Splitting reservation btwn 2 memberships

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Hi all! On our last trip, we booked a continuous stay at BLT, but using some SSR points and some BLT points. They required us to check out at the end of the first reservation and then check back in for the second -- which seems nutty to me -- seems crazy that they can't figure out a better way to do this.

As an aside, when I booked the stay through member services, they told me the reservations would be "joined", effectively making it one continuous stay as though it had been one reservation. Clearly not the case.

Does anyone know if there are any plans to fix this?

 

[rlovew]

Are your resorts different use years or under different member numbers- I am guessing that is why you would have had to check out. If it was simply 2 resorts points but the same mebership number you would not have had to check out. if you have 2 seperate memberships I think you will always have the check out/check back in issue unless you transfer points from one contract to the other. Think of each membership as being owned by different people as that is how DVC sees it.

 

[DebbieB]

Hi all! On our last trip, we booked a continuous stay at BLT, but using some SSR points and some BLT points. They required us to check out at the end of the first reservation and then check back in for the second -- which seems nutty to me -- seems crazy that they can't figure out a better way to do this.

As an aside, when I booked the stay through member services, they told me the reservations would be "joined", effectively making it one continuous stay as though it had been one reservation. Clearly not the case.

Does anyone know if there are any plans to fix this?

They should have been able to link them. One time I booked Thursday, Saturday & Sunday and a friend booked Friday night with her points and it was treated as 1 reservation, we did not have to checkout.

 

[OKW Lover]

We've done exactly this many a time at various DVC resorts (but not BLT) and never had to check-out/in midway. It sounds more like an issue at the front desk.

 

[Deb & Bill]

In the old days before the computer upgrade last June, when we booked nights with two contracts they were just considered one reservation and we did not have to check out and check in. But when they upgraded the computer system last June while we were there, we had to check out and check back in again for the last night of our stay because we did that with another contract that we own.

Just an improvement in the system.

 

[LAWalz23]

Just made a reservation for January using both my points and my parents and was told that it would be one continous reservation. I guess we will see when we get there as it has never been an issue in the past.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Thanks for all your responses!! Yes, we have two separate member numbers and different use years on these points. So it may be related to the system "upgrade"?!? Geez!

rlovew: You mentioned transferring points from one contract to another... how would we do that? Sadly, this is new to me. We've been members for some time but always just used the points in... what... a "straight-ahead" way! Nothing out of the ordinary.

Thanks again wonderful DISers for your insight!

 

[disneynutz]

If you have any interest in the DDP, unlinking the reservation will allow you to have the plan for only part of your stay.

Bill

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks for all your responses!! Yes, we have two separate member numbers and different use years on these points. So it may be related to the system "upgrade"?!? ...

No, not at all. When you get different UY, you must have separate member numbers. For example, we purchased DVC five times. Four of them were all Sept UY, so they were combined under one member number. The fifth was Dec UY, so that was a separate member number. When we want to combine the Dec points with the Sept points (which we did for our reservation last June) we did a combination of transfers and borrowing to get the nights we needed. You can't combine a few points from one membership with a few points from another membership to get a single night. You have to transfer in that case and you may use your once a year transfer in or out for both of the member numbers.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

No, not at all. When you get different UY, you must have separate member numbers. For example, we purchased DVC five times. Four of them were all Sept UY, so they were combined under one member number. The fifth was Dec UY, so that was a separate member number. When we want to combine the Dec points with the Sept points (which we did for our reservation last June) we did a combination of transfers and borrowing to get the nights we needed. You can't combine a few points from one membership with a few points from another membership to get a single night. You have to transfer in that case and you may use your once a year transfer in or out for both of the member numbers.

Gotcha'! So for next time, I can do a one-time transfer from one member number to another, and then book the continuous stay that way -- I wouldn't have thought of that -- thanks!!!

Doesn't it seem strange given the technology available these days for Member Services not to be able to find a better way, though, than to have people check out and check back in, regardless of where the points come from?? Geez.

 

[lionqueen]

I made a reservation for a friend of mine at BLT this past May. Half the reservation was with my points and half the reservation was made with my mom's points (2 contracts). All I had to do was ask for the reservation to be linked and they had one continuous reservation and did not have to check in a second time. Has this changed since May? I'll be making a reservation in a couple of months for this summer with 2 contracts. I want to make sure I understand everything before we make the reservation. Should I transfer the points into one contract since we will be making the reservation at 7 months or can i link them? thanks!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I made a reservation for a friend of mine at BLT this past May. Half the reservation was with my points and half the reservation was made with my mom's points (2 contracts). All I had to do was ask for the reservation to be linked and they had one continuous reservation and did not have to check in a second time. Has this changed since May? I'll be making a reservation in a couple of months for this summer with 2 contracts. I want to make sure I understand everything before we make the reservation. Should I transfer the points into one contract since we will be making the reservation at 7 months or can i link them? thanks!!

That was before the software upgrade that happened in early June during our stay.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I made a reservation for a friend of mine at BLT this past May. Half the reservation was with my points and half the reservation was made with my mom's points (2 contracts). All I had to do was ask for the reservation to be linked and they had one continuous reservation and did not have to check in a second time. Has this changed since May? I'll be making a reservation in a couple of months for this summer with 2 contracts. I want to make sure I understand everything before we make the reservation. Should I transfer the points into one contract since we will be making the reservation at 7 months or can i link them? thanks!!

Hmmm... I was there at the end of May last year, and that's when we had the check in / checkout issue because of the two memberships. Sounds like maybe it's inconsistent? They told me over the phone that they had linked the reservations, then when I got there they said that didn't change anything. I even had a manager come over who reiterated that we needed to check out and check back in.

This doesn't seem like it would make sense since they're presumably all using the same system, but could it be a resort issue? We were at BLT...

 

[Dean]

Gotcha'! So for next time, I can do a one-time transfer from one member number to another, and then book the continuous stay that way -- I wouldn't have thought of that -- thanks!!!

Doesn't it seem strange given the technology available these days for Member Services not to be able to find a better way, though, than to have people check out and check back in, regardless of where the points come from?? Geez.

You could but shouldn't have to. They can link them so you don't have to change even if you rented a portion for another member. One caveat is the unit type & view must be exactly the same. If they are you shouldn't have to move units or check in again midway. Using up your transfers will just complicate things. The only reason to transfer is if trying to use the 1 week at a time option to increase your chances of success and even that doesn't help if the resorts are different home resort even if they're the same UY.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

You could but shouldn't have to. They can link them so you don't have to change even if you rented a portion for another member. One caveat is the unit type & view must be exactly the same. If they are you shouldn't have to move units or check in again midway. Using up your transfers will just complicate things. The only reason to transfer is if trying to use the 1 week at a time option to increase your chances of success and even that doesn't help if the resorts are different home resort even if they're the same UY.

Last year and this year, we'd be looking for same room category and same view... so we SHOULD be able to link them?! OK... I'm going to try calling and getting them to do that. Can I use a DIS thread for reference at the check-in desk next May?!?

THANKS ALL!!!!

 

[lionqueen]

let us know how it goes. we were thinking of trying to get BLT for August next year

 

[Dean]

Last year and this year, we'd be looking for same room category and same view... so we SHOULD be able to link them?! OK... I'm going to try calling and getting them to do that. Can I use a DIS thread for reference at the check-in desk next May?!?

THANKS ALL!!!!

As I said, they have to match exactly. One can't be a lockoff and the other a dedicated unit even if all else is the same. MS has to link them. While one MIGHT be able to get it straightened out at check in, it's likely this wouldn't work. Just ask MS to link the units and if they say they can't, make sure you understand why. If it doesn't make sens, call back or ask for a supervisor.

 

[taaren]

We have linked our reservations 2 years out of three ... once when we added another night on another member's contract, and this past stay October 1st, we have same resort but 2 UY so 2 memberships. Both time was the same type of villa, same resort, once we linked it was treated as 1 reservation (in fact on the confirmation slip for the first night it said 10/1-10/6/2011, 2 bedroom dedicated villa, 56 points spent - what a deal!). So as long as MS does it right you should be able to not check in and out; not sure if MS didn't link the reservations for you or if the front desk didn't know how to process it correctly but it should work smoothly. We're doing the same thing in 2 months at Aulani for a weekend stay - 1 night on our points and 1 night on another members.

 

[castleri]

If you transfer some of your points they retain the resort and UY. You will not be able to use the transferred points from say SSR to BLT until the 7 month mark if you are reserving a room at BLT and vice versa. You can of course make part of the reservation at 11 months and then add at 7 months if there is availability.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

let us know how it goes. we were thinking of trying to get BLT for August next year

Will do!

As I said, they have to match exactly. One can't be a lockoff and the other a dedicated unit even if all else is the same. MS has to link them. While one MIGHT be able to get it straightened out at check in, it's likely this wouldn't work. Just ask MS to link the units and if they say they can't, make sure you understand why. If it doesn't make sens, call back or ask for a supervisor.

Gotcha'. Last time the units were identical -- dedicated 2BR theme park view. I'll try to make sure they really LINK the reservations, and hope for the best!


THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!