DVC "policy" is costing me points!

Right. That is what I am told.


Sorry I don't understand.

If person books a room for 7 days at OKW at 11 months using OKW points. Then at 7 months, person notices there is a room still available on day 3&4. Person wants to reallocate SSR points for those two days .

That's not allowed?
 
I am still not sure what is being attempted. It sounds like you are now seven months out for two dates in the middle of the reservation that you want to change but they will not let you take out some of your OKW points in the reservation and put in SSR points even though those two middle dates are still open, but others are not. I am not certain that is the situation; but here, via example, is what I know was the rule I have had to follow for the there more than two decades that I have been a member:

Assume you have a 7 day reservation made at 11 months out with OKW points. At 7 months out, or even halfway through your week at 7 months out, you are generally not allowed to just switch SSR points for some of the OKW points, but instead have to first cancel that 7 month reservation and then rebook, with one exception (which in the past most likely existed often if trying to make a change at OKW) -- those 7 days at OKW are actually still available separate from the reservation you have. In the past, I in fect was allowed to make switches of one resort's points for another's in that situation. They do not necessarily even tell you that is why it is being allowed (I actually asked and was told).

If they allowed you to make the switch in the past AND the days of your original reservation were not all separately available, then you were allowed to do something that I was never allowed to do.

With the online booking tool you can easily pick up days at 7 months with any points. You can then modify your current reservation to drop those days if at the beginning or end of the stay.

This actually isn't new. You could always make a reservation within 7 months with non-home resort points then call in and cancel the days you didn't need on the front or back-end of the res. then combine the new res. with the modified old res. Only thing now is you can do it all yourself.

The nights that I swapped out my points for were both in the middle of my existing reservation (Tuesday and Thursday). It works online using the modify function. MS may be limited by their own software.

Have not seen/tried this myself, but the OP should give it a try.
 
You won’t be able to do this if the SSR points are from the current UY...BUT...if they have been banked into this UY, you can modify online (still the same resort, room type and dates) and make sure that you choose to use the SSR contract in addition to the OKW contract. Then continue thru the booking process as you normally would. At the end, it will appear as if the points were not reallocated but after you confirm and check your dashboard, you’ll see that the banked SSR points got taken and the OKW points were returned.

This only works if there is still availability at OKW AND the SSR points are either banked or borrowed in. I just did this last week when the points from a BWV contract that I purchased finally loaded to my account. There were 150 banked points that I was able to use on a VGF GV I have reserved for the fall. There were two nights available @112 points each and all 150 BWV banked points were taken when I modified the reservation.

So it would use my banked OKW points, then my banked Saratoga points (both banked in from last year) prior to using the current use year points? Do I have to cancel to do this or is it just a modification of my original dates? I want to try it but am wary of risking my reservation - traveling with extended family and have a grand villa
 


Have a care. Even online modification is the equivalent of canceling old/creating new. I THINK the system is set up such that you have a lock on the villa in the old reservation that is transferred to the new reservation. If you go down that route be sure to do this more than 30 days prior to check-in otherwise the points you are freeing from the old reservation will end up in holding. (modification is cancel then new)
 
You won’t be able to do this if the SSR points are from the current UY...BUT...if they have been banked into this UY, you can modify online (still the same resort, room type and dates) and make sure that you choose to use the SSR contract in addition to the OKW contract. Then continue thru the booking process as you normally would. At the end, it will appear as if the points were not reallocated but after you confirm and check your dashboard, you’ll see that the banked SSR points got taken and the OKW points were returned.

This only works if there is still availability at OKW AND the SSR points are either banked or borrowed in. I just did this last week when the points from a BWV contract that I purchased finally loaded to my account. There were 150 banked points that I was able to use on a VGF GV I have reserved for the fall. There were two nights available @112 points each and all 150 BWV banked points were taken when I modified the reservation.
Thank you! This worked to enable me to use the points I had in the bank first. I don't know why DVC Member Services could not help me this way but I really appreciate your help!
 
Use the modification tool. I literally just re-arranged points in a reservation so that my SSR points were used instead of my BCV. I made the reservation about 40 days out and only just realized the 25 points left in my 2019 YU were SSR not BCV as I figured and I’m almost into holding territory! I didn’t pay attention to the contract it was pulling from.

Click the reservation. Then modify on the right once you’re in the details. It will go through and rebook the same reservation you have. Show you your own availability. Keep everything the same except when you get to the screen with the boxes. Carefully select which contract to pull from first. At the end it will say “book this room” like a new reservation. Don’t worry it’ll cancel on you. Just book as normal. Good luck!
 


Thank you all for your comments and support in this forum! Thanks to one of the members on Disboards, I was able to find a solution so that the points I had in the bank got used first, which was the largest issue for me. I continue to feel like DVC customer service and member benefits have declined significantly over the years, as the work around that was provided on this forum is something I think the "old" DVC member services would have tried to find for me. I am grateful for the membership community though! Now I just have to figure the best way to sell one contract and add on to the other. Thank you!
 
With the online booking tool you can easily pick up days at 7 months with any points. You can then modify your current reservation to drop those days if at the beginning or end of the stay.

This actually isn't new. You could always make a reservation within 7 months with non-home resort points then call in and cancel the days you didn't need on the front or back-end of the res. then combine the new res. with the modified old res. Only thing now is you can do it all yourself.



Have not seen/tried this myself, but the OP should give it a try.

Yes, you could always before cancel part of the trip either at the beginning or end and replace it with a separate reservation made at 7 months out with other resort points for the days canceled, but that is quite different from being allowed to actually modify a reservation, while keeping the original one, by taking out home resort poirnts and put in others when one or more of the days in your original reservation is not separately available.

If the new modification system allows the exchange of points while keeping the original reservation dates even though some are not separately available then it is operating incorrectly because that kind of system can create a huge advantage for those savvy enough to do it. For example. If you reserve VGF studios at 11 months out with VGF points and then can just switch in points from SSR at 7 months for the same or part of the days regardless of whether all the days are separately available, then a VGF owner could "beat the system" by buying SSR points for a lot less than VGF points, e.g., he could reserve 11 months out with VGF points, then at 7 switch all or most days to SSR points, and then have the same VGF points available again to use 11 months. That is exactly why the switch was prohibited before the new modification system, Also, I understood the new medication system would not allow that but possibly it is happening, and if so it should not be.
 
Yes, you could always before cancel part of the trip either at the beginning or end and replace it with a separate reservation made at 7 months out with other resort points for the days canceled, but that is quite different from being allowed to actually modify a reservation, while keeping the original one, by taking out home resort poirnts and put in others when one or more of the days in your original reservation is not separately available.

Seeing how you can pull days off the front and back of the res. and then add the days back on using non-home resort points by combining the res., I am not sure why you would say it is "quite different"... because the day(s) happen to be in the middle of the Res. what if someone booked 2 days at a time (for say 6 days so 3 res. total) during home resort booking then at 7 months it would be possible to modify any day. It should be an all or nothing, but no one wants to have to cancel an entire trip because they need to remove a couple days they booked months prior so the system will continue to allow you to move non-home resort points in if indeed there is rooms available. Having it be only be possible if it falls at the beginning or ending seems arbitrary.
 
DVC policy is not costing you points. Your lack of understanding of DVC policy is costing you points. Policy is what it always has been.
Actually that is incorrect, DVC has been making exceptions to this policy and is no longer doing so (something they told me themselves). I understand and appreciate the policy, what I don’t appreciate is the way in which they have communicated the changes of enforcement in their policy and how it effected my ability to utilize my banked points first, prior to my current use year points. I find your comment rude, judgmental, and lacking necessary contextual background while making assumptions about my experience. Maybe ask some questions first.
 
Actually that is incorrect, DVC has been making exceptions to this policy and is no longer doing so (something they told me themselves). I understand and appreciate the policy, what I don’t appreciate is the way in which they have communicated the changes of enforcement in their policy and how it effected my ability to utilize my banked points first, prior to my current use year points. I find your comment rude, judgmental, and lacking necessary contextual background while making assumptions about my experience. Maybe ask some questions first.

It's easy to misunderstand things here; I wouldn't take anything anyone has said the wrong way. Lots of us try to answer as many questions as possible and sometimes things seem more "curt" than they really are. I think, looking at my prior response, that I just misunderstood your specific situation.

I will offer one little bit of advice about Disney in general that definitely applies to DVC just the same as anywhere else: Always ask twice (or even thrice if necessary). There is often vastly different knowledge/skill/training/etc levels from one cast member to another. So the next time you don't get an answer you like, take a deep breath and just call again as if the first call never happened. I can't tell you how many times I've done that and had a completely different experience, to the point where I wonder if I even dialed the number correctly the first time.

Most recently DW and I had a non-expiring park hopper redeemed instead of our APs because the guest services person didn't order them correctly when we activated the APs. I noticed this when I got home since these issues are common, and called the ticketing department. The first agent tried to help -- even checked with a manager -- and apologized and said that had to be dealt with in person at guest services. I thanked him, left him a good survey (which is always good to do because it really does help them), called back 30 seconds later, and the next agent issued us one-day replacement park hoppers right there over the phone. I think that in your situation, had you called back, you would have had a similar experience :)
 
It's easy to misunderstand things here; I wouldn't take anything anyone has said the wrong way. Lots of us try to answer as many questions as possible and sometimes things seem more "curt" than they really are. I think, looking at my prior response, that I just misunderstood your specific situation.

I will offer one little bit of advice about Disney in general that definitely applies to DVC just the same as anywhere else: Always ask twice (or even thrice if necessary). There is often vastly different knowledge/skill/training/etc levels from one cast member to another. So the next time you don't get an answer you like, take a deep breath and just call again as if the first call never happened. I can't tell you how many times I've done that and had a completely different experience, to the point where I wonder if I even dialed the number correctly the first time.

Most recently DW and I had a non-expiring park hopper redeemed instead of our APs because the guest services person didn't order them correctly when we activated the APs. I noticed this when I got home since these issues are common, and called the ticketing department. The first agent tried to help -- even checked with a manager -- and apologized and said that had to be dealt with in person at guest services. I thanked him, left him a good survey (which is always good to do because it really does help them), called back 30 seconds later, and the next agent issued us one-day replacement park hoppers right there over the phone. I think that in your situation, had you called back, you would have had a similar experience :)
Yes, that’s true. I did call back many times, and have talked to multiple people at member services as well as member relations. Again, this is definitely a change in the way they have enforced their policy then vs now. I was able to get some resolution thanks to feedback here on disboards.
 
Yes, that’s true. I did call back many times, and have talked to multiple people at member services as well as member relations. Again, this is definitely a change in the way they have enforced their policy then vs now. I was able to get some resolution thanks to feedback here on disboards.
Well, I'm glad it worked out. And welcome!
 
Yes, that’s true. I did call back many times, and have talked to multiple people at member services as well as member relations. Again, this is definitely a change in the way they have enforced their policy then vs now. I was able to get some resolution thanks to feedback here on disboards.

I think MS has a bit of confusion going on these days too. I can tell and have been told that they have been directed to be extremely diligent about the home resort priority which is fine. But some also seem to be taking that towards home resort banked points too which doesn't seem to follow any rules as I see them outlined in our contracts. There are still some CM's that will reallocate banked points as long as it fits withint the home priority window - last week I even had a CM remind me about doing that if I decided to bank some remaining points. More and more doing what you can online is the way to go though IMO.
 
I think MS has a bit of confusion going on these days too. I can tell and have been told that they have been directed to be extremely diligent about the home resort priority which is fine. But some also seem to be taking that towards home resort banked points too which doesn't seem to follow any rules as I see them outlined in our contracts. There are still some CM's that will reallocate banked points as long as it fits withint the home priority window - last week I even had a CM remind me about doing that if I decided to bank some remaining points. More and more doing what you can online is the way to go though IMO.
Well actually that is the rule that banked points in order to be used are required to be banked before the reservation has been made. It's in the Home Resort Rules and Regulation Documents. I have talked to MS specifically about this section and some advisers have told me to ignore that section and others said I could reallocate the points if and only if the reservation was made after I banked the points (essentially if I cancel a reservation that was using the banked points then need to reallocate to a reservation used after the fact).

"Banking Home Resort Vacation Points. Any time during the first eight (8) calendar months of a Club Member’s Use Year, a Club Member may Bank up to one hundred percent (100%) of their annual allotment of Home Resort Vacation Points to the next Use Year. After the first eight (8) calendar months of a Club Member’s Use Year, Members cannot Bank any portion of their annual allotment of Home Resort Vacation Points for that Use Year. In order for Banked Home Resort Vacation Points to be used for a reservation, the Home Resort Vacation Points must be Banked before the reservation is made. Once Banked, Home Resort Vacation Points cannot be Banked again into another Use Year. Also, Banked Home Resort Vacation Points cannot be returned to their original Use Year and will expire if not used. From time to time, the DVC Operator, in its discretion, may provide for extended Banking rights to Club Members during their first Use Year."​
Hopefully the system doesn't begin to enforce this rule as it will lead to significant difficulties when making reservations for all. I would also guess it would stress the studio and cheaper room problem even more than it currently is (people trying to use smaller allotment of points they can't easily clump into a reservation)--no one will want to take a trip down to use points for 1 night in a bedroom but would gladly add those points to a current reservation or if that is no longer an option they would all be on the hunt for studios.

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.g...e-Resort-Rules-and-Regulations-DRR-062718.pdf
 
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Well actually that is the rule that banked points in order to be used are required to be banked before the reservation has been made. It's in the Home Resort Rules and Regulation Documents. I have talked to MS specifically about this section and some advisers have told me to ignore that section and others said I could reallocate the points if and only if the reservation was made after I banked the points (essentially if I cancel a reservation that was using the banked points then need to reallocate to a reservation used after the fact).

"Banking Home Resort Vacation Points. Any time during the first eight (8) calendar months of a Club Member’s Use Year, a Club Member may Bank up to one hundred percent (100%) of their annual allotment of Home Resort Vacation Points to the next Use Year. After the first eight (8) calendar months of a Club Member’s Use Year, Members cannot Bank any portion of their annual allotment of Home Resort Vacation Points for that Use Year. In order for Banked Home Resort Vacation Points to be used for a reservation, the Home Resort Vacation Points must be Banked before the reservation is made. Once Banked, Home Resort Vacation Points cannot be Banked again into another Use Year. Also, Banked Home Resort Vacation Points cannot be returned to their original Use Year and will expire if not used. From time to time, the DVC Operator, in its discretion, may provide for extended Banking rights to Club Members during their first Use Year."​
Hopefully the system doesn't begin to enforce this rule as it will lead to significant difficulties when making reservations for all. I would also guess it would stress the studio and cheaper room problem even more than it currently is (people trying to use smaller allotment of points they can't easily clump into a reservation)--no one will want to take a trip down to use points for 1 night in a bedroom but would gladly add those points to a current reservation or if that is no longer an option they would all be on the hunt for studios.

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.g...e-Resort-Rules-and-Regulations-DRR-062718.pdf

I do not read it with the same interpretation. I believe it's just outlining what might be considered obvious process vs the interpretation you have of it being a rule.
 
I do not read it with the same interpretation. I believe it's just outlining what might be considered obvious process vs the interpretation you have of it being a rule.
Sure I've learned thus far to read their rules pretty black and white because they seem to be destroying the grey areas (in this case that it is possible for a member to reallocate points after making a reservation, this isn't detailed anywhere) for their benefit.So currently DVC has coded up to allow it and some MS team members are forcing the rule as I've read it, but at any point knowing current leadership they could start saying well that was how it was always supposed to work.
 

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