Question about a reservation requiring borrowed points

[kittylady1972]

Ok, I hope this makes sense here. I want to take the family to Disney next Thanksgiving and stay in a Grand Villa because we'll need the space with six adults.

Now, I know that beginning next month (since I have a Dec Use Year) I can start making my reservations for the villa. However, I only have 270 points to play with for that time. Eventually my plan would be to stay in OKW in a villa because it would require me to borrow fewer points from a future year.

If I make my reservation starting next month and it requires more points than I will have at that time, do I have to start the borrowing process at the time of reservation? Or do I wait until it's time for my trip and then borrow the points I need at that time to complete the trip? I just don't want to borrow points against the future, with the hopes of eventually downgrading to a resort requiring few points, since then I'd have borrowed too many points and I'd have to use them.

I hope this makes sense. HELP!

 

[Chuck S]

The points will be borrowed when you make the ressie. But, if you main objective is to have a room at Saratoga just in case the GV at OKW is unavailable at 7 months, could you make do with a studio and a two bedroom unit? It takes less points than a GV at SSR.

 

[RobDoc]

...
Now, I know that beginning next month (since I have a Dec Use Year) I can start making my reservations for the villa. However, I only have 270 points to play with for that time. Eventually my plan would be to stay in OKW in a villa because it would require me to borrow fewer points from a future year.

If I make my reservation starting next month and it requires more points than I will have at that time, do I have to start the borrowing process at the time of reservation? Or do I wait until it's time for my trip and then borrow the points I need at that time to complete the trip? I just don't want to borrow points against the future, with the hopes of eventually downgrading to a resort requiring few points, since then I'd have borrowed too many points and I'd have to use them. ...

Making your reservation has nothing to do with your Use Year - all Home Resort reservations may be made 11 months in advance.

With a December Use Year, I would be cautious with a November reservation- especially if you will be borrowing any points for that reservation. For a November, 2007 reservation you could borrow points from your December, 2007 Use Year - but they would remain 2006 points if you cancelled or made any changes to the reservation after it was made.

In the situation you are asking about, you will use more points to reserve the SSR GV than you would need for a GV at OKW. If you are able to get a reservation at OKW at 7 months, you will have points returned to your account. Make certain that the borrowed points are still used for the new reservation (since they will expire after November 30, 2007). If you are still within your banking deadlines, you can then bank any leftover 12/06 Use Year points into your 2007 Use Year.

As Chuck suggested, if a 2BR and studio would meet your needs that might be a good consideration. Otherwise, I would either make the reservation for the SSR GV and see what is available at OKW at 7 months or you could also try to find an OKW member to make the reservation for you at 11 months and then you possibly could transfer your points to them as payment for the points they used for your reservation.

Be very cautious about making sure your guests will not back out at the last minute since all of those points would still need to be used by November 30, 2007.

Good luck!

 

[tjkraz]

Be very cautious about making sure your guests will not back out at the last minute since all of those points would still need to be used by November 30, 2007.

Amen!

Danger, Will Robinson, danger!!!

At the very least, have a heart-to-heart with the people involved and make sure they understand that just because this is a timeshare doesn't mean that you have nothing to lose if they change their minds. Most people don't know the first thing about timeshares and will make any of the following assumptions about the trip you are giving them:

1. It doesn't cost you anything to let them tag along.
2. You are already committed to paying for the room so it shouldn't matter whether they come or not. (Technically true, but I think you're going to be pretty disappointed if you end up with two people in a Grand Villa because the others backed out. Those points could be better used for other trips.)
3. They are doing you a favor by coming along.
4. If they decide to back out at the last minute, you can just cancel. What's the big deal?

I know all people are different and these are broad generalizations. However, they are generalizations based upon shared experience. As Doc said, with your Use Year ending on 11/30, if you end up having to reduce your room size to a 2B or even a 1B because others have cancelled, it may be too late to bank those excess points and your schedule may preclude you from using them. If you haven't banked or used all of your 2006 points (and points borrowed from '07) by 11/30/07 , you forfeit them.

Also, reality check--don't get your hopes up about an OKW grand villa. There are only 27(?) of them and I think OKW owners will have them booked-up for a popular holiday period like Thanksgiving before other resort owners even get a chance.

 

[kittylady1972]

Thanks everyone for your helpful responses. Believe me, the people coming with me are all family, and go with us each and every Disney trip, so the chances of them backing out are pretty slim. They have been asking when we are going back since our trip last January.

I'll definitely plan as best as I can for the trip, but really do need the GV because we do all like to stay together, and there are five in my little family alone (2 adults and 3 kids) so it's not like the space wouldn't get used. Since I'll be making my reservation next month, I just wanted to plan ahead to know what would be involved.