If you buy now, can you use points in 2 weeks?

[funcinderella]

2 Questions

If you buy into the SSR promotion now, do you get any points for use this year?

How quickly does it happen? If you decide to buy today, would you be able to get points to use for a vacation in 2 and a half weeks? (Nov. 5-13.)

 

[cobbler]

Your guide could check for you. You do get points for 2005 because you will have a June use year. We got lucky and were able to use our points for our upcoming trip in 5.5 weeks. So your guide could tell you if it is possible. Also contingent upon availibility too.

 

[DVCJEN]

I am not sure but I don't think you could finalize it that quickly. Especially if you are doing it via mail.

 

[ornurse]

Just bought 200 more last week @ SSR and I allready booked my December stay....

 

[CarolMN]

The problem is going to be availability - doubt you'll find any this late. Those particular November dates have been booked solid (with waitlists) for quite some time.

Best wishes -

 

[cobbler]

They did open up some availbility our guide told us. He didn't even put a room on hold for me for check in 11/27 - the Sunday after Thanksgiving - because he said there would be enough. I made this reservation a week ago.

Worst case scenario is no but at least they can tell you if it is possible.

 

[funcinderella]

If you look at Disney's website, they show availability for a 2 BR villa at Saratoga Springs for our entire stay. Are those not available to mebers? (Do they hold some back for Disney's "rack rates"?)

 

[chris1gill]

You'd really have to call your guide and ask... they would be the one's that could have that availability converted over to points..... it's good you are able to see it, that means it is possible....

 

[tjkraz]

If you look at Disney's website, they show availability for a 2 BR villa at Saratoga Springs for our entire stay. Are those not available to mebers? (Do they hold some back for Disney's "rack rates"?)

Saratoga Springs is a bit unique right now. You always have to keep the timeshare concept in the back of your mind.

Disney (Disney Vacation Development to be exact) has currently built 12 buildings on the grounds of SSR. All 12 will eventually be "owned" by DVC members, and available for mmber reservations. However, until owners purchase points in a specific building / room, those accommodations are still owned by Disney. As such, Disney can make the rooms available to cash guests.

And, to take the topic even further, it's not uncommon for DVC rooms at sold-out resorts to be available to cash guests. One of the benefits of DVC membership is that we can use our points for other things like Disney Cruises, stays at other Disney resorts and even non-Disney vacation destinations. When that happens, DVC accepts a member's points and uses those points to set-aside a room (or rooms) at a DVC resort which can then be rented to cash guests. That cash rental is how DVC is able to facilitate what are essentially members trading points for destinations outside of DVC.

When cash rooms are available, they aren't usually accessible by DVC members. But, as others have said, it's entirely possible that DVC can help you meet your stated goal. If you are open to any resort and any size accommodation, there may yet be something available. With this pricing, it certainly won't hurt to ask.

 

[pumpkinboy]

I have booked a stay with newly purchased points on the same day as I told my Guide we wanted them (and put down our $500 deposit).

I have heard tell of folks buying points at WDW and staying on those points the same night as they bought. They want your business and I expect they can make it happen, given availability.

 

[4mcbjCtr]

From what I was told though, you have to have paid your whole down payment. You can make reservations with the $500 down, but have to have the whole down payment to actually use it.

 

[tjkraz]

From what I was told though, you have to have paid your whole down payment. You can make reservations with the $500 down, but have to have the whole down payment to actually use it.

Oh, I would imagine there are several additional steps that need to be taken in order to use points in this matter. In addition to the payments you mention, all of the paperwork would have to be signed, notarized and returned. And, since there is a 14-day right of recission period that needs to pass, as well as the closing, DVC will probably require that the buyer sign an additional agreement stipulating that they are to be reimbursed "X" dollars if the points are used, yet the closing does not occur as scheduled due to actions taken by the buyer.

These are all situations that DVC has encountered before and I'm certain they are equipped to deal with them. IMO, the main issue would be actually getting a room on such short notice for the period in question. If there is availability, I think there are a lot of good reasons to cancel a cash trip and use those dollars toward DVC.

 

[jel0511]

Oh, I would imagine there are several additional steps that need to be taken in order to use points in this matter. In addition to the payments you mention, all of the paperwork would have to be signed, notarized and returned. And, since there is a 14-day right of recission period that needs to pass, as well as the closing, DVC will probably require that the buyer sign an additional agreement stipulating that they are to be reimbursed "X" dollars if the points are used, yet the closing does not occur as scheduled due to actions taken by the buyer.

These are all situations that DVC has encountered before and I'm certain they are equipped to deal with them. IMO, the main issue would be actually getting a room on such short notice for the period in question. If there is availability, I think there are a lot of good reasons to cancel a cash trip and use those dollars toward DVC.

Actually there is nothing to be signed and notarized when paying cash, only financing. The only thing that needs to be signed is the sales agreement and that can be faxed back. If you haven't closed yet, you will be asked at check-in to sign a paper stating if you fail to close, you will re-eimburse DVD the cash price for the stay. We did this when we bought and used our points prior to closing. IF there is availablity, you should be able to make reservations. Make sure you tell the guide this is prerequisit for the sale, they can then work their magic. We also did this and the guide put a reservation on hold for us.

 

[kadaten]

From what I was told though, you have to have paid your whole down payment. You can make reservations with the $500 down, but have to have the whole down payment to actually use it.

We did paperwork and submitted our $500 July 30. Were paying cash and would be calling in the rest of the payment on our credit card (love that cash back feature) in a few weeks. Closing was set for Sept 19.
We called one morning and wanted to stay over that night on Sept 2 (or was it the 9th?.....anyway....BEFORE we'd sent in the final money). They had one studio available at BWV. They said they'd be happy to let us stay on points before closing, but any amount not being financed had to be paid before I could stay. SO, I just had him charge my card that morning. SO....one night in a studio at BWV ended up costing me $17,500!!! Not really, you see....but it had to be paid before I could stay that night.

Oh, I would imagine there are several additional steps that need to be taken in order to use points in this matter. In addition to the payments you mention, all of the paperwork would have to be signed, notarized and returned. And, since there is a 14-day right of recission period that needs to pass, as well as the closing, DVC will probably require that the buyer sign an additional agreement stipulating that they are to be reimbursed "X" dollars if the points are used, yet the closing does not occur as scheduled due to actions taken by the buyer.

These are all situations that DVC has encountered before and I'm certain they are equipped to deal with them. IMO, the main issue would be actually getting a room on such short notice for the period in question. If there is availability, I think there are a lot of good reasons to cancel a cash trip and use those dollars toward DVC.

Nope. We didn't have to do anything extra at all. As I'd said, we had done all the usual paperwork on July 30 and were just waiting for the closing to go through. I had asked about this eventuality when we were talking to our guide, and he said if we used points and didn't close, they'd make us pay for the cash ressie. Didn't bother to ask how (keeping the deposit money or charging our card...who knows) since we knew we weren't going to back out. Got our membership cards and final notice of closing the last week of September, having already stayed one night and already having 2 more booked

 

[funcinderella]

Thanks for all of your replies. The Disney site and Expedia are not even showing availability now (I checked again last night), at least not for our whole stay. Oh well; it's probably better that I don't make a rash decision anyway. Gives me more time to think about it...

 

[thelionqueen]

Thanks for all of your replies. The Disney site and Expedia are not even showing availability now (I checked again last night), at least not for our whole stay. Oh well; it's probably better that I don't make a rash decision anyway. Gives me more time to think about it...

I am finalizing our decision to buy resale or through Disney right now, so it sounds like we are in the same boat.

I was wondering what you were thinking about before deciding to join DVC through Disney. It seems as if this is the best deal that has come around in awhile, and the price is right!

The resale market seems to be dropping a bit lately too. I just don't want to have to finance that kind of money! Sure it's only $144.00 per month (not counting the yearly maintenance fees) but geesh, do I really want that obligation?

On the other hand, I don't want to miss out on this opportunity either. What do I do??

Any thoughts you are having that could help me would be appreciated. thanks!!!

 

[cobbler]

We financed, too good of a deal. And besides if we pay off in 3.5 years we will only pay 2500 in interest. We saved 2646 with their incentive deal that they put towards our down payment. Also the price per point in 3.5 years when we can pay cash will be much more than the intereste we could save during that time.

 

[kadaten]

Thanks for all of your replies. The Disney site and Expedia are not even showing availability now (I checked again last night), at least not for our whole stay. Oh well; it's probably better that I don't make a rash decision anyway. Gives me more time to think about it...

Just FYI.....Disney has separate banks of rooms for reservations on points and reservations on cash. Just because one type isn't available doesn't mean the other isn't...

That said, this is one of the busiest time for DVC so the chances are pretty slim...

 

[tjkraz]

Just FYI.....Disney has separate banks of rooms for reservations on points and reservations on cash. Just because one type isn't available doesn't mean the other isn't...

True, but not really relevant in this situation. 60 days prior to check-in, all unbooked DVC rooms are made available to CRO. So, if there is nothing showing on-line for a reservation 2-3 weeks out, there is likely nothing available. The only exception would be if a recent cancellation left something open that isn't reflected in the on-line inventory.

 

[kadaten]

True, but not really relevant in this situation. 60 days prior to check-in, all unbooked DVC rooms are made available to CRO. So, if there is nothing showing on-line for a reservation 2-3 weeks out, there is likely nothing available. The only exception would be if a recent cancellation left something open that isn't reflected in the on-line inventory.

Aaahhhhh....thanks for clearing that up! Learn something new every day on here!