Pretend you have a Grand Floridian crystal ball...

[Little E]

Hi Disfriends!

I am a DVC owner at GF, and I have a trip booked in October. When I booked, I was short some points. DH and I have a February UY, and we don't like borrowing points from future UYs. We find we use all our points each year, and we don't like feeling like we are starting a new UY short on points. In the future, I think we need to explore adding another contract, but that's another post...I digress...

Ideally, we'd like to be in a one bedroom for our whole trip (October 26-November 2), but because there are no one bedrooms available for cash bookings, for now we are booked in a resort studio, preferred view October 26-29 on a cash booking and we are booked in a one bedroom, resort view from October 29-November 2 on our points. I have 35 points left in my 2025 UY, and I would like to buy 8 OTU points to give us another night in the one bedroom. But, I know I can't do that until my 7 month window opens which will be March 26.

DH hates split stays, but he was willing to make this split stay work because we are at least splitting our stay with both bookings at the GF. He was less grumpy because we wouldn't be switching resorts. I'm trying to give us the most nights in the one bedroom as possible. So, here's where the crystal ball comes in. I'm wondering what the odds are of having a one bedroom, resort view still be available on March 26 for October 28-29, which would give us one more night in the one bedroom. I know that no one knows for sure, but for the DVC vets out there, I'm just wondering if you could give me a WAG (wild a$$ guess) about one bedroom availability at the 7 month mark for a late October booking date.

Additionally, if there is one bedroom availability, I'm assuming I'll have to wait and call MS to help me with this booking because I'm buying OTU points? I don't think I can do this myself online correct? If anyone could check my work on this, I would be grateful.

I'm just curious, and any feedback folks have to offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

[Sandisw]

I don’t know about how the availability will look, but if you want to be able to use OTU points at 8 am, you can call and book a fake reservation with your points and buy the 8 points…something that is the same number of points…at least 31 days or more from now…but within 7 months…and then cancel.

This way, the points are there for you…the drawback is that you are purchasing for a night that might not be available to snag.

 

[Little E]

@Sandisw interesting. I've never thought about that. Thanks for the tip!

 

[CraigInPA]

Horntoads and lizards, fiddle and strum. Please answer the role by beating a drum!
Ghost fiends and furies, old friends and new! Blow in a horn, so we’ll know whether it’s you!
Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat; call in the spirits, wherever they’re at.
Rap on a table; it’s time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond.

Oh, sorry, wrong Crystal Ball !

 

[Little E]

@CraigInPA Baahahahahaaa...I love it!

 

[justme0729]

I don’t know about how the availability will look, but if you want to be able to use OTU points at 8 am, you can call and book a fake reservation with your points and buy the 8 points…something that is the same number of points…at least 31 days or more from now…but within 7 months…and then cancel.

This way, the points are there for you…the drawback is that you are purchasing for a night that might not be available to snag.

I’m thinking about doing this. So if I make a pretend reservation using one time use points and then cancel, one time use points be automatically loaded into my account and I can make another reservation online with them later on? I thought I read you have to call anytime you want to change the reservation with one time use points but now hoping that isn’t true?

 

[Sandisw]

I’m thinking about doing this. So if I make a pretend reservation using one time use points and then cancel, one time use points be automatically loaded into my account and I can make another reservation online with them later on? I thought I read you have to call anytime you want to change the reservation with one time use points but now hoping that isn’t true?

Once the points are in your account, you can use them for any reservation within that same UY inline.

You won’t see them until you go to book because they sit in a temporary contract but can be used.

Just like any transferred points…they work okay 7 months or less!

Be sure that the fake night is at least 31 days into the future and is in the UY in which your trip falls.

For example, if I want to use them for a trip in my June 2025 UY, and buy them today, the fake night needs to be June 1st and beyond.