Points Question

[maciec]

We are planning a family trip to WDW next October. Right now there are 6 adults and 3 kids going. We are going to try for a Grand Villa at SSR (our home resort). We will have to borrow from 2007 to have enough points for the stay. If one couple and child cancells out and we decdide to downgrade to a 2 bedroom what happens to the points that we borrowed? Do they go back to where they came from and we don't have to worry about when we use them or will we be required to use them within a specific amount of time.

Even if we were to get a 2 bedroom and a 1 bedroom or studio we will still have to borrow points, but it won't be as many.

Thanks!

 

[RobDoc]

No - borrowed points cannot be returned to their original Use Year. In this case, you would need to have MS use the borrowed points for the reservation first and then bank the current (unborrowed) points into the next Use Year. You will need to pay attention to banking deadlines to do that. Otherwise, the borrowed points will expire at the end of the Use Year into which they were moved.

 

[maciec]

WOW! I didn't know that you could do that. Can you help me get this a little straighter?

Currently I have 46 banked 2005 points
2006 - 180 (June use year)
2007 - 180

Grand Villa 71pts per night 10/15-10/21/06

So when I call I have to use the 2005 points (46), bank 51 points from 2006, because I am going to be using 180 from 2007 and 129 from 2006 to make up the rest of the points needed for the Grand Villa ressie.

AGHHHH! Confusing!

 

[RobDoc]

It looks like you'll need 355 points for the 5 nights. You have 46 points banked points from 2005 to use first, 180 points to use from 2006 and would need 129 borrowed from 2007 to complete the reservation. I would NOT bank any of my 2006 points until I know the end status of that reservation and would ONLY borrow as many points from 2007 as needed.

If you later need to cancel the GV and reschedule as another villa type(s) any left-over points may be banked as long as the deadlines have not yet passed. Just make sure that the 46 banked points and the 129 borrowed points are used first for the remade reservation and then bank any unneeded 2006 (current) points.

The banked points MUST be used or they will expire and the borrowed points MUST be used or they will expire at the end of your Use Year. Only the remaining points current for 2006 may be banked into 2007. With a June Use Year, you would have until the end of November, 2006 to bank any 2006 points not needed for your reservation (as long as the changes are made prior to 30 days before arrival).

I hope this helps! It does get a little confusing at times- especially when reservations are cancelled. Good luck!

 

[maciec]

Holy Mess Batman! It sounds like it would be easier to just keep the grand villa if the one family backs out.

We are planning a trip in 2007, but I don't know when yet, and there is no way that I am going to take th chance in loosing any points.

I am having an anxiety attack as it is that we are going to be borrowing points and going into the red. They would have to take me away in a straight jacket if I went through all that you just explained!

 

[dizplanner]

Actually, it is pretty easy. A SSR Grand villa costs 355 points for the 5 nights. When you make the reservation, MS will use your 46 banked points, your 180 2006 and will borrow 129 points from your 2007 points.

If you were to cancel the Grand villa and book a 2 bedroom instead, you will need only 145 points for the five nights. You would want to use your 46 banked points and 99 of your borrowed points, banking all 180 of your 2006 points. This leaves you with 30 points that will expire at the end of your use year if not used. So you would need to add a night, take another trip or use it for a night at a hotel. But be careful - once you bank your 2006 points, you can't bring them back - if you need 32 points, you would be out of luck.

If you book a 2 bedroom and a studio, you would need 200 points and would not need to borrow as you would have enough with your banked and current year points.

An OKW Grand villa would only be 190 points. You might book the SSR 2 bed and studio at 11 months and try for a OKW Grand villa at 7 months. I got one for mid March at seven months.