Booking advise for new years 2017 at Isla Mujeres

[Amphihauler]

I'm the son of an owner who has access to booking in my fathers account via the permissions addendum. My wife and I would like to book a one or two week stay starting between Christmas and New years. New Years is our 10th anniversary and the main goal of the trip. My folks will more then likely attend with us but are in ailing health and we aren't positive if they can.

I've been reading posts on here about lead in days and through away days. I'm wondering if anyone has any advise on the best booking strategy for this resort during the holidays?

Also as an authorized user through the permissions addendum I assume I would book as a guest for myself but would that restrict my booking window from the 13 months? If I book this as the owner, my father, and he later can't come can I change it to a guest reservation or would I loose it? I've booked rooms at Depoe Bay and Sea Side for my wife and I as guests before we got the permissions addendum set up so I'm not sure if that changes things in the online reservation system.

 

[bizaro86]

The lead in days got changed, grouped reservations now require each segment to be booked at the 13 month window.

I would be sure to be online exactly when the window opens. Practice getting your reservation in as few clicks as possible, an use the saved search feature.

It will be easier to get a reservation the earlier you start your vacation (ie dec 20th check in vs dec 27th). Depending on how many points you have available, it may be worth it to walk your reservation.

Ie book dec 19th-jan 2nd on the first available day

Then book dec 20th-jan 3rd the next day, and after you have it cancel the first one, doing the same thing each day.

That way you always have a reservation, even if its not the exact preference for dates.

It will also depend what toom type you want, as I think there are only a few 1 bedrooms...

 

[Amphihauler]

We would prefer the 1 bedroom but will probably take what we can get. How does the wait-list option work? I've submitted a wait-list reservation for 12/22 - 1/5 but noted I'd take as little as 7 days and as much as 14. IS that automatic when the booking window opens?

 

[bizaro86]

I dont think the pre-booking window waitlist works for high demand reservations, since I think its just manual on a 'when they get to it' basis. You will want to be online exactly when the booking window opens to check for yourself.

 

[HudsHut]

Which year are you trying for?

New Years Eve 2016 / New Years Day 2017 (2 months from now)
or
New Years Eve 2017 / New Years Day 2018 (14 months from now)

The reason I'm confused is you mention the 13 month window, which would lead me to believe you're making a reservation for one year from now, but then you mention that you've waitlisted 12/22 - 1/5. The earliest you can waitlist for the 12/22/17 - 01/05/18 timeframe is 11/22/17, once those dates are no longer available.

If it's 2 months away, immediately call and change your wait list request to notify you if any single day becomes available within that timeframe. Start picking up a day at a time to string the reservation together.

***
Since you are reserving with credits, the guest name has no impact. You may enter your own name as guest immediately.

I would also like to invite you to join us at
www.wmowners.com/forum

 

[Amphihauler]

Which year are you trying for?

New Years Eve 2016 / New Years Day 2017 (2 months from now)
or
New Years Eve 2017 / New Years Day 2018 (14 months from now)

The reason I'm confused is you mention the 13 month window, which would lead me to believe you're making a reservation for one year from now, but then you mention that you've waitlisted 12/22 - 1/5. The earliest you can waitlist for the 12/22/17 - 01/05/18 timeframe is 11/22/17, once those dates are no longer available.

If it's 2 months away, immediately call and change your wait list request to notify you if any single day becomes available within that timeframe. Start picking up a day at a time to string the reservation together.

***
Since you are reserving with credits, the guest name has no impact. You may enter your own name as guest immediately.

I would also like to invite you to join us at
www.wmowners.com/forum

14 months out. Should have said New Years EVE 2017 in the subject. I called WorldMark and figured out how the waitlist works. I submitted one for those dates but it doesn't exist sense it's 14 months out. The system didn't tell me that when I sent it.

I was wondering if I had enough credits and the window opened say 14 days before my intended visit date could I book a a 3 week stay and then a month or two later change my reservation to a 1 week stay by canceling the first two weeks would I get a refund on those credits?

 

[HudsHut]

Today is Oct 20, 2016. You can reserve a stay beginning Nov 20, 2017 -- except for the fact that Nov 20 and 21, 2017 have already been reserved.
Since there are only two units total, and only one remaining for Nov 22, 23 & 24, 2017, you have to be the first one online at exactly 6:00 am Pacific time this Saturday morning, Oct 22, 2016, to make a reservation beginning Nov 22, 2017.

What bizaro is suggesting (and I agree), is to

1a) Set up a saved search with the parameters
1 bedroom deluxe
Nov 22, 2017
14 days (or however many you have enough credits for)

1b) Reserve as many days as you have credits for (7 - 14), this coming Saturday.
1c) change the saved search to begin with Nov 23, 2017

2a) On Sunday, cancel the reservation you made Saturday.
2b) Immediately rebook beginning with Nov 23, 2017.

3) Repeat the steps every day until Nov 22, 2017, when you will have finally arrived at the week of Dec 22, 2017 and you can book the real 14 day reservation then.

Although this process is lengthy, this is a technique that can help you get a reservation for high demand weeks.

General info regarding wait lists:
As soon as a day on/after the 13 month window goes missing from the calendar, you may call up and wait list it. Do NOT do it online. When you call the wait list is set up while you are on the phone -- you should ask them to read it back to you, since you can't see it anywhere. The online process is really a paper process. It is not immediate, it occurs when an employee gets a chance, after their other work is done, then the wait list will be set up in the next 24 - 48 hours. You have to call to verify that it was set up, and that it was set up correctly.

 

[Amphihauler]

Thanks for the info. That's a lot of work every morning at 6 am. Not sure I have teh time to stay on top of that every day.

 

[easyrider]

Thanks for the info. That's a lot of work every morning at 6 am. Not sure I have teh time to stay on top of that every day.

You could reserve a trip somewhere else to get the trip your after. This is what I call point burning. You make the reservation for a studio in blue season at 300 points a night + housekeeping for usually one or two nights and then a reservation for the weeks your after. This works pretty good but does cost a bit.

Bill

 

[geist1223]

Don't believe EasyRider's advice will work with new Group Reservation Rules. The first day of each segment must be within the 13 months booking window.

 

[easyrider]

What are the new rules that prevent point burning ? When I use points for the first segment of a reservation, which is within the 13 month window, to any wm resort, I can also book the next segment on that same reservation. The first segment is part of the reservation and can not be canceled without canceling the entire reservation. In this way I can reserve hard to get units like the ocean front penthouse in August or a unit for an event like Mardi Gras or New Years Eve.

Bill

 

[rahulgopi]

What are the new rules that prevent point burning ? When I use points for the first segment of a reservation, which is within the 13 month window, to any wm resort, I can also book the next segment on that same reservation. The first segment is part of the reservation and can not be canceled without canceling the entire reservation. In this way I can reserve hard to get units like the ocean front penthouse in August or a unit for an event like Mardi Gras or New Years Eve.

Bill

As per the new rule, both segment of the reservation SHOULD start in the 13 month window. This is essentially to prevent someone from booking a throwaway studio and bypass the 13 month rule for a high demand week.

 

[easyrider]

Again I am asking what new rule regarding grouped reservations. The WM guidelines for grouped reservations in red season have no verbiage that states a person is required to physically use any of the days they booked. There is nothing to prevent any member from burning points to get the unit they want. If I want to start my trip in Palm Springs in a blue season studio for 300 points a night + housekeeping and then group a high demand week in red season the only restriction I see is the group reservation can not exceed 14 days.

10. Grouped Reservations consist of two or more consecutive Red Season reservations (segments) linked together so that the grouped segments comply with the seven-night minimum stay requirement. Grouped Reservation bookings can be facilitated to create one continuous vacation, booked for and occupied by the same guest(s). The individual segments can be at a single, or at multiple resorts. The first day of all segments must be within 13 months of check-in at the time of reservation. Additional segments can continue to be added to a Grouped Reservation until the total of all segments exceeds 14 nights, at which point no more segments can be added. Any further nights need to be booked as a separate reservation in compliance with the Guidelines. There is a 48 hour waiting period for any changes or modifications to a confirmed Grouped Reservation not in compliance with the Guidelines on the original date of booking.

Am I wrong ?????

Bill

 

[easyrider]

Ok, I was missing something and the point burning is going to be very expensive.

Bill

 

[rahulgopi]

Ok, I was missing something and the point burning is going to be very expensive.

Bill

Point burning is not an option anymore. All segment start date of any reservation SHOULD be inside 13 month window. I was trying to attach few days at Valle Isle HI to my existing Kihei reservation (Dec 27 2017 onwards). It was not possible since the second segment start date was not inside 13 month window. That being said I was able to book from Dec 23rd to Jan 1 2018 at Kihei sharp at the 13 month window. I guess it have a positive impact on availability. Megarenters are using reservation walking to work around this. Hopefully the 48 hour rebook restriction may apply to reservation walking in the near future to discourage walking.

 

[easyrider]

Thanks rahulgopi. I forgot about the ability to walk the reservations using different accounts.

So in your case, you couldn't group the Valley Isle because the reservations need to be at the same resort when grouped but you could have grouped two weeks in Kihei ?

Bill

 

[Marathoner]

Megarenters are using reservation walking to work around this. Hopefully the 48 hour rebook restriction may apply to reservation walking in the near future to discourage walking.

It has been my experience that the new rules have greatly leveled the playing field between megarenters and regular owners. Since everyone must now book at the 6am opening, megarenters really have little advantage over regular owners. Stitching together grouped reservations with throwaway days greatly favored megarenters because they could use their excess points to book the days they wanted without much competition from small credit owners. Megarenters need the ability to scale their rentals and they can no longer do this as easily as before. They can book 1 reservation at 6am but when they try to secure the second reservation, it will be all be gone.

I've noticed greater availability at the prime resorts for the weeks that I'm interested in. So don't worry about the megarenters any more. The fact that you were able to book your Christmas week in Hawaii is proof that the system has leveled.

 

[rahulgopi]

Thanks rahulgopi. I forgot about the ability to walk the reservations using different accounts.

So in your case, you couldn't group the Valley Isle because the reservations need to be at the same resort when grouped but you could have grouped two weeks in Kihei ?

Bill

I couldnt group ValleyIsle since ValleyIsle segment was outside 13 month window. For the same resort and same room type one can book upto 30 days as usual. For e.g at Kihei I could have booked Dec 27 2017 - Jan 26 2018 today (Nov 27 2016) exactly at 13 month window in a 1 BR or 2 Br etc. What I cannot do is reserve a 1 Br from Dec 27 to Jan 5 and then continue in a 2 Br from Jan 5th to Jan 26. In this case the 2 Br segment is outside 13 month window and I will have to wait until Jan 5th to add that segment, provided it is available and one is fast enough to land one.

 

[rahulgopi]

It has been my experience that the new rules have greatly leveled the playing field between megarenters and regular owners. Since everyone must now book at the 6am opening, megarenters really have little advantage over regular owners. Stitching together grouped reservations with throwaway days greatly favored megarenters because they could use their excess points to book the days they wanted without much competition from small credit owners. Megarenters need the ability to scale their rentals and they can no longer do this as easily as before. They can book 1 reservation at 6am but when they try to secure the second reservation, it will be all be gone.

I've noticed greater availability at the prime resorts for the weeks that I'm interested in. So don't worry about the megarenters any more. The fact that you were able to book your Christmas week in Hawaii is proof that the system has leveled.

Very true, at 13 month window there is definitely more availability.