Now booked a surprise trip - January 2009

[Princess_Melanie]

UPDATE - we're now booked in SSR Jan 13 - Jan 18 and I'd like to try and move us to AKLV at the 7 month mark....that is my new query - see my newest reply on this thread and HUGE thank you to anyone who can help!!

I like to plan...and I have a wild idea in my mind about a short trip next January for DBF's 30th Birthday. We're doing 2 weeks at SSR in December 2008 (1st 2 weeks) but we're also taking my Father, so not much room for just "us" time. Which we're fine about and can't wait to take Dad

But....I thought it would be nice to organise a quick trip to WDW for 4 nights/5 days for DBF's special day. I've looked at the points we have for that year and we were thinking of a few shorter trips in 2009. So we'd use points and have the flights to deal with (but hey, a short break in the UK or Europe for 4/5 days will set us back WAY more than the cost of 1 flight so why not WDW?!!)

My Question for the more experienced than me amongst you...I'd like to try for AK DVC as I know DBF wants to try there. SSR is our home resort so how likely are we going to be able to book from say 15th - 19th January 2009 at AK? We'll only need a studio as it's just the 2 of us....

I'll only be able to book 7 months out yes? Sorry for all the detail and queries, but DBF usually deals with it all and I've now got to if it's to be a surprise!!

TIA

 

[Inkmahm]

January is not a very busy time in general and there is a chance that the new Kidani building may be open by next January. I say, go for it. You have a good chance of getting it at 7 months.

 

[Princess_Melanie]

Thank you Inkmahm, I was hoping it would be 'quiet' enough to get a good go at Animal Kingdom!!

DBF's actual birthday is on the 16th January so it will be the best day ever to be at WDW together to celebrate his 30th - he's been my rock and best friend since we met and this would be the perfect way to say Thank You, how much he means to me and....to spoil him for a change - he treats me like a Princess every day!!

 

[Princess_Melanie]

Just to update - I took the plunge and made the booking!! We're currently in SSR from Jan 13 to Jan 19 and I'd like to try and change to AKL if we can once the 7 month mark comes round.

Member services recommended going day by day to do this - is this a good idea or should I wait till I can try and get all days at the same time?

This will be our 2nd stay using our DVC membership so we 're a bit inexperienced - any help would be appreciated!!

 

[CarolMN]

If MS recommends day by day, do it. January 19 is the Martin Luther King Holiday. That's a relatively busy weekend and this is a special trip for you. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Princess_Melanie]

Thank you CarolMN

I have things planned for us as the latter half of our break as it will be busy because of the holiday weekend. Luckily I have some ex-CM friends who have made some great suggestions for us if the parks are sill busy.

I suppose my query is now - When people have done the Day-by-Day booking system to change to a non-home resort - how successful have you been? It would be nice to stay in AK but I really don't want to have to change rooms every day...

If I am lucky enough to get AK for the few days are we likely to have the same room for those few days or will be be moving room possibly every day? Really sorry for the questions - if there are other threads, please point me in the right direction!!

 

[CarolMN]

Thank you CarolMN

I have things planned for us as the latter half of our break as it will be busy because of the holiday weekend. Luckily I have some ex-CM friends who have made some great suggestions for us if the parks are sill busy.

I suppose my query is now - When people have done the Day-by-Day booking system to change to a non-home resort - how successful have you been? It would be nice to stay in AK but I really don't want to have to change rooms every day...

If I am lucky enough to get AK for the few days are we likely to have the same room for those few days or will be be moving room possibly every day? Really sorry for the questions - if there are other threads, please point me in the right direction!!

If you are fortunate enough to get all the days (in the same type of unit), you will not have to change rooms. MS will take care of linking them together (if necessary) and as far as the resort is concerned, the reservation will appear as though it were one continuous stay in the same room. That will be true even if you have to waitlist for some or all of the days. MS will add the waitlisted days to your reservation (or link them together as needed) so no worries there.

Do you have enough points to keep the SSR reservation until the AKV reservation is all arranged? If so, you are in a good position.

Just call as soon as MS opens for business (9 am Eastern) on June 14 to reserve your first night. Tell the CM that you are doing a day by day reservation and that you will be checking out on January 18 (or January 19, can't tell for sure if Jan 18 is your planned check out day or your last night). The CM will make a note on the reservation and hold the confirmation letter. Then call the next day at 9 Eastern to add the next night. And the next day, for the next night, etc. until you have reserved the last night of your stay. At that time, the CM will release the confirmation letter and you will be all set. You can cancel the SSR reservation at that time.

If any of the nights are not available when you call, ask to waitlist. Then continue to call each day, waitlisting for any that are not available. Waitlisting for each day on an individual basis will give you the best chance of getting what you want. Since you have the SSR reservation as a back up, you can always stay there if it all doesn't come through and you don't want to move back and forth. Don't forget to cancel the SSR reservation when the AKV reservation is all set.

Do keep your banking deadline in mind - if your AKV waitlist hasn't worked by the time the banking deadline arrives, you have a decision to make. I assume you would want to bank any points you won't need for the January stay (whether it be at SSR or AKV). That means you can't keep the SSR reservation until the AKV reservation works out. You have to either give up the AKV idea, or risk moving back and forth between AKV & SSR because if you don't cancel one of them, you could end up with unused points expiring at the end of your use year. If the SSR stay uses less points than the AKV stay, then the decision is a little harder.

But I'm hoping you will get your reservation right away by calling day by day.

If you don't have enough points to hold the SSR reservation until you get the AKV reservation secured, it gets a little more tricky. In short, if you have to waitlist, you will risk moving back and forth between SSR & AKV, or you will have to waitlist for the entire trip. That is less likely to work, but still has a good chance. Again, the banking deadline must be kept in mind.

Good luck!

 

[spatter1234]

We are going in January also (21st - 28th) and are going to try to move from VWL to AKV at 7 month mark. I am sending some pixie dust your way in hopes of it working out for the both of us!!!!!

 

[Princess_Melanie]

CarolMN - you're a star!!

Ok - I have some additinal pickey questions!!

We arrive on Jan 13th and We fly out Jan 18 so we have 5 nights booked at SSR at the moment.

I have enough points to be able to keep this booking AND book the same 5 nights at AKV.

Now - being new to all this and VERY easily confused - what happens to our points if I do this "double booking" to avoid being split for the duration of our stay, over 2 resorts?

Our UY is February and I'm using points for 2009. At the moment we have 112 left and we were planning on using them for a few days in October 2009 to do a short trip.

If I wait till 7 months out - and book day-by-day for AKV and then if I get them all, cancel SSR. Can I still use those cancelled points for a stay in Oct 09 (will be SSR) or do they get treated differently? If I can't get all at AKV, will I be able to cancel some at SSR so we have a split stay, or cancel AKV and have the whole stay at SSR. Am I messing MS about by doing this?

Last thing I want to do is cause any problems or trouble!!

Feel free to explain the answers in very simple English - DBF often does lol!!

Thanks again...Mel

 

[bobbiwoz]

If you are using '09 points for this trip, even if it is in '09, you are borrowing your '09 points for it because your February '09 points' use year is from
February 1, '09 to January 31 '10.

I do not know if I am understanding correctly, but if I am, and you have borrowed the points, I wouldn't borrow any more. I would wait until the last day of booking and try to change the whole reservation at once. If I understand correctly, you do not have the choice to have both reservations booked. Once points are borrowed, they can't be put back even if you cancel the reservation.

Bobbi

 

[Princess_Melanie]

If you are using '09 points for this trip, even if it is in '09, you are borrowing your '09 points for it because your February '09 points' use year is from
February 1, '09 to January 31 '10.

I do not know if I am understanding correctly, but if I am, and you have borrowed the points, I wouldn't borrow any more. I would wait until the last day of booking and try to change the whole reservation at once. If I understand correctly, you do not have the choice to have both reservations booked. Once points are borrowed, they can't be put back even if you cancel the reservation.

Bobbi

Thanks Bobbi - the whole borrowing thing worked out good for us right now - we have a great 2 week vacation booked and sorted out for the 1st 2 weeks of Dec 08, and with the short trip in Jan 09 and then Oct 09 we wont be going away till sometime in 2010 anyway - so it worked for us.

I think I might just wait till the end of the window and try and get the whole booking switched to AKV - maybe we'll get used to the DVC for a few more years before doing split days etc....

Thanks!!