Changing reservations

[LVT]

How difficult is it to cancel or alter reservations? With so many warnings about knowing when you are going and planning far ahead, I get the impression these are not like the WDW reservations.

[BigRedDad]

I didn't have any issues canceling or changing my reservation. Typically, I use MJ. However, there were so many unknowns with my trip in March, I would have possibly been breaking many rules depending on who could and could not go. In the end, it was best to cancel it, book myself through WDW, and get an AP rate. This way I can change who is on the reservation when plans solidify over the next few weeks.

[DizneyRox]

Since you're asking in a DVC forum, I assume you mean with regards to DVC accomodations.

There are some issues with DVC reservations, but if you plan ahead, they tend to not get in the way.

There are complications when use banked or borrowed points as that is a final transaction and they don't go back to where they came. This can often lead to people having to use the points or possibly losing them.

There are some restrictions on how far in advance you can cancel without penalty, just like the cash reservation system, including a total loss of points if you cancel last minute.

It's very comparable to the cash system in general though...

[LynneM]

The biggest problem with changing reservations is availability. As you've noted, members tend to plan and book several months in advance of their trip, so once you get inside that 7-month window, it can be very difficult to find availability for certain resorts, room types or time periods.

[FiggyFan]

The rules for cancelling reservations are as follows:

1) If you cancel at least 31 days in advance, things are pretty simple. Points go back into your account, and you can do anything you want with them (new reservation, bank/borrow, etc.). The only complication comes if you were using banked or borrowed points. Since banking and borrowing are "final transactions", those points remain in the use year you moved them into when making the reservation.

2) If you cancel 30 days or less before check-in date, the points go into a "holding account" within your membership. You still get to use these points, but with the following restrictions:
a) You can only use these points to make DVC reservations 60 days or less in advance of your new check-in date.
b) Using the points for an exchange out of the DVC resorts is rather limited (I'll skip the details).
c) You cannot bank or borrow the points in the holding account.

3) Once the day of check-in comes, you cannot cancel the reservation. If you don't show up to use it, you lose all of the points for that reservation.

As LynneM said, finding a replacement reservation on short notice can be difficult, depending on choice of resort and time of year.

The whole idea of planning ahead is to take advantage of the home resort priority (11 months in advance) and get your reservation before your home resort opens up the rest of the DVC members at the 7 month mark.

[LVT]

Thank you all. I don't totally understand, but I am getting the outline down.

[mickkey]

Hi
The rules are pretty much posted in a previous post.
I called last week (2nd week of Jan 2010) and was able to book a 1 bedroom SV at AK for Feb 4 and 1 bedroom at BC for Feb 7.......with no prob at all. The only thing that was not available was MK view at BLT.....go figure....I do believe that lake view was available.
There was also alot open for tyhe studio rooms as well.
So my advice is if your flexable a reservation can be made in sort time.