Open Season

[NJDave]

I am new to HGVC and am looking to make my first reservation. If I want to reserve a Saturday and Sunday night stay during open season at HHV for cash, do I need to wait until both Saturday and Sunday night are available?

Is there any strategy recommended to get these two nights?

Based on what I see now, it appears that there may be more availability last minute than there is at 29 days out. However, I would prefer to reserve the nights as soon as possible and without using points.

 

[BocaBum99]

The rules for Open Season are:

1) Minimum 2 nights.

2) Check out date must be within 30-days from date of booking.

3) You can book starting at 12 Midnight.

I was confronted with the exact same issue. There was a 2br Premier unit (oceanfront) in the Lagoon Tower. I could have waited for Open Season, but I decided to use points instead rather than fight with people like you and risk losing it.

 

[JonathanIT]

Is there any strategy recommended to get these two nights?

I love Open Season reservations! It's one of the greatest perks of HGVC.

Availability changes constantly. Check the calendar often, and then check in between checking. Then check some more. There have been very few times that what I wanted did not open up eventually. When it does, grab it fast!

Make decisions before hand about things like what type of unit you would like, or settle for (e.g. you may want a 1-bedroom but would you pay a few bucks more if a 2 bedroom pops up, even if you don't need the space?). If you pause to think about these things when they come up, you may lose the unit to someone else.

Be prepared to get nervous when your preferred dates get really close, but you will find that many times availability opens up at the very last minute. Like I have often seen entire weeks become available two days before check in.

If you must travel certain dates, have alternate (but cancellable!) reservations made just in case (and for peace of mind).

Good luck!

 

[jestme]

To understand the open season availability better, look at the cancellation rules. People tend to cancel at the latest time frame, while losing the least amount of points. Although some people just cancel or change their plans at the last minute, there seems to be a bubble at the cancellation windows. The other thing is, if you are extending a vacation, put any "open season" days at the beginning of your vacation. That way, you will know before you go what is happening. If they are at the end of a two week stay, you may already be there still having to check all the time.

 

[NJDave]

Thanks for all the good advice. We bought the Hilton partially for the open season perk since we gernerally like to extend vacations beyond a week (or beyond 2 weeks in this case). The 2 nights at HHV would be perfect if it works out.

 

[BocaBum99]

The other thing I've learned is that since Club points reservations require 3 night stay minimums, there are many stranded 2 night stays that become available in Open Season.

I bought HGVC primarily for Open Season and it's working brilliantly.

 

[itradehilton]

12 midnight?

Is the 12 midnight time based on what time zone? do you have to wait until midnight in your time zone?

 

[jestme]

Is the 12 midnight time based on what time zone? do you have to wait until midnight in your time zone?

Midnight Eastern Time.

 

[JonathanIT]

Make a reservation with points; change to Open Season

I have often used Open Season reservations to replace HGVC points reservataions (if more than two nights). I like to save points for later use if it is possible to pay Open Season rates instead. Of course, the main issue is availability. But here is the method that I use to solve this:

1.) Make sure that your original reservation is made online (i.e. that it is changeable).

2.) Keep checking up until the day before your stay begins for comparable Open Season availability.

3.) If what you are looking for becomes available, see a.) below. If what you are looking for does not become available, see b.) below.

a.) If what you want becomes available, reserve your new unit with Open Season rates. Proceed to change your original reservation online to a similar (with the same or greater amount of points) reservation for later in the year. This reservation can be changed as many times as needed, so just find the appropriate availability. Use, change or cancel this reservation later as needed.

b.) If nothing turns up in Open Season, just simply use your original reservation as planned.

the only time this method would not work is late in the year, like November and or December. Changeable reservations can only be changed within the same year. I love the flexibility of HGVC!

 

[anneww]

You can also try calling the reservation number for open season. I've only used open season once for the HGVC on the Las Vegas Strip for an eight night stay. When I viewed the calendar, at the time, all eight days were not available. I called the reservation number and received all eight days. I did have to pay in full at the time of the reservation, so for a small amount I purchased travel insurance. I think that the open season is non-refundable. Good luck!

 

[alwysonvac]

anneww, jonathanIT and jestme - THANKS FOR THE GREAT OPEN SEASON TIPS

Very clever JonathanIT using the changeable reservation option to get around the cancellation restriction policy for Open Season which states "Reservations booked with ClubPoints and later cancelled cannot be rebooked into the same resort for the same time period using Open Season rental rates"

 

[hockeybrain]

Is open season reservation based 30 days from the first or the last day of open season reservation ie. example: thirty days from your first open season night or thirty days from the second open season night (if two day open season reservation only)?

 

[BocaBum99]

Is open season reservation based 30 days from the first or the last day of open season reservation ie. example: thirty days from your first open season night or thirty days from the second open season night (if two day open season reservation only)?

30 days from the date of CHECK OUT.

 

[NJDave]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I ended up reserving a 2 brdm ocean view at the Lagoon Tower right at the 30 day mark. I thought about waiting for an oceanfront unit or a penthouse but thought the ocean view unit would be fine.

 

[PigsDad]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I ended up reserving a 2 brdm ocean view at the Lagoon Tower right at the 30 day mark. I thought about waiting for an oceanfront unit or a penthouse but thought the ocean view unit would be fine.

If you see a better unit come up in Open Season, you can call HGVC and see if they will change change your reservation. I have found that if you are upgrading (i.e. more $$$ to them), they will let you change your reservation without a penalty. That is not official policy, but I have had some luck with it.

Kurt

 

[jin]

I have often used Open Season reservations to replace HGVC points reservataions (if more than two nights). I like to save points for later use if it is possible to pay Open Season rates instead. Of course, the main issue is availability. But here is the method that I use to solve this:

1.) Make sure that your original reservation is made online (i.e. that it is changeable).

2.) Keep checking up until the day before your stay begins for comparable Open Season availability.

3.) If what you are looking for becomes available, see a.) below. If what you are looking for does not become available, see b.) below.

a.) If what you want becomes available, reserve your new unit with Open Season rates. Proceed to change your original reservation online to a similar (with the same or greater amount of points) reservation for later in the year. This reservation can be changed as many times as needed, so just find the appropriate availability. Use, change or cancel this reservation later as needed.

b.) If nothing turns up in Open Season, just simply use your original reservation as planned.

the only time this method would not work is late in the year, like November and or December. Changeable reservations can only be changed within the same year. I love the flexibility of HGVC!

I used nearly the same strategy to book open season 2 br premium units at the Grand Waikkikian, as well as Kingsland 2 mos ago -- worked like a charm. For Oahu I had prebooked one 2 br premium unit at the Grand Waikikian as a prepaid package through Hilton with a presentation for something like $1200 for 3 nights and was able to get out of the deal 1 week before the stay by changing it to an Orlando package deal for like $50 per day for use a year later. I then booked the SAME room open season for a third of the price and no presentation. For the other week at kingsland, I changed my reservation at HGVC Waikoloa to a reservation later in the year elsewhere, and then booked kingsland open season. Pete:rofl: :rofl:

 

[NJDave]

If you see a better unit come up in Open Season, you can call HGVC and see if they will change change your reservation. I have found that if you are upgrading (i.e. more $$$ to them), they will let you change your reservation without a penalty. That is not official policy, but I have had some luck with it.

Kurt

Thanks. If I see a better unit, I may try to change it. I'll let you know what happens if I do.

 

[ClearStone]

Has the check out date policy changed? It looks like I would be able to book as long as the check IN date is within 30 days.

 

[GT75]

No. The web site will act like you can make the transaction, but try. You will be a error message. It is the same issue with club season bookings (at 276 day checkout date).