11-month window pixie dust

[cw62803]

When I met with my DVC guide, I asked him a hypothetical question about booking at the 11-month window. I asked if I owned 160 VGF points and 160 SSR points and I wanted to book a 169-point VGF reservation at the 11-month window, could I do it. He explained how the 11-month window works, and how at 7 months out, "a point is a point." I said, "I wouldn't be able to make that reservation then..." and he said (with a smile and wink), "Remember, this is Disney. And Disney knows how to take care of its guests."

Obviously, he implied that some nice cast member might cut me some slack and allow me to make a reservation I wasn't completely entitled to.

So, in all of your experience, have you ever been granted one ounce of slack or one molecule of pixie dust and been allowed to make an 11-month reservation that you didn't have 100 percent of the resort-specific points that were required?

 

[stewart715]

MS will never help you skirt home resort rules. If you are still in 7-11 month window, you must book your home resort. There's absolutely no way around this. That being said, I personally (and some friends of mine) have had a lot of luck on getting rooms that were sold out for a date by calling MS. Don't rely on it though. It's a bonus if/when it ever happens.

 

[DebbieB]

When I met with my DVC guide, I asked him a hypothetical question about booking at the 11-month window. I asked if I owned 160 VGF points and 160 SSR points and I wanted to book a 169-point VGF reservation at the 11-month window, could I do it. He explained how the 11-month window works, and how at 7 months out, "a point is a point." I said, "I wouldn't be able to make that reservation then..." and he said (with a smile and wink), "Remember, this is Disney. And Disney knows how to take care of its guests."

Obviously, he implied that some nice cast member might cut me some slack and allow me to make a reservation I wasn't completely entitled to.

So, in all of your experience, have you ever been granted one ounce of slack or one molecule of pixie dust and been allowed to make an 11-month reservation that you didn't have 100 percent of the resort-specific points that were required?

You could borrow the extra 9 points from the following use year. I’ve never heard of MS allowing non home points at 11 months.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You know how to tell if a timeshare sales person is lying?

Their lips are moving.

If they were to "take care" of one guest that way, they were be infringing on another's ownership rights to do so. Think about that.

 

[crisi]

You know how to tell if a timeshare sales person is lying?

Their lips are moving.

If they were to "take care" of one guest that way, they were be infringing on another's ownership rights to do so. Think about that.

And that would open them up to lawsuits, and possibly charges of fraud. I really doubt that they system would allow them TO do it, since it would be such a huge violation of trust, contracts, and law.

 

[crisi]

MS will never help you skirt home resort rules. If you are still in 7-11 month window, you must book your home resort. There's absolutely no way around this. That being said, I personally (and some friends of mine) have had a lot of luck on getting rooms that were sold out for a date by calling MS. Don't rely on it though. It's a bonus if/when it ever happens.

And if that happens, you are LUCKY. The vast majority of rooms at DVC resorts that are available through CRO have already been sold for points. They are being used to pay for someone on a cruise ship or on an Adventure by Disney tour. Or they aren't owned by members - they are owned by Disney - and therefore aren't available for members to use (Disney holds on to some points for maintenance reasons, and owns some points that they've acquired by ROFR or foreclosure, but haven't sold yet - members aren't entitled to the points for those rooms any more than you are entitled to my points). The only time Disney can reclaim a room is if it has been turned over to CRO because it could be used by a member, and hasn't been - i.e. no one has booked that room yet.

All of this comes under very strict accounting rules for GAAP and transfer of assets between subsidiaries. Disney is not going to risk getting slapped by the SEC to make magic happen for someone who has been enough of a sucker to buy into the system and therefore they don't need to delight in order to get repeat business.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I'm sure your 'Guide' only meant that there are ways around it. NOT that they would help you skirt the rules.

The only ways I can see to do it are to Bank some points, Borrow some points or to purchase One Time Use Points. I am sure you will NEVER be able to use your SSR points in the 11 month window at Grand Floridian or any other resort. That rule is invariable. ONLY Home Resort points in the 7 to 11 month Priority Window, and even if you modify it after the 7 month window, if it was booked as Home Priority, you won't be able to use your SSR points at that time, either.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Ask him to put that process in writing and get it notarized.

 

[Sandisw]

In order to reserve within home resort period, only those points can be used. There will be no way around it and I don’t even think MS has the ability to use the points from another resort within that window. It is the reason why you can only buy One Time Use points at 7 months. Because at that time, points are just points. But between 7 and 11 months you must have the right points. As already mentioned as well, you would be allowed to borrow so there would be nothing stopping you from booking that room. Now at 7 months, if any of your dates at the front or back end of your trip are still available, you could book them with the other points and then have your original reservation adjusted mS can then link or combine back to one. You can’t do if for middle days.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I'm sure your 'Guide' only meant that there are ways around it. NOT that they would help you skirt the rules.

The only ways I can see to do it are to Bank some points, Borrow some points or to purchase One Time Use Points. I am sure you will NEVER be able to use your SSR points in the 11 month window at Grand Floridian or any other resort. That rule is invariable. ONLY Home Resort points in the 7 to 11 month Priority Window, and even if you modify it after the 7 month window, if it was booked as Home Priority, you won't be able to use your SSR points at that time, either.

I'm sorry. I forgot. They won't let you use One Time Use Points, either, in the 7 to 11 month Home Priority windows.

 

[cruisin5]

Guide = Salesperson on commission.

I'm ready to take a DVC tour just to call BS on these "guides".

 

[cw62803]

my "guide"

 

[mustinjourney]

I've had two instances of pixie dust.

1. After I bought a second resale VGF contract, MS did a reallocation of points for me to use points from the new contract and then they unborrowed points from my original contract.
2. I booked a 1BR standard view BWV for 1 night using BWV points -- then inside of 7 months, they let me use my VGF points (or maybe even OTU points -- I can't remember) for the room so that I could get those BWV points back into my account (needed those points so that I could book a standard studio at BWV for 5 nights).

But I don't think they'd let you do what your guide was implying.

 

[keishashadow]

Early on with my first two contract purchase, I made a noob mistake as to using points. I called as soon as I realized it. MS was very kind and said they would extend a one-time accommodation to allow me to use the oldest points first in my reservation. No idea if this is common.

MS will never help you skirt home resort rules. If you are still in 7-11 month window, you must book your home resort. There's absolutely no way around this. That being said, I personally (and some friends of mine) have had a lot of luck on getting rooms that were sold out for a date by calling MS. Don't rely on it though. It's a bonus if/when it ever happens.

IMO, bonus doesn’t begin to acurately describe what you state. More akin to winning a lottery.

This is the first post I’ve read that stated they were able to obtain sold out/unavailable dates by calling MS and asking.

Perhaps, somebody cancelled & you hit it (very) lucky.

Sometimes, there is cash inventory available but not via points.

2. I booked a 1BR standard view BWV for 1 night using BWV points -- then inside of 7 months, they let me use my VGF points (or maybe even OTU points -- I can't remember) for the room so that I could get those BWV points back into my account (needed those points so that I could book a standard studio at BWV for 5 nights).

Could be the 1 BR was still available to book at the 7 months with non home resort points. The original points would’ve reverted to the BWV account in that instance.

I’ve been granted UY point reallocation when adding onto existing memberships via resale, all I had to do was call & ask MS. The most recent time was 3 years ago. No idea if this is something they still will accommodate.

 

[stewart715]

Early on with my first two contract purchase, I made a noob mistake as to using points. I called as soon as I realized it. MS was very kind and said they would extend a one-time accommodation to allow me to use the oldest points first in my reservation. No idea if this is common.



IMO, bonus doesn’t begin to acurately describe what you state. More akin to winning a lottery.

This is the first post I’ve read that stated they were able to obtain sold out/unavailable dates by calling MS and asking.

Perhaps, somebody cancelled & you hit it (very) lucky.

Sometimes, there is cash inventory available but not via points.



Could be the 1 BR was still available to book at the 7 months with non home resort points. The original points would’ve reverted to the BWV account in that instance.

I’ve been granted UY point reallocation when adding onto existing memberships via resale, all I had to do was call & ask MS. The most recent time was 3 years ago. No idea if this is something they still will accommodate.

Haha I got lucky the only time I asked and it was for one night in middle of a trip.

 

[mustinjourney]

Could be the 1 BR was still available to book at the 7 months with non home resort points. The original points would’ve reverted to the BWV account in that instance.

The room didn't have any availability (1 BR standard during Thanksgiving week), so they definitely did me a solid.

 

[kniquy]

Obviously, he implied that some nice cast member might cut me some slack and allow me to make a reservation I wasn't completely entitled to.

If you have a 160 pt VGF contract then to book a 169 pt room you can use your current 160 points and then borrow the 9 points from next years UY to book. Unfortunately the sales people might make things sounds better than things really are. There are rules which MS have to comply with. Booking rooms or securing them with points not technically allowed would be one thing they would not do. What i have heard happening is in instances when people miss the banking deadline -- you might get a MS CM who will allow a one time exception. Other than that i would not expect the MS CM to do anything except what is allowed.

If you intend on staying the same DVC season at VGF then you will just have to be in a perpetual borrowing mode each year or your other option is to book what you can with the 160 points (probably 6 nights) then at 7 months play the DVC roulette and see where you might get a room for that last night. You likely won't get that standard VGF studio at 7 month -- that is a tough one to get.

 

[vbmom40]

My husband and I will be purchasing separate contracts for animal kingdom. My daughter owns at VGF. Can we transfer points to her so she can book at the 11 month window for a multi family visit?

 

[Marionnette]

My husband and I will be purchasing separate contracts for animal kingdom. My daughter owns at VGF. Can we transfer points to her so she can book at the 11 month window for a multi family visit?

Transferred points retain their home resort and UY. So, transferring your AKV points to your daughter will not enable her to use those points for a VGF reservation at 11 months.

 

[zavandor]

I've had two instances of pixie dust.

1. After I bought a second resale VGF contract, MS did a reallocation of points for me to use points from the new contract and then they unborrowed points from my original contract.
2. I booked a 1BR standard view BWV for 1 night using BWV points -- then inside of 7 months, they let me use my VGF points (or maybe even OTU points -- I can't remember) for the room so that I could get those BWV points back into my account (needed those points so that I could book a standard studio at BWV for 5 nights).

But I don't think they'd let you do what your guide was implying.

Reallocation in 1. used new home resort points you just acquired to replace home resort points you previously used.

Reallocation in 2. is actually not within the rules. They replaced points used within the home resort priority window with points from another resort, actually letting you go around booking rules. I'm glad for you, bu that was a mistake on the CM part and not something I would count on happening again. Unless there was availability for another 1BR at BWV for the same night, in that case it wasn't really a reallocation but a new booking and then a cancellation.