Question: Changing a Week, Maui

[csodjd]

I'm planning for 2021. I have a floating week, 2BR, OF, at Napili/Lahaina Towers in Maui. I'm going to be in Hawaii for two weeks, the second week being at Lagoon Tower where I also have a week. What that background, here's my dilemma/question:

My preference is to go to Oahu/Lagoon Tower Mar 20-27, then Maui Mar 27-Apr 3. But the Marriott is harder to be sure I'll get what I want, because it is Marriott and it is Spring Break week. (Easter is Apr 4.) In theory I'd wait until 9:00am EST on March 26 next month (the 12-month advance date) and reserve for the following year.

But if for some reason there's nothing available when I get online or call, I could live with going the other way around. So I was thinking about trying to book the Marriott Maui first for the 20th-27th, if I can, then the morning of this coming March 26, CHANGE that reservation to the following week if there is space available. That way if there's no space I at least reserved the first week in Maui. So that's the question -- can I CHANGE a reservation instead of MAKING one when the release window opens up?

 

[rthib]

Why not take advantage of the 13 month back to back reservation windows?

 

[MOXJO7282]

If you think the Marriott is the harder of the 2 I would give myself the most opportunities to get that week so I'd try for that as soon as i could and keep trying if you don't get it until you do. I don't know if you saw my previously thread about Marriott not releasing units right at 9am. 2 years in a row I got my Pres week by being persistent and just checking 20 times a day until they popped up 36 hours from the official 9am expected availability.

 

[csodjd]

Why not take advantage of the 13 month back to back reservation windows?

Lagoon is Hilton, not Marriott. <g>

 

[csodjd]

If you think the Marriott is the harder of the 2 I would give myself the most opportunities to get that week so I'd try for that as soon as i could and keep trying if you don't get it until you do. I don't know if you saw my previously thread about Marriott not releasing units right at 9am. 2 years in a row I got my Pres week by being persistent and just checking 20 times a day until they popped up 36 hours from the official 9am expected availability.

Thanks. That's both helpful and disturbing. <g>

I expect Marriott to be harder because it's spring break week.

 

[MOXJO7282]

This is the big challenge with a float week where you really want that one week and it's a holiday week. That has been my goal for Pres week for almost 20 years having gone to the MOC many times over Pres week. In the past Marriott always released them precisely at the right time and a diligent person could get what was needed but lately they're making it much harder.

 

[csodjd]

This is the big challenge with a float week where you really want that one week and it's a holiday week. That has been my goal for Pres week for almost 20 years having gone to the MOC many times over Pres week. In the past Marriott always released them precisely at the right time and a diligent person could get what was needed but lately they're making it much harder.

I've considered buying a $2500 1BR island view in order to buy my way into the 13-month window. But, as I understand it, that really doesn't change things because they release some inventory, but not all, at 13 months, then the rest at 12 months. So the 13 month people are just getting access to the 13 month inventory, not a first shot at all the inventory.

 

[echino]

Changing a Marriott week reservation is tricky. When you reserve your first week, you can no longer see availability online for other weeks. So when the reservation window opens for the second week, you have no way of knowing if it's available.

Another snag is you cannot change a Marriott reservation. You can cancel, pay a cancellation fee, and then try rebooking. By the time you do that, the second week may be gone, and the first week may be gone too, and you will end up paying a cancellation fee and having no reservation.

You may try calling Marriott the moment reservation window opens for the second week, and asking them to try changing it. But if it's a high demand week, any availability will likely be gone while you are on the phone.

If I were you, I would not make a backup reservation for the first week. I would just take my chances and try to reserve the second week online.

 

[csodjd]

Changing a Marriott week reservation is tricky. When you reserve your first week, you can no longer see availability online for other weeks. So when the reservation window opens for the second week, you have no way of knowing if it's available.

Another snag is you cannot change a Marriott reservation. You can cancel, pay a cancellation fee, and then try rebooking. By the time you do that, the second week may be gone, and the first week may be gone too, and you will end up paying a cancellation fee and having no reservation.

You may try calling Marriott the moment reservation window opens for the second week, and asking them to try changing it. But if it's a high demand week, any availability will likely be gone while you are on the phone.

If I were you, I would not make a backup reservation for the first week. I would just take my chances and try to reserve the second week online.

Thanks. That's what I was looking for. Not the answer I wanted necessarily, but the information.