Things I didn't know about holding

[808blessing]

I rebooked a later May 2026 studio (not within 30 days) for April stay. I was refunded 2 points and it went into holding.
I thought I was doing them a favor by booking a last minute stay but apparently any modification, even booking a new room within 30 days puts the remaining in holding.
Didn't know! Thought it was just a penalty if I were canceling within 30 days.
Member services helped me out by restoring points so no harm done and I learned something new. Did everyone else know this? Maybe I should have known better...

Ah well, live and learn.

 

[CarolynFH]

Yes, any points freed up by a resort modification within 30 days or less from check-in do go into holding. Very frequently when someone posts here about WL or modifying or similar activities, you’ll notice cautions from experienced members about being careful not to run afoul of holding. For instance, when setting up a WL, if the desired reservation will be fewer points than the current booked one, the WL should be set to expire at 31 days before checkin. If the desired reservation will be the same or more points, the WL can be set to expire at 7 days before checkin.

Fortunately, MS is generally helpful in restoring points lost to holding that way - the first time, anyway!

 

[atthebeachclub]

I’ve had this happen too. It’s a very very important learning point in DVC ownership!

 

[808blessing]

For instance, when setting up a WL, if the desired reservation will be fewer points than the current booked one, the WL should be set to expire at 31 days before checkin.

Ohhhhh that’s right!!!

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

It's a dangerous game we play.

Oh! Also, swapping out the points from the contract within 30 days for your reservation. That's a no-go too and will end up in holding.

 

[Genie+]

Hmm, that doesn’t sound right.

Say I have 1 night booked May 25th for 18pts, and today I modify it to April 25th for 16pts.

2 points will go into holding?

(For simplicity assume the are Aug UY points.)

 

[808blessing]

Hmm, that doesn’t sound right.

Say I have 1 night booked May 25th for 18pts, and today I modify it to April 25th for 16pts.

2 points will go into holding?

(For simplicity assume the are Aug UY points.)

Yea. That is exactly what happened. I did it online. 2 points went to holding. Sept UY. It was modified and those 2 points were placed in holding. I called to explain. They told me it is a modification within 30 days that triggers holding. MS offered to request approval to get it restored.

The first reservation was NOT within 30 days. It was for May 16.

Oh what is different about your example is that my second reservation was within 30 days. Yours is not so you should be good. @Genie+

 

[Genie+]

Yea. That is exactly what happened. I did it online. 2 points went to holding. Sept UY. It was modified and those 2 points were placed in holding. I called to explain. They told me it is a modification within 30 days that triggers holding. MS offered to request approval to get it restored.

Ooh, so I guess if you cancelled May and then booked April, no points would’ve went into holding. But if you do it as a modification, then the unused points will end up in holding.

Thank you for pointing this out. It doesn’t make great sense to me so I wouldn’t have guessed it to work like that.

 

[Brian Noble]

Ooh, so I guess if you cancelled May and then booked April, no points would’ve went into holding. But if you do it as a modification, then the unused points will end up in holding.

As far as I understand things, this is not how this should work. Even as a modification, the points should not go into holding, because they are being "taken out" of a reservation >30 days.

I think this is more likely a programming error than policy.