Is it difficult to make small changes in reservations as DVC member?

deedubb

Always Grumpy, except when at Disney!
Joined
Feb 12, 2017
Looking into buying a contract at the moment and doing my due diligence. We have an upcoming trip and I have had to make a small change in my reservation (added an extra day at the tail end of my vacation) due to a change in my flights which the airline made without notifying me. Apparently this commonly occurs when the Xmas flight schedules are released, so I anticipate this may frequently occur during future trips. As a non DVC member, it was easy to change my reservation. Would it be just as easy as a DVC member? (eg. moving check-in day, or adding an extra day provided I have the points to do so).

Thanks.
 
Would it be just as easy as a DVC member? (eg. moving check-in day, or adding an extra day provided I have the points to do so).

Realistically? It's complicated.

In some seasons, you might be okay. If you are dropping a day on either end, that's easy. Adding a day? That can be much harder at most resorts inside of 7 months, and for pretty much all of Fall Frenzy, which includes Christmas, sometimes even before 7 months.

If you need to add extra days, often the best case is you end up with a split stay, or you book a cash reservation for the added day. You are unlikely to get a DVC reservation for the same room and room type during high season for a lot of room types to extend the reservation you have.
 
Not so easy with DVC. Most units are fully booked so there aren't open rooms to get. Best is to book a few extra days, add a day or 2 on each end of when you hope to go, then call MS to drop unneeded days when flights are finalized. Down side, you need to have extra points available.
 
It would be extremely difficult if you're talking December reservations. DVC often operates at almost 100% capacity. But, there may be an alternative. If you need to drop the first day, that would not be a problem as long as you do so at least 31 days prior to check-in (at 30 days or less, those points would go into holding) and then you could book a cash room for any additional day. I remember having to change one time, and just booking at POP century for that last night on cash.
 


I have had to make a small change in my reservation (added an extra day at the tail end of my vacation) due to a change in my flights which the airline made without notifying me. Apparently this commonly occurs when the Xmas flight schedules are released

Next time, call the airline and tell them that you can't accept such a change (it was changed so much it delayed you by a day???). Find a flight that does work for you and if there are seats they will change you at no cost or fee.
 
Thanks everyone. Sounds difficult but not impossible and there are other options so it is certainly not a deal breaker.

Next time, call the airline and tell them that you can't accept such a change (it was changed so much it delayed you by a day???). Find a flight that does work for you and if there are seats they will change you at no cost or fee.

They had changed the flights automatically on me and both were still the same day but the return flight home now had a several hour layover instead of the direct flight I had originally booked. I live in a smaller city with a small airport that only has one direct flight a week to MCO and they decided to change the day, so I decided to delay it to the next day to get the direct flight (and get an extra day at WDW!). This apparently happens a lot, so I can either wait until the Xmas schedule comes out and book then, but pay more for it, or book earlier and risk a flight schedule change.
 
It becomes more complicated if the points used for the reservation were banked or borrowed.

:earsboy: Bill

 


Some members have been known to get a cheap room offsite (!) for a night. Or stay over at the All Stars. Or even splurge on a cash room at a resort they wouldn't normally stay at. It involves switching resorts, but sometimes that's what you have to do.
 
During busy times, it is very difficult. We have a similar situation in November as flight prices are considerably cheaper if we come in a day before and leave a day later. We Ended up booking the airport hotel for those 2 nights.
 
Process-wise, it's simple. Just call Member Services.

Practically speaking, what you're describing (adding days, changing dates) isn't a small change to a reservation, and may be difficult to impossible in Xmas week. DVC resorts book up earlier than regular resorts, and December is peak season for DVC reservations. People book 11 months out. If you tried to call today to change dates for an Xmas trip, it's very likely that there wouldn't be any open dates to change TO. Same goes for adding days. Especially if you're staying at one of the smaller resorts like VGF or BRV.
 
Getting rid of days can also be problematic. Points expire - so if you get rid of days after your banking window, you only have until the end of your use year to use them. That might be ok (although you'll still need availability) if you go to WDW several times a year. If you are someone who only goes once a year - or less - you could just lose the points.
 
Getting rid of days can also be problematic. Points expire - so if you get rid of days after your banking window, you only have until the end of your use year to use them. That might be ok (although you'll still need availability) if you go to WDW several times a year. If you are someone who only goes once a year - or less - you could just lose the points.

Definitely wouldn't want to lose points I have paid for. Although we are going twice this year, that's usually not possible unless we go in the summer and I'm not sure my kids would survive the heat. It's also >$4K each time for flights so it's not cheap.
 
Definitely wouldn't want to lose points I have paid for. Although we are going twice this year, that's usually not possible unless we go in the summer and I'm not sure my kids would survive the heat. It's also >$4K each time for flights so it's not cheap.

One of the bets Disney is making with DVC is that at times you will let points expire, or you'll cancel a reservation and won't be able to use those points. Unused points can be sold to CRO for cash - which does reduce our membership dues (breakage income), but also keeps DVC more profitable for Disney. DVC Disboarders that post a lot here tend to be pretty savvy on point management - and we tend to take a lot of Disney trips - so are somewhat less likely to find this problematic.
 
One of the bets Disney is making with DVC is that at times you will let points expire, or you'll cancel a reservation and won't be able to use those points. Unused points can be sold to CRO for cash - which does reduce our membership dues (breakage income), but also keeps DVC more profitable for Disney. DVC Disboarders that post a lot here tend to be pretty savvy on point management - and we tend to take a lot of Disney trips - so are somewhat less likely to find this problematic.

I didn't know you can sell your points to CRO? How much do they give you for them?
 
I didn't know you can sell your points to CRO? How much do they give you for them?

You can't. What happens is that rooms that haven't been booked with points are turned over to CRO - the member gets nothing. DVC adds at least some of the income into breakage which reduces dues. Since DVC is "sold out" every bit of breakage represents some member who didn't get to use his points.
 
Don't plan on changing a reservation for mid-Sept through after the Marathon in January at less than four months out. Even that might be tough to do.
 
Thanks for your help everyone. Decided to just bite the bullet and purchase a contract. Now the long wait to see if it passes ROFR.
 

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