Hypothetical reservation question

[Grumpy by Birth]

I'm considering booking a 2BR lock-off at AKL so my daughter's family can stay with us on an upcoming trip.

If they decide not to go, we'd probably change to a 1BR. If there was no availability for 1BRs by that time, would MS be able to "convert" our lock-off 2BR reservation to a 1BR and just open up the studio side for someone else to book?

Follow-on question (and I assume the answer is the same as the previous one)... could they change it to a studio reservation and open up the 1BR side to someone else in that scenario if we decided to downsize even more?

If there's availability to modify the reservation, this is a moot point, but with the possibility of tight availability, I'm curious if this can be done?

I just thought of a related question (I think I already know this, but just want to confirm if I'm correct)... if we modify a reservation inside of the 30-day holding window and the resulting reservation requires fewer points, do the excess points go into holding even though the reservation was modified rather than cancelled altogether?

I understand that holding rules are currently adjusted, but if they return to normal (which very well could happen by the time this reservation rolls around), would it apply?

Thanks!

 

[drusba]

The answer to your conversion question is probably not but you may want to check with MS. For a brief period of time several years ago, DVC was allowing members to downsize a lock-off 2BR reservation to a 1BR or studio without having to cancel and rebook (and face the issue of availability). However, since then many have reported not being able to downsize absent availability, separate from your existing reservation, of those smaller rooms. Nevertheless, you may still want to call MS to determine the issue.

The usual 30-day holding rule (now being temporarily waived) would result in any excess points from the reservation change being put into holding.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Thanks. I thought that the excess points would go into holding (under normal rules).

 

[Sandisw]

The other aspect is that given how things will be, I see DVC holding hard and fast on many rules and not seeing a lot of pixie dust type moves.

So, even if some have recently gotten them to do it, I do wonder if we won’t see it because of this situation.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

So, what I gather then, is the online system doesn't have a way to modify the 2BR to a 1BR if the 1BR that is part of your 2BR is the only one left. That is, it doesn't recognize that it can draw from the existing reservation that is being modified to resource the requested one.

I'm assuming, then, that even if you go through MS, there's a moment between releasing the 2BR and reserving the 1BR that is now open, when it could be snagged by someone clicking at just the right moment (seems unlikely if you or MS is immediately booking the new room) or, what may be more of a risk, is that the system immediately matches the released room(s) to a wait list automatically before you can re-book.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Since a lockoff isn't the same number of points as a one bedroom plus a studio, they might not do it. You could try to modify it yourself on line though. You'd need to be aware of holding issues, too, if you cancel part of the reservation.

 

[dismedvc]

Hello all. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. I'm resurrecting a question that has been asked before, but doesn't appear to have been asked in recent years (last thread I saw was from 2016). I currently have a 2 bedroom lock off booked for two days in November, and then a studio booked for the third day. Given all that is happening in the world, even if I go, I doubt that my friends who were to meet me there will. So I likely won't need the 2 bedroom. However, the chances of getting a studio are slim to none at this point. But wait, I already have a studio. Why can't I just release the 1 bedroom part and keep the studio? Well it sounds like that usually isn't possible

Above is a thread from April that asked a similar question. You might find some of the information in that thread useful.