Modifying ressies or new reservations?

[weluvpluto]

Okay, where do I start?
Yesterday, when the AP rates came out I immediately tried to get into POR. I couldn't get in there or any other moderate for that matter (well except CBR waterview - and I refuse to pay for that)
After many phone calls (luckily we are DC members so I can call toll free) we had reserved a week at ASMo and a week at AKL. Well DH and I started talking about money and other things and we decided that we'd rather pay the entertainment rate at HIFS than $114 for AKL or WL. But that's another story
Anyways, I called today (and I think I'll keep calling everyday) to see if either week at POR was available. Well one of our weeks was available at both CBR and CSR, so I booked CSR and then cancelled the ASMo ressie (we're not big fans of the All Stars anyways )

I guess after all this rambling, what I want to know is how you go about checking on availability? Do you let them know about your existing ressie (do you press 1 to modify an existing reservation or 2 to make a new reservation?) And do you ask to speak to CRO each time ?
Thanks for any help

 

[susy]

Okay, maybe this is wrong but I don't tell them I have a reservation. Yes, I do ask for CRO each time.

I call up and see if what I want is available. I book it and pay the one night's deposit on my cc. Then I tell them that I want to cancel a reservation and give them that confirmation #. They cancel it and credit it back to my cc. I would rather have the debit, then credit on my cc statement than have the CRO agent try to "transfer my money", etc. I've heard too many horror stories about people having nights canceled and wrong info as a result of making changes. I woull rather get one transaction done(booking) and then go to a totally different screen and cancel the other one. I have always done it this way and it always comes out perfectly. Now, if I am staying at the same resort, but just using a code, I don't do that.