Should I snag a 1BR or keep waiting for 2BR?

[JAM113]

Hoping I might get a quick opinion here... Family of four with a 2BR lockoff Value res in January at AKL. When Southwest opened their flights, it was cheaper for us to leave a day early, so I've waitlisted the first night of our trip. We have time to hang out and wait to see if the Value opens up before there are no more rooms available... the plan was to keep watching, and if it looked like we'd be roomless, just grab whatever is available. As we are only four, for one night we would be fine in either a studio or a 1BR.

I was just checking now, and a 1BR Value is available. Should I grab it and hope that it's possible that we wouldn't have to leave the 1BR part for the rest of our trip ... knowing that it will depend on availability? If I grab it, do I keep the waitlist, or does that somehow screw up my points?

 

[DMKEDM]

If it were me, I think I'd grab the one-BR...value villas are harder to get generally, and it does seem low (no?) risk...you can keep your two-BR waitlist active and "give back" the one-BR if the two-BR comes thru (up to 31 days out, anyway, when the holding points situation kicks in)...

So, it seems to me you have nothing to lose and if the two-BR doesn't come through, a bit to gain!

You could also use your second W/L for a studio if you want to save points for that one night.

As for whether you may have to move (from the one-BR to a two-BR), that I suspect will turn out to be pure luck...it might work and then again it might not...

Good luck!

 

[Kidanifan08]

You could grab it, just to have something for that night. It is a very low point option, so at least you would have a large space for a small number of points. I don't think there is any guarantee that you could stay in the same room, since the reservations cannot be linked. But, given the small number of value rooms, you may get lucky. You would save a few more points in a studio, obviously.

If you have enough points, you could just keep the waitlist, and if it comes through, then you could cancel the 1BR. Alternatively, I think you can modify the waitlist so it would automatically replace the 1BR value reservation, if the waitlist comes through.

 

[drusba]

Agree, take the 1BR and waitlist for the 2BR. Likely you will have to move if waitlist does not come through, but you are at least assured that the two rooms will be somewhat near each other for making the move.

As to avoiding screwing up the points, I assume you have the points for the 2BR for 1 night. The 1BR will be a reservation separate from your existing 2BR. Connect the 2BR wait list for that one night to that 1BR reservation rather than your existing 2BR reservation, so if it comes through they switch the 1BR to a 2BR and use the points you already have in the 1BR. If it does come through you can then contact MS and have the two reservations linked as one so you won't have to change rooms.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

I have done this twice. Had a 2BR for the trip with a 1BR for the first night. Disney has kept the 1BR and opened up the studio (lockoff) the 2nd day so we did not have to move!!

It literally saves Disney from having to clean the 1 BR and keep you happy so you don't have to pack up and move. A win-win.

 

[JAM113]

drusba, thank you...that's the part that was missing in my head. I will call member services and move the waitlist to the 1BR reservation. For this last night (first night), we are borrowing 2015 points, so I was worried about points ending up in the 2014 use year that we wouldn't be able to use.

As far as moving rooms that others mentioned, I am aware that we will likely have to move. If the WL didn't come through and we booked a regular (non-value) room, we would definitely have to move. I just thought with the 1BR Value, that at least there might be a chance of not having to move.

Tinkerdreams, glad it worked out for you. At least I know it's possible

Can't wait to see how this plays out.

 

[JAM113]

Good news! Called today to check on something and the 2 BR Value was available for our first night. Couldn't believe that was what she was saying, given that I wasn't calling specifically about the WL. So happy to be all settled this far out.

 

[CarolMN]

Good news! Called today to check on something and the 2 BR Value was available for our first night. Couldn't believe that was what she was saying, given that I wasn't calling specifically about the WL. So happy to be all settled this far out.

Great news! Thanks for sharing it with us - now ON TO THE REST OF THE PLANNING!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Great news! Thanks for sharing it with us - now ON TO THE REST OF THE PLANNING!

Yes!

 

[dgaston]

It's always great when a plan falls into place.