Number of People Walking

[drusba]

For AKV- Club level, If you had enough points to make two different reservations for a studio and 1 bedroom could you call member services to have the make it into a 2-BD reservation?

Absent the 2BR being separately available from the rooms you already have when you try to change it to a 2BR reservation, MS will not merge the two rerservations into one. Also, I do not believe MS will accept, as a non-guaranteed request, that the 1BR and studio be next to each other.

The only exception that would guarantee the rooms would be together if reserved separately as a sudio and 1BR is reserving both rooms as handicap accessible because there is only one HA 2BR lockoff that is club level.

In any event, trying to attempt to reserve a studio and 1BR at 11 months out, has at best the same probability of success as trying to reserve a 2BR. The main reason club level 2BRs disappear so quickly is because of studio reservations. If you can get a studio reservation at exactly 11 months out, you can get a 2BR reservation, otherwise not.

 

[twinklebug]

No, you couldn't just have them combined. You'd have to do like what was previously mentioned and risk losing them by dropping both parts and quickly picking it up as a 2 bedroom....hoping that the waitlist doesn't catch any of it and that nobody else beats you to them.

That wait list software has gotten much faster at picking up rogue rooms immediately. I've dropped reservations at odd hours of the morning and gone in to view vacancies a minute later to see that days off of that room was gone.

 

[twinklebug]

The one curious thing to deal with when asking to combine a studio with a 1br unit to make a 2br, is that the points do not usually add up equal a 2br unit and the system needs to keep the correct balance at all times.

Example: AKV Value rooms Dream Season
1 night (make it a Monday)

Value Studio = 10
Value 1 BR = 21
Value 2 BR = 28

By adding the Studio to the 1br, the system will be "missing" 3 points.
Somehow Disney's software has the ability to break down those 2br units into studios and 1brs, but only to a point. When there is a limited quantity of rooms either to start with or left in the pool, I doubt it can be done.

 

[10CJ]

The one curious thing to deal with when asking to combine a studio with a 1br unit to make a 2br, is that the points do not usually add up equal a 2br unit and the system needs to keep the correct balance at all times.

Example: AKV Value rooms Dream Season
1 night (make it a Monday)

Value Studio = 10
Value 1 BR = 21
Value 2 BR = 28

By adding the Studio to the 1br, the system will be "missing" 3 points.
Somehow Disney's software has the ability to break down those 2br units into studios and 1brs, but only to a point. When there is a limited quantity of rooms either to start with or left in the pool, I doubt it can be done.

What do you mean by keep the correct balance at all times. It seems they would have no way of know if something will end up being booked as a 2B or split as a studio and 1B. It seems like there will always be some variability. Wouldn't the system have extra points being used if it is a value studio/1 BD vs the 2BD?

 

[twinklebug]

What do you mean by keep the correct balance at all times. It seems they would have no way of know if something will end up being booked as a 2B or split as a studio and 1B. It seems like there will always be some variability. Wouldn't the system have extra points being used if it is a value studio/1 BD vs the 2BD?

That's exactly why I find it curious: how does the software work? The system depends upon every point being accounted for at the end of the year. Disney is not allowed any fluctuation in these DVC units outside of reallocating points when drawing up the calendars for upcoming years.

 

[drusba]

That's exactly why I find it curious: how does the software work? The system depends upon every point being accounted for at the end of the year. Disney is not allowed any fluctuation in these DVC units outside of reallocating points when drawing up the calendars for upcoming years.

Not clear on what is meant. If what you are referring to is total points that can be sold for all the units without violating the rule that no more can be sold than it would take to fill all the rooms in a year, I looked into this before and the total points for any given resort were determined by treating all the lock-offs as only 2BRs in the given non-leap year used to determine total points applicable to the resort. Thus, the total saleable points applicable to any 2BR lock-off was determined by the addition of what the room cculd be reserved for during the year only as a 2BR, and Disney was not selling any extra points based on those rooms possibly being reserved separately as a studio and 1BR, which combined cost more points to reserve per night than reserving a 2BR.

 

[twinklebug]

Not clear on what is meant. If what you are referring to is total points that can be sold for all the units without violating the rule that no more can be sold than it would take to fill all the rooms in a year, I looked into this before and the total points for any given resort were determined by treating all the lock-offs as only 2BRs in the given non-leap year used to determine total points applicable to the resort. Thus, the total saleable points applicable to any 2BR lock-off was determined by the addition of what the room cculd be reserved for during the year only as a 2BR, and Disney was not selling any extra points based on those rooms possibly being reserved separately as a studio and 1BR, which combined cost more points to reserve per night than reserving a 2BR.

That is indeed what I was asking. I wasn't even thinking about Leap years, LOL. Thank you for your explanation.
So it seems that MS should be able to combine studios and 1 bedroom units together without worry about the total being less.
I should hang out on the member services forum more.

 

[CarolMN]

........(snip).......
So it seems that MS should be able to combine studios and 1 bedroom units together without worry about the total being less.
I should hang out on the member services forum more.

It's not always possible to combine villas. Unless the resort's studio and 1 bedroom booking categories for the view/category that you reserved is 100% lock off units, you may actually have a dedicated studio or a dedicated 1 bedroom booked. You can't tell which you have from the confirmation. Dedicated studios and dedicated 1 bedrooms are usually not separate booking categories from lock off rooms. You get what you get when you book. Obviously, if you are wanting to make a 2 bedroom out of dedicated villas, it's not going to happen.

 

[lovin'fl]

BWV is all lock offs, no? Aside from 3BR GV. But all 2BR are 1BR and studio lock-offs.

 

[10CJ]

It's not always possible to combine villas. Unless the resort is 100% lock off units (don't know any that are), you may have a dedicated studio or a dedicated 1 bedroom booked. You can't tell which you have from the confirmation. Dedicated studios and dedicated 1 bedrooms are usually not booking categories even though some 2 resorts have 2 bedrooms that are). You get what you get when you book. Obviously, if you are wanting to make a 2 bedroom out of dedicated villas, it's not going to happen.

I thought all the Animal Kingdom Club level rooms were lock offs? My understanding is there are ten rooms, 5 studios and 5 1 Bedrooms. They can also be booked as a 2 bedroom if you can get it.

 

[CarolMN]

BWV is all lock offs, no? Aside from 3BR GV. But all 2BR are 1BR and studio lock-offs.

The BWV 2 bedrooms are all lock offs, but there are also several dedicated studios and several dedicated 1 bedrooms. The dedicated villas do not have an interior door that connects to another villa.

 

[CarolMN]

I thought all the Animal Kingdom Club level rooms were lock offs? My understanding is there are ten rooms, 5 studios and 5 1 Bedrooms. They can also be booked as a 2 bedroom if you can get it.

Yes, that's correct. I edited my post to clarify.

At AKV, all of the concierge booking categories are lock off units. However, that is not true for the BWV and many of the other resorts.

 

[twinklebug]

I thought all the Animal Kingdom Club level rooms were lock offs? My understanding is there are ten rooms, 5 studios and 5 1 Bedrooms. They can also be booked as a 2 bedroom if you can get it.

Correct. But just because someone has a studio and a 1 br booked on club level, it doesn't mean that MS will be able to combine a studio + 1br into a 2br. With families coming and going all the time it is possible these two rooms may be across the lobby from each other.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Does anyone else think it's a bad idea to suggest Disney add more charges?

Yes, it most definitely is.

And just asking to be charged more but I guess some just have more than they want.

As mentioned, it also doesn't mean that one will then be able to get that reservation any more than they can today.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Not clear on what is meant. If what you are referring to is total points that can be sold for all the units without violating the rule that no more can be sold than it would take to fill all the rooms in a year, I looked into this before and the total points for any given resort were determined by treating all the lock-offs as only 2BRs in the given non-leap year used to determine total points applicable to the resort. Thus, the total saleable points applicable to any 2BR lock-off was determined by the addition of what the room cculd be reserved for during the year only as a 2BR, and Disney was not selling any extra points based on those rooms possibly being reserved separately as a studio and 1BR, which combined cost more points to reserve per night than reserving a 2BR.

And I wish that they then would actually allocate at least some of those 2BR's at BWV to only be booked as 2BR's. Or at least that they do so at the times I'd like to book 2BR's. But when booking studios then I want them to be allocated to whomever books first.

 

[10CJ]

Correct. But just because someone has a studio and a 1 br booked on club level, it doesn't mean that MS will be able to combine a studio + 1br into a 2br. With families coming and going all the time it is possible these two rooms may be across the lobby from each other.

I see what you are saying. Is there ever a case where there is both a Club Studio and a Club 1 bed available to book but the 2B is not? From what I can see right now, the few days where there is both, all three are available.

 

[drusba]

And I wish that they then would actually allocate at least some of those 2BR's at BWV to only be booked as 2BR's. Or at least that they do so at the times I'd like to book 2BR's. But when booking studios then I want them to be allocated to whomever books first.

Yes, I too would like DVC to hold the size room I want so I could reserve it, but DVC has to follow a first-come first-served rule in reservations subject only to the four month difference for home and non-home resort, and thus, for example, it must allow members, who call first, to get studios if any 2BR lock-offs are open, and it cannot hold 2BR lock-offs just to be reserved as 2BRs. (Years ago, I actually asked DVC that question and got that answer, but was also told the system presumes 2BRs, not already booked as 2BRs, remain open until the total studio reservations reach the total number of dedicated studios in a view booking category.)

 

[twinklebug]

I see what you are saying. Is there ever a case where there is both a Club Studio and a Club 1 bed available to book but the 2B is not? From what I can see right now, the few days where there is both, all three are available.

Don't know. Those Killimanjaro club studios disappear faster than you can say boo.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Yes, I too would like DVC to hold the size room I want so I could reserve it, but DVC has to follow a first-come first-served rule in reservations subject only to the four month difference for home and non-home resort, and thus, for example, it must allow members, who call first, to get studios if any 2BR lock-offs are open, and it cannot hold 2BR lock-offs just to be reserved as 2BRs. (Years ago, I actually asked DVC that question and got that answer, but was also told the system presumes 2BRs, not already booked as 2BRs, remain open until the total studio reservations reach the total number of dedicated studios in a view booking category.)

And thus the issue with a resort that has no dedicated 2BR's. I know that there were, and maybe still are, people who believe that DVC does set aside some lock-offs for 2BR booking but once online booking came on it became very apparent that is not the way they handle it. Once studios (or 1BR's) are gone then the 2BR's are gone. And if both are open then the 2BR can be booked. At BWV though it would seem to cause a point imbalance. Due to the popularity of studios my guess would be that they are frequently booking less 2BR's than the points were sold for thus leaving excess room inventory for them to rent out. I haven't looked at breakage income but I wonder if it's a higher percentage at BWV than other resorts.

 

[drusba]

And thus the issue with a resort that has no dedicated 2BR's. I know that there were, and maybe still are, people who believe that DVC does set aside some lock-offs for 2BR booking but once online booking came on it became very apparent that is not the way they handle it. Once studios (or 1BR's) are gone then the 2BR's are gone. And if both are open then the 2BR can be booked. At BWV though it would seem to cause a point imbalance. Due to the popularity of studios my guess would be that they are frequently booking less 2BR's than the points were sold for thus leaving excess room inventory for them to rent out. I haven't looked at breakage income but I wonder if it's a higher percentage at BWV than other resorts.

I am not sure breakage income figures would help to analyze the issue unless you could get the total dollar amount of breakage income for a year. What the annual notice provides is the breakage income used to set off total dues, but the maximum amount of breakage income that can be used for that set-off equals 2.5% of the total budget (less certain items like the management fee and property taxes), and for every resort in every year of existence, the amount of set-off has been that 2.5%. But there is much more breakage income for which we never see the figures -- anything over the 2.5% first goes to BVTC, the company that is responsible for 7 month and out-of-DVC reservations, to cover all of its costs plus 5% of its costs (a little profit), and then anything left over after that goes to DVCMC basically as profit, which is the designated company that runs the resorts and is responsible for home resort reservations by home resort members, and in conversation that I once had with a DVC offical at the annual meeting, I was told the breakage income is usually a lot more than that 2.5% set-off.

There is nothing legally improper in the point imbalance that might exist annually as a result of BWV's having far more demand for studios than 1BRs or 2BRs, a demand that has only increased since the studios were changed to sleeping five. Your assumption about rentable inventory at time of breakage has some support. During DVC's low to moderate demand season that runs from the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan to late Sep, 1BRs in all booking views are usually open beyond 7 months out and sometimes pool/garden view 1BRs are still open at 60 days out. However, I doubt the breakage income is the fortune Disney may be making off the bungalows at Poly and cottages at CCV, which thus far have shown a tendency to be open at 60 days out during a significant portion of that low to moderate demand season. Those rooms were apparently specifically designed for Disney to be able to sell a lot of extra points at the two resorts to persons who only could afford studios, and then also allow Disney to make a huge profit in rentals because they would often be open at 60 days out.