Switching resorts at 7 month window

[tink_n_pooh]

If we were to book 3 rooms for January 2013 at our home resort of SSR and later try to switch resorts (say to Bwv or BCV) at the 7 month booking window, what exactly would need to be done?

 

[OKW Lover]

Its easy. Just call Member Services.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

Its easy. Just call Member Services.

Will they be able to cancel the old and book the new right then? We are going to have to borrow points for the trip and I just want to make sure it will be a smooth transaction

 

[OKW Lover]

Yes, they can do it all at once. No problem. They do this all the time.

 

[wildernessDad]

Will they be able to cancel the old and book the new right then? We are going to have to borrow points for the trip and I just want to make sure it will be a smooth transaction

Yes, subject to availability. Of course, if the room you want to book is all booked up, then you would not be able to switch.

 

[princesspooh323]

When I bought my DVC, he told me that booking your home resort at 11 months and then switching (if you want to stay somewhere else) is always the best way to do it.

Although I do have a question, since we will be doing this for 2013. If the resort you are switching to is more expensive at 7 mon (Ex. my home resort is BCV, but we might switch a few nights to AKL savanna view), does that complicate matters?

 

[LisaS]

Although I do have a question, since we will be doing this for 2013. If the resort you are switching to is more expensive at 7 mon (Ex. my home resort is BCV, but we might switch a few nights to AKL savanna view), does that complicate matters?

What happens when you switch resorts 7 months out is that they cancel your original reservation, freeing up the points used for that reservation, then they use those points to book the new reservation. If you need more points for the new reservation, they take those additional points from your account.

The risk you run with switching 7 months out is that for a brief period of time after the original reservation is cancelled and before the new one is made you have no reservation. It's rare but it has happened that during that time, the new reservation you wanted is snapped up by someone else and the old one is taken as well, leaving you with nothing. It's rare, but it has been reported here a few times. So if you have enough points to book the new reservation before cancelling the old one, that is the safest way to go but most of us don't have enough points to do that.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

What happens when you switch resorts 7 months out is that they cancel your original reservation, freeing up the points used for that reservation, then they use those points to book the new reservation. If you need more points for the new reservation, they take those additional points from your account.

The risk you run with switching 7 months out is that for a brief period of time after the original reservation is cancelled and before the new one is made you have no reservation. It's rare but it has happened that during that time, the new reservation you wanted is snapped up by someone else and the old one is taken as well, leaving you with nothing. It's rare, but it has been reported here a few times. So if you have enough points to book the new reservation before cancelling the old one, that is the safest way to go but most of us don't have enough points to do that.

More than one person, including myself, has been told that with the new system if you tell them you want to modify the existing reservation the CM is able to go in to it and make the change without the full cancel and then look up the new reservation to rebook. I had one CM tell me to always do it this way since I hadn't when I called in and she was then concerned about losing the reservation she had just looked up as she went back to pull up the existing reservation. What the absolute truth is I really don't know but I'll use the advice given in the future and hope it was correct.

 

[LisaS]

More than one person, including myself, has been told that with the new system if you tell them you want to modify the existing reservation the CM is able to go in to it and make the change without the full cancel and then look up the new reservation to rebook. I had one CM tell me to always do it this way since I hadn't when I called in and she was then concerned about losing the reservation she had just looked up as she went back to pull up the existing reservation. What the absolute truth is I really don't know but I'll use the advice given in the future and hope it was correct.

That is good news!

The last time I did this the MS CM warned me that in switching my reservation there was a chance I would lose everything. She asked me to confirm that I wanted to proceed despite the risk. That was before the new system was in place so I'm relieved to hear the new software has fixed this.

 

[disneygrandma]

Last March, with the then "new" system, I had no problem at all in switching a resv at 7 mos from SSR to BLT. It couldn't have been easier or quicker. All MS had to do was switch the resort on THAT resv & then get the extra points from our acct.

Well, I did the exact same thing about 10 days ago, and guess what? Under the current "new" system, a modification of the resort could not be done. I was told that the old one had to be cancelled, and a new resv made. I told her how it was handled a year ago, but she (MS) insisted that it could no longer be done that way. It took quite a bit longer this time. It worked so well last year!

Luckily, we're going in Sept when it's much slower, and I wasn't worried about losing a room. However, if we were looking at a hard to get resv, then that would have been a different story. It's too bad that DVC / Disney had to take a step backwards in this process.

 

[Mfgs]

Is it possible to do the 7 month switch using the online reservation system? Or do you have to call MS?

 

[disneygrandma]

If you have enough points, then yes, make a new resv online at 7 mos. Once that's complete, then cancel your original resv. OR if you don't have enough points, then you will need to cancel your original resv first, and then using those points make your new resv.

All of that can be done online without calling MS. However, make sure there is availability where you're wanting to book, before canceling your original resv, and then hope that it's still there when you rebook.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Last March, with the then "new" system, I had no problem at all in switching a resv at 7 mos from SSR to BLT. It couldn't have been easier or quicker. All MS had to do was switch the resort on THAT resv & then get the extra points from our acct.

Well, I did the exact same thing about 10 days ago, and guess what? Under the current "new" system, a modification of the resort could not be done. I was told that the old one had to be cancelled, and a new resv made. I told her how it was handled a year ago, but she (MS) insisted that it could no longer be done that way. It took quite a bit longer this time. It worked so well last year!

Luckily, we're going in Sept when it's much slower, and I wasn't worried about losing a room. However, if we were looking at a hard to get resv, then that would have been a different story. It's too bad that DVC / Disney had to take a step backwards in this process.

Now that is disappointing to hear!

 

[AmandaRG]

I was able to switch my 1BR BLT to 1BR Kidani Savannah view at 7 months (today). I was so thankful to be able to get it...since it is one of the things I have wanted to do.

Nothing was said about the possibility of losing my ressie, so maybe it isn't an issue anymore?

 

[TDC Nala]

Have them check availability at the new resort first. Even if you're online, check availability first. If there isn't availability for the whole trip, you may not want to switch if there is a waitlist involved.

 

[Sammie]

I agree with Nala, I would not change what I have without knowing I could book it all without wait listing.