Booking/Point Timelines

[boxer156]

I've learned A LOT on here, but the one thing that confuses me is the timelines with Wyndham (DVC is MUCH easier to understand). Here is what I'm gathering--let me know if I'm wrong:

1. I can book (13mos) APR for any 'Club' Resort (mostly Bonnet Creek will be my use)
2. If I have to BORROW points from the next year to finish the reservation--this has to wait for 10mos??? If that is correct--then what do you all do to ensure you have at least 'part' of that booking--do you book the nights you can afford for now, and then go back at the 10mos time and book the remaining?
3. I think there is also a restriction on using 'banked' points from the previous year--and that booking window, correct?

For example, I will be booking (hoping to at least) the 4-bedroom at WBC in 2026--and I'm not sure I'll have quite enough points. So I'll book some from my 2025 points, and need to know if those will be usable at the 13mos APR. If not, I need some ideas how to secure the nights I can afford--and how to add the rest later. Hopefully that makes sense, lol.

 

[paxsarah]

Assuming you own Club Wyndham Access
1. You can book at Club Wyndham Access locations at 13 months. 10 months at all Club Wyndham locations, and 5 months (assuming no VIP level) at Margaritaville.
2. Borrowing points from a future year can only happen within 3 months of check-in
3. Banked points (called "points deposit") can only be used in the 10-month window.

The points that are used for a reservation come from the use year of the check-in date of the reservation. If you're planning a 2026 trip and expect to need to use some 2025 points, you'll need to proactively use points deposit to move those 2025 points to 2026. You can do that (again assuming no VIP level) in the the first 3 months of the 2025 use year. Once moved, those points can only be used to book in the 10-month window. So your scenario could look like booking at the 13 month window with your 2026 points to get as many nights as you can, then hoping to add additional nights at the 10-month window with your deposited 2025 points.

 

[HitchHiker71]

From page 315 of the members directory:

I've learned A LOT on here, but the one thing that confuses me is the timelines with Wyndham (DVC is MUCH easier to understand). Here is what I'm gathering--let me know if I'm wrong:

1. I can book (13mos) APR for any 'Club' Resort (mostly Bonnet Creek will be my use)

You can only use ARP points to book into your "Home" resort. For any CWS contract, that's your deeded resort (so if you bought a CWS BC contract - you'd have ARP only for the BC resort), For a CWA contract, that's for any resort held by the trust, subject to the deeds for the resort in question that are held within the CWA trust (which includes some BC inventory - though to be clear IDK if it includes any four bedroom PR/Presidential units).

1. If I have to BORROW points from the next year to finish the reservation--this has to wait for 10mos??? If that is correct--then what do you all do to ensure you have at least 'part' of that booking--do you book the nights you can afford for now, and then go back at the 10mos time and book the remaining?

You can only borrow points within the ERP - or the 90 day Express reservation window. You can rent points for $12/1000 if you don't have enough points to use, but only in the SRP/ERP windows, not in the ARP window, and you can only rent enough points to cover the last night of the reservation (reference screenshot below). Yes, you could book as many nights as you have points within the ARP window - then wait until the SRP opens, and add nights to the existing reservation, however just remember you can only ever add a maximum of three additional nights to an existing reservation - and any one reservation can never exceed the 14 night maximum.

1. I think there is also a restriction on using 'banked' points from the previous year--and that booking window, correct?

Deposited points are only available for the SRP and ERP windows, per the members directory guide here:

For example, I will be booking (hoping to at least) the 4-bedroom at WBC in 2026--and I'm not sure I'll have quite enough points. So I'll book some from my 2025 points, and need to know if those will be usable at the 13mos APR. If not, I need some ideas how to secure the nights I can afford--and how to add the rest later. Hopefully that makes sense, lol.

Deposited points, per above, are not available in the ARP window. You cannot rent points in the ARP window - if you attempt to make a reservation beyond the number of points you own - the system simply tells you that you don't have sufficient points to make the ARP reservation in question - it doesn't offer any ability to rent points for an ARP reservation. The only option you'd have is to wait until the ten-month SRP window opens and then add nights to the existing reservation (if the four-bedroom units are still available at that time).

 

[boxer156]

THANK YOU Hitchhiker71!!!!

 

[Shiba]

I think your getting an April contract. Once the contract is in your account you have to bank within the first 3 months of your use year. I don't know if you have specific dates for your 2026 reservation, but I would book the hardest to get dates first which is typically weekends. I would start my reservation on Thurs or Friday and book as many days as you can because the middle of the week is typically easier to book. Wait until the 10 month mark (to the day) and see if the remainder of your dates are available to ADD to your reservation. You can modify your reservation to add days.

If your dates are flexible book a week in the Value season versus Prime or High Season.Your points will go a little further. Keep in mind that you will have a lot of competition if you're going to book a holiday, so those 4 bedrooms will go quickly. Also, if you can make sure there aren't any large events happening in the area on the week you want to go. For instance (F1 weekend and trying to book a Vegas resort) lots of other people want the same dates.

Hope this helps!

 

[boxer156]

I think your getting an April contract. Once the contract is in your account you have to bank within the first 3 months of your use year. I don't know if you have specific dates for your 2026 reservation, but I would book the hardest to get dates first which is typically weekends. I would start my reservation on Thurs or Friday and book as many days as you can because the middle of the week is typically easier to book. Wait until the 10 month mark (to the day) and see if the remainder of your dates are available to ADD to your reservation. You can modify your reservation to add days.

If your dates are flexible book a week in the Value season versus Prime or High Season.Your points will go a little further. Keep in mind that you will have a lot of competition if you're going to book a holiday, so those 4 bedrooms will go quickly. Also, if you can make sure there aren't any large events happening in the area on the week you want to go. For instance (F1 weekend and trying to book a Vegas resort) lots of other people want the same dates.

Hope this helps!

Thanks Shiba!!!! Fortunately we travel in 'Value' season almost 100% of the time. That's a great idea to grab those weekends first--so that is what I'll aim to do! We travel from like a Wed-thru-the following Saturday---so like 9/10 nights for our bigger trip.

Dumb question--is it 13mos from that 'first' check-in night? Or the last one?

 

[HitchHiker71]

Thanks Shiba!!!! Fortunately we travel in 'Value' season almost 100% of the time. That's a great idea to grab those weekends first--so that is what I'll aim to do! We travel from like a Wed-thru-the following Saturday---so like 9/10 nights for our bigger trip.

Depends on what you're going to try to do - weekends are also the most expensive on points - so you will get comparatively fewer days with your limited points allotment if you go this route. I'm not saying don't do this, I'm simply saying weekend nights are much more expensive on points than Sun-Thu nights. Below is a screenshot of the points chart from BC for direct reference. IIRC you are looking for May weeks - or weeks 18-21 typically, which is a mix of value and high weeks depending on your actual date range. If we assume value, Sun-Thu nights are 28000/night, whereas Fri-Sat nights are 45500/night. If you book the weekends, you'll have to burn Fri/Sat/Sun night - which would use 45500(2)+28000=119k points, plus 45500 for the following Friday night, plus meet the two night minimum, or a total of 119k+45.5k+28k=192.5k points just for the weekend days - and you'd only be able to do this with two different reservations - then at the ten month mark try to fill in the weekday nights and then ask Wyndham to chain the three separate reservations together (which typically can be done - but there is no guarantee to be clear). The other way you could go is the book as many consecutive days as you can with your resale points in a single reservation - which would be seven days maximum if you do this right at 13 months, then add the additional three days at the ten month SRP marker. If my math is right and we assume all value days - and roughly 300k resale points - you'd be able to book Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue (seven nights maximum) for 231k points. You would then need to book Wed/Thu/Fri - which would consume an additional 28k+28k+45.5k=101.5k points - or 332.5k points all total right when the SRP window opens. Please check my math to be sure.

Dumb question--is it 13mos from that 'first' check-in night? Or the last one?

If you book right at 13 months - you can only book up to seven nights from the first night maximum, then you'd have to wait three more days to add three more nights, or in your case, you'd have to wait until the SRP window opens. Personally, I'd probably book the seven nights right at 13 months, then I'd wait three days - and check again - and if another four bedroom PR/Presidential unit is still available - cancel the first reservation - then go back in and book as many nights as you can with your alloted points - which again if my math is right - would be Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu nights for 287k points, then wait for the SRP window to open and then add the one remaining Friday night (which takes you into Saturday morning leave day), or Fri/Sat if you want to not have to leave Sat AM and then just leave whenever you want later on Saturday PM.

 

[boxer156]

Depends on what you're going to try to do - weekends are also the most expensive on points - so you will get comparatively fewer days with your limited points allotment if you go this route. I'm not saying don't do this, I'm simply saying weekend nights are much more expensive on points than Sun-Thu nights. Below is a screenshot of the points chart from BC for direct reference. IIRC you are looking for May weeks - or weeks 18-21 typically, which is a mix of value and high weeks depending on your actual date range. If we assume value, Sun-Thu nights are 28000/night, whereas Fri-Sat nights are 45500/night. If you book the weekends, you'll have to burn Fri/Sat/Sun night - which would use 45500(2)+28000=119k points, plus 45500 for the following Friday night, plus meet the two night minimum, or a total of 119k+45.5k+28k=192.5k points just for the weekend days - and you'd only be able to do this with two different reservations - then at the ten month mark try to fill in the weekday nights and then ask Wyndham to chain the three separate reservations together (which typically can be done - but there is no guarantee to be clear). The other way you could go is the book as many consecutive days as you can with your resale points in a single reservation - which would be seven days maximum if you do this right at 13 months, then add the additional three days at the ten month SRP marker. If my math is right and we assume all value days - and roughly 300k resale points - you'd be able to book Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue (seven nights maximum) for 231k points. You would then need to book Wed/Thu/Fri - which would consume an additional 28k+28k+45.5k=101.5k points - or 332.5k points all total right when the SRP window opens. Please check my math to be sure.

View attachment 102349

If you book right at 13 months - you can only book up to seven nights from the first night maximum, then you'd have to wait three more days to add three more nights, or in your case, you'd have to wait until the SRP window opens. Personally, I'd probably book the seven nights right at 13 months, then I'd wait three days - and check again - and if another four bedroom PR/Presidential unit is still available - cancel the first reservation - then go back in and book as many nights as you can with your alloted points - which again if my math is right - would be Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu nights for 287k points, then wait for the SRP window to open and then add the one remaining Friday night (which takes you into Saturday morning leave day), or Fri/Sat if you want to not have to leave Sat AM and then just leave whenever you want later on Saturday PM.

First of all thank you again for such a detailed response!!! And I'll preface this with the fact that I really took for granted how easy DVC is--when I start seeing all the different windows/rules/etc for Wyndham lol. Anyhow, I THINK I understand:

*So essentially I have my 13month window for WBC--BUT can only book (7) days total, correct?

*I think I follow you that I book initially at exactly 13mos (for the 7 days), but then check again in the additional 3-days to see if that room is still open. If its open--I'm understanding that I 'cancel' the first reservation, and book the entire 10-day stay??? Dumb question---why could I not just book the 7-days--keep it--and then book the remaining days in 3-days time???

*In follow-up to the above, I'm not following you on the fact that I can book 7-days at 13mos--but then have to wait to book the remaining 3 at 10mos? I understood above, if I waited 13mos+3days--I could book the 'entire' 10 days at once?

*I DID NOT know about the weekend thing you mention!!!! I never realized you have to reserve Fri/Sat together, no matter when you are checking out!! So in this case, it be smarter for us to check out on a Friday--because we would typically fly out on a Sat early-AM flight anyhow--so that be a waste of a full day points.


If this is too much--I can just PM you.

 

[HitchHiker71]

First of all thank you again for such a detailed response!!! And I'll preface this with the fact that I really took for granted how easy DVC is--when I start seeing all the different windows/rules/etc for Wyndham lol. Anyhow, I THINK I understand:

*So essentially I have my 13month window for WBC--BUT can only book (7) days total, correct?

Right at 13 months - yes this is correct - you can only book up to seven days beyond the 13 month marker.

*I think I follow you that I book initially at exactly 13mos (for the 7 days), but then check again in the additional 3-days to see if that room is still open. If its open--I'm understanding that I 'cancel' the first reservation, and book the entire 10-day stay??? Dumb question---why could I not just book the 7-days--keep it--and then book the remaining days in 3-days time???

Or you could just wait for three days beyond the 13 month marker - at which point you could book up to 10 days (7+3). The core issue is you can only book seven days beyond the 13 month marker no matter what.

*In follow-up to the above, I'm not following you on the fact that I can book 7-days at 13mos--but then have to wait to book the remaining 3 at 10mos? I understood above, if I waited 13mos+3days--I could book the 'entire' 10 days at once?

You don't have enough points to book all ten days unless you buy a contract with 332.5k points that all qualify for BC ARP. IIRC you're only buying a contract with around 311k? So you could book all but the last night (Fri night into Sat AM). You'd have to wait until the SRP window and then attempt to add this night to the existing reservation.

*I DID NOT know about the weekend thing you mention!!!! I never realized you have to reserve Fri/Sat together, no matter when you are checking out!! So in this case, it be smarter for us to check out on a Friday--because we would typically fly out on a Sat early-AM flight anyhow--so that be a waste of a full day points.

All Club Wyndham resorts require a minimum two night reservation no matter what. Some resorts have higher night minimums over weekends or during high/prime season. This information is documented in the member directory for each resort. If you check out on Friday - where are you going to stay Friday night since you don't fly out until Saturday AM?

 

[boxer156]

Or you could just wait for three days beyond the 13 month marker - at which point you could book up to 10 days (7+3). The core issue is you can only book seven days beyond the 13 month marker no matter what.

I actually like your idea of securing the 7-days 'right' at 13mos....and then going back 3 days later to see if I can lock them all in (this way I am guaranteed at least those first 7 nights)

You don't have enough points to book all ten days unless you buy a contract with 332.5k points that all qualify for BC ARP. IIRC you're only buying a contract with around 311k? So you could book all but the last night (Fri night into Sat AM). You'd have to wait until the SRP window and then attempt to add this night to the existing reservation.

I will probably end up cutting the Fri night stay--and just book flights that leave Fri night (or even do a 1-day stay at our DVC). As for the points, I'm HOPING I can bank my unused 2025 points (since I should hopefully keep that April U/Y), since we won't use many for our Fall 2025 trip.

Now with that said, I *think* I can't use those Banked points until 10mos out, correct? So, essentially, I could ONLY book my 300k points at 13 mos (or 13mos+3 days), then have to go back again at 10mos to book the extra night.

 

[bnoble]

If you haven't done so yet, I'd encourage you to read the Owner Resources section of the Directory. It spells the rules out very clearly (and that makes it easier to understand some of these optimizations.)

2023-2024 CW Directory

media.travelandleisure.com

 

[paxsarah]

*I DID NOT know about the weekend thing you mention!!!! I never realized you have to reserve Fri/Sat together, no matter when you are checking out!! So in this case, it be smarter for us to check out on a Friday--because we would typically fly out on a Sat early-AM flight anyhow--so that be a waste of a full day points.

You do not have to book Fri/Sat together. There is a 2-night minimum per reservation regardless of days of the week. But I could book, for example, a check-in on a Monday and check-out on a Saturday (so including Friday night but not Saturday).

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I actually like your idea of securing the 7-days 'right' at 13mos....and then going back 3 days later to see if I can lock them all in (this way I am guaranteed at least those first 7 nights)

This really isn't like DVC. You're going to have no problem getting whatever you want at 12 months and 20 days or whatever.

 

[Floridaman76]

This really isn't like DVC. You're going to have no problem getting whatever you want at 12 months and 20 days or whatever.

Maybe, maybe not. Booking Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years, some people book a couple days "long" (early) to get their dates, then hope to extend later. It's been a known strategy for a while because some people assume everything will be available at 13 months.

Park City is one of those places this is an issue. But I generally agree that "most places", you absolutely should be able to book.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Maybe, maybe not. Booking Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years, some people book a couple days "long" (early) to get their dates, then hope to extend later. It's been a known strategy for a while because some people assume everything will be available at 13 months.

Park City is one of those places this is an issue. But I generally agree that "most places", you absolutely should be able to book.

He wants ARP at Bonnet Creek though. There is absolutely wide open availability at Bonnet Creek well after the 13 month mark in every room category. Nothing in Bonnet Creek is selling out at 12 months and 23 days.

 

[paxsarah]

It seems the issue is less that they might need to book at 12.75 months to book a longer than 7-night stay, but that they might need to supplement with some points deposited from another year that can only be used at 10 months (ideally by modifying to add days, I would think). If it's May and not too close to Memorial Day, I wouldn't think it's much of an issue (for instance, I could book a stay today for May 12-16 or May 19-24 in a 4BR, and there are 1/2 night stretches available throughout the month - only 6 months out). But it seems the real issue is strategically choosing which nights to add at 10 months.

 

[Floridaman76]

He wants ARP at Bonnet Creek though. There is absolutely wide open availability at Bonnet Creek well after the 13 month mark in every room category. Nothing in Bonnet Creek is selling out at 12 months and 23 days.

Yeah, specifically talking about BC, I don't see any issues booking there at 13 months.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

It seems the issue is less that they might need to book at 12.75 months to book a longer than 7-night stay, but that they might need to supplement with some points deposited from another year that can only be used at 10 months (ideally by modifying to add days, I would think). If it's May and not too close to Memorial Day, I wouldn't think it's much of an issue (for instance, I could book a stay today for May 12-16 or May 19-24 in a 4BR, and there are 1/2 night stretches available throughout the month - only 6 months out). But it seems the real issue is strategically choosing which nights to add at 10 months.

I think the only room category that even has a chance of selling out prior to the 10 month mark in May is the 4 bedroom presidential unit.

 

[HitchHiker71]

I actually like your idea of securing the 7-days 'right' at 13mos....and then going back 3 days later to see if I can lock them all in (this way I am guaranteed at least those first 7 nights)


I will probably end up cutting the Fri night stay--and just book flights that leave Fri night (or even do a 1-day stay at our DVC). As for the points, I'm HOPING I can bank my unused 2025 points (since I should hopefully keep that April U/Y), since we won't use many for our Fall 2025 trip.

Now with that said, I *think* I can't use those Banked points until 10mos out, correct? So, essentially, I could ONLY book my 300k points at 13 mos (or 13mos+3 days), then have to go back again at 10mos to book the extra night.

Thats's correct - deposited points can only be used in the SRP/ERP windows in the future use year. So, you'd only be able to use the 300k points, which is why I said what I said.

 

[boxer156]

I think the only room category that even has a chance of selling out prior to the 10 month mark in May is the 4 bedroom presidential unit.

Yeah, that's the one I'll need in 2026......but I'm going to book RIGHT at the 13mos---then book the rest in 3 days like HitchHiker71 said. Otherwise, most of my trips will be 1 or 2 Bedroom in the Value season.

 

[HitchHiker71]

Yeah, specifically talking about BC, I don't see any issues booking there at 13 months.

IME booking a four bedroom unit at 10 months isn't a guarantee though, even if it's just adding 1-2 nights to an existing reservation. Likely it won't be an issue, but it's not a guarantee.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

IME booking a four bedroom unit at 10 months isn't a guarantee though, even if it's just adding 1-2 nights to an existing reservation. Likely it won't be an issue, but it's not a guarantee.

Yeah, 4 bedroom is the only one that can be tricky sometimes. I think there are only 12 of those across property (two on the top floor of each building). It could be less. OP, could you make do with two two bedroom units instead if you had to as a backup?

 

[boxer156]

Yeah, 4 bedroom is the only one that can be tricky sometimes. I think there are only 12 of those across property (two on the top floor of each building). It could be less. OP, could you make do with two two bedroom units instead if you had to as a backup?

We really want that 4-bedroom......we took the tour and fell in love with it. Probably be the only family vacation with extended family too--so want to make it special. I really think I'll be OK with the booking--I'm used to setting the calendar to book right 'at' the threshold. Used to own Grand Floridian Villa, and you HAD to book right at 11mos to even hope to get a standard room

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

We really want that 4-bedroom......we took the tour and fell in love with it. Probably be the only family vacation with extended family too--so want to make it special. I really think I'll be OK with the booking--I'm used to setting the calendar to book right 'at' the threshold. Used to own Grand Floridian Villa, and you HAD to book right at 11mos to even hope to get a standard room

You can always pick up an additional even year Bonnet creek contract to ensure you have enough points in 2026. Those aren’t hard to get on eBay at fire sale prices. That avoids the possibility that you can’t add to it at the 10 month mark.

 

[Pink_Warrior]

You can always pick up an additional even year Bonnet creek contract to ensure you have enough points in 2026. Those aren’t hard to get on eBay at fire sale prices. That avoids the possibility that you can’t add to it at the 10 month mark.

How many 4 bedroom presidentials are there aside from the ones in tower 6 where the PR units are?