Waitlist question - need help from experts

[SarahWI]

Short recap: courtesy of COVID, we have 138 unused points set to expire 1/31/2022 (which is a first for us over the last 11 years) and now are trying to manage a WL and plan vacations (WL is also a first).

I am trying to figure out if booking a future vacation will “break“ our WL. We have 2 contracts but are only using Floridian points because that is where our glut is.

Feb UY, right now have 138 UY2020 and 200 UY2021 that are active. I also can access all of the UY2022 points.
1) we have secured a 1 BR in Cali using 133 points for January 2021 - this only wastes 5 points and we are fine with that.
2) we have a waitlist 1 BR (we are waitlisting 2 types of 1 BR but point use is the same) in cali which will require 155 points (so 138 from UY 2020 and 17 from UY 2021) - similar dates but requesting 2 additional non weekend nights.
3) i want to book 8 nights at GF in May 2022 - this will require 328 points for a 1 br standard view. My desire is to book SOON using the max # of 2022 points and the minimal amount from 2023.
4) is there a way for me to book May 2022 without messing up the waitlist and/or being stuck with borrowed points that I am forced to use or might go to waste?
5) if I want to wait a bit to see if the WL clears, how long should I give it to cancel the WL and book the Floridian? I don’t want to waste home advantage for a standard view 1 Br.
6) we are assuming someone is walking MLK weekend and are hoping the WL clears soon but cannot be certain of this.

Many, many thanks in advance! We honestly never thought we’d be in a situation where we’d be stuck with expiring points.

 

[GoofyCoaster]

Are you trying to do one Cali trip in Jan 2022 and a VGF stay in May 2022? Original post mentions Jan 2021 and it seemed like a typo regarding the trip date ...

Is the waitlist in #2 intended to replace reservation #1 if the waitlist comes through? if so, did you select that option when you created the waitlist?

If it’s only one Cali trip, I’m not sure I understand the mention of 2023 borrowing since your Feb UY 2021 points (banked into 2022) plus the native UY 2022 points would be enough to book the 300 point May 2022 VGF reservation ....

Unless you are trying to hold three reservations simultaneously: reservation 1 + the May 2022 VGF reservation + the waitlist Cali

or is the concern about banking those 2021 points and then not having them available if the Cali waitlist comes through?

 

[SarahWI]

Oh crud you’re right - January 2022 is what I meant although had UY2021 on my brain. I’m not sure if I articulated my question well because I wasn’t sure how to phrase it.

the core of my question was if I can hold a waitlist while booking a trip in the next UY without wasting points.

the whole thing resolved itself today- have 5 nights in Cali 1/2022 and then immediately booked 8 nights at vgf for 5/22.

thanks!!

 

[GoofyCoaster]

Awesome! Glad it all worked out.

 

[SarahWI]

Thanks! I’m still not sure I have my answer of points needed immediately for waitlist but I don’t need to know at the moment so it’s all good!