Down side to DVC

[DizMagic]

So we were scheduled to be at Disney this week for my 40th birthday. Trip was cancelled due to Hurricane. This was a trip I had booked more than 7 months ago. So now, we really want to reschedule and go during Food & Wine (as that was the primary reason - other than my bday). Well you all know how that ends up. Nothing more than 1 day here or there through the end of the year.

I understand this is how the system works. I just wish there was some "special" inventory they could pull to help people that had to cancel due to extenuating circumstances. It's not like I intentionally tried to book on 2-3 weeks notice during F&W.

I do have a couple of wait lists going, have tried member services multiple times with no luck. Yes, I could find "something" on cash. But that isn't the point. We don't want to pay cash, that is why we are DVC members.

OK - rant over. Back to trying to find something to salvage my vacay.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

We ended up rescheduling for January.

 

[lovin'fl]

Maybe call and explain and see if they can pull a room back from CRO.

 

[bwvBound]

Maybe, depending on your UY and qualified points, you might consider using the points for a exchange outside of DVC: Disney Cruise? Disney Collection Hotel? Concierge Collection? RCI? There are other ways to use those points!

Sorry for your setback and I hope you find something really special for a belated milestone B'day. (FWIW, my 40th didn't go as planned either ... but we made it 'better' in our replan. Happy B'Day!)

 

[DizMagic]

Maybe call and explain and see if they can pull a room back from CRO.

I did. Spoke with 2 different reps on 2 different days and both said "nothing they could do". I ended up getting a passholder rate for last week of Oct first of Nov at Copper Creek. Do look to rent my points to cover that cost. Not ideal, but better than no trip A Plus is that at least weather will be cooler.

 

[disneynutz]

Stuff Happens!

Bill

 

[anonymousegirl]

It really stinks when you have to cancel through no fault of your own. But I can see DVC's point, too. F&W is booked solid months in advance. Cash and DVC are two separate companies and the cash side has no interest in helping out a DVC owner at the expense of getting more money for their rooms. DVC can't kick anyone else out so their hands are tied.
I tend to book my DVC within 4 months of travel, so I never get Poly, BLT, BCV, BWV, VWL, etc. I really know SSR now.

 

[Dean]

So we were scheduled to be at Disney this week for my 40th birthday. Trip was cancelled due to Hurricane. This was a trip I had booked more than 7 months ago. So now, we really want to reschedule and go during Food & Wine (as that was the primary reason - other than my bday). Well you all know how that ends up. Nothing more than 1 day here or there through the end of the year.

I understand this is how the system works. I just wish there was some "special" inventory they could pull to help people that had to cancel due to extenuating circumstances. It's not like I intentionally tried to book on 2-3 weeks notice during F&W.

I do have a couple of wait lists going, have tried member services multiple times with no luck. Yes, I could find "something" on cash. But that isn't the point. We don't want to pay cash, that is why we are DVC members.

OK - rant over. Back to trying to find something to salvage my vacay.

If you think about it, you wouldn't expect they could do anything. As a timeshare it should be booked fully with minimal wiggle room in case of maintenance, out of service, etc. So the only way they could reschedule during one of the busier times when it's booked up is to bump someone else. And given that CRO is a different inventory and they don't have complete access, they'd have to pay cash for anything they were to get there. Plus those on the cash side are also trying to book. It's part of the risk we take for playing in their sandbox. We had a week booked as an exchange (non DVC) for the Jan following Katrina and lost that week completely. Just giving the points back and waiving restrictions is a pretty big concession.

 

[Jennasis]

We had the same problem. Booked SSr for 9/10-15 and had to cancel due to Irma. There was NOTHING available until like March to reschedule to. We were crushed...but then we remembered we were planning a cash trip to Universal in May. So we flip flopped the trips and booked Universal for this November and are moving the DVC trip to May.

It is one of the drawbacks of DVC, but we MacGuyvere'd our way out of it LOL.

 

[n2mm]

Same here too. our cruise was canceled last weekend so had to cancel our 2 nights prior and 3 nights after the cruise. Booked both reservations at Bwv and BLT at the 11 month window. With no cruise in the middle we had no place to stay. We've rebooked so trying hard to get new before and after rooms. Of course one weekend is marathon weekend. We lost all if our pandora fastpasses, and canceled all dining. It all sucks, but it's no ones fault. I say stalk the dvc site if you can. I see days come and go all day.....I'm retired, so can check often. I've managed something except Sunday November 5th.....plus I've not gotten airfare home yet.

 

[IrishEye]

Sounded like they were pretty generous with the manner they refunded points and allowing carry forward. It also wasn't a bad time at the resort riding out the storm, staff were tops !

 

[suebeelin]

it sucks but on the plus side, after many years, you saved money using DVC!

 

[robndani]

I've been able to piece together a trip for October, so it IS possible! Especially as everyone's cancellation deadline dates are coming! Good luck!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

That's actually been my big downside to DVC. I like to do quick 2 day trips and it's just hasn't been possible often this year using DVC points.

Hope you find something!

 

[DizMagic]

I was able to get a week on cash. Am still stalking the site in hopes points availability but so far nothing more than a day here or there until after the new year. I was disappointed as I was "hoping" (but not expecting) that they would pull some CRO inventory to help out members who had to reschedule.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I had to cancel my 9 nights in a Grand Villa at VGF due to Hurricane Irma. We were literally on the way to the airport when we got the news that she had turned towards Orlando. I ended up rebooking for February 2018 as I could not piece together anything but a couple nights here and there and nothing suited everyone's schedule.

 

[bwvBound]

I had to cancel my 9 nights in a Grand Villa at VGF due to Hurricane Irma. We were literally on the way to the airport when we got the news that she had turned towards Orlando. I ended up rebooking for February 2018 as I could not piece together anything but a couple nights here and there and nothing suited everyone's schedule.

Wow ... a GV at VGF. That will remain one of your tales of "the one that got away." Hope your rebook plans come together and 'hold.'

 

[Lynne M]

I was able to get a week on cash. Am still stalking the site in hopes points availability but so far nothing more than a day here or there until after the new year. I was disappointed as I was "hoping" (but not expecting) that they would pull some CRO inventory to help out members who had to reschedule.

DVC only has ownership of a very small percentage of rooms at each resort - less than 10%. The rest of the inventory belongs to the members.

At minimum, I'd guess that several hundred guests were cancelling/rescheduling because of Irma. There's no way DVC has several hundred DVC villas just sitting in CRO inventory during the F&W Festival that they can hand out to members. And how would CRO be paid for those rooms?

Not that it makes you feel any better, but it's not just a DVC thing. A lot of CRO guests ran into limited availability, trying to reschedule trips during F&W after Irma. October/November is a really popular time to go, whether you're DVC or not.

 

[fredgrau]

Can you rent out your points and then use that $$$ to pay cash at a moderate resort?

 

[Marionnette]

Can you rent out your points and then use that $$$ to pay cash at a moderate resort?

You could rent out the points and use the cash for anything you want. But you still gotta pay your MFs and taxes on the rental income.