Transferred-in Points Have to be Booked Immediately?

[Wiltony]

Summary:
I just had a DVC Member Services Manager assert that if you receive a point-transfer into your account, those points must go toward a reservation immediately (like, while on the same 3-way call as when you're making the transfer). I asked him to show me where this policy was written or disclosed to members, but he ultimately could not. He would still not concede, however, and said that he needs to "better train his team" to adhere to this policy, because they didn't do it when I received my recent transfer.


Background:
So I am planning on making a reservation at Aulani for Thanksgiving in 2023. I am not an Aulani owner, so I worked with another owner and got their points transferred to me so that I would be prepared to make my reservation immediately when the 11-month window opens for my high-demand dates.

I successfully received the points on a 3-way call a few weeks ago, but since I'm not within the 11 month window yet, I did not make any reservation. In anticipation of the approaching window, I wanted to make sure I didn't have any hiccups, so over the past few weeks, I attempted to make a different reservation with them online to see if I might run into any problems or issues that I needed to get ironed out before it was "go time." As I feared, I was unable to make any kind of reservations online, and received an error when trying to use these transferred points. The glitch didn't appear to be on my side, as I tried from multiple locations and multiple browsers, cleared cookies, etc. So I called Member Services.

I don't know how I got routed to a manager, but after inquiring about the error I was getting, he said, "oh I know what the problem is" and put me on hold to try to fix it. He came back and said it was fixed, but it was not. He then complained that this shouldn't have happened in the first place because I should have been required to make a reservation immediately upon receiving my transferred points. He then apologized and said he was going to have to "re-train his team" to ensure they know proper policy so it wouldn't happen again. I told him I couldn't have made a reservation yet because I wouldn't have been within the 11-month window, and he implied that I shouldn't have been allowed to make the transfer then!!!

I have received many transferred points, and have read over the rules and policy extensively, and have never heard of this. I don't like when Disney asserts that their internal procedures, recommended practices, or technical limitations are "policy," so I pushed back and asked him to provide backup for this stated policy. He read over a LOT of stuff but could never find anything indicating this was policy. I recommended he work with his supervisors to clarify what actual policy is on this matter, as I was sure this wasn't. He didn't like that and asserted that he was a manager, as if I should bow-down to his ultimate authority! (I knew he was a manager, but even managers have supervisors. I'm sure he wasn't unilaterally responsible for establishing DVC policy lol). Confidence and ignorance is a dangerous combination.


Anyway, he said other alarming things, such as "when you receive transferred in points, you can only use them in the 7-month window" which I immediately questioned. After pushing back, he conceded that was just what you could see online, and if you wanted to use them at the 11-month window, you had to call. I'm not even sure that's correct, but I didn't care to go another round with him at that point. Along those same lines, he said, "Because they're not 'your' points, you can only use them at the 7-month window" and I had to correct him and explain that transferred points maintain their original use-year and booking windows. He is definitely in need of some education (and humility).

In the end, I just asked him to make me a fake reservation so I could ensure the points were valid and could be used properly so I wouldn't have any issues modifying it once the time came to make my "real" reservation. He did not like that! "Sir, I can't make reservations for you to use to walk." ***? I said nothing about walking. I rephrased and just told him to make me a "normal" reservation then lol. He couldn't argue then, and made it for me. It was a frustrating call, but I pretty much got what I needed, which was to troubleshoot my problem and ensure I didn't run into any (more) issues when booking time rolled around.

It remains to be seen whether I'll be able to modify the current ressie online (I haven't tried yet) or if I'll need to call them once my window rolls around. I suspect the latter.


Postscript: I was polite but firm on the call. These CMs deserve respect and patience, and even if you disagree with something they say, that is no excuse to be rude. With that said, do not give DVC member services an inch when they try to unilaterally change rules or assert things as "policy" when they are not. You can prevent "policy-creep" by not accepting that a Member Services CM is the ultimate authority on certain things you may know are not true, and by not letting them try to get away with little changes like this!

 

[KPeterso]

I transferred points from my one membership to my other in 2020 for both my 2019 (which I then banked) and 2020 use years. I was asked if I had a plan for them and I said I did but was outside my 11 month booking window at that point. I had no issues when it came time to book (probably about 3 months later) at my 11 month window. I did have to call to book a couple of my last few days, but I believe that was more due to the borrowing resale glitch on my contract in the membership.

 

[drusba]

Transferred points simply have the same use rules as regular points, except that you cannot borrow them once they are transferred. The transferred points always retain the resort identity and the use year they originally had. You can bank them into the next use year as long as you do so by no later than the end of the eighth month of the use year applicable to the transferred points. Transferred points can be used to make a reservation during the 11-month window, but, of course, only for the resort to which the transfered points belong.

It seems the person you were talking to may have had little experience (a factor possibly resulting from the fact that many MS personnel are new hires) and possibly was confusing transferred points with one-time-use-points that you can purchase through DVC only when making a reservation that will use them within the 7-month window.

As to the websites failure to use the points when trying to make a reservation, you can likely just mark that one up is just another system problem that the website seems to always have.

 

[CarolynFH]

possibly was confusing transferred points with one-time-use-points that you can purchase through DVC only when making a reservation that will use them within the 7-month window.

This sounds like a very likely explanation to me. When an owner buys OTU points, in essence DVC transfers some of their own points to that owner. I think you’re right, that the manager was confused and thinking that the rules for OTU points apply to points transferred from owner to owner.

 

[E2ME2]

Transferred points simply have the same use rules as regular points, except that you cannot borrow them once they are transferred. The transferred points always retain the resort identity and the use year they originally had. You can bank them into the next use year as long as you do so by no later than the end of the eighth month of the use year applicable to the transferred points. Transferred points can be used to make a reservation during the 11-month window, but, of course, only for the resort to which the transfered points belong.

It seems the person you were talking to may have had little experience (a factor possibly resulting from the fact that many MS personnel are new hires) and possibly was confusing transferred points with one-time-use-points that you can purchase through DVC only when making a reservation that will use them within the 7-month window.

As to the websites failure to use the points when trying to make a reservation, you can likely just mark that one up is just another system problem that the website seems to always have.

You lost me at “only for the resort to which the transferred points belong” ??
I’d want to use the 11 month window for the resort the points are transferred into. Otherwise, doesn’t seem like an advantage to transfer ???
I’m fuzzy on this - please elaborate

 

[RoseGold]

Ridiculous. When I got a cast member who had no idea about the banking/borrowing rules, I just called back until I got someone competent. That's harder to do on a three-way transfer call, though.

I get the rules are complicated, but there aren't THAT many of them, and it seems like they should have some cheat sheets or something.

Practically none of that is right, even the "walking" part. Frustrating.

 

[kboo]

Wow. I concur with @RoseGold, there were so many errors in what you were told... wow.

I'm no expert on transferring points (3x now), but this I do know:

On this last 3-way call, I told the CM I wanted to make a reservation (we are 2 mo out from the first reservation I wanted to make), but there were others I wanted to do that were farther out. But the two prior times, I transferred in the points on a 3 way call and later called to make my reservations.

I had heard before that we needed to make reservations with transfer points by phone? I did have to do that back in 2021 but has that been lifted? I ask because I had some remaining transfer points to use that weren't showing up in my membership even though they were the same UY, and the CM said, when you go to use them (for an online booking), they will be available. This was the first time I had transferred-in points that were the same UY as one of my memberships though.

It remains to be seen whether I'll be able to modify the current ressie online (I haven't tried yet) or if I'll need to call them once my window rolls around. I suspect the latter.

I have been able to do that recently - but see caveat above - it may be because the transferred in points UY matches the UY of the membership I transferred the points to, where the last 2 times the points were a different UY. (E.g. transferred Dec points into a membership that was an August UY.) It may also be pre/during/post covid and IT changes?

You lost me at “only for the resort to which the transferred points belong” ??
I’d want to use the 11 month window for the resort the points are transferred into. Otherwise, doesn’t seem like an advantage to transfer ???
I’m fuzzy on this - please elaborate

I received transferred VGC points and called MS at around 10 months in advance to book a VGC studio. I don't own VGC points otherwise. I think this might be a good option for DVC members who want to book at hard-to-get resorts with the 11 mo advantage.

e.g. if you just need more points to use at 7mo, find the cheapest transfer points you can and ideally one that matches the UY you already have points, easier to combine, I think. But definitely find the cheapest transfer points you can.

If you want 11 mo advantage, you need to find someone who owns points at the resort who is willing to transfer their points to you. It doesn't matter which membership or HR you have that is receiving the points.

 

[RoseGold]

For OP, I'd obviously try to book in front of the 7 month, walk a few days, and then maybe call to modify, so the last day or whatever is correct.

This is not a surprise I want at 10AM on 7 month day.

 

[kboo]

For OP, I'd obviously try to book in front of the 7 month, walk a few days, and then maybe call to modify, so the last day or whatever is correct.

This is not a surprise I want at 10AM on 7 month day.

I think OP got AUL points to use at AUL? If that's the case, I would have no compunction about calling a few days and walking without using the word "walking," even if you have to call to modify.

 

[drusba]

You lost me at “only for the resort to which the transferred points belong” ??
I’d want to use the 11 month window for the resort the points are transferred into. Otherwise, doesn’t seem like an advantage to transfer ???
I’m fuzzy on this - please elaborate

To clarify, for the purpose of the 11-month window, transferred points retain their own resort identity, e.g., if the points transferred into your account are SSR points, you can use them at 11-months out to reserve SSR, but not until 7-months out to reserve any other resort, even if you own at such other resort.

 

[kboo]

Just wanted to clarify from my own experience on the (very glitchy) site today:

1. If making a new reservation - you DO have to call MS to do this
2. If *modifying* an existing reservation - you CAN do online, without calling MS, even if you are using more transferred points (that you cannot see on your dashboard) Note, YMMV but since I was using a mix of BLT (home) and other points in the same membership and same UY, it used all the transfer points first, and left 2 BLT points that, if unused, I guess I will bank.

 

[E2ME2]

To clarify, for the purpose of the 11-month window, transferred points retain their own resort identity, e.g., if the points transferred into your account are SSR points, you can use them at 11-months out to reserve SSR, but not until 7-months out to reserve any other resort, even if you own at such other resort.

I spoke with a CM and got this explanation:
Transfers must occur between 2 separate Memberships, not Contracts.
ie; I can't transfer points from my SSR contract to my BCV contract, if they're both under the same membership number.
However, if they are different Membership numbers, the transfer can happen once per year and, as the CM told me, I could use the transferred points to take advantage of the 11-month window of the home resort to which the points were being transferred. She went on to say that typically it's between two different members and both members are required to call-in. (suggested a conference call).
So what I took from this was that if I had 2 separate Memberships, I could transfer points from Membership-1 at SSR into Membership-2 at BCV, and book BCV at 11-Months, using all of those points.

 

[kandlsutton]

So what I took from this was that if I had 2 separate Memberships, I could transfer points from Membership-1 at SSR into Membership-2 at BCV, and book BCV at 11-Months, using all of those points.

You cannot use transferred points from SSR to book BCV during the 11 month home resort booking window. If that was possible, then everyone would buy cheaper SAP in a different membership and transfer to skirt the home resort priority.

You could use transferred SSR points to book at SSR at 11 months, but You may have to call since transferred points aren't easily accessed from the website when booking.

 

[E2ME2]

You cannot use transferred points from SSR to book BCV during the 11 month home resort booking window. If that was possible, then everyone would buy cheaper SAP in a different membership and transfer to skirt the home resort priority.

You could use transferred SSR points to book at SSR at 11 months, but You may have to call since transferred points aren't easily accessed from the website when booking.

That was the impression I had, before calling, but the CM I spoke with said that I could use transferred in points to use at 11 months, from the "transferred-to" contract. I was very specific, and she was very clear in her answer.
(???????)
If that wasn't the case, there really would be no advantage in making the transfer .
I'm ineligible, regardless, as all of my points are same use year and under the same Membership number.
However, if i had a family member or trusted friend, it would be interesting to give this a try.

 

[kboo]

I could use transferred in points to use at 11 months, from the "transferred-to" contract. I was very specific, and she was very clear in her answer.

Well, she is correct. You CAN use transfer points that have been transferred to another membership, but at 11 months you can only use them to book a stay at the home resort attached to those transfer points.

For bookings starting within the next 7 months or less, you can use all the points in the membership together (which I just did).

And finally - to make a new booking using transfer points, you need to call. But if you are modifying an existing booking that uses transfer points, you can do that online.

And you're correct, there is no advantage to making a transfer between two memberships that you hold unless it's to use the points together (pooled) at 7 mo or less.

 

[Sandisw]

That was the impression I had, before calling, but the CM I spoke with said that I could use transferred in points to use at 11 months, from the "transferred-to" contract. I was very specific, and she was very clear in her answer.
(???????)
If that wasn't the case, there really would be no advantage in making the transfer .
I'm ineligible, regardless, as all of my points are same use year and under the same Membership number.
However, if i had a family member or trusted friend, it would be interesting to give this a try.

Unfortunately the CM said it backwards. You can use the transferred in points at this home resort still, even if transferred into a membership that doesn’t have that resort.

Points never change where they can book during the home resort period, no matter what account they are in.

So, if someone transfer SSR into a membership with BCV points, they can book an SSR room in that same membership at 11 months but the big plus is that at 7 months both the BCV and the transferred in points can be used for a single reservation at any of the resorts.

 

[Wiltony]

I'm OP, and I was just chiming back in to mention that I am not an AUL owner, but did indeed get a transfer-in of AUL points in order to take advantage of the 11 month window (I booked a standard view over Thanksgiving and figured I wouldn't be able to do that at 7 months).

I was never able to make or change a reservation online in the entire process. Everything had to be done with a call. The UY of these points were indeed different than my BLT membership, so maybe that was it, or maybe it was some other website issue, but nonetheless, I got eventually got my ressie successfully over the phone.

Very worrisome that *any* CM believes and is telling people that you can change the character of transferred-in points to the home resort on your membership. That is patently false. No way in heck you can use CCR points to book at VGF at 11 months out! Whaaattt!!??? You know, I wonder if that CM actually tried to do something like that from their end, would their system let them? If so, I'm going to get their name and request to talk to them for my ressie needs as that would be a major hole in their system haha! Been wanting to get some in-demand ressies at other resorts lol...