Points cancellation 2 weeks from trip due to medical emergency

[mimmiepnp]

We are scheduled for our annual May vacation at the Beach Club in 2 weeks. My mother is in critical condition on a respirator. I will probably have to cancel my vacation which is about 246 points. Do I lose all my points or is there some thing that can be done due to the emergent nature of this? Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

We are scheduled for our annual May vacation at the Beach Club in 2 weeks. My mother is in critical condition on a respirator. I will probably have to cancel my vacation which is about 246 points. Do I lose all my points or is there some thing that can be done due to the emergent nature of this? Thanks

Sorry to hear about your mother.

Officially the points go into a holding account, which means they can only be used for a reservation 60 days or less before check-in and expire at the end of your current use year. You don't lose them unless you cancel on the day of arrival.

You can talk to member services to see if they would be willing to make an exception. What is your use year?

 

[Nanajo1]

I had a similar experience. If You can not bank them and you can't rebook then I would rent the holding points through David' Rental. Good luck and best wishes for your mother.

 

[DizMagic]

I also had a similar experience. MS was actually able to return my points to current use year with no restrictions. This was outside of the stated "holding" policy but I was super appreciative. Give MS a call, it cant hurt. And good luck with your mom.

 

[mimmiepnp]

So if my use year is December will I have to use by then? I will call MS at some point to ask them as well. Thank you

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So if my use year is December will I have to use by then? I will call MS at some point to ask them as well. Thank you

Yes, that is correct. You would need to use them by Dec 1st and you will be restricted to booking 60 days or less in advance which if you have some flexibility and are open to any resort is doable.

I'll share that when my mother passed away a little less than a week before our trip we did not receive any special accommodation from DVC so it's not a given that they will make an exception.

 

[com_op_2000]

Once in a life time exception is possible. I got one for DD for a cruise booked on points, when her BiL was KIA in Iraq during the first week of the war. We were booked on a DCL, the funeral was schedule during the cruise, so I called MS, and they refunded her points with no restrictions after I provided proof.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

So if my use year is December will I have to use by then? I will call MS at some point to ask them as well. Thank you

So sorry to hear about your mother.

There is an unwritten rule that MS will sometimes waive the rules for a member "once in a lifetime," either because they missed a banking deadline or because they experience a life issue like the one you're describing. This isn't guaranteed, and may vary depending on the cast member you speak to. It doesn't hurt to ask. They may be able to help you out.

Officially, cancellations due to illness or family emergencies are supposed to be covered by the vacation insurance DVC offers.

In the event your points do go into holding, as others have said, there are booking restriction placed on them. They cannot be banked, so the last night you can stay on those points would be November 30th. You cannot book any farther out than 60 days from when you want to check in, so it makes the points extremely difficult to use anywhere other than the large resorts like SSR or OKW. With a last-minute booking like this, you also won't be able to find rooms anywhere at very popular times like holidays or school breaks.

If your contract is eligible for use with the Disney Collection, Concierge Collection, and World Passport Collection, these options are still available for points in holding. However, there are additional booking restrictions for these collections that make points in holding more difficult to use. Something called the "rule of three" applies to those reservations. This rule says that for a stay at a non-DVC resort that occurs in the last three months of your use year, you need to book the stay during the first nine months of your use year. That's very difficult to juggle with the rule that points in holding can't be booked more than 60 days from check-in. Staying in one of the twelve DVC resorts avoids this extra hassle.

With six months left in your use year, even with holding account restrictions you should be able to make the points work. You just need to be flexible and persistent. If you can't personally travel before the end of November, try renting your points out.

Good luck, and I hope everything works out.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It's actually the rule of "Four", not three. First 8 months you can trade out. Also the rule of four does not apply to DL resorts.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

It's actually the rule of "Four", not three. First 8 months you can trade out. Also the rule of four does not apply to DL resorts.

Thanks. I get that wrong all the time.

 

[mimmiepnp]

So if I am to understand correctly, if I have to cancel this trip and want to rebook for, let's say, first week in September, I cannot book until July and have to hope that there is availability anywhere???

I so hope that I have misunderstood this as I can see it being difficult to ask for a vacation week off just not to know if you can really go away or not, not be able to book an airfare and dining reservations until 60 days prior to leaving. I know they probably do it so people do not abuse the system but wow that really is lousy especially for anyone canceling for such a terrible reason as a critical family illness and/ or death.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So if I am to understand correctly, if I have to cancel this trip and want to rebook for, let's say, first week in September, I cannot book until July and have to hope that there is availability anywhere???

I so hope that I have misunderstood this as I can see it being difficult to ask for a vacation week off just not to know if you can really go away or not, not be able to book an airfare and dining reservations until 60 days prior to leaving. I know they probably do it so people do not abuse the system but wow that really is lousy especially for anyone canceling for such a terrible reason as a critical family illness and/ or death.

That is correct.

Actually I don't consider it all that terrible - it could be a forfeiture of points or fees for it. Overall it's a reasonable rule IMO. What gets a touch frustrating is the inconsistency of its application but of course I was held to it while many have posted about not being held to it - and for reasons not quite as permanent as a funeral of a parent. Although even then it really was the "have a Magical Day" at the end of the call that still lingers with me rather than being restricted to a 60 day advance booking which worked out fine.

I am very sorry to hear about what you are going thru - it's a very difficult time.

 

[supersnoop]

So if I am to understand correctly, if I have to cancel this trip and want to rebook for, let's say, first week in September, I cannot book until July and have to hope that there is availability anywhere???

I so hope that I have misunderstood this as I can see it being difficult to ask for a vacation week off just not to know if you can really go away or not, not be able to book an airfare and dining reservations until 60 days prior to leaving. I know they probably do it so people do not abuse the system but wow that really is lousy especially for anyone canceling for such a terrible reason as a critical family illness and/ or death.

You understood correctly. When you cancel with such little notice, you're leaving DVC with an empty room that they may not be able to fill. To account for that, they make you use those points on a last-minute room reservation. That seems pretty fair to me.

They have been known to make exceptions one a case-by-case basis. It's worthwhile to call and ask, but don't expect any special treatment.

 

[LisaS]

I know they probably do it so people do not abuse the system but wow that really is lousy especially for anyone canceling for such a terrible reason as a critical family illness and/ or death.

I'm sorry to hear about your mother.

Unfortunately DVC needs some kind of penalty for last-minute cancellations or those of us in your situation would hang on to a reservation until absolutely the last day before check-in. Without the rule to force us to book last-minute inventory when we stick DVC with an empty room at the last minute, it would be very difficult for DVC to manage room inventory overall.

I'm in a similar situation to yours right now myself. We have an illness in the family that could become critical between now and our travel dates, we just don't know. We found out about it 32 days before check-in so fortunately I was able to cancel without having our points go into the holding account. It would have been great if I could have hung on to our reservation until the absolute last minute without any sort of penalty but I understand that DVC can not work that way, as supersnoop explained. It's one of the downsides to owning a timeshare.

 

[Nanajo1]

Would trip insurance helped? I'm never sure if it is worth the cost.

 

[DebbieB]

Would trip insurance helped? I'm never sure if it is worth the cost.

With trip insurance, you get your dues money back for those points. I think they are worth more than that unless there is not enough time to reschedule. Where trip insurance would be valuable is if you had to cut a trip short once you are there. Not only for the missed nights but also return transportation.

I had to reschedule a trip for mid November last year about 2 months out. SSR was all that was available for all 5 nights (studio). I was able to get BWV garden view by stalking the online reservation system for open nights and waitlist on the last night I needed.

For September, you shouldn't have a problem 60 days out, something will be available.

 

[Sandisw]

I am also very sorry to hear about this and as others have mentioned, give MS a call and see if they are willing to waive the holding requirement since it appears that sometimes they will do this for members.

 

[AnnaS]

I am sorry to hear about your mom.

I recently cancelled our January trip a few days before (long story). I have an April UY and these points were borrowed. They went into holding. I booked the middle of March before they expired.

If you try to book again and there is no availability at any DVC resort, you can use them for the other resorts (non-dvc - $95 fee).

Good luck.

 

[VrBchJ]

Yes, that is correct. You would need to use them by Dec 1st and you will be restricted to booking 60 days or less in advance which if you have some flexibility and are open to any resort is doable.

I'll share that when my mother passed away a little less than a week before our trip we did not receive any special accommodation from DVC so it's not a given that they will make an exception.

I had a similar situation to you and OP. My points went right into holding. I asked about the one time exception but I was advised about the rules and regulations. I understood and since it was the beginning of my UY I was able to reschedule. But there doesn't seem to be any consistency so one person gets the "exception" and the next person doesn't. OP, I hope MS can give you a break.

 

[jerseygal]

Very sorry to hear about the news about your mother.
May you have strength during this MOST DIFFICULT time..


To answer another post, YES, trip insurance specifically through DVC with Travelex reimburses for "covered" reasons for cancellation and interruption like this. Medical reason documented by a physician is certainly a COVERED REASON...

We have elderly relatives and we never travel without it....

I HOPE FOR YOU THAT DVC CAN MAKE THAT ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXCEPTION like others are speaking about...