Question re: splitting a reservation

[Crystal_27]

We are in the process of booking our BLT stay from December 18-January 1. We are planning on spending a couple days of our vacation at Universal, and DH has suggested that, instead of staying at BLT for our Universal days, that we should just stay on-site at Universal. Since the Universal visit was to be early in the trip (December 20-22), once we decide for sure what we want to do, will I be able to amend the reservation to just cancel December 20-21 nights from my trip or would I have to book a new reservation and go to the back of the line (meaning they would fill my request after any waitlists). Also, if we opted to try and stay at the BCV for December 18-19 and I called at 7 months, would that also prompt a new reservation or is that just an amendment to an existing reservation?

I'm not crazy about all the moving around that the above plan entails, so our alternative is to just keep our entire trip at BLT and just pay out of pocket for one or two night at the Universal hotel (which seems a waste of money and points). Anyway, any thoughts on these issues are certainly appreciated. Thank you very much!

 

[RobDoc]

We are in the process of booking our BLT stay from December 18-January 1. We are planning on spending a couple days of our vacation at Universal, and DH has suggested that, instead of staying at BLT for our Universal days, that we should just stay on-site at Universal. Since the Universal visit was to be early in the trip (December 20-22), once we decide for sure what we want to do, will I be able to amend the reservation to just cancel December 20-21 nights from my trip or would I have to book a new reservation and go to the back of the line (meaning they would fill my request after any waitlists). Also, if we opted to try and stay at the BCV for December 18-19 and I called at 7 months, would that also prompt a new reservation or is that just an amendment to an existing reservation?

I'm not crazy about all the moving around that the above plan entails, so our alternative is to just keep our entire trip at BLT and just pay out of pocket for one or two night at the Universal hotel (which seems a waste of money and points). Anyway, any thoughts on these issues are certainly appreciated. Thank you very much!

If you want to amend an existing reservation at either end, MS will allow days to be dropped without changing the reservation number. So, moving the arrival date back by a few days or moving the departure date forward by a few days is no problem.

In this case, you would be keeping the first 2 days of the reservation (which is no problem) and then you'd need a new reservation arriving on the 22nd for the remainder of your days. If there was no availability for that timeframe, you'd need to go on the waitlist to recapture those dates. You could also keep the 12/22-1/1 part of the BLT reservation and try to make a new reservation for the 18th - 20th.

The same thing goes for trying to reallocate at 7 months using points from a different Home Resort - if there is availability when you call, they will be able to reallocate (you will also likely get a different reservation number - linked to your original) but if there is already a waitlist they will not usually reallocate.

I think I'd keep the entire reservation and plan to drive to Universal those days or have the Universal days the first couple and then stay at BLT the remainder of the trip instead of moving back-and-forth at a busy time in the Orlando area.

Good luck!

 

[Crystal_27]

or have the Universal days the first couple and then stay at BLT the remainder of the trip instead of moving back-and-forth at a busy time in the Orlando area.

Good luck!

Doc, thank you very much for the detailed explanation. I do have to admit, though, that when I read the above, it was kind of a "DUH" (why-didn't-I-think-of-that) moment for me. Thanks again!

 

[robinb]

Hmmm .... can't Crystal just make 3 different reservations? One for 12/18-12/20, one for 12/21-12/23 and one for 12/23 - 1/1? MS will "link" the three together so she doesn't have to check out if she keeps all three but with different reservation number wouldn't she be able to cancel the one in the middle if she wanted to?

My friends found themselves in a similar situation last December. They booked from 12/24 - 1/3 and ended up leaving for 3 days to see my friend's parents. They ended up leaving their room empty because they could not drop the days in the middle.