Please confirm if I've got this right re:switching resorts

[donaldsgal]

Last year we switched from SSR to OKW for a June 2007 trip with no problems (shocker, I know). I remember doing it all at once. We had a 2 BR and then downgraded to a 1 BR about halfway through the trip when half of our group left. I waited until 7 months out from the check-out day at the end of the 2 BR to switch to OKW and did likewise to switch the 1 BR to OKW at the the 7-months-from-checkout day for that portion as well.

We have purchased an add-on at AKV and plan to go to WDW in October of 2008. I was thinking it would be smart to have a back-up ressie at AKV in case we aren't able to switch to BWV (where we want to stay) since it's October, F&WF and MNSSHP. We are going October 1-6, 2008.

Since that's an Epcot area resort and it's a busy time of year for that DVC property, I'm thinking it's safest to switch day-by-day.

So, if I've got this right, here's how I would accomplish this: On Oct 2 (7 months out from check-out for our stay on Oct 1), I'd call MS and ask if a 2 BR is available at BWV for Oct 1. If so, I tell them I want to cancel this night at AKV and switch to BWV. At that point, I'd have a 2 BR confirmed reservation for BWV on Oct 1 and a 2 BR confirmed reservation for AKV Oct 2-6. I'd make this call on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. Is that right?

My DSis was concerned we wouldn't have enough points to make the BWV ressie while having the AKV ressie "in hand", so-to-speak. That would be true if you had to keep the AKV ressie until you made the BWV and then had to go back and cancel the AKV ressie. But as I got to thinking about it, I was pretty sure it would work as I described above (asking if it was available, and, if it was, asking them to book that night at BWV and cancel that night at AKV or vice versa, however they've got to do it). What's the odds that, in the minute it takes to cancel that night at AKV when I've been told that the room is available at BWV, that the BWV room would be gone and I'd be out-of-luck? Having never switched resorts day-by-day before (we've made day-by-day original ressies), I wanted to confirm I've got this right.

Thanks.

 

[CarolMN]

You understand correctly - if you don't have enough points to hold the AKV reservation until the BWV reservation is made, you have to cancel a night at AKV to book the BWV.

Unless you are trying to get a standard view or boardwalk view, I don't think you have to worry about the BWV reservation disappearing on you in the time it takes to cancel the AKV reservation. It could happen, but I think it is unlikely. Yes, the EPCOT resorts are busy during F&W, but you will not be going over Columbus Day (which can book up more quickly than other dates in October).

If you are worried about the BWV day "disappearing", maybe you have enough points to book the first night at the BWV before you cancel the first AKV night. The CM can do the canellation after the reservation, giving you points for the next night. No worries about "losing" the reservation if you do it that way.

Good luck!

 

[donaldsgal]

Carol, you've been doubly helpful tonight!

I checked, and we will have enough points to make reservations the first two nights without having to first cancel AKV's reservation. On the Friday and Saturday nights of our stay, we'll have to cancel those nights before switching to BWV, but then again on Sunday night, we won't have to cancel first before making the reservation.

Thanks for that very helpful tip!

 

[CarolMN]

Friday and Saturday nights book more slowly than the weekday nights (because they are more expensive), so you are in good shape!

 

[donaldsgal]

Good to know! I appreciate all your information and encouragement.