Beth
Just happy to be here...
- Joined
- Aug 17, 1999
- Messages
- 1,828
Just wanted to follow up on this post.
I "did" speak to a supervisor today, and she explained that the scenario described below IS correct! I "would" only be able to use those points for
(1) 10 months if they were transferred into my 2002 use-year, or
(2) 2 months had they been transferred into my 2001 use-year.
She also confirmed that this IS all a "software issue," and hopes that some re-programming can be done to eliminate some of this confusion.
She also mentioned that, with the software as it is now, when someone transfers points into your account that are from a resort other than that at which you own "your" points - you do NOT have the opportunity to take advantage of the 11-month priority booking period associated with the original points. In other words, according to their software, when those VWL points were transferred into my account - they became OKW points.
I said, "Wait - that CLEARLY flies into the face of the POS." (There's even a specific example given in the POS that suggests quite the opposite.) She concurred, and said that they could manually override the system to allow you to still have the booking period. But - if you call sometime later after the transfer has been made, the MS rep will not immediately recognize it, and would have to research the transfer to confirm that those points originally came from another home resort.
MORAL OF MY STORY??
First of all. If at all possible, let the person transferring the points to your account just make the reservation for you, if at all possible. Secondly, before you make/receive the transfer, call and speak to an MS rep (maybe even a supervisor?) for clarification on the effects of the potential transfer, especially in relation to any reservations you may be desiring to make.
Again - apologize for the long post - but I was very surprised to learn how all of this worked.... Hope it helps someone else.
(original post below)
Just wanted to give you my "real life" example of some of the dilemmas associated with transferring points... Perhaps some of you were already well-versed on how all of this works, but it definitely came as a surprise to me!!
I booked a reservation for a co-worker of mine to get a 3BR at OKW in early December, with the understanding that she would transfer those points to my account when they became available on August 1st. She did transfer those points, and I have confirmed that they have been transferred (even booked an October reservation using some of them on Friday.) I tried to call today to book a reservation for 9/2002 using those points. I have an October use-year. Here's the deal:
When she calls to initiate the transaction, she must specify if those points are to be transferred to "my" (not her's) current or future use-year. On August 1st, "I" was still in my 2001 use-year.
She opted - as I had requested - to have them transferred to my 2002 use-year.
Now, I already knew that transferred points could be banked but not borrowed, but I didn't really realize how that would affect me. Here it goes.
By transferring them into my 2002 use-year, I can't use them until October 1st . That's right - even though they became available August 1st, and they "retain the characteristics of their original contract," they can't be used until I reach "my" 2002 use-year - October 1st. BUT!! They still retain their July 31st expiration date.
That's my problem with all of this. They don't retain all of their original use-year characteristics. This is basically the scenario:
<u>Transfer into 2001 use-year?</u> I could use them 8/01/02 - 9/30/02. But I would be out of "my" banking window to bank them into my 2002 use-year. Total usage - 2 months.
<u>Transfer them into my 2002 use-year?</u> I could use them 10/01/02 - 7/31/03. But I couldn't "borrow" them if I wanted to use them from 8/01/02 - 9/30/02. Total usage - 10 months.
So, basically - these points can't be used by ANYBODY from 8/01/02 - 9/30/02. And those 2 months aren't regained in 2003, as they still expire 7/31.
I must admit - the MS CM I spoke to was truly delightful. She was also a little bewildered by the situation, and put me on hold for quite some time for clarification. She said, basically, "it's a software thing." "By putting them into "my" 2002 use-year, the computer doesn't recognize that they are available from 8/01 - 9/30." I jokingly (?!?) remarked, "...but the computer CAN tell that they will expire on 7/31, can't it?!?"
She kinda giggled and said, "We'll see....." I told her, "Ok. I'm gonna call on August 1st next year and see if they're still available!" 
Granted, the fact that mine and my coworker's use-year "months" were so close to each other, could be a big part of the problem. "Timing is everything," I guess. But STILL, so frustrating.
I asked her if this was <i>really</i> a software thing, or if this is something they have researched and have decided that "this is just the way it will have to be" in order to make the system work... She insists it "is" a software thing so, maybe it could be resolved...
Sorry so long-winded - but I thought it was worth passing on....
I "did" speak to a supervisor today, and she explained that the scenario described below IS correct! I "would" only be able to use those points for
(1) 10 months if they were transferred into my 2002 use-year, or
(2) 2 months had they been transferred into my 2001 use-year.
She also confirmed that this IS all a "software issue," and hopes that some re-programming can be done to eliminate some of this confusion.
She also mentioned that, with the software as it is now, when someone transfers points into your account that are from a resort other than that at which you own "your" points - you do NOT have the opportunity to take advantage of the 11-month priority booking period associated with the original points. In other words, according to their software, when those VWL points were transferred into my account - they became OKW points.
I said, "Wait - that CLEARLY flies into the face of the POS." (There's even a specific example given in the POS that suggests quite the opposite.) She concurred, and said that they could manually override the system to allow you to still have the booking period. But - if you call sometime later after the transfer has been made, the MS rep will not immediately recognize it, and would have to research the transfer to confirm that those points originally came from another home resort.
MORAL OF MY STORY??
First of all. If at all possible, let the person transferring the points to your account just make the reservation for you, if at all possible. Secondly, before you make/receive the transfer, call and speak to an MS rep (maybe even a supervisor?) for clarification on the effects of the potential transfer, especially in relation to any reservations you may be desiring to make.
Again - apologize for the long post - but I was very surprised to learn how all of this worked.... Hope it helps someone else.
(original post below)
Just wanted to give you my "real life" example of some of the dilemmas associated with transferring points... Perhaps some of you were already well-versed on how all of this works, but it definitely came as a surprise to me!!
I booked a reservation for a co-worker of mine to get a 3BR at OKW in early December, with the understanding that she would transfer those points to my account when they became available on August 1st. She did transfer those points, and I have confirmed that they have been transferred (even booked an October reservation using some of them on Friday.) I tried to call today to book a reservation for 9/2002 using those points. I have an October use-year. Here's the deal:
When she calls to initiate the transaction, she must specify if those points are to be transferred to "my" (not her's) current or future use-year. On August 1st, "I" was still in my 2001 use-year.
She opted - as I had requested - to have them transferred to my 2002 use-year.
Now, I already knew that transferred points could be banked but not borrowed, but I didn't really realize how that would affect me. Here it goes.
By transferring them into my 2002 use-year, I can't use them until October 1st . That's right - even though they became available August 1st, and they "retain the characteristics of their original contract," they can't be used until I reach "my" 2002 use-year - October 1st. BUT!! They still retain their July 31st expiration date.
That's my problem with all of this. They don't retain all of their original use-year characteristics. This is basically the scenario:
<u>Transfer into 2001 use-year?</u> I could use them 8/01/02 - 9/30/02. But I would be out of "my" banking window to bank them into my 2002 use-year. Total usage - 2 months.
<u>Transfer them into my 2002 use-year?</u> I could use them 10/01/02 - 7/31/03. But I couldn't "borrow" them if I wanted to use them from 8/01/02 - 9/30/02. Total usage - 10 months.
So, basically - these points can't be used by ANYBODY from 8/01/02 - 9/30/02. And those 2 months aren't regained in 2003, as they still expire 7/31.
I must admit - the MS CM I spoke to was truly delightful. She was also a little bewildered by the situation, and put me on hold for quite some time for clarification. She said, basically, "it's a software thing." "By putting them into "my" 2002 use-year, the computer doesn't recognize that they are available from 8/01 - 9/30." I jokingly (?!?) remarked, "...but the computer CAN tell that they will expire on 7/31, can't it?!?"
She kinda giggled and said, "We'll see....." I told her, "Ok. I'm gonna call on August 1st next year and see if they're still available!" Granted, the fact that mine and my coworker's use-year "months" were so close to each other, could be a big part of the problem. "Timing is everything," I guess. But STILL, so frustrating.
I asked her if this was <i>really</i> a software thing, or if this is something they have researched and have decided that "this is just the way it will have to be" in order to make the system work... She insists it "is" a software thing so, maybe it could be resolved...
Sorry so long-winded - but I thought it was worth passing on....
