? Regarding 11 and 7 Month Window

[TheHD]

Ok. I just finished my first DVC trip last July. Love it!

So, I have a question regarding booking my resort at the 11 month window and then changing to a different resort at the 7 month window. I'm trying to get a feel for how switching resorts play out at the 7 month window.

My questions are; if I book at my resort at the 11 month window and I change to a different available resort at the 7 month window, does the new resort booking have to be the EXACT same days I booked at my home resort (11 month window) in order to change? Can the change be made online?

How does it work with points? For example, if I booked my home resort for 120 points, and then change to the new 7 month resort and it's only 110 points, does the remaining "extra" 10 points go into holding and I have to use them before the next use year or do they get refunded back so they can be banked?

Same question for split bookings; would you be able to change from your home resort into two separate 7 month resorts? Does the length of stay and EXACT days have to remain the same?

Thanks!

[VWL Mom]

Changing at 7 months wouldn't have to be the same dates as your 11 month reservation but would have to be 7 months out. If you do it online you either need to have enough points to cover both in the use year you're booking in or cancel the first and book the second. Otherwise, you'll be running into borrowing which you don't want to do. Once points are borrowed, they cannot be put back. It's easier to do with MS but then you lose 2 hours which could be a big deal if it's a popular resort during a popular time.

If you have a refund of points they will be returned to your account. If you have time to bank them you would be able to do it. They would go into holding if your trip was too close to the end of the use year.

Split stays follow the same rules but keep in mind the 2nd part of your split stay would have it's own 7 month booking date. It would not be based on the first check in date.

It's really quite easy but reading this makes it seem so complicated, sorry.

[Aurora]

1. When changing reservations at the 7th month, your dates do not have to be exactly the same, because actually what you're doing is cancelling one reservation and making another. You can make the change online.

2. Anytime you make a reservation, it takes the number of points required for that resort. So if booked at 11 months for 110 points, and the new, 7-month reservation requires 120 points, that's what you'll use. Again, the first reservation is cancelled, so it has nothing to do with the second.

3. Whether or not your points go into holding depends on when you cancel the first reservation and your use year. You can only bank points outside of the last four months of your use year, and you must cancel 31 days or more before the first date of your reservation or your points will go into holding. Outside of such restrictions, you can cancel your reservation without penalty, your points would go back into your use year, and as long as you're outside the last four months of your use year, you can still bank them.

4. You can book at any of the resorts at the 7-month mark; the dates do not have to be identical to your original reservation. They just have to be at 7 months.

[TheHD]

Ok. Thanks for the info. It's not that confusing, I'm just making sure I don't do anything dumb by attempting to book a different resort than my home at the 7-month window.

From what I gather, I shouldn't have any reservations (doubt, not booking) about booking my home resort at the 11-month window for dates that I want and then try for a different resort at the 7-month window?

There isn't any restrictions or penalties for trying to switch from my home resort to another at the 7-month window, except for points being held due to canceling, but then that would only be if it were within my 4-month window of my use year (which it wouldn't, because I'd be at the 7-month window to book and well away from the 4-month window of my use year). I could see where there might be an issue of points being held if say I was on a wait list and then the resort opened up within four months of my use year.

Ok - one more question; can you see online what resorts are available if I have already booked my home resort or do you need the available points to be able to look?

Thanks again!

[VWL Mom]

From 11 to 7 months you will only see the availability of your home resort. At 7 months you will be able to see them all.

[TheHD]

Ok. Even if I don't have any available points because I booked at the 11 month, I will still be able to see the other resorts (from the 7-month date)?

[Carol]

Ok. Even if I don't have any available points because I booked at the 11 month, I will still be able to see the other resorts (from the 7-month date)?

Yes :)

[Aurora]

There isn't any restrictions or penalties for trying to switch from my home resort to another at the 7-month window, except for points being held due to canceling, but then that would only be if it were within my 4-month window of my use year (which it wouldn't, because I'd be at the 7-month window to book and well away from the 4-month window of my use year). I could see where there might be an issue of points being held if say I was on a wait list and then the resort opened up within four months of my use year.

Just to be clear, the 11- and 7-month booking windows have nothing to do with the last four months of your use year. The booking windows relate to the dates of your vacation; your use year is just the date (1st of the month) when you get your annual allotment of points.

So again, if you book a trip for the last four months of your use year and then cancel, you couldn't bank the points if you wanted to, because you have to do that before the last four months. You'd have to use them or lose them that use year.

But if your trip isn't in the last four months, and you cancel 31 days or more before your scheduled check-in date, your points go right back into your use year and they work the same as any other points that year, including the ability to bank them.

"Holding" refers to cancellation dates. If you cancel your trip 30 days or less before your check-in date, your points go into holding and are subject to more restrictions. "Holding" only refers to your vacation dates and when you cancel, not your use year or the booking windows.

Sorry if i was unclear about all that in my earlier comment!

[TheHD]

Ok, yeah. I understand it now. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking clearly. I was thinking 7 and 11 months based off of the use year, but the 7 and 11 months apply toward the time out from my vacation date (duh) :doh:.

So, I would need to look closely and consider switching from my home resort to another at the 7 month window if my use year is close to the time of "canceling" a trip in order to book another resort. Of course, that's only if I would have points "left over" from my cancellation. If the points equate, then there shouldn't be any worry.

For reference; I should be fine for my next trip as my Use Year is March and I'm planning a trip in July again. I can book my home resort now (August) and a different resort in December, as I understand it.

Now that leads me to a couple more questions:

Does the 11 and 7 month window apply to the start of your trip (the first day) or the end of it (the last day)?

For example; if I want a trip beginning on the 15th of July, does that mean I can book the trip August 15th at my home resort?

Thanks everyone!

[Aurora]

For example; if I want a trip beginning on the 15th of July, does that mean I can book the trip August 15th at my home resort?

Thanks everyone!

Correct. The booking windows apply to the first day of your trip. You can book up to 7 days; if your trip is longer than that, you have to wait until the next week to book the rest of your trip.

[TheHD]

Sweet. Thanks for everyone's help.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

Just want to say good questions, thanks TheHD this is information I was curious about to. I think this thread would be helpful for both those thinking of buying or Newbies to DVC. :mickey: