When to book

[dallastxcpa]

I am planning on booking a two bedroom at OKW from 6/5/05 to 6/10. Would it be best to book at my home resort and then switch at the seven month mark? What do you do about lost points? Do you book four days and then switch and add one on at 7 months?

Thank you for your advice.

 

[Lew]

You have the right idea...book at your home resort to assure yourself of accommodations. You can then make a reservation at OKW within the seven month window.

There shouldn't be any lost points. You didn't mention what your use year is, but normally points left over after making your OKW reservation and cancelling your original one can be banked into your next use year.

 

[tjkraz]

Lew is correct. If your reservation will be made up of both current year and (potentially) borrowed points, when you reschedule for fewer points, DVC will let you juggle your points such that the current year points are the ones "left over" and can then be banked.

However:
1. Make sure that you will still be within the banking window for your Use Year. Since you're booking 11/7 months out, this should be the case.

2. If there are no borrowed points involved, then you don't need to worry at all. When you re-book OKW at 7 months, the excess points will simply be returned to your account. You can then bank them into the next year if necessary.

For what it's worth, I personally don't think you need to worry about booking your Home for a June trip if the plan is to switch to OKW at 7 months. June isn't exactly peak travel season for DVC members, and, by all accounts, OKW is typically the last resort to fill-up due to its size.

 

[SSRex]

Originally posted by tjkraz
Lew is correct. If your reservation will be made up of both current year and (potentially) borrowed points, when you reschedule for fewer points, DVC will let you juggle your points such that the current year points are the ones "left over" and can then be banked.

However:
1. Make sure that you will still be within the banking window for your Use Year. Since you're booking 11/7 months out, this should be the case.

2. If there are no borrowed points involved, then you don't need to worry at all. When you re-book OKW at 7 months, the excess points will simply be returned to your account. You can then bank them into the next year if necessary.

For what it's worth, I personally don't think you need to worry about booking your Home for a June trip if the plan is to switch to OKW at 7 months. June isn't exactly peak travel season for DVC members, and, by all accounts, OKW is typically the last resort to fill-up due to its size.

I currently have a reservation at SSR for the exact same dates in June 2005. I will also be calling at the 7 month window to switch.

1) With a June use year, would I still have until the end of month November 2004 to bank if the reservation for June 2005 does not
work out the way we hope when the seven month window opens.

2) Yes, current reservation at SSR for June 2005 uses both 100 current 2005 points and 55 borrowed 2006 points. If I switch to VWL, BCV, or BWV, there would be no worry of lost points, in fact, I would have to borrow more to make the new reservation there.

But to switch from SSR to OKW, HHI, or VB, I would have to put some of the points back that I had used for the SSR reservation. I was not sure if I could use up the borrowed ones first and Bank the current year 2005 points. A real posssiblity now may be that if we do not get the particular place we want at 7 months, might mean canceling altogether and banking everything except the 55 borrowed points. I do realize that I am committed to use them in my 2005 use year. I would have until May 31, 2006 to use them.

 

[RobDoc]

Originally posted by SSRex
.... But to switch from SSR to OKW, HHI, or VB, I would have to put some of the points back that I had used for the SSR reservation. I was not sure if I could use up the borrowed ones first and Bank the current year 2005 points. A real posssiblity now may be that if we do not get the particular place we want at 7 months, might mean canceling altogether and banking everything except the 55 borrowed points. I do realize that I am committed to use them in my 2005 use year. I would have until May 31, 2006 to use them.

As already mentioned, MS will be happy to use the borrowed points first when making the new reservation at 7 months. They will usually do this automatically, but it is always wise to confirm this at the time of the reservation. I also conclude each phone call to MS by reviewing the status of points in our contracts (asking about any current, banked or borrowed points).

MS is usually great about walking you thru the process- so don't hesitate to ask for the assistance.

I also agree that OKW will likely have good availability (with the possible exception of the GV's) at 7 months for a June reservation.

Enjoy!