Paying for a cash room with points?

[huskies90]

Hi Everyone!! I have a 7 night reservation at the end of June - One bedroom at AKV Jambo House. 2 of the nights mid week were unavailable. I currently have those 2 nights waitlisted AND I also have them booked on cash as a backup. So right now I have 3 reservations for 7 nights -- First night on points, Second/Third nights on cash and the last 4 nights on points.

Assuming the waitlist does not come through, when I arrive at the resort and check in for the first night I will ask the CM to connect all three reservations to ensure we stay in the same room. While doing that, would it be possible for me to request using my points to pay for the 2 cash nights rather than cash? Has anyone ever tried this and been successful?

 

[erionm]

While doing that, would it be possible for me to request using my points to pay for the 2 cash nights rather than cash?

Not possible.

 

[huskies90]

Not possible.

Thanks for replying. How do you know it is not possible? Have you tried and been unsuccessful?

 

[erionm]

How do you know it is not possible?

It's just the way the system is setup. Cash rooms are from a separate inventory than points rooms.

 

[huskies90]

That's true for Member Services, but why does the resort care?

 

[erionm]

That's true for Member Services, but why does the resort care?

From an accounting standpoint, they are going to want cash or a credit card to pay for the room that's setup as a cash reservation. The front desk can't do anything to override that. Also, the front desk does not have access to your DVC account.

 

[erionm]

In many cases, the cash room is available because a member used their points for a reservation other than a DVC Resort or an RCI Exchange. In these cases, a room is made available for cash so that DVC can pay the negotiated cash rate for the other reservation (which could be a cruise or a non-DVC hotel).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Here's how you need to look at it:

Every "cash" room is already booked on points. Disney own 2-5% of every DVC resort in points. They gain additional points to "book" rooms that are then rented for cash when members trade out their points for cruises, RCI, anything that isn't a DVC resort. They then "book" rooms and sell them for cash to defray expenses of trades.

They will not allow a room to be paid for on points twice. No double timeshare jeopardy here. The front desk cannot convert your cash stay to points. Neither can MS.

 

[Minniesgal]

Cash rooms are not available for booking on points it is as simple as that

also if you wait until you get to the resort to connect the reservations it will be too late as rooms are allocated about 1 week before check in this needs to be done now.

 

[crisi]

That's true for Member Services, but why does the resort care?

Because DVC and Disney resorts are two separate subsidiaries with two separate P&Ls. Doing this with inventory would be a violation of accounting practices that would end up getting them in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission and could involve significant fines. Inventory fraud is a big deal.

 

[huskies90]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I guess I will keep hoping for my waitlist to come through!!

It's interesting, though. I was in the exact same position back in November. I even posted about it here:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/points-cash-reservation-advice.3556628/

In that post, I was just concerned about getting the same room. So I went to the front desk at OKW the day before check in and confirmed we would be in the same room. I made a comment about being waitlisted for months and it never coming thru and how I wished I could use points for the second night. The CM said no problem, they could do that. She said "We don't care if it's points or cash it is all the same to them". Because it was under 1 week and they could not just cancel my cash reservation, she had to call over one of the managers. The manager did the refund to my credit card manually and charged points. She said it was not a big deal at all. And while it cannot be done by MS or the CRO, they can do it at the front desk.

So I guess based on the feedback here I just got lucky with a particular set of CM's? And it's not something that should happen all the time. Like we always say on disboards, YMMV.

 

[crisi]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I guess I will keep hoping for my waitlist to come through!!

It's interesting, though. I was in the exact same position back in November. I even posted about it here:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/points-cash-reservation-advice.3556628/

In that post, I was just concerned about getting the same room. So I went to the front desk at OKW the day before check in and confirmed we would be in the same room. I made a comment about being waitlisted for months and it never coming thru and how I wished I could use points for the second night. The CM said no problem, they could do that. She said "We don't care if it's points or cash it is all the same to them". Because it was under 1 week and they could not just cancel my cash reservation, she had to call over one of the managers. The manager did the refund to my credit card manually and charged points. She said it was not a big deal at all. And while it cannot be done by MS or the CRO, they can do it at the front desk.

So I guess based on the feedback here I just got lucky with a particular set of CM's? And it's not something that should happen all the time. Like we always say on disboards, YMMV.

Yeah, that absolutely should have not happened, unless they had a cancellation on points. But front desk clerks and even hotel managers really don't get trained on GAAP.

 

[huskies90]

front desk clerks and even hotel managers really don't get trained on GAAP.

I wouldn't expect hotel clerks/managers to be trained in GAAP. But as long as the $$ was posted correctly at the resort and the proper entries are made to credit / charge the correct entities, there is no way that would violate general accepted accounting principles. It happens all the time. Now if there is something specific to SEC regulations, that is different. I know nothing of inventory fraud as I am not in that business.

 

[DebbieB]

There is a note on the DVC reservation page to call Member Services if within 10 days of check-in. Your best bet would be to call then and see what they can do.

Accommodation inventory is the same whether you book online or through Member Services, except within 10 days of arrival. For close-in bookings, if you do not receive your desired selection, you may contact Member Services.

 

[Dean]

Hi Everyone!! I have a 7 night reservation at the end of June - One bedroom at AKV Jambo House. 2 of the nights mid week were unavailable. I currently have those 2 nights waitlisted AND I also have them booked on cash as a backup. So right now I have 3 reservations for 7 nights -- First night on points, Second/Third nights on cash and the last 4 nights on points.

Assuming the waitlist does not come through, when I arrive at the resort and check in for the first night I will ask the CM to connect all three reservations to ensure we stay in the same room. While doing that, would it be possible for me to request using my points to pay for the 2 cash nights rather than cash? Has anyone ever tried this and been successful?

As noted, this is not something that's going to happen though it does depend in part on whether it's a DVC cash reservation of a CRO reservation since in a way a DVC cash reservation actually is a points reservation. The resort doesn't care but MS and CRO will if both are involved and you will if you get charged AND they take the points which could very easily happen.

 

[huskies90]

As noted, this is not something that's going to happen though it does depend in part on whether it's a DVC cash reservation of a CRO reservation since in a way a DVC cash reservation actually is a points reservation. The resort doesn't care but MS and CRO will if both are involved and you will if you get charged AND they take the points which could very easily happen.

In both November and June, the cash reservation was/is a CRO reservation. At OKW in November, the manager refunded my cash by crediting my credit card right there on the spot so there was no way I was going to get charged twice.

 

[Dean]

In both November and June, the cash reservation was/is a CRO reservation. At OKW in November, the manager refunded my cash by crediting my credit card right there on the spot so there was no way I was going to get charged twice.

You stand a risk in the best case scenario since technically this would be a cancelation and new booking. You agreed to those terms when you made the cash reservation.

 

[crisi]

I wouldn't expect hotel clerks/managers to be trained in GAAP. But as long as the $$ was posted correctly at the resort and the proper entries are made to credit / charge the correct entities, there is no way that would violate general accepted accounting principles. It happens all the time. Now if there is something specific to SEC regulations, that is different. I know nothing of inventory fraud as I am not in that business.

The problem being you are selling inventory twice - once to get the cash from CRO to pay for whatever trade happens, then CRO gives it back to DVC without fair market compensation and DVC sells it a second time on points. Also timeshare law IIRC.

 

[huskies90]

**Update**

Well, my 2 night waitlist never came thru so I moved forward with my points/cash split stay. Leading up to my check in date, I called both member services and the Animal Kingdom Lodge guest services directly. Best they could do is confirm it was listed as a "continuing" reservation but could not guarantee we would be in the same room. We checked in yesterday - we waited to check in at the front desk, we did not check in online. After talking to the CM at the front desk and after he had a a brief chat with one of the managers, as in November, I was able to convert my 2 nights cash room to points giving me one reservation all on points.

Once again it was "not a problem" for the front desk to do this but he definitely had to cancel and rebook everything. And at the end of the day, all I really cared about is not having to move rooms mid vacation.

So I believe some of the posts here saying it had to be canceled and rebooked were accurate but many others saying it was impossible, were simply incorrect as it has now happened twice. Maybe I just got lucky both times? As with all situations, your mileage may vary.

 

[supersnoop]

**Update**

Well, my 2 night waitlist never came thru so I moved forward with my points/cash split stay. Leading up to my check in date, I called both member services and the Animal Kingdom Lodge guest services directly. Best they could do is confirm it was listed as a "continuing" reservation but could not guarantee we would be in the same room. We checked in yesterday - we waited to check in at the front desk, we did not check in online. After talking to the CM at the front desk and after he had a a brief chat with one of the managers, as in November, I was able to convert my 2 nights cash room to points giving me one reservation all on points.

Once again it was "not a problem" for the front desk to do this but he definitely had to cancel and rebook everything. And at the end of the day, all I really cared about is not having to move rooms mid vacation.

So I believe some of the posts here saying it had to be canceled and rebooked were accurate but many others saying it was impossible, were simply incorrect as it has now happened twice. Maybe I just got lucky both times? As with all situations, your mileage may vary.

Have you logged in to the website and verified your points? That seems to. E the main concern when the front desk messes with a points reservation.