Need help with home resort priority reservations

[GCM13]

I need some expert advice. Here's the situation...I am getting ready to make a reservation at SSR for this summer. I need to make sure I use the right points for that reservation - I have HH points and BWV points. We will also be going in January for the marathon and want to stay at BWV. With borrowing, we will have 114 BWV points that we can make a reservation with now.. We'll be staying Thurs. - Tues. so I figure I can either use the BWV points for Thurs. and Fri. night or Fri. and Sat. night then try to add the extra nights at 7 months. I was thinking of trying for a standard view 2 bdr or a boardwalk view 2 bdr. Is it worth getting only two nights now and waiting until 7 months or should I just wait and book it all together? Which view would I have a better chance of getting at 7 months? Also, if I do book 2 nights now, should I do the Thurs. and Fri. then try to get the remaining 3 nights later or go for the Fri. and Sat. nights and try for the 1st, 4th, and
5th nights later? My original thought was that the weekend nights may be harder to get at 7 months because of the marathon.

Hope this wasn't too confusing. I know I've been confusing myself with this! I keep working the numbers and hoping that I've figured right.

 

[Figment2]

Maybe it's because I haven't finished my coffee or because it's early, but I'm confused.

You start the paragraph talking about making a reservation at SSR but then start talking about BWV and the marathon. At this point (no pun intended), a point is a point for the SSR reservation - doesn't matter which resort they are from. Why not use all your HH poiints since you are also trying to get BWV during the marathon? After the SSR reservation, are you also saying you are short points for the BWV stay?

Maybe clarify a bit. I have xx number of HH points and xx number of BWV points. My SSR stay will take yy points but I also want to stay at BWV for the marathon which will take yy points.

Cyn

 

[GCM13]

OK Sorry. I was going to add more about the SSR reservation, but thought that might be confusing too. Here's what we have to work with..

Now 14 BWV, 30 HH
Oct. 07 60 BWV, 130 HH
Oct. 08 60 BWV, 130 HH

SSR reserv. in July = 180 points
BWV reserv. in Jan. = 210 (pref.) 174 (std.)

If my figures are right, I would have to use the 14 BWV and 30 HH, then borrow 130 HH and 6 BWV from Oct. 07 UY for SSR in July. This leaves me with 114 BWV (56 from '07 and 60 borrowed from '08) that I can use to reserve now for Jan.

Does this make more sense?

 

[robinb]

Now 14 BWV, 30 HH
Oct. 07 60 BWV, 130 HH
Oct. 08 60 BWV, 130 HH

SSR reserv. in July = 180 points
BWV reserv. in Jan. = 210 (pref.) 174 (std.)

If my figures are right, I would have to use the 14 BWV and 30 HH, then borrow 130 HH and 6 BWV from Oct. 07 UY for SSR in July. This leaves me with 114 BWV (56 from '07 and 60 borrowed from '08) that I can use to reserve now for Jan.

Does this make more sense?

The sticking point is the BWV reservation. I can say from experience that the first week in January and the Marathon weekend itself is very busy and you will want to make your reservations before the 7-month window opens up. I also suspect that Standard Views are all gone .

What are your exact dates for your January trip? I can give you a specific recommendation with banking and borrowing if I know your dates.

 

[GCM13]

My dates are Jan. 10-15 (Thursday - Tuesday). My concern about booking a standard view or Boardwalk view for 2 nights now (assuming I can get either one) is that I might not get it for the remaining nights when I call at 7 months. I know I can get on the waitlist, but I don't want to have to switch rooms if that doesn't come through. Last year, the waitlist was successful in getting us a room at BCV for the marathon so I know it can work, just not sure how often it happens with BWV's special views.

 

[poohbear7]

I would use the 134 BWV points for the BW reservation in Jan. Book weekdays first then the weekends. Use 76 HH points for the remainder of the BW reservation.
Then I would use HH for the SS reservation.

 

[Dean]

What ever else you do, make the 3 weekday nights at BWV for Jan now. If you bank and borrow the BWV you could also make one of the two weekend nights now. That will leave you short on the SSR reservation. You could supplement that reservation by reserving weekends on cash. Doing cash for BWV won't work for BW or SV at BWV since these rooms are not generally available on cash.

Alternatively you could get your SSR reservation done as per your math and still schedule the 3 weekend nights for BWV now. Then at exactly 7 months out from the day, you could call day by day for the other 1 or 2 nights at BWV. If you end up not getting your other days at 7 months out you have a choice. Either wait list and keep what you have or change to another room type (preferred view) or another resort.

 

[robinb]

I'm sorry, but I don't think you can have your cake and eat it too. You will have to settle for a non-Boardwalk Preferred View. There are simply too few Standard Views and Boardwalk Views to gamble with not getting BWV at all.

I was wrong that the BWV reservation was the problem. The July SSR reservation is more problematic since it is in your 2006 Use Year (your UY is October).

You will need 180 points:
(1) Use 30 2006 HH points.
(2) Borrow all 130 2007 HH points into 2006.
(3) Use 14 2006 BWV points.
(4) Borrow 6 points from your 2007 BWV points into 2006.

There is no other way for you to make that reservation.

That leaves you with:
0 BWV 2006 points
54 BWV 2007 points
60 BWV 2008 points
0 HH 2006 points
0 HH 2007 points
130 HH 2008 points

You should book your weekdays at BWV ASAP. That would use 90 points for Thursday, Sunday and Monday.

You will need 90 points:
(1) Use all remaining 54 2007 BWV points.
(2) Borrow 36 2008 BWV points into 2007.

That leaves you with:
0 BWV 2006 points
0 BWV 2007 points
24 BWV 2008 points
0 HH 2006 points
0 HH 2007 points
130 HH 2008 points

Once you hit the 7-month mark, you can add the weekends at BWV at the "cost" of 120 points. Did you buy HH to actually stay at HH? Do you think you will stay there in 2007 or 2008? Then I would borrow the 2008 BWV points and make up the rest with HH points. If you think you will stay at WDW and may want to use BWV's 11-7 month window again, then I would "save" your 2008 points and use 120 HH points.

Good luck!

 

[GCM13]

Thanks for the help. I ended up doing what Dean and Robin suggested - booked the 3 weekday nights at BWV then I'll call at 7 months to get the weekend nights. I originally thought I'd book the Fri. and Sat. nights thinking that those would be the hardest to get 7 months out because of the marathon, but the CM I talked to said that Sun. and Mon. had the least availability. Also, standard views and Boardwalk views were all taken so had to go with the garden/pool view.