Nonlinked reservations?

[ktate82]

We are coming down to stay three nights before a cruise. There will be 7 of us for sure the first two nights and an 8th will be joining us the last night (depending on work, she may go with us from the start). We want to do a dining plan the first two nights, but since we don't know if the 8th will join us. So if I make a two night reservation at AKL savannah view 2 bedroom, add the dining plan, and only put the 7 that are for sure staying. Then make a one night reservation for the last night in the same room type without the dining plan, but put all 8 of us in there. Will they link the reservations since the party isn't the same? Will we have to move rooms even though they are the same room types?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

They may link them. There is also no guarantee if unlinked that you won't have to move.

 

[com_op_2000]

Do not use the term "Linked Reservation" when making/talking with MS.
After making both reservation online. Call MS and use the term "Continuing Reservation".
Ask MS to place a note on both reservations to NOT combine the reservations and place a request to stay in the same room for the continuing reservation.
Also, do NOT place any requests when doing the online check-in process, as these over-ride any placed by MS.

I have done this type of reservations multiple times over the past 5 years.

 

[Deb & Bill]

DVC has said in the past that the only way to do a different or no dining plan for part of your stay was to move to a different villa, different resort, change villas. That was after the experiment of letting DVC members book different dining plans during their stay. After that was a colossal failure.

 

[Dean]

We are coming down to stay three nights before a cruise. There will be 7 of us for sure the first two nights and an 8th will be joining us the last night (depending on work, she may go with us from the start). We want to do a dining plan the first two nights, but since we don't know if the 8th will join us. So if I make a two night reservation at AKL savannah view 2 bedroom, add the dining plan, and only put the 7 that are for sure staying. Then make a one night reservation for the last night in the same room type without the dining plan, but put all 8 of us in there. Will they link the reservations since the party isn't the same? Will we have to move rooms even though they are the same room types?

You'll either have to take your chances on moving, possibly having them linked last minute and losing the DP altogether or guarantee moving by having something you couldn't link like a different view type or unit type/size. If have have the DP and they link them, they will cancel the plan and your only option at that point would be to add it for all people all nights and even that assumes you knew in enough time to add it (48 hrs). Otherwise they might or might not. If the plan would make sense for 7 I doubt 8 will make much difference. Leaving early the last day is a much larger factor than 7 vs 8. Even if they don't link them and you don't have to move, you'll likely have to check in again on the "change" day.

 

[ktate82]

You'll either have to take your chances on moving, possibly having them linked last minute and losing the DP altogether or guarantee moving by having something you couldn't link like a different view type or unit type/size. If have have the DP and they link them, they will cancel the plan and your only option at that point would be to add it for all people all nights and even that assumes you knew in enough time to add it (48 hrs). Otherwise they might or might not. If the plan would make sense for 7 I doubt 8 will make much difference. Leaving early the last day is a much larger factor than 7 vs 8. Even if they don't link them and you don't have to move, you'll likely have to check in again on the "change" day.

We are doing the deluxe dining plan, so we don't really want 3 more credits and the extra snacks to have to use up if she isn't there. I guess what I don't understand is how can they link a reservation when the guests aren't the same on both reservations?

Do not use the term "Linked Reservation" when making talking with MS.
After making both reservation online. Call MS and use the term "Continuing Reservation".
Ask MS to place a note on both reservations to NOT combine the reservations and place a request to stay in the same room for the continuing reservation.
Also, do NOT place any requests when doing the online check-in process, as these over-ride any placed by MS.

I have done this type of reservations multiple times over the past 5 years.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Dean]

We are doing the deluxe dining plan, so we don't really want 3 more credits and the extra snacks to have to use up if she isn't there. I guess what I don't understand is how can they link a reservation when the guests aren't the same on both reservations?

It's the way the rules work. Technically they are supposed to link them but sometimes don't. You'll have to decide whether to pay the extra days and credits or take your chances on the room and DP. Worst case scenario is you end up losing the DP if you take your chances or you pay for an extra person and extra day if you take the other approach, or you have to change rooms if you do different room categories.

 

[marsh0013]

Maybe we've been lucky, but we've done this at least twice with no issue. As recently as a few weeks ago. We had 5 total nights at Kidani in a Savannah view studio, but the 5th night was a separate reservation. Not done on purpose, just based on when things were available as we switched after the 7 month mark. For a long time, the names on the reservations were the same, and MS never automatically combined them. Then I added people to the first one when we decided to add the dining plan for the last night. We had no issues and we stayed in the same room. Just had to go down to check out and check in. We did something similar at Poly in Oct 2017.

Even though we had MS note them as continuing, we knew there was a chance we'd have to move. But each time at checkin, it was confirmed we would not have to move, just go to the desk to check out/check in.