Help me learn about the logistics of using points...

[Sunshine Wanted]

So, lets say I have an eoy 7000 (plat) pt week in Waikoloa and that my goal was to book 3 nights in Oahu, and 4 nights in Waikoloa during the high season. I know in my home resort (which in this case is Waik), I can book 12 mos out (right?). But, at HHV (not my home resort) I have a 9 mos booking window.

So, would I start by booking the one week @ Waikoloa at the 12 mos window? However, I think I've heard people saying they book one night at a time (at midnight ET) every night until they have a week. So, how does this work?

And, then at the 9 mos window, do I change some of my nights to the HHV while canceling the nights at Waik? Are there any charges for doing this? Do you need to do the every night at midnight at the computer work to find your 3 nights (one at a time)?

As you can see, I'm trying to really figure out "how" (the knitty gritty) of using your points in the best way to get the dates you want. I've read and read and searched old posts, but without being able to actually log on to anything and see how it works, it is hard to visualize and thoroughly understand.

Thanks in advance for being patient with us newbies... I'm seriously considering buying into the HGVC system, and want to know all the ins and outs before making the commitment.

 

[pianodinosaur]

So, lets say I have an eoy 7000 (plat) pt week in Waikoloa and that my goal was to book 3 nights in Oahu, and 4 nights in Waikoloa during the high season. I know in my home resort (which in this case is Waik), I can book 12 mos out (right?). But, at HHV (not my home resort) I have a 9 mos booking window.

So, would I start by booking the one week @ Waikoloa at the 12 mos window? However, I think I've heard people saying they book one night at a time (at midnight ET) every night until they have a week. So, how does this work?

And, then at the 9 mos window, do I change some of my nights to the HHV while canceling the nights at Waik? Are there any charges for doing this? Do you need to do the every night at midnight at the computer work to find your 3 nights (one at a time)?

As you can see, I'm trying to really figure out "how" (the knitty gritty) of using your points in the best way to get the dates you want. I've read and read and searched old posts, but without being able to actually log on to anything and see how it works, it is hard to visualize and thoroughly understand.

Thanks in advance for being patient with us newbies... I'm seriously considering buying into the HGVC system, and want to know all the ins and outs before making the commitment.

It would be much easier to book a week reservation in one Hawaii location during peak season. I have never had a problem booking a week in Hawaii eventhough I own in Orlando. If you want to stay 4 days in one Island and 3 days in another Island, it would be much easier to stay in the hotels with HHonors. Short stays are fairly easy to book in Las Vegas and Florida time shares with HGVC.

THe HGVC system is extremely flexible. However, timesharing is different than making a hotel reservation. If you own in Waikoloa during platinum season, you can book your 1 week TS reservation or your 4 day TS reservation one year in advance. However, you could not book your TS reservation in Oahu beyond 9 months in advance just like it would be for me. If I am booking for full week and your are booking for 3 days, I think it would me much more likely that I would get my reservation first.

We spent a week last year at the Grand Mayan Riviera Maya and a week at Club Intrawest Whistler and a 3 day weekend in Las Vegas using HGVC points. We will be on a 10 day Spain-Canary Island-Morroco cruise in about six weeks using HGVC points. Our hotel room in Barcelona will be covered by an HHonors redemption. In 2007 we spent a week in Lake Tahoe and a week in Puerto Rico using HHonors redemptions, furthermore, my wife and her sister went spent a week in San Diego with an HHonors redemption. In 2006 we used HGVC points for a Caribbean Cruise and a week in Steamboat Springs.

 

[alwysonvac]

I know in my home resort (which in this case is Waik), I can book 12 mos out (right?). But, at HHV (not my home resort) I have a 9 mos booking window.

Correct

So, would I start by booking the one week @ Waikoloa at the 12 mos window? However, I think I've heard people saying they book one night at a time (at midnight ET) every night until they have a week. So, how does this work?

At the 12 month mark you can book during the Home Week Reservation Window. You can only book a full week at a time. The last time I looked at the home week reservation page a list of weeks were displayed for me to choose from.

From the Club Rules on page 140 of the 2009 Club Members Guide
"Home Week Reservations are full week (seven consecutive nights) reservations at the resort at which a Member has an ownership interest in the season and unit type owned beginning on the resort's standard check-in day ("Home Week") during a period of time referred to as the "Home Week Reservation Window". This window lasts approximately ninety days(90) days beginning one (1) year (365 days) prior to the start of the desired check-in date and ending nine(9) months (276 days) in advance of the desired check-in date."

And, then at the 9 mos window, do I change some of my nights to the HHV while canceling the nights at Waik? Are there any charges for doing this?

Hmmm... I've never done what you're asking but here's how I would do it.

There is something called a changeable reservation option which allows members to change their reservations online. However the changeable reservation option only applies to Club Reservations (and W57's Home Resort reservations). Since the changeable reservation option is not supported for home week reservations, you will need to cancel your home week reservation. Members currently don't have the ability to cancel any HGVC reservation online. This must be done via a phone call to HGVC. Before you cancel your home week, I would ask the HGVC rep to verify that there is availability at the other HGVC resort for your desired travel dates. (NOTE: I suggest cancelling your home week as close as possible to the start of the Club Reservation window).

The Club Reservation window begins after the home week reservation window ends (at the 9 months mark) and has a 3 night minimum requirement. As soon as the Club Reservation window begins, you can rebook the first 3 nights at your home resort online then you can use the online changeable reservation option to add the last four nights stay one day at a time.

Fees from the Club Fee Schedule (page 147)
Home week reservations are complimentary
Club reservations are $49 (online changeable) or $79(changeable via phone)

Do you need to do the every night at midnight at the computer work to find your 3 nights (one at a time)?

Yes, especially since your travel times are tied to the school calendar. You would need to book the first three nights (to satisfy the three night minimum) and then add on each additional night at midnight for the next 4 days. You would need to make all of your Club Reservations bookings exactly at midnight eastern otherwise you could lose your desired travel dates to someone else.
See this thread for details regarding midnight bookings and changeable reservations - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81779

NOTE: What you're attempting to do is very risky. There is always the possibility that someone else might be quicker at grabbing your desired travel dates.
The HGVC rep might be able to give you an idea of how many units are currently available for both resorts before you cancel your home week reservation so you can consider the level of risk before attempting this booking

 

[Sunshine Wanted]

we aren't usually risky

So, since we don't want to be "risky" people, we would probably want to make our 7 nt home week reservation and then ADD 3 nights on Oahu (as paying guests - or maybe if we lucked out open season last minute paying guests). That might be the safest way to have the best of both worlds. Ten nights of vacation is better than 7, right?

 

[alwysonvac]

I've updated my previous post to provide clarification (see RED FONT).

 

[ricoba]

If you don't want to take a risk, book a week with this years 7000 points, and then borrow into the next years points for the next reservation. That's what we did for our visit last spring to Waikoloa.

 

[Sunshine Wanted]

We were kind of thinking of an every other year property, so I'm doubting that we could borrow from 2 years out, right?

 

[jestme]

you are correct, two year out borrowing isn't possible. I have always booked my home week, then gone for open season for a few extra days. If open season doesn't work out, then hotel rooms are always an option. Just a tip, book your home resort for the end of the trip. You want to know about the open season as early as possible, and get it booked. If you put the open season part at the end of the trip, you might still be chasing down open season during the week you are away.

 

[Sunshine Wanted]

open season & air deals

So, if you are doing a week away, and usually plan your air tickets early, that would make it hard for open season right? Are there any tricks that people have about last minute travel and flight rebooking?

Good point about doing open season first, you can relax and stop checking for extra days.