Understaning Holding account and can you get rooms if you are in holding?

[defrogger]

Hi, about to become a DVC member at Boardwalk, cant wait. One thing i worry about, over the next 20 years im sure there will be a small handful of time that i will need to cancel last minute and get put into holding account.

So my understanding is my points in holding cant be used to make reservations out past 60 days.
To make sure i understand how Holding works
Couple examples, I have an April Use year, typical vacations would be in April, Summer and December.

Example 1. Have vacation booked on April 15th with 120 points, have to cancel on April 12th, my understanding is i cant rebook a later trip, My 120 points go into Holding. Therefor i cant bank those points, i cant book a trip in April with those point for lets say September because its not within 60 days.
So first am i understanding that correct?
What i can do is see if there are any openings within the next 60 days and books a trip lets say for early June. If not keep checking lets say its June, i can see if theres anything available for June or July, is that correct?
How available are rooms when you just have a 2 month window? I dont mind staying at places like Saratoga or OKW.
We live in NJ so wouldnt want to go for just 2 or 3 days, would be looking to stay 6-7, maybe 5 days.

Also would just be 3 of us, so 2 Bedroom would be overkill if thats what would be left.

Just a little nervous that the 2 month window will be unrealistic and would loose my points.
I realize when we go might matter for availablity.
For the first example im guessing i can just keep checking availablity and hope a good trip comes up before my use year of April. But what about my next example

Example 2. Have vacation booked December 15th for 7 days, lets say roughly 120 points and have to cancel on December 12th. My 120 points go into Holding,
My use year is April, so now i have to find a trip with only 3 1/2 months left or i loose my points correct?
Do you think i would be able to find a room on such short notice?

Im aslso assuming renting points out with just 2 months to use them would be equally as hard?

Thanks for any info

 

[CarolMN]

Its hard to use points in holding because availability is often very limited 60 days or less from a desired check in date. You can watch the 60 day availability snapshot (updated once a week) to get an idea of what might be available on short notice. It's been very limited lately due to all the extra points in the system due to the Covid resort closures.
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/vacation-planning/resort-availability-stays/
Holding points expire at the end of your use year. They cannot be banked.

If there is availability, you can certainly rent the points, but usually for a reduced price.

 

[Chuck S]

Your understanding of holding is correct.

In a normal year, and 2021 is far from a normal year, you can often piece together a stay, but may need to change room type or resorts during the stay. It is easier to find something during non-peak travel seasons. at 60 days. Do not expect to find many, if any, studios. Your best best would be one bedroom units, but studios do occasionally become available.

 

[defrogger]

Thanks for the info
Lets say i go into holding, find something im not to happy with 2 months out and book it, better then loosing the points. Then a month later something better comes up, can you change your reservation around if the points were from holding. My guess is you have to cancel again, points go into holding again, and you rebook.
This would be fine if the point become usable in holding pretty quick.

Thanks again

 

[Judique]

Thanks for the info
Lets say i go into holding, find something im not to happy with 2 months out and book it, better then loosing the points. Then a month later something better comes up, can you change your reservation around if the points were from holding. My guess is you have to cancel again, points go into holding again, and you rebook.
This would be fine if the point become usable in holding pretty quick.

Thanks again

Yes, you can do as you described. The points that get canceled are usable immediately, albeit according to the holding terms.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Its hard to use points in holding because availability is often very limited 60 days or less from a desired check in date. You can watch the 60 day availability snapshot (updated once a week) to get an idea of what might be available on short notice. It's been very limited lately due to all the extra points in the system due to the Covid resort closures.
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/vacation-planning/resort-availability-stays/
Holding points expire at the end of your use year. They cannot be banked.

If there is availability, you can certainly rent the points, but usually for a reduced price.

HI,
Where does one get to that page? I am a member but don't know where in the menus to look. Please and thank you..

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks for the info
Lets say i go into holding, find something im not to happy with 2 months out and book it, better then loosing the points. Then a month later something better comes up, can you change your reservation around if the points were from holding. My guess is you have to cancel again, points go into holding again, and you rebook.
This would be fine if the point become usable in holding pretty quick.

Thanks again

Technically the points just remain in holding if you cancel with them again. An odd thing is that it actually allows you to make more changes than the normal owner inside of 30 days because the points are already in holding so you don't worry about it.

FWIW I've had points in holding a couple of times and never even came close to losing them. If you have any flexibility at all you should not have an issue. It may not be the exact room you otherwise would book but availability is constantly changing and you have a bit more freedom in booking with holding as I mentioned. Also, once you get your membership login you'll be able to see and familiarize with the booking tool and see how easy it is to look up availability in the next 60 days. Skip the last minute get aways availability. That is a static report and availability changes too much for it to do a lot for you. There are worse and easier times to use holding points without a doubt but in my experience they can get used pretty much no matter the time of year - with some flexibility to your dates and rooms.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Also, my guess is that most owners never experience points in holding. Ours occurred because of deaths in the family just before trips otherwise I never would have either.

 

[CarolMN]

HI,
Where does one get to that page? I am a member but don't know where in the menus to look. Please and thank you..

It's a choice under the 'Plan a Vacation' tab. You don't even have to sign in to the Members website to see it.

 

[defrogger]

Technically the points just remain in holding if you cancel with them again. An odd thing is that it actually allows you to make more changes than the normal owner inside of 30 days because the points are already in holding so you don't worry about it.

FWIW I've had points in holding a couple of times and never even came close to losing them. If you have any flexibility at all you should not have an issue. It may not be the exact room you otherwise would book but availability is constantly changing and you have a bit more freedom in booking with holding as I mentioned. Also, once you get your membership login you'll be able to see and familiarize with the booking tool and see how easy it is to look up availability in the next 60 days. Skip the last minute get aways availability. That is a static report and availability changes too much for it to do a lot for you. There are worse and easier times to use holding points without a doubt but in my experience they can get used pretty much no matter the time of year - with some flexibility to your dates and rooms.

that makes me feel better that youve expereinced a cancelation with Holding and you had options

 

[defrogger]

Maybe this is for another post, but another question. From what ive read you have to be careful with Borrowing points and cancelations. My understanding if you cancel a reservation that had borrowed points you loose them regardless if you cancled way ahead of time, is that correct?
Does a reservation change count as a cancelation?
Example, My use year is April, i plan a big trip that requires me to borrow points, i Book at my home resort 11 to 8 months out, then at the 7 Month Window i see a resort i really want to goto is open. I want to switch, is that a cancelation and would i loose my borrowed points, my assumption is it wouldnt be a cancelation?
Does Banking have the same restrictions?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Maybe this is for another post, but another question. From what ive read you have to be careful with Borrowing points and cancelations. My understanding if you cancel a reservation that had borrowed points you loose them regardless if you cancled way ahead of time, is that correct?
Does a reservation change count as a cancelation?
Example, My use year is April, i plan a big trip that requires me to borrow points, i Book at my home resort 11 to 8 months out, then at the 7 Month Window i see a resort i really want to goto is open. I want to switch, is that a cancelation and would i loose my borrowed points, my assumption is it wouldnt be a cancelation?
Does Banking have the same restrictions?

Borrowed points just stay in the same UY you borrow them into and you must use them or they expire at the end of the UY. You may cancel and rebook with them within that UY to your hearts content And banked points also expire at the end of the UY year they are banked into if they are not used. There are never any points you automatically lose upon cancelling with the exception of cancelling the day of arrival. Then you lose all points on the reservation. As long as you cancel at least 1 day ahead you'll have the points back to use just with restrictions (holding) if you cancel 30 days or less prior to check in.

 

[Chuck S]

Maybe this is for another post, but another question. From what ive read you have to be careful with Borrowing points and cancelations. My understanding if you cancel a reservation that had borrowed points you loose them regardless if you cancled way ahead of time, is that correct?
Does a reservation change count as a cancelation?
Example, My use year is April, i plan a big trip that requires me to borrow points, i Book at my home resort 11 to 8 months out, then at the 7 Month Window i see a resort i really want to goto is open. I want to switch, is that a cancelation and would i loose my borrowed points, my assumption is it wouldnt be a cancelation?
Does Banking have the same restrictions?

You don't lose the borrowed points, but they have to be used by the end of use year into which they were borrowed. Borrowed points can not be banked, and banked points can't be borrowed.

Banking and borrowing are final transactions that can not be undone.

Using your scenario...let's say you have a 100 point contract. You borrow 50 points and book a 150 reservation. You then see a room pop up that you'd rather stay in that takes 130 points. You go online to modify the reservation. The new reservation would use the 50 borrowed points, and 80 current points, Since the remaining 20 points are current points you can bank them, as long as you are in the banking deadline.

If, however the new reservation only uses, say, 35 points total, it would use 35 of the borrowed points, leaving you with 15 borrowed points that must be used by the end of the use year, and 100 current points you could bank.

 

[defrogger]

Borrowed points just stay in the same UY you borrow them into and you must use them or they expire at the end of the UY. You may cancel and rebook with them within that UY to your hearts content And banked points also expire at the end of the UY year they are banked into if they are not used. There are never any points you automatically lose upon cancelling with the exception of cancelling the day of arrival. Then you lose all points on the reservation. As long as you cancel at least 1 day ahead you'll have the points back to use just with restrictions (holding) if you cancel 30 days or less prior to check in.

Perfect, ty, i misread the rules on Disneys website and didnt see the part of about using before the end of your use year.

 

[CarolynFH]

I wanted to clarify for you that if points go into holding, you don’t have to use them immediately to book as soon as you cancel. You can wait and keep watching availability until you find something you want with a checkin date that’s no more than 60 days from when you do book. For instance, your Example 1, you cancel on April 12 and want to go in September instead. You can just leave those points in holding until you are at or within 60 days of the September dates you want, and if something is available you can book it. Or just keep looking going forward.

 

[Debbie Jean]

But this is why UY is important. When stuff happens... and it can... holding becomes an even bigger challenge if you are booked nearer the end of your UY. For example, I own 2 contracts both Dec UY. Perfect for Christmas, disaster for F&W.

I’ve had holding points... death in the family in January. Had no issue using them later in the year.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

But this is why UY is important. When stuff happens... and it can... holding becomes an even bigger challenge if you are booked nearer the end of your UY. For example, I own 2 contracts both Dec UY. Perfect for Christmas, disaster for F&W.

I’ve had holding points... death in the family in January. Had no issue using them later in the year.

A good point that I left out. Our cancellations that resulted in holding points were at the beginning of our UY so it allowed 10+ months to use the points before they expired.