LInking reservations - one night in the middle

[moreisgood]

I'm planning to stay at AKL for 3 nights. My friend wants to make a reservation for me on night to use up some extra points she has, but they aren't AKL points, so she needs to wait for the 7 month window. I have AKL points. And I don't want to change rooms during my stay.

The highest point night is in the middle of my stay. Can I make 3 separate reservations for the 3 nights now, using my points, and then cancel the middle night when she is able to book the one night? Could we then link the 3 reservations so we don't have to move each night?

Suggestions are appreciated.

 

[disneynutz]

I could be done but I caution you, anything out of the norm runs the risk of getting screwed up.

After several failures, we decided to buy several home resorts, enough points for our stays and never to use a waitlist again.

Even MS can lose a reservation while canceling and rebooking.

Try to get the reservations modified as 1 reservation instead of linked reservations.

Bill

 

[moreisgood]

Bill,

You are the guy I wanted to hear from, because I really value your opinion.

In this case, I wouldn't be risking losing a reservation (since I wouldn't cancel mine till she makes hers), but risking having to move. What do you think the chances are?

It sounds like you've been through every kind of foul-up there is. Did you actually lose both reservations when MS processed a wait list?

And finally, can you suggest a preferred method to making a reservation at a new resort, when you have to cancel an existing reservation?

Thanks!

 

[disneynutz]

Bill,

You are the guy I wanted to hear from, because I really value your opinion.

In this case, I wouldn't be risking losing a reservation (since I wouldn't cancel mine till she makes hers), but risking having to move. What do you think the chances are?

It sounds like you've been through every kind of foul-up there is. Did you actually lose both reservations when MS processed a wait list?

And finally, can you suggest a preferred method to making a reservation at a new resort, when you have to cancel an existing reservation?

Thanks!

I'm guessing that she will be putting your name on her reservation as her guest. All you can do is check with MS to see what their policy is today and at a minimum, reference the reservations to each other hoping that the room assigner at the resort sees the notes.

My waitlist issue is that people have been told different stories on how waitlists are administered and Disney won't make an official statement because IMO it's a crap shoot. I want to know where and when we are vacationing and not hope that a waitlist comes through. (out of 4 waitlists we only had 1 come through). You will read here on the DIS that people have had waitlists in place when they found availability on their own, the waitlist was useless.

The reservation that we lost was at AKV club level when MS was switching us from a savanna view. While she was doing her thing, someone else swooped in and snagged the room.

If you don't have enough points, all you can do is hope that you can cancel the old and book the new without issues. We cut costs at home for a couple of years to save and buy additional points at other home resorts so we don't have to worry about switching.

Our issues that we have experienced are magnified due to the number of reservations and vacations that we have taken. The odds on a once a year owner having problems is much less compared to 9 check-ins at 9 different resorts in one year. Our shortest vacation was 5 days, our longest, 24 at 4 different resorts.

Bill

 

[moreisgood]

I'm guessing that she will be putting your name on her reservation as her guest. All you can do is check with MS to see what their policy is today and at a minimum, reference the reservations to each other hoping that the room assigner at the resort sees the notes.

My waitlist issue is that people have been told different stories on how waitlists are administered and Disney won't make an official statement because IMO it's a crap shoot. I want to know where and when we are vacationing and not hope that a waitlist comes through. (out of 4 waitlists we only had 1 come through). You will read here on the DIS that people have had waitlists in place when they found availability on their own, the waitlist was useless.

The reservation that we lost was at AKV club level when MS was switching us from a savanna view. While she was doing her thing, someone else swooped in and snagged the room.

If you don't have enough points, all you can do is hope that you can cancel the old and book the new without issues. We cut costs at home for a couple of years to save and buy additional points at other home resorts so we don't have to worry about switching.

Our issues that we have experienced are magnified due to the number of reservations and vacations that we have taken. The odds on a once a year owner having problems is much less compared to 9 check-ins at 9 different resorts in one year. Our shortest vacation was 5 days, our longest, 24 at 4 different resorts.

Bill

Yes, you are a heavy user, and that's why you have such a valuable view. If someone goes to a restaurant 10 times, I value that opinion over someone who went once.

I bought 3 resorts for all the reasons you mention. And we tend do to split stays too, but you sure have me beat!

I once 'held" a reservation while I called MS, and once I got someone on the phone, she told me to release it, and she was able to grab it. Not fool-proof, but better than nothing.

The problem with the wait-list system is that is seems to run once a day, maybe overnight. I have 2 wait-lists right now, and I check them every day, sometimes more than once, just in case something is released. Yes, the wait-list system might find something for you, but I don't rely on it alone.

So, other than having those extra points, it doesn't sound like there's a safe way to swap listings.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'm planning to stay at AKL for 3 nights. My friend wants to make a reservation for me on night to use up some extra points she has, but they aren't AKL points, so she needs to wait for the 7 month window. I have AKL points. And I don't want to change rooms during my stay.

The highest point night is in the middle of my stay. Can I make 3 separate reservations for the 3 nights now, using my points, and then cancel the middle night when she is able to book the one night? Could we then link the 3 reservations so we don't have to move each night?

Suggestions are appreciated.

Could your friend transfer her points to you? They would have to be current year points to match your year (but not necessarily your month or resort). Then she would not have to link her reservation to your reservation. Both of you would need to call to link them otherwise.

You could probably cancel the second night reservation as long as MS doesn't do you the favor of linking them when you make the reservation.

 

[moreisgood]

Could your friend transfer her points to you? They would have to be current year points to match your year (but not necessarily your month or resort). Then she would not have to link her reservation to your reservation. Both of you would need to call to link them otherwise.

You could probably cancel the second night reservation as long as MS doesn't do you the favor of linking them when you make the reservation.

Transfer was my first thought, but they are banked points, in danger of expiring, hence her generosity.

All nights are still currently available. I was thinking of cancelling my current 3 night reservation, and then making 3 individual one night reservations, to make it easier to drop out the middle night. And THEN asking to link them. I still worry about having to pack up and change rooms if the room scheduler is paying attention.