What would you do?

[loveswdw]

Okay, here's the dilemma... we just put our deposit down on BCV. We are planning a short trip in Dec. but want to stay a few nights at AKL before we make our 1st trip "home". We will only stay at AKL if I can get a good discounted rate (since rack rate starts at $275 for standard--YIKES!!).

Since discount rates won't come out until Aug. or Sept. for Dec. trips... should I go ahead and book all our nights at the BCV then cancel a few nights if we get the AKL for a good rate? I'm still new to the cancellation policy stuff so I'm not really sure the best thing to do. Our use year is Sept. so we get all 2003 points coming Sept. 1st. So would I be okay with cancelling a few Dec. nights in Aug. or Sept. without "holding", etc.?

Does this make sense?

Thanks!
loveswdw

 

[Cruelladeville]

You can cancel a reservation 31 or more days before arrival, in order to avoid having the points put in holding. You should be able to get a discounted rate on AKL, providing it's prior to the Christmas holidays. Rates this year were as low as $127, but you never know how the prices will be from one year to the next. AKL is a wonderful resort--we stayed there last summer for 4 nights at $127 per night, after being at OKW for 5 nights. It sure seemed small after OKW, though

 

[Macnjac87]

You can always book your AKL nights, then when the codes do come out, call them back and they will apply the code rate to your reservations. Have fun! AKL and beeeeuuuuutiful too!

 

[kdonnel]

I am in a similar situation.

We just became members. You can not use your points at a non-DVC hotel until after the deed is recorded. We have a trip planned for March and want to stay at the AKL or POLY and a trip in October at BCV.

I sat down and figured out the cost of admission for the two trips and an annual pass is only about $20 more. With that annual pass I was able to get a rate of either $174 at AKL or $250 at the POLY. That is a savings of $150 a night for the POLY. By buying the annual pass I am saving $600 on the hotel stay in March. That more then makes up for the cost of the annual pass.

You might want to see if there are any good annual pass rates for the time of your trip and see if the cost of the annual pass is made up by the hotel savings.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by loveswdw
Okay, here's the dilemma... we just put our deposit down on BCV. We are planning a short trip in Dec. but want to stay a few nights at AKL before we make our 1st trip "home". We will only stay at AKL if I can get a good discounted rate (since rack rate starts at $275 for standard--YIKES!!).

Since discount rates won't come out until Aug. or Sept. for Dec. trips... should I go ahead and book all our nights at the BCV then cancel a few nights if we get the AKL for a good rate? I'm still new to the cancellation policy stuff so I'm not really sure the best thing to do. Our use year is Sept. so we get all 2003 points coming Sept. 1st. So would I be okay with cancelling a few Dec. nights in Aug. or Sept. without "holding", etc.?

Does this make sense?

Thanks!
loveswdw

I'm with Cruelladeville. Go ahead and reserve all the days you need at BCV. That way you will have a place to stay for all of your planned vacation. (I'm assuming you will be at WDW for a set time and the only variable is where you will stay the first few nights. No sense reserving BCV if you will just have a shorter trip if the AKL ndiscounts don't come through). Mark your calendar for 31 days ahead of arrival. If the AKL codes come out before "the mark", you can reserve those first few nights at AKL and cancel the corresponding nights at BCV.

Since your use year is September, you have until 8/31/2004 to use the points if you decide not to bank them. If you decide to bank the "extra" 2003 points, you would have until 2/29/2004 to bank up to 100% of your 2003 use year points. Just remember that you have to cancel the BCV days you don't want at least 31 days ahead of the arrival date!

I am also assuming that you used MB and have no 2002 points to use. If you do happen to be using some 2002 points, they would have to be banked into your 2003 use year before the end of this month (February) and then used for a stay before 9/1/2004. Can't bank the same points more than once.

Congratulations on your purchase and welcome home!

 

[loveswdw]

Thanks for the replies! I think I will go ahead and book BCV for all nights then cancel a few if AKL discount rates come out. That way all bases are covered. These boards are so great if you have questions!!
Thanks again!!