Selecting Which Subcontract Points to use for Reservation?

[Breyean]

After owning at one resort for many years I recently added on at another. So this is the first year I've run into a situation like this.

We want to book a reservation using points from OKW. But we have already used all of the 2011 points for another trip, so we'd have to borrow from 2012.

We also have 2011 Aulani points, but wed like to keep those whole because we only bought enough to do a trip every couple of years, and if we start dipping into the 2011 allocation it will just postpone when we can go (assuming we need to use the 11 month window advantage to get what we want for our room).

So, when I call MS to make our next reservation, which will be in our 2011 UY, will I be able to tell/ask them that I want to borrow the 2012 OKW points even though I have 2011 Aulani points available? The resort for this trip is neither of those, it's VGC.

Or do they make you use the most current points first?

 

[Cap]

You need to very specifically tell Member Services what points you want to use, including any borrowing. Then, at the end when they read their canned statement about the reservation and dates, ask them to confirm your ending points status by subcontract to be sure they did it as you wanted.

While Member Services is usually very good, sometimes they make an assumption about point use when you have multiple resorts / subcontracts. Their assumption may not be what you want to do, so just be very specific.

 

[Breyean]

Thanks, Cap.

I will be really careful and specific with MS.

 

[disneynutz]

Double check on the member website that they actually did what you wanted as soon as you get off the phone.

Last I read there are only 40 units available for booking at VGC. Do you think that you will have a chance at 7 months?

Bill

 

[Dean]

I'm assuming they are all under one master contract, same UY. There seems to be a perception by some CMs in two areas that could affect your situation now or in the future. That you must use home resort points first (even after 7 mo) and that you can't borrow if you have points you could use. If you don't plan to use the points for HI this year, go ahead and bank them. IF you get someone who gives you one of these positions and own't let you do i the way you wanted, just hang up and call back. Personally, unless you have a specific plan in place when to use the HI points, I'd go ahead and use them and not borrow. You can always generate more HI points later for your second trip by using OKW to reserve individual days for a future HI trip.

 

[Breyean]

I'm assuming they are all under one master contract, same UY. There seems to be a perception by some CMs in two areas that could affect your situation now or in the future. That you must use home resort points first (even after 7 mo) and that you can't borrow if you have points you could use. If you don't plan to use the points for HI this year, go ahead and bank them. IF you get someone who gives you one of these positions and own't let you do i the way you wanted, just hang up and call back. Personally, unless you have a specific plan in place when to use the HI points, I'd go ahead and use them and not borrow. You can always generate more HI points later for your second trip by using OKW to reserve individual days for a future HI trip.

I think I get what you're saying, but if you didn't have the flexibility to bank a specific resort while using another's points (even if they have to be borrowed) then the ability to "save up" points for a specific resort is gone. Since a big part of a lot of people's planning is to buy smaller contracts for visits to a specific resort once every 2 or 3 years using those home vacation points, if MS makes you use them for other reservations when you have a different contract's points available seem to defeat that.

One sure way to find out - I'm going to call MS!

I called - as long as you tell them which points to use, even if you are borrowing from one while having current UY points in another, you can use the borrowed points and leave the current ones alone.

 

[cvjw]

Always double check on the website to make sure that the points that you wanted to use are really used. The last several times that I have made reservations, the wrong points have been used, after I specifically asked that a certain contract's points should be used. I have always gotten it fixed, but it does involve another call to a manager.

 

[TisBit]

As others have said, just explain to the MS rep what you want to do. This is done all the time and is somewhat routine for them. Double check on the member site afterwards....but be careful, sometimes if you are trying to be too specific and start pestering about that, it can cause more problems than it solves. This is how I would have the conversation:

me; I would like to check availabilty for my dates
them; its available do you want to book (or not and would you like to waitlist)

me; yes and I would like to use my OKW points
them; there are not enough, would you like to borrow or use Aulani

me; borrow please
them; Ok, done and here is your point summary


It falls under the KISS system (Keep it simple stupid). Usually, MS will ask what points you want to use when you have multiple contracts, etc. Just don't kill them with all your point issues when you start the conversation.....

 

[Dean]

I think I get what you're saying, but if you didn't have the flexibility to bank a specific resort while using another's points (even if they have to be borrowed) then the ability to "save up" points for a specific resort is gone. Since a big part of a lot of people's planning is to buy smaller contracts for visits to a specific resort once every 2 or 3 years using those home vacation points, if MS makes you use them for other reservations when you have a different contract's points available seem to defeat that.

One sure way to find out - I'm going to call MS!

I called - as long as you tell them which points to use, even if you are borrowing from one while having current UY points in another, you can use the borrowed points and leave the current ones alone.

In large part what I'm saying is that there are technical rules and there are individuals who interpret the rules. There have been many instances of problems associated with this issue, esp when reserving at a home resort even at or after the 7 mo window. As for the presumption that a call to MS will give you a better answer for such issues, and one you can count on, dream on.

 

[Breyean]

In large part what I'm saying is that there are technical rules and there are individuals who interpret the rules. There have been many instances of problems associated with this issue, esp when reserving at a home resort even at or after the 7 mo window. As for the presumption that a call to MS will give you a better answer for such issues, and one you can count on, dream on.

Thanks, Dean. I'll keep dreaming.

 

[Cricket2]

I have had on more than one occasion reps tell me I had to use one set of points over another (home vs. borrowed etc.), and as Dean has said, unless you are in dire need to make that reservation right that second, just hang up. I've gone to the extent to ask for another rep while on the phone and it's not an easy task but you will get statisfaction if you hold to your guns knowing that you are right.