Fun with DVC reservations, or why I go insane

[Phonedave]

I had an interesting time with DVC booking this morning.

I currently am booked 10/1 - 10/9 at Kidani Village.

When I first booked, I was not sure how many people would be going. It could have been 3A + 2C or 5A + 2C so I booked a 2 BR lock off. That way it held the rooms, and if the full party could not make it, then I could drop the studio part and keep the 2BR, or so I was told by the booking CM.

So this weekend everybody gets their plans together and vacation approved by work. 5A+2C are staying the entire duration, but 2 of the adults are leaving on 10/6. Not too bad I think, I will see if I can drop the studio part of the booking on 10/6 and save some points.

So I call up and explain to the CM what I want to do. I want to keep my current reservation (2 BR lock off) for 10/1 - 10/6, then I want to drop the studio part and keep the 1BR from 10/6-10/9. She checks the system and says "sorry, there are no 1BR units available from 10/6 to 10/9". ; "Ummm, I already have one. In fact I have a 1BR and a studio. I would like to drop the studio". "Let me check with my supervisor to see if they will let you do that" she replies. Let me do that? Why would I not be able to do that? Silly me, of course there is a reason I can't do that.

She comes back and says they only way I can do that is to drop the whole booking (a 2BR lock off) on 10/6 and then re-book a 1BR, but since there is a 1BR waiting list, if I drop the lock off, both the 1BR and studio will be snagged before I can re-book the 1BR.

So, long story short, I had to keep my 2BR lock off, and be put on a waiting list for a 1BR. So now I am on a waiting list to get the room I already have booked. Or, to put it another way, I am on a waiting list to drop a stuido

You can't make this stuff up


-dave

 

[DisneyJoe]

More than likely, its because they can't guarantee that you will get a lockoff.

Your other option would have been to initially book a 1BR and a studio, but then they couldn't guarantee that they would be close to each other - but it would have been easier to drop the studio when needed.

 

[LovingDisney]

It does sound crazy:shrug: Also a one bedroom plus a studio is more points than a 2br even though they are basically the same thing together.
Dave- I would make sure that if your 1BR wait list comes through- you won't be moved to another room. Although technically you will already be in a 1br- the new room will have a different reservation number. I don't know how that works but I would ask to be sure.

 

[Phonedave]

It does sound crazy:shrug: Also a one bedroom plus a studio is more points than a 2br even though they are basically the same thing together.
Dave- I would make sure that if your 1BR wait list comes through- you won't be moved to another room. Although technically you will already be in a 1br- the new room will have a different reservation number. I don't know how that works but I would ask to be sure.

They said that part is no problem. That they can request to keep me in the same room.

-dave

 

[dizzney]

I have done what you couldnt do, and had no problems with it. Maybe the policies have changed not sure, but it doenst make sense that you cant do this, you already have a one bedroom and its not a dedicated one,

 

[tjkraz]

She comes back and says they only way I can do that is to drop the whole booking (a 2BR lock off) on 10/6 and then re-book a 1BR, but since there is a 1BR waiting list, if I drop the lock off, both the 1BR and studio will be snagged before I can re-book the 1BR.

I've always understood that to be consistent with the official policy. Even though the lockoff 2B and the 1B are technically the same physical unit, DVC views any room size changes as a cancellation and a re-booking.

I think the fear is that if DVC allowed these sorts of changes, more members would reflexively book a 2B as far as 11 months out and then tweak the booking much closer to arrival. If that happened, it would have an overall negative impact on availability for members.

Personally I could go either way with it. I can certainly see the value in you being able to cancel the unwanted days so that someone else can have them. But at the same time, if DVC allows these partial cancels, how many more Studios may have been grabbed at 11 months due to people booking a 2B with plans to tweak later? :shrug:

 

[Fizbain32]

I've always understood that to be consistent with the official policy. Even though the lockoff 2B and the 1B are technically the same physical unit, DVC views any room size changes as a cancellation and a re-booking.

I think the fear is that if DVC allowed these sorts of changes, more members would reflexively book a 2B as far as 11 months out and then tweak the booking much closer to arrival. If that happened, it would have an overall negative impact on availability for members.

Personally I could go either way with it. I can certainly see the value in you being able to cancel the unwanted days so that someone else can have them. But at the same time, if DVC allows these partial cancels, how many more Studios may have been grabbed at 11 months due to people booking a 2B with plans to tweak later? :shrug:

Interesting approach, that had not occurred to me when I was first reading through this.

 

[luvlifeinfl]

We went through the same thing back Nov. 2009 and it made it to be a difficult process and what they did we treat them as different reservations so we had to go to the front desk to check out and check back in.

but I remember when we went through the sales pitch with our DVC guide that he had mentioned about picking up & dropping lock-off's to make our stay easier when we had others in our party no staying the same length of time.