Drusba Is there any benefit to cancelling now?
I'm confused. I have around 150 points in holding, so decided to experiment. I made an online reservation for 4/5 this afternoon at BWV. I haven't checked to see if it's been canceled yet, but it let me make it without problems. My reservation for the end of April is still there, too. Unfortunately w Holding Points, you know the Titanic is sinking, but your lifeboat is still several weeks away.
When I made the online booking for April, I noticed that several of the resort options have no availability. Wondered if DVC was canceling, then blocking rooms, so no more availability appears? When it does appear there is availability, perhaps that is from Owners who are canceling their own reservations?I have found this to be odd and difficult to express on the boards.
Although Central Reservations is not accepting new reservations prior to June 1st, we are able to make and modify reservations, for April and May, using the online system.
Regarding availability, it seems as though a significant number of members are assuming that the parks will reopen April 1st. Right now, Beach Club Villas has 1-bedroom availability, from April 5th through the 11th, but not for a studio or a studio or 2-bedroom villa.
Every resort should have open availability through April 9th given the Orange County stay-at-home mandate.
That depends on the particular member's circumstances. Someone with a May reservation but an August use year must seriously consider cancelling by March 31 to be able to bank points. Moroever, cancelling by no later than 31 days out should be considered by all with a May reservation to assure ability to bank existing points if DVC changes the coronavirus rules. Everyone needs to ask the question: how far do you trust the modern DVC, e.g., does anyone else assume there might be a risk that DVC could suddenly change its mind and decide to reverse itself on the special coronavirus cancellation rules and declare a return to the holding rule and the inability to put borrowed points back into their original use year.
There is also the issue of a future date for a visit. If you have a reservation for May and your alternative dates would be, for example, sometime in August through mid-January, you should seriously consider cancelling now if you can find any desired room openings for the times you want because those dates could easily disappear if you wait until May to cancel. Moreover, what you will be able to do with your existing airline tickets folds into that same consideration. The airline may waive any fees for a change now but may change its mind in May. Also, the price for a flight for a later time you may want to go may be lower than what you paid for the May flights. I personally had a late April to early May reservation that I cancelled 33 days out because I got an equally desirable late Aug time and room and found the applicable Southwest airfare was even less than I was paying for the cancelled trip.
Or a May 29th reservation with a June UY.@drusba , this is an excellent post that nicely captures our challenge. We had a May reservation. Because of our use year, banked points, and limited rebooking options before August 31st, cancelling and grabbing the nights we could in July seemed like the best option.
Also, DVC continues to hold firm to its banking policy. Had Disney cancelled our reservation, the banking window would have closed and we would have had less summer inventory from which to select.
From my perspective, anyone with an August or September use year with an April or May reservation is in a tight spot right now.
I have found this to be odd and difficult to express on the boards.
Although Central Reservations is not accepting new reservations prior to June 1st, we are able to make and modify reservations, for April and May, using the online system.
Regarding availability, it seems as though a significant number of members are assuming that the parks will reopen April 1st. Right now, Beach Club Villas has 1-bedroom availability, from April 5th through the 11th, but not for a studio or a studio or 2-bedroom villa.
Every resort should have open availability through April 9th given the Orange County stay-at-home mandate.
@drusba , this is an excellent post that nicely captures our challenge. We had a May reservation. Because of our use year, banked points, and limited rebooking options before August 31st, cancelling and grabbing the nights we could in July seemed like the best option.
Also, DVC continues to hold firm to its banking policy. Had Disney cancelled our reservation, the banking window would have closed and we would have had less summer inventory from which to select.
From my perspective, anyone with an August or September use year with an April or May reservation is in a tight spot right now.
This would make sense. And it would help limit the number of guests in the parks when they do reopen.My guess is that they are hopeful that they can open resorts at some time in May. However, they won’t be opening all resorts at once. By not allowing additional reservations to be made, they can move guests from still-closed resorts to the open ones. And if they cannot open during May dates, then there are fewer guests to refund.
or had an April ressie with a June UY.Or a May 29th reservation with a June UY.
I have a reservation at Vero Beach for 10 May made with banked points (expire 1 Oct). I am trying to decide if I should cancel now or wait until Disney cancels. At this point, I figure there is a 1% chance we will be able to go (that is if there is a sudden and miraculous cure).