Options for Having to Cancel

[Twinsmomma]

Hello! Ok, so I am in a situation where I'm not really sure what to do. I currently have 3 rooms booked for Kidani (a 2 bedroom and 2 studios). Both families who were going to travel with us have canceled so we will no longer be needing the 2 studios. The issue is I borrowed all of next year's points to make the reservations. I understand that I cannot put the points back and that they need to be used by my Use Year (which is next February). I also understand I cannot transfer the points. So what are my options? Thank you all for your help! I don't want to lose out on a year's worth of points, but at this point we don't have any other families that are able to join us. I have definitely learned my lesson!

 

[disneynutz]

Did you use any current points for the 2 bedroom?

Bill

 

[Twinsmomma]

Yes I think so. I had some banked points, some current, and then borrowed. I made the 2 bedroom reservation first.

 

[Minniesgal]

Change out as many current UY points as possible from the 2 bedroom and bank them

Rent the rest of your points.

 

[disneynutz]

Yes I think so. I had some banked points, some current, and then borrowed. I made the 2 bedroom reservation first.

Call MS and have them do a point reallocation, using the borrowed points for the 2 bedroom.

Bill

 

[Twinsmomma]

Thank you!

 

[dwight16]

Get new friends and never speak to the ones who messed with your dvc that would be a game changer for me unless an extream emergency.

 

[Davie Business]

I am new dvc member and reading through my paperwork. It talks about in the RCI doc that you can bank your points for an extra 2 years with them rather than losing them. Would that be a possibility for any points left after the switch above?

 

[bellablue2]

rent those borrowed points that you can't change out. if you need to become a gold member, small price to pay not to lose those points. good luck.

 

[cmrdgrs]

I'm so sorry to hear about the other families cancelling out on the trip after you borrowed points to book the room for them twinsmomma! Yes, I'm sure that is a hard lesson to learn, I've been stung too by families backing out on me. Non-DVC members don't understand that DVC isn't a like a regular hotel room situation. But, have no fear, you will land right side up with this.

The first thing, as other posters suggested, call DVC member services and find out how many of the borrowed points you can reallocate from the two studios to the 2 bdrm. From there you will have to make a choice if you still have borrowed points left over -- cancel the two studios and plan another trip for yourself to WDW or DL OR rent the remaining points that you have OR try to rent the studios for the dates you are already holding. Someone else suggested RCI, you could deposit the points with RCI, but I would only do that if you don't rent them and have no other alternative. An RCI trade IMO is a poor trade with DVC points because most likely your DVC points are overvalued for an RCI stay.

Let us know how it all works out! Good luck!

 

[skier_pete]

I would agree to what other posters said...call MS and see if they can switch your points around so that you are using the borrowed points, and then back your current UY points into the next UY.

I don't know much about RCI conversion or this "Gold member" status. The other thing I would suggest is renting out the points. If the points left aren't very large (<100) I would consider going through a broker and letting them deal with getting all the points used. If there's enough there for a decent reservation, you could try renting them yourself. Pretty much all the risk involved with renting points is on the renter, not the rentee. You need to get a contract, but basically you offer the points and the booking, but simply say "no changes". They have to pay you the money first, then you book the room. (Or if you won't be penalized, you COULD book the room and then get the money from them, because you could always cancel it as well.) Better to do this sooner than later, the longer the window that your points are usable, the better off you are.

We have yet to plan a trip with another family, but I would agree that something like this would sour me as well. Certainly against THAT family. We have some friends that we would trust to not pull something like that, and we have other friends that we really like, but I would never book a trip with them on MY points. As others said, people don't get that the cancelation policy for DVC isn't the same as a hotel.

 

[kristenrice]

IIRC, the cost of 2 studios is LESS than the cost of a 2BR. It shouldn't be too difficult to free up the current points (used for the 2BR) and replace them with the borrowed points used for the studios.

Good Luck!

 

[Twinsmomma]

Thank you everyone for your advice! I will call member services first thing Monday to swap points. The number of points I borrowed was 160, so a considerable amount, at least for us! Both families do have legitimate reasons for having to back out, but I don't think I will be booking for others to join us for a long while.

 

[lovewdwdvc]

I would rent the points. You were not going to use them anyway and the cash will be nice for the trip.

 

[Twinsmomma]

I would rent the points. You were not going to use them anyway and the cash will be nice for the trip.

That's what I think we will do! It will just about cover the quick service dining plan for 7 of us. I wasn't going to get it this trip, but I'm thinking with 4 teenagers it might be more convenient!