Switching resorts at 7 mos window

[mdorgan]

I assume there has been discussion on this before but couldn't find it...

Suppose I wanted to stay at a resort other than my home resort, is it common practice to...

... book at your home resort at 11 mos window to ensure that you have a reservation somewhere...

...then try for the desired non-home resort at 7 mos window and switch/change the original reservation at home resort to the reservation at the desired resort?

Does this make sense?

Is this common practice?

Are there any nuances to this?

Thanks in advance to all for your help.

 

[Starr W.]

Yep, I've done it. But I try for non-major holiday times. Just was at BCV for MLK weekend(booked my home at 11, then switched at 7 months, no waitlist ).

Did have to waitlist for about a month to get VWL for the first weekend in May last year.

And when I waitlisted I did the whole trip, not day by day. For short trips it would be a pain to have to change resorts.

 

[TisBit]

yes, that is probably the best way to do it, that way you have a back up reservation in case the switch doesn't go through due to availability issues. Biggest problem is if there is only partial availability at the 7 month resort and you have to decide to waitlist the whole thing or just part of it and possibly end up with a split stay between the two.

 

[irenep]

Thats what I did for my visit in July - booked BCV at 11 months then changed last 4 days to AKV at 7 months.

 

[Granny]

I assume there has been discussion on this before but couldn't find it...

Suppose I wanted to stay at a resort other than my home resort, is it common practice to...

... book at your home resort at 11 mos window to ensure that you have a reservation somewhere...

...then try for the desired non-home resort at 7 mos window and switch/change the original reservation at home resort to the reservation at the desired resort?

Does this make sense?

Is this common practice?

Are there any nuances to this?

It does make sense and it is common practice.

Keep in mind that there is a slim, but real, risk in this practice. When you "switch" reservations what really happens is:

1. MS finds that there is availability at Resort B that you want to switch to.
2. MS cancels your original home resort reservation at Resort A to free up the points for the new reservation.
3. MS books the new reservation at Resort B.​

So it really isn't a switch...it's a cancellation and booking that happens pretty quickly.

BUT...between #2 and #3 the available villa at Resort B could be booked and then you have no reservation at all. Your original reservation has already been cancelled and your desired reservation is no longer available.

It is rare, but has been reported on these boards more than once. So I always hold my breath when this happens and have had no problems yet.

The only way to avoid this is if you have enough points to hold the original reservation and still have enough points to make the new one. Then, for a short period, you would actually be holding two reservations. I'd say this is fairly rare since most people don't have enough points to do this for their vacations unless they tend to book multiple DVC trips per year.

 

[toocherie]

The only way to avoid this is if you have enough points to hold the original reservation and still have enough points to make the new one. Then, for a short period, you would actually be holding two reservations. I'd say this is fairly rare since most people don't have enough points to do this for their vacations unless they tend to book multiple DVC trips per year.

a variation on the question--are we allowed to book two different back-to-back reservations at our home resort at 11 months (say a five day followed by a two day) with the intent of trying for another resort for the last two days only==that way the most you would "lose" would be the last two days.

 

[kam0202]

Just became an SSR DVC owner Jan08; Made a reservation today for May on 2 bdrm villas - HH then VWL (10 nights total). No issue, but was flexible on the dates since we weren't flexible on the resort.

I'm sure you've heard this - it depends.

 

[wildernessDad]

a variation on the question--are we allowed to book two different back-to-back reservations at our home resort at 11 months (say a five day followed by a two day) with the intent of trying for another resort for the last two days only==that way the most you would "lose" would be the last two days.

Yes you can. Just do not link the reservations together unless you can't get what you want at the 7-month point, assuming that the 2 reservations are for the same accommodation type.

 

[Flyerfan]

It does make sense and it is common practice.

Keep in mind that there is a slim, but real, risk in this practice. When you "switch" reservations what really happens is:

1. MS finds that there is availability at Resort B that you want to switch to.
2. MS cancels your original home resort reservation at Resort A to free up the points for the new reservation.
3. MS books the new reservation at Resort B.​

So it really isn't a switch...it's a cancellation and booking that happens pretty quickly.

BUT...between #2 and #3 the available villa at Resort B could be booked and then you have no reservation at all. Your original reservation has already been cancelled and your desired reservation is no longer available.

It is rare, but has been reported on these boards more than once. So I always hold my breath when this happens and have had no problems yet.

The only way to avoid this is if you have enough points to hold the original reservation and still have enough points to make the new one. Then, for a short period, you would actually be holding two reservations. I'd say this is fairly rare since most people don't have enough points to do this for their vacations unless they tend to book multiple DVC trips per year.

When you get the confirmation in the mail, is it definitely booked? I would like to do this in November, but I don't have enough points. I was thinking about borrowing 2009 pts. to make a reservation at Resort B and keeping the Resort A reservation (which was made with 2008 points, not banked or borrowed) until the confirmation arrives. Then I would bank the Resort A points. Does that sound like a good thing to do?

 

[bobbiwoz]

When you get the confirmation in the mail, is it definitely booked? I would like to do this in November, but I don't have enough points. I was thinking about borrowing 2009 pts. to make a reservation at Resort B and keeping the Resort A reservation (which was made with 2008 points, not banked or borrowed) until the confirmation arrives. Then I would bank the Resort A points. Does that sound like a good thing to do?

If you are in the banking period, sure, that would be good to do.

As far as when it's definitely booked, I think right away. I've viewed the reservations on the members site the same day as the reservations are made.

Bobbi

 

[daisyduck123]

Suppose I wanted to stay at a resort other than my home resort, is it common practice to...

... book at your home resort at 11 mos window to ensure that you have a reservation somewhere...

...then try for the desired non-home resort at 7 mos window and switch/change the original reservation at home resort to the reservation at the desired resort?

Does this make sense?

Is this common practice?

Are there any nuances to this?

Thanks in advance to all for your help.

Yes...we do it often:

Summer 2007: from SSR to BCV
Christmas 2007: from SSR to AKV
Summer 2008: from SSR to BCV

We never have any problem switching at the 7 month window.

 

[Flyerfan]

BUT...between #2 and #3 the available villa at Resort B could be booked and then you have no reservation at all. Your original reservation has already been cancelled and your desired reservation is no longer available.

Can this happen within a matter of seconds? Because it doesn't seem that long of time period between cancelling the old and booking the new.

 

[daisyduck123]

Can this happen within a matter of seconds? Because it doesn't seem that long of time period between cancelling the old and booking the new.

Yes...there are other cast members on other phones making reservations for other guests & there's always the possibility of one of them swooping in on that availability when it opens up.

It also happens when people are making their ADRs.
One minute, there's a spot open at CRT, then next minute, it's gone.

 

[Flyerfan]

Yes...there are other cast members on other phones making reservations for other guests & there's always the possibility of one of them swooping in on that availability when it opens up.

It also happens when people are making their ADRs.
One minute, there's a spot open at CRT, then next minute, it's gone.

So, basically when they give you the confirmation # on the phone you are good to go with that reservation?

 

[Deb & Bill]

So, basically when they give you the confirmation # on the phone you are good to go with that reservation?

Once they say you are booked in that villa for those nights, you have it. They just follow up with the confirmation number. If they say OOPS, then you are not booked into those rooms for those dates.

Cancellation takes a second. Booking takes a second (or at least as long as it takes to type in the information). And cancelling the first reservation and losing the second reservation can also take mere seconds.

 

[Flyerfan]

Once they say you are booked in that villa for those nights, you have it. They just follow up with the confirmation number. If they say OOPS, then you are not booked into those rooms for those dates.

Cancellation takes a second. Booking takes a second (or at least as long as it takes to type in the information). And cancelling the first reservation and losing the second reservation can also take mere seconds.

Thanks! I was a little fuzzy on that.