New Potential Owner with Questions

[PrincessPiperMommy]

Hi there, my family just bought at AKV (well our offer was accepted we still have to go through ROFR). However, I have a couple of questions. I have been searching the boards, but I'm not clear on a couple of things. I'm sure once I"m official I may understand better, but I thought I would ask the experts!

Once I can how do I actually book? Is it like I have normally booked trips or is there a different process? What is the waitlist? I have seen several quotes on it and I know "what" it is but how does it work?

Any other suggestions/tips would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[erionm]

Once I can how do I actually book? Is it like I have normally booked trips or is there a different process?

There is on-line booking available using the member website, or you can call DVC Member Services and they can make the reservation for you.

What is the waitlist? I have seen several quotes on it and I know "what" it is but how does it work?

The wait list is a way to try and get a reservation if your desired dates are already booked up for your desired resort and room category. The on-line booking engine will give you the option to wait list if your dates are already booked. Member Services can also add you to the wait list by phone. There are limits as to how long the wait list will remain active (either 31 or 7 days prior to arrival) and you are limited to 2 active wait lists at any one time during a Use Year.

 

[tasha99]

Another wait list that might show up in this forum is one for purchasing. Some people buy into the older resorts directly from Disney, and they're on a waitlist while Disney tries to find them a contract they would like to buy.

 

[PrincessPiperMommy]

Thank you both!!! I'm still learning, but just hoping ROFR goes through

 

[ACJT]

What are the reservation policies for DVC in regards to cancellations? Or changes?

 

[supersnoop]

What are the reservation policies for DVC in regards to cancellations? Or changes?

Cancellation:
Day of - lose all points for the reservation
1-30 days in advance - all points go into "holding" status. They can no longer be banked or borrowed and can only be used to book a reservation with 60 days advanced notice
31 days or more - Points return to the use year of the reservation

Changes are basically the same. Day-of changes can be made and only left-over points are lost.

 

[chalee94]

What are the reservation policies for DVC in regards to cancellations? Or changes?

just to add on to supersnoop:

remember that banking and borrowing are *final* transactions. so once you bank or borrow pts to move them to a new UY, they cannot be moved again and will remain in that UY and expire there if not used for a stay by the last day of their new UY.

traveling in the last 3 months of your UY can be risky if you need to cancel, so be aware of that.

 

[ACJT]

So picking a uy at a time as far away as
Possible from your expected vacation time is the best strategy then?

 

[supersnoop]

So picking a uy at a time as far away as
Possible from your expected vacation time is the best strategy then?

No. Mostly the opposite.

You want to pick a use year where you will most likely vacation in the first few months, and never in the last 3 or 4 months. This provides an element of "insurance" if you need to cancel or change a reservation, but cause it will give you plenty of time to rebook or bank your points.

 

[ACJT]

No. Mostly the opposite.

You want to pick a use year where you will most likely vacation in the first few months, and never in the last 3 or 4 months. This provides an element of "insurance" if you need to cancel or change a reservation, but cause it will give you plenty of time to rebook or bank your points.

So if we vacation in September we should go for a August / Sept uy then?

 

[chalee94]

So if we vacation in September we should go for a August / Sept uy then?

yes.

some examples:


if you have an oct UY and a sept 2015 trip and you need to cancel 60 days out (in july), your banking window closed on may 31, 2015 so you'd have to use all of the pts in the reservation before they expire on sept 30, 2015. (note that a sept 2015 trip takes place at the very end of your oct 2014 UY.)


if you have an oct UY and an oct 2015 trip and you need to cancel 60 days out, your banking window won't close until may 31, 2016 so you'd have until then to decide whether to use current year (2015) pts for a reservation in that UY or else bank them to the next year. (you'd still need to use banked and borrowed pts by sept 30, 2016. as stated above, you can only move pts one time.)


if you have an oct UY and a sept 2015 trip and you need to cancel 5 days out, the pts would turn into "holding" pts so you'd have to use all of the pts in the reservation subject to a 60-day-out limitation - but that won't matter since they expire on sept 30, 2015...which is less than 60 days out.


if you have an oct UY and an oct 2015 trip and you need to cancel 5 days out, the pts would turn into "holding" pts so you'd have to use all of the pts in the reservation subject to a 60-day-out limitation - but at least you'd have 12 months before they expire on sept 30, 2016 to decide what to do with them.


more info about UY is here if you need it (you may want to bookmark this thread for later reference):


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1942668

just remember that UY has nothing at all to do with when you can call to book a reservation.