[2008] adding onto a 3 day reservation

Zac495 · Sep 18, 2008

So let's say I get up at 12:01 and secure 3 days - 2 bedrooms - at Lagoon tower. Then I get up at 12:01 the next "day" and there is only a 1 bedroom. Or there is nothing. What do I do? Do I grab the one bedroom and will that switch the whole reservation? Then what if the next "day" there's nothing? Do I skip that day and try for the 6th night? Pay for the 5th at the hotel? :doh:

I feel a little nervous about it - my time is coming up to go after this.

I know i have to do it all on the web and I know you click change reservations.

One more question - I have used the Revolution system all this time with learning - I just tried Classic which seems to show more availability - for instance - it shows availbility for most of the 7 days June 13 - 20 - but Wednesday isn't available. Isn't that WEIRD???

Would you suggest Revolution or Classic?

thank you!

dvc_john · Sep 18, 2008

Sorry, I can't answer your question (I've never used that 'change reservation' feature to add days to an existing reservation.

But awhile back I did notice the difference in availability shown between the revolution system and the classic system. I wanted to book the new HGVC Midtowne Orlando. It showed up on neither system (probably just wasn't in the system yet since it's new) so I booked it by phone. But I did notice a big discrepany in availability at the I-drive location for the dates I was looking for, with I-drive have limited availability on revolution, but plenty of availability on classic. For that reason, I would probably book using the classic system until those differences go away.

hicksville · Sep 18, 2008

I used the 'change rez' thing for a stay at Kalia next April. I started with 3 nights and every night at midnight EST added one more night, for a total of 7 nights. Never had a problem with availablity. I was nervous too. I'd say go for it, but do it as soon to midnight Eastern time as you can.

I think it was before the new website was open. There was no way I'd have gotten my rez if I waited until 9 mos from my check out date (I was monitoring that too, so I'd know). If the classic system shows more availability, I wouldn't even waster time on the new one, for a time-critical rez.

Go for it.

DEROS · Sep 18, 2008

Just keep on trying for the date and room you want. My first time experience: I needed 2 x 3 bdrms at GP Mar Brisa for a certain date. None was available. I check everyday and 1 x 3 bdrm came up for date that was close to what I wanted so I grab it. I checked almost everyday to see if anything came up, and a 1 x 3 bdrm came up for the date I wanted so I changed my reservation. I continued to check to see if anymore pop up and eventually it did. So now I had 2 x 3 bdrms for the dates I wanted. It only took me 3 months of looking, almost everyday, to get what I wanted.

I was also nervous like you because I started looking in June 08 for a stay in Dec 08 (near X'mas). You have 9 months out to get the room and date you want so I think you have a very good chance of getting what you want. Also, the online customer service works great. They can check very quickly if anything is available that is not showing up on the online reservation for some reason.

Hope this gives you confidence.

Sandy VDH · Sep 18, 2008

The classic system has better information. There were glitches in inventory in the new reservation system. I called and they know about some of the glitches.

Since you are trying for an existing resort you should not have the issue that the inventory is not in the system and you would have to call. The previous poster was talking about a brand new property not having any inventory, not an existing property.

Stick to the Classic version. Good Luck.

Since you know you are going to make a reservation soon, why don't you just try booking 3 days now and seeing what happens when you can add a day. When the dates you want become available just change your reservation. Try booking something smaller than you need, I think that as long as you need more points for a reservation it is not considered a cancellation. You should review that wording before trying however the booking.

So if you want a 2 BR for real in a few more weeks, try the 1 BR now, out 9 months and add a day. Make sure you take a weekday to start that way if you start on a weekend later it is more points.

Zac495 · Sep 18, 2008

Sandy Lovell said:
The classic system has better information. There were glitches in inventory in the new reservation system. I called and they know about some of the glitches.

Since you are trying for an existing resort you should not have the issue that the inventory is not in the system and you would have to call. The previous poster was talking about a brand new property not having any inventory, not an existing property.

Stick to the Classic version. Good Luck.

Since you know you are going to make a reservation soon, why don't you just try booking 3 days now and seeing what happens when you can add a day. When the dates you want become available just change your reservation. Try booking something smaller than you need, I think that as long as you need more points for a reservation it is not considered a cancellation. You should review that wording before trying however the booking.

So if you want a 2 BR for real in a few more weeks, try the 1 BR now, out 9 months and add a day. Make sure you take a weekday to start that way if you start on a weekend later it is more points.

I'm not 9 months out yet - Oct 3rd is 9 months out.

If I book a 2bed and have to drop to a one if that's all that's available, that could be cancelling? I definitely am appreciating the comments now - they will allow me to call and have questions before Oct. 9th.

Thanks!

UWSurfer · Sep 18, 2008

I've booked the last three reservations this way and have not been faced with a size availability issue so long as I do it at or very near midnight each night when the next day's availability is revealed.

pianodinosaur · Sep 22, 2008

When all else fails, try calling HGVC and a club representative will try to help. I have had very good luck that way. However, I usually stay an entire week. I have only used the 3 day option in Las Vegas. If we were to fly all the way to Hawaii, we would stay at least a week.

Zac495 · Sep 23, 2008

pianodinosaur said:
When all else fails, try calling HGVC and a club representative will try to help. I have had very good luck that way. However, I usually stay an entire week. I have only used the 3 day option in Las Vegas. If we were to fly all the way to Hawaii, we would stay at least a week.

I'm staying 2 weeks. I'm staying one week in Hilton - I hope. I was going to book 3 days - then add the fourth, then the fifth - and so on until I had 7 nights. It's been suggested that if I wait until I can book 7 nights, the first 3 will be gone.

UWSurfer · Sep 23, 2008

Zac495 said:
I'm staying 2 weeks. I'm staying one week in Hilton - I hope. I was going to book 3 days - then add the fourth, then the fifth - and so on until I had 7 nights. It's been suggested that if I wait until I can book 7 nights, the first 3 will be gone.

As I noted earlier, I've done the book three and add the remaining days, one night at a time, a few times now and it works great. I've never had a problem with availability of room size, but not wishing to tempt fate I do it as close to midnight as I can when the next day is revealed.

The only reason this wouldn't work would be if availability was taken by owners of the resort you are booking as their home resort and for some reason took all of the availability for a certain day 12 months out, instead of the 9 month window you are playing with.

You should be fine, and it's another nice feature HGVC now offers!

Zac495 · Sep 24, 2008

UWSurfer said:
As I noted earlier, I've done the book three and add the remaining days, one night at a time, a few times now and it works great. I've never had a problem with availability of room size, but not wishing to tempt fate I do it as close to midnight as I can when the next day is revealed.

The only reason this wouldn't work would be if availability was taken by owners of the resort you are booking as their home resort and for some reason took all of the availability for a certain day 12 months out, instead of the 9 month window you are playing with.

You should be fine, and it's another nice feature HGVC now offers!

thanks - I'm thinking it'll work out - but when I do look on any day other than a Friday, there's little inventory. If I lived on the west coast and planned on visiting Hawaii more than once every 7 or 8 years, I would probably buy 5K in Hawaii. Out of curiosity - if you purchase a small Hawaii package, can you book 12 months out and borrow points from your Sea World package 12 months out?

UWSurfer · Sep 24, 2008

Zac495 said:
thanks - Out of curiosity - if you purchase a small Hawaii package, can you book 12 months out and borrow points from your Sea World package 12 months out?

Nope. When you book 12 months out using your home resort week, you must book exactly what you own. Example, you own a 2 bdrm ...you must book exactly what you own at your home resort, in this case a 2 bdrm if you wish to do so 12 months out. If you wanted to make any deviation (3 bdrm, 1 bdrm, studio) you must wait until 9 months out.

dvc_john · Sep 24, 2008

To add to what was said above, if you book at 12 months out, it not only has to be the resort, unit size, and season you own, it also has to be exactly 7 days, and begin on the standard check-in day-of-the week for that resort, which for all the HGVC developed resorts in Hawaii is a Saturday.

pianodinosaur · Sep 24, 2008

Zac:

This piece of advice may seem like a pain but this is how I do it. I usually plan my Hilton resort vacations over 1 year in advance. If I am planning an RCI exchange, I plan about 2 years in advance. Once I know the time I want to go for a vacation, I go to the HGVC Club Calender and schedule 9 months in advance for trips to Hawaii. I have never been disappointed since I started in 2001.

zora · Feb 6, 2012

I realize this post is almost 4 yrs old but I'm relatively new to tug and am only reading it now. I wanted to know whether you still plan your hgvc vacations this way. And is there any advantage to booking the lagoon tower through Rci instead of through hgvc? Thank you.

Talent312 · Feb 6, 2012

zora said:
I realize this post is almost 4 yrs old but I'm relatively new to tug and am only reading it now. I wanted to know whether you still plan your hgvc vacations this way. And is there any advantage to booking the lagoon tower through Rci instead of through hgvc? Thank you.

Some do, with reported success. (Zac no longer owns HGVC.)
If you use HGVC points to make an RCI booking, it typically takes fewer points (a 2BR = 4800 points) than it does to book directly thru HGVC. However, finding availablitiy thru RCI will be difficult, as it is, even for direct HGVC bookings.

alwysonvac · Feb 6, 2012

zora said:
I realize this post is almost 4 yrs old but I'm relatively new to tug and am only reading it now. I wanted to know whether you still plan your hgvc vacations this way.

As a HGVC member, you have access to the online reservation system.
Take a look at Oahu availability during the next 9 months [Club Season] then take a look at the Orlando, Vegas and the Big Island for the next 9 months and make your own determination.

And is there any advantage to booking the lagoon tower through Rci instead of through hgvc? Thank you.

I won't count on it using your HGVC points. HGVC has requested a RCI restriction that prevents HGVC members from booking HGVC developed resorts more than 9 months in advance via RCI. They then deposit lagoon tower rooms into RCI more than 9 months in advance which will prevent HGVC members from reserving these rooms via RCI. But I see that you own non-HGVC timeshares, so there may be hope for an RCI exchange in your future

For more details regarding the RCI restriction see POST #26 in this thread - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130546

Here's a link to some of the HHV bulk sightings on TUG. Take a look at the date posted compared to the date available for exchange. It's more than 9 months in advance (NOTE: Must be logged in as a TUG member to view links).
Sighting for stays in 2012 - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146423
Sighting for stays in 2011 - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117244
Sighting for stays in 2010 - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98728

zora · Feb 7, 2012

Alwysonvac, thank you! I have an Rci weeks account (separate from hgvc) and saw the large deposit of 2012 bay club weeks back in may, 2011, but didn't think it was a big deal. I didn't see the bulk deposit of the other properties though, strange.
We usually stay 3 or 4 nights at the lagoon tower and I'm trying to figure out how to get into the 9 to 12 month bracket. I'm told that if I buy into the lagoon tower I only have priority for the 7 nights/ 1 week that I purchase. Does anyone know how I can get priority for less than 1 week?

alwysonvac · Feb 7, 2012

zora said:
We usually stay 3 or 4 nights at the lagoon tower and I'm trying to figure out how to get into the 9 to 12 month bracket. I'm told that if I buy into the lagoon tower I only have priority for the 7 nights/ 1 week that I purchase. Does anyone know how I can get priority for less than 1 week?

No, it's not possible to get priority for less than a 1 week.

In order to take advantage of your home resort booking window [9 to 12 month bracket], owners need to book exactly what they own (season, unit size, unit view on the designated checkin day for the full 7 nights).

The only options you have for the Lagoon Tower are...
(1) the 3 day add on at the 9 month mark exactly at midnight Eastern during Club Season.
(2) constantly checking later (after the 9 month mark) to see if HGVC released more units or members cancellations. [See links below to previous discussions regarding availability during the 9 month window]
(3) book during Open Season

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139269
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134694

I see that you live in Honolulu, so Open Season might work very well for you.

Track Open Season availability to get an idea. TUG members have reported that availability constantly changes during Open Season so check often.

Good Luck

[2008] adding onto a 3 day reservation

Zac495

dvc_john

hicksville

DEROS

Sandy VDH

TUG Review Crew: Elite

Zac495

UWSurfer

Tug Review Crew

pianodinosaur

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

Zac495

UWSurfer

Tug Review Crew

Zac495

UWSurfer

Tug Review Crew

dvc_john

pianodinosaur

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

zora

Talent312

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

alwysonvac

zora

alwysonvac