intro and newbie question

[Leenie74]

Hi! I've been lurking here for about a week and thought it was time I said hi!
DH and I had been considering DVC for quite a while but for medical reasons we wanted to wait until we were done having children to take the plunge. we also wanted to know what it was like to stay in a DVC resort. So we all went with a friend and her family last fall and stayed at OKW for a week. Needless to say, we were hooked. So we saved up $ and bought at SSR in June. I'm so excited!

Now for the question...
Because I'm a teacher, I have to be careful in planning since I have no control over when I get vacation time. We toured SSR before we bought, liked it and are always fine staying there. But we also have specific date needs, would like to use points wisely and would like to stay at different resorts (gotta know where to buy when I get addonitis ) So given the ongoing discussion about booking changes, what is the best way to handle making room ressies? Should I book my home resort at 11 months out and then try to change at 7 months out? Given my teaching schedule, DBD or walking is not an option for me. My biggest fear is that we will have nowhere to stay!!

 

[edk35]

We are SSR owners too. We bought Jan. a year ago. We were able to book our Aug. trip for a split stay at SSR and BWV last year in Feb. right after we booked. We got a 2br. Then we decided to book a trip in Nov. at SSR during Thanksgiving week and again a 2br and we had no problems booking that a few months later after booking Feb. Now...if you go in Aug. the points go down....we went mid Aug. last year before school started. We pretty much have to go in the summer now with the ages of our kids...two in high school and one in elementary and we can also go in Nov. I am sure you will get to stay at all of the resorts eventually. We are staying at OKW for 8 nights starting next Sat. and then switching to BWV for 6 nights and I booked this trip back at about 5 or 6 months out with no problems. Good luck and congrats on becoming a member.

 

[DiznyDi]

Congratulations
Home Neighbor!

Yes, I would secure your reservations at SSR at 11 months out and try switching at 7 months. You don't want to get caught having no place to stay.

 

[Leenie74]

Thanks for the info...we have SSR booked just to be safe, but I'm glad to hear that people are successful at booking 2BD at non-home resorts 5-6 months out. On weeklong vacations, we like the idea of the girls having their own room.

Now assuming that we can change at 7 months, what do I need to say to the CM to make sure that he/she uses the points in chronological order? Or do the CM know to do that? The reason I ask is that we may already have the next vacation booked by that time. I want to make sure we don't lose any points.

 

[edk35]

Thanks for the info...we have SSR booked just to be safe, but I'm glad to hear that people are successful at booking 2BD at non-home resorts 5-6 months out. On weeklong vacations, we like the idea of the girls having their own room.

Now assuming that we can change at 7 months, what do I need to say to the CM to make sure that he/she uses the points in chronological order? Or do the CM know to do that? The reason I ask is that we may already have the next vacation booked by that time. I want to make sure we don't lose any points.

When you call at the 7 month window to see if you can make the switch...you tell them which date and all. So no need to worry about future trips.

 

[oakmanner]

WELCOME HOME

Dennis-

 

[CarolMN]

.....Now assuming that we can change at 7 months, what do I need to say to the CM to make sure that he/she uses the points in chronological order? Or do the CM know to do that? The reason I ask is that we may already have the next vacation booked by that time. I want to make sure we don't lose any points.

Here's what I do -

* I always know the status of my points before I call. Inother words, I know how many are banked, borrowed, current, in holding (hasn't happened yet, thank goodness) and/or reservation status.

* I know how many my reservation is going to need and I know which points I want used.

* I call and make the reservation. Before I hang up, I ask the CM to review my account - tell me how many points I have left and in what status.

* If the CM's accounting doesn't match my expectations, we deal with it right there. Lots easier to correct something at the time than to find out later when it may be too late. So if the CM used current points and I had banked points I wanted used, we fix it right then.

This gives me peace of mind and no "surprises".

FWIW, try no to worry about the CM not knowing which points to use - by far, most of us never have a problem. People only like to post about the problems and so it seems as though there are way, way more than there really are. If you get a "points status" after every transaction, you'll y never have a serious problem.

 

[Leenie74]

Carol, Thanks for the reassurance and you're right...people don't post about the vast majority of time that the CM does everything correctly. I will definitely take your suggestion of knowing what my points should read when I book, and then asking the CM to read back what her screen says.

Thanks everyone for the "Welcome Home!" I'm so excited and just wish time would pass faster.