Reallocating points

[BrerNashville]

If you reallocate points to an existing reservation, does the reservation have to be canceled and run the waitlist gamut to be successful? Or can they simply substitute the points?

Example: October UY. I have a May vacation planned with 2011 UY points. I book a last minute trip in December with borrowed 2012 points. But then I cancel (outside 30 days) the December trip. Borrowing is permanent. Can I simply reallocate the 2012 borrowed points to my May vacation (so that I can bank the 2011 points originally used)? Or will that vacation have to be canceled in the system and survive a trip through the wait list pool before I could book it again with the 2012 borrowed points?

 

[drusba]

They allow you to do that reallocation without changing or losing the reservation with one possible exception: if you made the May ressie with home resort points during 11 month window, they will not allow you to exchange in points from another resort unless there is separate availability at the time of the change in points for the same type of room and dates you have.

 

[BrerNashville]

Not sure I follow your caveat. If I *am* understanding correctly -- if I have only one home resort with only one use year, your caveat won't apply?

Or are you talking if, say, my May ressie was made at BLT during 11 month booking, and I borrow the '12 points for the last minute reservation at AKV, then cancel the AKV, they won't allow me to reallocate to BLT under those circumstances? What if the last minute ressie was for BLT as well?

 

[drusba]

Not sure I follow your caveat. If I *am* understanding correctly -- if I have only one home resort with only one use year, your caveat won't apply?

Or are you talking if, say, my May ressie was made at BLT during 11 month booking, and I borrow the '12 points for the last minute reservation at AKV, then cancel the AKV, they won't allow me to reallocate to BLT under those circumstances? What if the last minute ressie was for BLT as well?

Example: If ressie made at 11 months out at BLT, you can at any time before 30 days from time of arrival replace any of those points with other borrowed (or banked) BLT points, but they usually will not allow you to replace them with points from AKV unless the reservation would otherwise be available separately at the time the exchange is made. I say 'usually" because sometimes you can get a CM that will even allow that exchange but the purpose of the rule is to prevent a member with points from two resorts being able to effectively circumvent the rule that points from a different resort can be used only at the 7 month window.

 

[BrerNashville]

Sorry I'm being so dense. When you say "replace them with points from AKV" do you mean AKV home resort points, or any points (e.g. BLT home resort points) used to make an AKV reservation?

I think I'm ok either way, based on what you've said, as BLT is my only home resort and the May vacation was booked at 11 month window. If points are borrowed for a last minute December vacation at BLT (I'm on a waitlist, which I've switched from AKV to BLT, so the whole issue is probably moot), but then I cancel that BLT vacation (outside 30 day holding tank period), it sounds like I can reallocate those points to the May vacation even if there is no separate availability and even though I booked the May vacation during the 11 month priority period?

 

[drusba]

Sorry I'm being so dense. When you say "replace them with points from AKV" do you mean AKV home resort points, or any points (e.g. BLT home resort points) used to make an AKV reservation?

I think I'm ok either way, based on what you've said, as BLT is my only home resort and the May vacation was booked at 11 month window. If points are borrowed for a last minute December vacation at BLT (I'm on a waitlist, which I've switched from AKV to BLT, so the whole issue is probably moot), but then I cancel that BLT vacation (outside 30 day holding tank period), it sounds like I can reallocate those points to the May vacation even if there is no separate availability and even though I booked the May vacation during the 11 month priority period?

If it is a BLT reservation and BLT points, you are fine. The rule I am talking about is designed to prevent the following:

Owner owns 150 points at BLT and 150 at SSR. At 11 months, he reserves BLT for Christmas. At 7 months out, no one from any other resort can book anything at BLT for Christmas. However, without rule I mentioned, that BLT/SSR owner could call at 7 months out and remove the BLT points from his reservation and replace them with SSR points. He could then use the BLT points for another reservation made 11 months out at BLT (e.g., for Easter time). He could continue that cycle year after year and thus effectively have the 11 month reservation window at BLT with all 300 of his points.

 

[wildernessDad]

In other words, there has to be availability to do the switch, otherwise one would be getting around the 11 / 7 month rules.

 

[BrerNashville]

If it is a BLT reservation and BLT points, you are fine. The rule I am talking about is designed to prevent the following:

Owner owns 150 points at BLT and 150 at SSR. At 11 months, he reserves BLT for Christmas. At 7 months out, no one from any other resort can book anything at BLT for Christmas. However, without rule I mentioned, that BLT/SSR owner could call at 7 months out and remove the BLT points from his reservation and replace them with SSR points. He could then use the BLT points for another reservation made 11 months out at BLT (e.g., for Easter time). He could continue that cycle year after year and thus effectively have the 11 month reservation window at BLT with all 300 of his points.

OK. I understand the potential abuse -- which doesn't seem to be possible if I have only one home resort and one UY?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

OK. I understand the potential abuse -- which doesn't seem to be possible if I have only one home resort and one UY?

Correct. If you have only one home resort you don't have the possibility of trying to sneak around the 11 month priority.

 

[disneynutz]

We have reallocated before and it didn't matter if it was 7-11 months or less than 7, each time MS checked for availability first. If there was availability, then they reallocated, if not they didn't.

Bill

 

[Breyean]

Do they make any distinction between direct and resale (since the restrictions) points? Because if you replace direct points with resale points, in theory you're using points with less value (and I don't mean $$, I mean booking ability based on restrictions).

 

[dzorn]

Do they make any distinction between direct and resale (since the restrictions) points? Because if you replace direct points with resale points, in theory you're using points with less value (and I don't mean $$, I mean booking ability based on restrictions).

The is no restrictions in booking a DVC resort from direct and resale.

Denise in MI

 

[BrerNashville]

We have reallocated before and it didn't matter if it was 7-11 months or less than 7, each time MS checked for availability first. If there was availability, then they reallocated, if not they didn't.

Bill

Ok. Now I'm confused again. This is exactly the opposite of what drusba said in the second post in this thread above. Sounds like Bill has actually done this and been prevented from reallocating in my situation (same resort/same UY) when there was no independent availability for a reallocation. Anybody else have experience one way or the other?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Ok. Now I'm confused again. This is exactly the opposite of what drusba said in the second post in this thread above. Sounds like Bill has actually done this and been prevented from reallocating in my situation (same resort/same UY) when there was no independent availability for a reallocation. Anybody else have experience one way or the other?

I have reallocated points at least 3 times and it has always been as drusba has outlined - never like Bill has experienced.

 

[Dean]

Ok. Now I'm confused again. This is exactly the opposite of what drusba said in the second post in this thread above. Sounds like Bill has actually done this and been prevented from reallocating in my situation (same resort/same UY) when there was no independent availability for a reallocation. Anybody else have experience one way or the other?

Historically they've tended to allow reallocation if the points are the same resort OR the reservation were booked after the 7 mo window. However, they don't have to and not everyone has been allowed to do that. My personal opinion is that every change should be a cancelation and rebooking.