rooms. Whereas if you were to do the same thing only booking that Sat. night through CRO they can make extensive notes on both CRO's ressie and MS's ressie that you have both but they will not guarantee you to not have to move (although they will try to not have you move) but you will almost definetly have to check out and in again getting new room keys and again...they won't gaurantee you won't have to move.

So if you plan to try and add a cash night..the extra cost may or may not be worth it depending on if you mind if you'd have to move or not.

 

[pumpkinboy]

I have not yet met an AP discount for a DVC property (where I was planning to stay anyway) that has been as good as our 25% DVC discount. AP discounts for DVC rooms are becoming increasingly rare anyway (or so it seems) as members book those rooms on points or with DVC discount. Of course my experience for booking cash DVC rooms is restricted to BCV, BWV, VWL and VB, so I couldn't speak to the availability at larger resorts like OKW or SSR.

Linking reservations is very important tho, as once linked in MS's system, it becomes one seamless stay. We had linked points and cash ressies at VB over MLK weekend (points Thurs, cash Sat & Sun) and we simply gave the credit card at check in and didn't need to have anything to do with the front desk until check out. Similarly, we did the same at BWV over Veterans' Day, checked in on Weds, stayed thru Thurs on points, paid cash for Sat & Sun, and then points again on Mon; all one stay with one check in and one check out. And in both of those cases, we nabbed the DVC discount for the weekend nights.

 

[DebbieB]

I got an AP rate of about 30% off last May at OKW, 1 bedroom. We stayed on points Sunday to Thursday and booked the AP night for Friday. I figured since it was our last night and many people checkout on Friday, the chances of having to move was very low. I did have to go to the front desk to get new keys & parking permit. We did get full housekeeping that day.

Two years ago I wanted the Friday & Saturday before our points stay on cash. I used the member discount that time, I figured it would be less hassle with having to check back in on Sunday, a big day for check-ins. Our reservations were linked so I did not have to go back to the front desk for new keys. Housekeeping was combined, so day 4 for trash & towel was Monday.

 

[WithFaith50]

Is it true that the earliest that a person can make a reservation for a cash discounted room is 7 months out?

Thanks,
WithFaith50

 

[CarolMN]

Is it true that the earliest that a person can make a reservation for a cash discounted room is 7 months out?

Thanks,
WithFaith50

No - there have been reports of members getting them earlier than that. (Your chances are usually greater the closer it comes to the arrival date, though).

The number of rooms available for the cash discount (if any) varies a lot by season and lead time. DVC reportedly has some forumla it uses to predict the number of rooms that will be booked by members. No one really knows how/when member rooms become available to be booked with the member discount. You just have to call and ask and hope to get lucky! Some members call quite often to check.

Best wishes -

 

[WithFaith50]

Thanks CarolMN...

Has anyone had any problems making a discounted cash reservation for a holiday (in my case, Christmas weekend 2005) linked to a points reservation?

WithFaith50

 

[pumpkinboy]

Is it true that the earliest that a person can make a reservation for a cash discounted room is 7 months out?

Thanks,
WithFaith50

I booked our cash weekend nights (w/DVC discount) at 9.5 months out. We had a Std view BWV 2BR already, and got the weekend nights for cash; this was over Veterans' Day with both Food & Wine and Super Soap Weekend happening. I was surprised they would release any rooms for cash then, much less DVC discounted rooms.

 

[DebbieB]

Thanks CarolMN...

Has anyone had any problems making a discounted cash reservation for a holiday (in my case, Christmas weekend 2005) linked to a points reservation?

WithFaith50

Christmas weekend might be tough. They only release the rooms for cash discount if they expect them not to be reserved for points. That is more likely to happen on Friday & Saturday nights since members checkout for the weekend to avoid the higher points. All you can do is call and ask. If they say no now, just keep trying.

 

[WithFaith50]

Pumpkinboy - Thanks for the info!

DebbieB,

I did call MS to ask about this and was told that they only do the discounted cash reservations at 7 months out . I thought that I had read about members making cash reservations earlier than that, so I posted my query for clarification . I appreciate the added insight you gave and I will keep trying!

Thanks,
WithFaith50

 

[cristbaby]

I did a points reservation at SSR for Sun - Thurs. and cash reservation for Fri. and Sat. This is for a GV and I made this at 11 months out since this is my home resort. I had no problem