Online or by phone?

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks. I don't know why, but I have never booked online before.

Does the site automatically use the "oldest" points (i.e., those that will expire the soonest) first? Does it ask you which bucket of points you want to pull from?

I'm just wondering if I will be able to verify that my banked 2016 and my 2017 are all used before the system dips into 2018.

Always double check but yes, it will take first anything already borrowed, then anything already banked, then current points before it gets to asking if you want to borrow any more points if necessary. Borrowing more will require an ok from you - it doesn't do it automatically.

 

[bumbershoot]

Also, I am looking to make a res combining banked 2016 points, 2017 points and some borrowed 2018 points. Can the web site be trusted to handle that - e.g., making sure to use up the 2016 & 2017 points first before dipping into 2018 - without messing things up? Or am I better off calling in?

It can handle it.

Sorry to necro, but just to make sure I am clear - online booking does not open at midnight EDT the day your window opens, but at 8:00 a.m. EDT, correct?

8 eastern time (I don't bother with the daylight savings etc because the time is what is) yep.

I'm just wondering if I will be able to verify that my banked 2016 and my 2017 are all used before the system dips into 2018.

It really walks you through what is going to be used.

Is the method of using two computers still a good way to go when one wants to change resorts at 7 months?

As far as I know, yes. Easier if you have the points to use and then cancel the first reservation but as far as I know it still works when you don't.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I've always called exactly at 9 am and always had success. Ive made on-line reservations also but they were never for anything too crazy. We are plannning a trip out to DL and want to stay at Grand Californian on our points. Didn't know if one method gave an advantage over the other.

For Grand Californisn, I would always use on line!

 

[rcchello]

I just used the system and since it was 7 months it asked me which contracts it should pull points from and the order of the contracts. Since I marked both it took all the banked points from contract 1 followed by banked points from contract 2, then current year from contract 1. It would have then switched to contract 2 current year and so on.

I could have set either contract as one or two.

 

[maburke]

Thanks. I don't know why, but I have never booked online before.

Does the site automatically use the "oldest" points (i.e., those that will expire the soonest) first? Does it ask you which bucket of points you want to pull from?

I'm just wondering if I will be able to verify that my banked 2016 and my 2017 are all used before the system dips into 2018.

Look at the online reservation system in advance. It shows an animation of how points are taken that I find very helpful.

 

[seelyt2]

If I have all the points I need to book and it's a straight forward booking, I always book online at opening time. Twice we've had to buy a couple of extra points and that required a phone call which was done just as they opened.