Can you walk a point reservation?

Curious non-Marriott owner here.

Does anyone know if you can walk a point reservation?

What does this mean exactly?

Troopers said:

Curious non-Marriott owner here.

Does anyone know if you can walk a point reservation?

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Interesting thought. I don't see anything in the rules that would prevent it... especially no reservation cancellation fees.

As to what walking is... assume you want Dec 26 to Jan 2. 12 months from date of arrival is Dec 26 (or whatever the first call in day for that week is) and thus you could call then and reserve all 7 nights. Walking means, for example, you call Dec 19 and reserve Dec 19 to 26 departure date. On Dec 20 you call and cancel night of Dec 19 and add night of Dec 27, and then do that daily until you actually have reservation you want, Dec 26 to Jan 2... That way you avid getting blocked out...

Troopers said:

Curious non-Marriott owner here.

Does anyone know if you can walk a point reservation?

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Fellow DVC'er here, I know what you are talking about. From what I've seen here from the official documents, Marriott seems to have closed that loophole, but I'm not sure how it would work. Points cancelled would go into a holding account(I think same timeframe as DVC).

Twinkstarr said:

Fellow DVC'er here, I know what you are talking about. From what I've seen here from the official documents, Marriott seems to have closed that loophole, but I'm not sure how it would work. Points cancelled would go into a holding account(I think same timeframe as DVC).

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I believe that's only if you cancel to go from a 7 day to a 4 day reservation and didn't have the right to book a 4 day reservation at the time of the original call. Also if you cancel within 60 days...

From page 8 the "Exchange Procedures" document:

4. If a reservation is modified prior to the first day of a confirmed Use Period to result in a shorter duration than would have been permitted at the time the reservation was made, any Exchange Points restored to the Member shall be placed into the Member’s Holding Account, subject to the restrictions on Holding Accounts as set forth in these Exchange Procedures.

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And from Page 17:

Holding Account means an account established for purposes of depositing Exchange Points that are restored to a Member after the cancellation or modification of a confirmed reservation. Exchange Points deposited in a Member’s Holding Account shall be available for further use during that same Use Year, but the further use of such restored Exchange Points shall only be confirmed by Exchange Company for Use Periods beginning no more than sixty (60) days after the date of the request, and only if available. Exchange Points deposited in a Holding Account may not be transferred to other Members, banked for future use, or used for wait list requests.

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I know the possibility of "walking" was a big deal when it was first discussed on the disboards but don't know what its effect has actually been. Does DVC allow the cancelled points on the front end of a walked reservation to be immediately re-booked onto the back end, or do owners have to own enough excess points to book the back end?

I'm guessing the above means that you can amend a Marriott reservation to remove day(s) without canceling and re-booking the entire reservation. It also appears that Premier Plus members who have the availability to book less than 7 days at the earliest reservation date would not have their portion of the canceled points placed into a Holding Account. So it does appear that you can walk a reservation (subject to availability, of course) if 1) a Premier Plus member is doing the walking, 2) you're within the 60-day Holding Account period to immediately re-book the days on the back end of the amended reservation, or 3) you have excess points to book the back-end days either before or after you cancel the front-end days.

Does that sound right?

{edited to add} Oh, but #3 there doesn't sound right, does it? In that case wouldn't you just book all the days and then cancel the front-end days you don't want? Doh! Nevermind.

SueDonJ said:

From page 8 the "Exchange Procedures" document:


And from Page 17:


I know the possibility of "walking" was a big deal when it was first discussed on the disboards but don't know what its effect has actually been. Does DVC allow the cancelled points on the front end of a walked reservation to be immediately re-booked onto the back end, or do owners have to own enough excess points to book the back end?

I'm guessing the above means that you can amend a Marriott reservation to remove day(s) without canceling and re-booking the entire reservation. It also appears that Premier Plus members who have the availability to book less than 7 days at the earliest reservation date would not have their portion of the canceled points placed into a Holding Account. So it does appear that you can walk a reservation (subject to availability, of course) if 1) a Premier Plus member is doing the walking, 2) you're within the 60-day Holding Account period to immediately re-book the days on the back end of the amended reservation, or 3) you have excess points to book the back-end days either before or after you cancel the front-end days.

Does that sound right?

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I thin you are correct. I thought it was intended to prevent Premiers from booking 7 days and canceling 3 if they wanted 4 days. Sounds like it also prevents walking.

DanCali said:

I believe that's only if you cancel to go from a 7 day to a 4 day reservation and didn't have the right to book a 4 day reservation at the time of the original call. Also if you cancel within 60 days...

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The way I read it, it would apply to top level owners too.

Geez that's bummer going into a holding account at 60 days, we get 30 more days at DVC.

Wait a minute, havent we been hearing from all of the proponents of a points program that one of the great benefits of points, where high demand weeks are expensive and thus folks think twice before reserving them due to the cost, is that there is generally no problem securing reservations when and where desired? Disney is often given as an example of this, and everyone talks about how easy it is to get whatever you want in DVC, especially compared with marriott, where folks just reserve prime weeks to deposit in II.

If that is the case, why the need in DVC to "walk" reservations?

That's what I thought.....

hipslo said:

Wait a minute, havent we been hearing from all of the proponents of a points program that one of the great benefits of points, where high demand weeks are expensive and thus folks think twice before reserving them due to the cost, is that there is generally no problem securing reservations when and where desired? Disney is often given as an example of this, and everyone talks about how easy it is to get whatever you want in DVC, especially compared with marriott, where folks just reserve prime weeks to deposit in II.

If that is the case, why the need in DVC to "walk" reservations?

That's what I thought.....

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I've not done the walk with my DVC points, but some booking categories have very limited number of rooms. AKV concerige level consists of 5 2-br lock offs.

I had no problem regular booking a Vero Beach Beach Cottage(3br units, only 6 of them), but it's my home resort and I'm going at Premier season(Spring Break, high point usage). But I was on the phone the day my 11 month window opened.

hipslo said:

Wait a minute, havent we been hearing from all of the proponents of a points program that one of the great benefits of points, where high demand weeks are expensive and thus folks think twice before reserving them due to the cost, is that there is generally no problem securing reservations when and where desired? Disney is often given as an example of this, and everyone talks about how easy it is to get whatever you want in DVC, especially compared with marriott, where folks just reserve prime weeks to deposit in II.

If that is the case, why the need in DVC to "walk" reservations?

That's what I thought.....

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There are a lot of things I LOVE about DVC's system, especially the flexibility with any number of days stays and checking in on any day of the week, banking and borrowing, etc. But "subject to availability" is as much an issue with DVC as it is with any other timeshare system. What happens there, though, is that the low points costs on the DVC calendar make some traditionally "low demand" periods very attractive - for example, early December is one of the best times to stretch your points, and there can be availability issues because of that.

SueDonJ said:

There are a lot of things I LOVE about DVC's system, especially the flexibility with any number of days stays and checking in on any day of the week, banking and borrowing, etc. But "subject to availability" is as much an issue with DVC as it is with any other timeshare system. What happens there, though, is that the low points costs on the DVC calendar make some traditionally "low demand" periods very attractive - for example, early December is one of the best times to stretch your points, and there can be availability issues because of that.

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The lack of fees seems to allow for it. Hilton has a $49 reservation fee so every change or cancellation forfeits the fee. I have to believe that Marriott will do something to prevent this once they see it in action.

floyddl said:

The lack of fees seems to allow for it. Hilton has a $49 reservation fee so every change or cancellation forfeits the fee. I have to believe that Marriott will do something to prevent this once they see it in action.

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It seems to already be prevented by the holding account.

DanCali said:

It seems to already be prevented by the holding account.

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Except in the case of Premier Plus owners, because their ability to book stays of any length as soon as the window opens effectively removes the Holding Account stipulation of canceled Points. That's how I'm reading the, "... than would have been permitted at the time the reservation was made ..." thing, anyway.

As well, except in the case of any reservation that's walked within the Holding Account 60-day period. (Although presumably there wouldn't be availability within that 60-day period for holiday/high demand periods, which is the reason to walk in the first place.)

SueDonJ said:

There are a lot of things I LOVE about DVC's system, especially the flexibility with any number of days stays and checking in on any day of the week, banking and borrowing, etc. But "subject to availability" is as much an issue with DVC as it is with any other timeshare system. What happens there, though, is that the low points costs on the DVC calendar make some traditionally "low demand" periods very attractive - for example, early December is one of the best times to stretch your points, and there can be availability issues because of that.

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Totally surprised myself when I checked last July for a October stay(another DVC-Epcot Food &Wine).

I had the choice of every resort including Bay Lake and the Holy of Holies for October travel, BCV and BWV. Only place that didn't have studio avaiability was AKV.

Booked a 2br MK view at Bay Lake for our annual MLK weekend trip.

SueDonJ said:

I know the possibility of "walking" was a big deal when it was first discussed on the disboards but don't know what its effect has actually been.

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hipslo said:

If that is the case, why the need in DVC to "walk" reservations?

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Walking a reservation primarily occurs for the Xmas/NYE weeks. It occurs all the time, esp from the spec renters. Seems like there's a new monthly thread about it. There are reports of walking a reservation a month out (ie. reserving the days immediately after turkey day)....crazy.

Keep in mind that walking a reservation only occurs during the home resort preference period. So those walking a ressie own there and have sufficient points to do so. I'm not sure how that going to play out with the Marriott points since there is no home resort preference period.

I posed this question for my NCV owner co-worker who gets shut out year after year. He reads and observes but doesn't participate. I thought this might be an option for him to secure a late July/early Aug reservation. Guess not since he's a lowly one week owner.

I know quite a few AKV owners who will walk a CL villa at anytime of the year. Considering the very small number of them.

Troopers said:

Walking a reservation primarily occurs for the Xmas/NYE weeks. It occurs all the time, esp from the spec renters. Seems like there's a new monthly thread about it. There are reports of walking a reservation a month out (ie. reserving the days immediately after turkey day)....crazy.

Keep in mind that walking a reservation only occurs during the home resort preference period. So those walking a ressie own there and have sufficient points to do so. I'm not sure how that going to play out with the Marriott points since there is no home resort preference period.

I posed this question for my NCV owner co-worker who gets shut out year after year. He reads and observes but doesn't participate. I thought this might be an option for him to secure a late July/early Aug reservation. Guess not since he's a lowly one week owner.

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Wow- talk about manipulating the system .

In reality, couldn't Premiere week owners also do the same thing by booking 8 days initially, so the canceling would still leave a 7 night minimum intact? I thought the holding account language was designed to prevent booking a full week and then canceling part of it, but it doesn't appear to exclude this. What will people think of?

Troopers said:

Walking a reservation primarily occurs for the Xmas/NYE weeks. It occurs all the time, esp from the spec renters. Seems like there's a new monthly thread about it. There are reports of walking a reservation a month out (ie. reserving the days immediately after turkey day)....crazy.

Keep in mind that walking a reservation only occurs during the home resort preference period. So those walking a ressie own there and have sufficient points to do so. I'm not sure how that going to play out with the Marriott points since there is no home resort preference period.

I posed this question for my NCV owner co-worker who gets shut out year after year. He reads and observes but doesn't participate. I thought this might be an option for him to secure a late July/early Aug reservation. Guess not since he's a lowly one week owner.

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Walking a reservation from Dec 19 to 26 is doable. With NCV you'd need to walk it from May to July. Otherwise, if you are lucky enough to get a reservation during the summer and walk it from there - you're equaly likely to just get the summer week you actually want to begin with...

Couldnt someone with enough points book many days, or even weeks, at a "cheapo" off season resort in advance of a desired week, at 13 months before the first check in day prior to 13 months before the desired reservation, and then at some point prior to 60 days before check in, cancel all of the front end days/ weeks, without having the points used to make the cancelled advance reservations go into the holding account?

Or am I misunderstanding something?

hipslo said:

Couldnt someone with enough points book many days, or even weeks, at a "cheapo" off season resort in advance of a desired week, at 13 months before the first check in day prior to 13 months before the desired reservation, and then at some point prior to 60 days before check in, cancel all of the front end days/ weeks, without having the points used to make the cancelled advance reservations go into the holding account?

Or am I misunderstanding something?

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The way I read the part of the Marriott holding account statement that was posted on one of these various threads, was if you did your example be it days/weeks ahead of your "desired" time, and then went back in and cancelled the front end of your reservation, those points would go into the holding account. I read this to include all levels of membership, including the top level who can book daily at 13 months.

Twinkstarr said:

The way I read the part of the Marriott holding account statement that was posted on one of these various threads, was if you did your example be it days/weeks ahead of your "desired" time, and then went back in and cancelled the front end of your reservation, those points would go into the holding account. I read this to include all levels of membership, including the top level who can book daily at 13 months.

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Ok, but what is it about the language that leads you to that conclusion? I am having a bit of a hard time interpreting exactly what that language means.

In any event, even if that is ture, so long as the leading days are cheap enough, maybe its not a big deal anyway.

hipslo said:

Ok, but what is it about the language that leads you to that conclusion? I am having a bit of a hard time interpreting exactly what that language means.

In any event, even if that is ture, so long as the leading days are cheap enough, maybe its not a big deal anyway.

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trying to find the post that had that language in.

Have you come across the rules for borrowing or banking points in the new system? I'd be interested to see how Marriott is going to work that compared to Disney and Wyndham.

Here is the language that was posted earlier in the thread:

If a reservation is modified prior to the first day of a confirmed Use Period to result in a shorter duration than would have been permitted at the time the reservation was made, any Exchange Points restored to the Member shall be placed into the Member’s Holding Account, subject to the restrictions on Holding Accounts as set forth in these Exchange Procedures.

The question seems to be, would the cancellation result in a shorter duration than would have been permitted at the time the reservation is made? I am not sure exactlly how to apply that rule to this case.

{deleted, trying to think here ...}