Points in Hold Status

[gdv001]

I just bought into DVC and my contract has 20 points in hold status that need to be used by 3/1/06. The person at DVC is telling us that we can only use the points to make a reservation within 60 days of the reservation date. Because we have to make plane reservations now, that seems pretty useless, but maybe I am missing something. Please let me know if you have used hold status points before and if there are any tips on how to use them more than 60 days out. Thanks.

 

[CarolMN]

Sorry, but no. There are no special tips that would allow you to use those holding account points to make a reservation more than 60 days from arrival.

The previous owner cancelled a reservation 30 days or less prior to departure. That's why the points are in "holding status". They will expire at the end of the use year. They cannot be banked or borrowed.

You can only use them to make a reservation if you call 60 days or less prior to arrival. Availability is often limited at the 60 day mark, but that is the "penalty" members pay if we don't cancel a reservation at least 31 days prior to arrival.

Best wishes -

P.S. Welcome to the DIS DVC Forums!

 

[WebmasterDoc]

Points are in the Holding Account since they were used to make a reservation which was later cancelled within 30 days of arrival. Those points may only be used to make a reservation within 60 days of when you call and MUST be used before the end of the Use Year or they will expire. They cannot be banked and cannot be transferred.

They may be used for any of the options within the DVC programs, but once within 60 days of the end of the Use Year (December 30) , they may only be used for DVC resorts since you cannot make a non-DVC reservation (DCL, Disney Collection, Concierge Collection) to travel during that same time frame.

This is just one of the policies that governs DVC point usage. If the reservation had been cancelled 31 days or more in advance the points would have been returned to the account with no restrictions at all.

 

[JimMIA]

The tip is you can't use them more than 60 days out. That doesn't mean they are useless, but it certainly does limit your options. In addtion, we are in that holiday time-frame where it will be exceedingly difficult to get a reservation or a cheap airfare. Here are a couple of suggestions:

• Go ahead and make a <60 day reservation, and then see if you can get a good airfare. If you can't, just cancel and try again. What are they going to do to you...put your points in holding? Don't borrow to make that reservation though, or you could wind up with even more points in holding and about to expire!
• Rent the points to someone looking for a last-minute reservation. If you do that, be sure to a) advise them the points are in holding and that if they change plans, you may not be able to help them, so they should consider the transaction final, b) be sure they understand the points go away in March, and c) get the money up front.

 

[AFMom]

Usually you should be able to get decent airfare deals with only 8 days or more advance planning! 14 days or more is better - but we've found some great last minute rates by waiting to buy tickets until that 2 week window comes up! Saved us hundreds of dollars, actually.
February is also a great time to go to WDW, and other than President's Day weekend - not hard to book short notice, as well as the month of January after school holidays are over. You might want to book for one of those times, and see what sort of airfare you can get after booking - just make sure to give your self that 14 day flight booking window.