Walking Two Rooms

[BcIcemen]

all good questions and a good thread on walking

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Yes, but they won't return borrowed points or violate the other rules of home resort, banking windows or holding accounts. As long as you could have used the points for the final reservation, you'll be fine. My personal view is that a change should be a cancelation and rebooking but this is not how they currently operate.

Thank you. I will have 62 banked 2018 points and 100 2019 points. I have no idea how the points will be used and returned, but just wanted to make sure in case I ended up with banked points unused.

 

[Dean]

Thank you. I will have 62 banked 2018 points and 100 2019 points. I have no idea how the points will be used and returned, but just wanted to make sure in case I ended up with banked points unused.

As you make each change, it should give you the opportunity to pull from the "best" points if doing it online and they should do the same if on a phone call. Just make note of where you are and where you need to end up in terms of points so you use the points first that are restricted.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

As you make each change, it should give you the opportunity to pull from the "best" points if doing it online and they should do the same if on a phone call. Just make note of where you are and where you need to end up in terms of points so you use the points first that are restricted.

Thanks, that makes sense. When I drop nights, the points will go back into the UY they came from. But when I add nights on the end, I can choose which points to use. So I will need to choose my banked points first each time. This is becoming clearer and clearer now.

 

[Dean]

Thanks, that makes sense. When I drop nights, the points will go back into the UY they came from. But when I add nights on the end, I can choose which points to use. So I will need to choose my banked points first each time. This is becoming clearer and clearer now.

Banked or borrowed points won't go back to their own UY but go into the UY of the reservation.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Banked or borrowed points won't go back to their own UY but go into the UY of the reservation.

Right. When canceling nights that were booked with banked 2018 points, they will go back into my 2019 UY, but when I add nights onto the end, I will need to choose those points first before choosing current 2019 points. Am I correct?

 

[Dean]

Right. When canceling nights that were booked with banked 2018 points, they will go back into my 2019 UY, but when I add nights onto the end, I will need to choose those points first before choosing current 2019 points. Am I correct?

Correct. If you end up with some banked points that aren't in the reservation, MS can fix it.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Ok I’ve been checking out availability each morning. I’m confused about something. So a few minutes before the booking rolls over, it shows availability, but right at 7:00 CDT, suddenly the first night is unavailable. That sounds like people are walking maybe? But why would it show availability? Wouldn’t the people walking have already modified the reservation the day before to book that night? For example, today is October 6. Wouldn’t they have called on October 5 to add September 6 to end of their reservation? Therefore, wouldn’t it have already shown the first night as gone before 7:00?

 

[JETSDAD]

Ok I’ve been checking out availability each morning. I’m confused about something. So a few minutes before the booking rolls over, it shows availability, but right at 7:00 CDT, suddenly the first night is unavailable. That sounds like people are walking maybe? But why would it show availability? Wouldn’t the people walking have already modified the reservation the day before to book that night? For example, today is October 6. Wouldn’t they have called on October 5 to add September 6 to end of their reservation? Therefore, wouldn’t it have already shown the first night as gone before 7:00?

That's not walking, that's just how quickly certain rooms will be booked. When you see availability it may only be one room....the fastest person in gets it.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

That's not walking, that's just how quickly certain rooms will be booked. When you see availability it may only be one room....the fastest person in gets it.

But why would it be available for every night after? The only date gone is the one night six months from today. More than likely no one is booking just one night.

 

[Spartan86]

Yes excellent discussion. Thank you @CarolMN for a very straightforward example that cleared up a couple of head scratchers I’ve had about the process. I’ll not be doing it as my SSR points stay pretty useable at home regardless . But I have a better understanding of the how-to now.

 

[JETSDAD]

But why would it be available for every night after? The only date gone is the one night six months from today. More than likely no one is booking just one night.

It's like that for most hard to get rooms and for a lot of studios at various resorts at 7 months. There's always overlap of people coming and going, small stays, long stays, single nights, etc.

ETA, the way to determine if something is being walked is to keep watching. If rooms show back up as the dates progress then you're seeing walking as people drop nights ahead of the dates that they really want.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

It's like that for most hard to get rooms and for a lot of studios at various resorts at 7 months. There's always overlap of people coming and going, small stays, long stays, single nights, etc.

ETA, the way to determine if something is being walked is to keep watching. If rooms show back up as the dates progress then you're seeing walking as people drop nights ahead of the dates that they really want.

Well this is definitely walking. Available dates are showing up earlier in the week, but the first night 11 months out is gone. I guess DVC just can't "show" that a room is unavailable until it opens for everyone, but it actually is unavailable. This is literally the first time I have not been able to get a value room. I have stayed in value rooms just about every time I've stayed at AKV. Last fall, I booked a full week after one try but ended up having to cancel it. Just this year, I booked 6 nights right before Christmas right at 11 months out with just one try. I ended up canceling that, too, in order to stay at BRV. It is just surprising to see how difficult it is now.

 

[JETSDAD]

Well this is definitely walking. Available dates are showing up earlier in the week, but the first night 11 months out is gone. I guess DVC just can't "show" that a room is unavailable until it opens for everyone, but it actually is unavailable. This is literally the first time I have not been able to get a value room. I have stayed in value rooms just about every time I've stayed at AKV. Last fall, I booked a full week after one try but ended up having to cancel it. Just this year, I booked 6 nights right before Christmas right at 11 months out with just one try. I ended up canceling that, too, in order to stay at BRV. It is just surprising to see how difficult it is now.

It may be walking but the system can show a room as unavailable ahead of time...just have a look at the Club level category. Those are booked a few days into the 11 month window already. If it shows as available then there is at least 1 room available but it will go immediately at 8am. Value studios are always tough to get and right now you're trying to get in for next fall so competition will be tough.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

It may be walking but the system can show a room as unavailable ahead of time...just have a look at the Club level category. Those are booked a few days into the 11 month window already. If it shows as available then there is at least 1 room available but it will go immediately at 8am. Value studios are always tough to get and right now you're trying to get in for next fall so competition will be tough.

Yes, I see that now about club level. I just don't understand why only the first night is showing as unavailable on the values. Wouldn't the person booking that last room book more than one night? Just trying to wrap my brain around it.

 

[JETSDAD]

Yes, I see that now about club level. I just don't understand why only the first night is showing as unavailable on the values. Wouldn't the person booking that last room book more than one night? Just trying to wrap my brain around it.

Every day someone is checking out. So while the person/people who happen to get a room today may be staying longer than 1 day, other people may be leaving which then opens up at least one room. This then shows availability. With so few club rooms there may not be anyone checking out which is why they might be booked a few days into the window.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Every day someone is checking out. So while the person/people who happen to get a room today may be staying longer than 1 day, other people may be leaving which then opens up at least one room. This then shows availability. With so few club rooms there may not be anyone checking out which is why they might be booked a few days into the window.

That makes sense. I do think there are the same number of club rooms as value rooms, but I can still see how this happens. Thanks for all the great explanation!

 

[JETSDAD]

That makes sense. I do think there are the same number of club rooms as value rooms, but I can still see how this happens. Thanks for all the great explanation!

I believe there are only 5 possible club level studios (all part of lockoffs) and 18 possible value studios (8 dedicated and 10 lockoff).

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I believe there are only 5 possible club level studios (all part of lockoffs) and 18 possible value studios (8 dedicated and 10 lockoff).

You are right! For some reason I had it in my mind there were less value studios. Thanks for the info!

 

[kboo]

Also, what happens if you end up with banked points unused by the end of all the transactions? Will they reallocate them?

As you make each change, it should give you the opportunity to pull from the "best" points if doing it online and they should do the same if on a phone call. Just make note of where you are and where you need to end up in terms of points so you use the points first that are restricted.

I think Dean answered your question, but just in case - when you modify, make sure you are using banked or borrowed points first, so if the end reservation is fewer points than you started out using, those extra points can then be banked if you don't use them in the current UY.

Good luck!