Anyone have luck with combining a 1BR booked through DVC exchange and Studio paid for with cash?

[Shelb14]

We're family travelling together as a party of 6 (2 Grandparents, 2 parents and 2 kids). We are trying to get (2) 1 BR units at SSR for late August, by using RCI to exchange into DVC. In both 2015 & 2017 we had success trading for (2) units with the same dates.

Our ongoing search hit for (1) of the 1BRs for a whopping 85,000 points this weekend & it's currently on hold. Does anyone have an idea if this price is the new "norm" or why it's so much more than we've paid in the past (54,000-68,000 points)? When I viewed the room on hold from my mobile device it had a code 14S. I'm not sure what hat means. I'm hoping it's standard and not preferred.

Because we have not matched for the 2nd ongoing search, and the 1st match was SOOO expensive, I went ahead and booked a SSR Studio directly through Disney under their Free Dining promotion which ended yesterday.

Has anyone had success in getting DVC to link the reservations and then putting you in a 2 Bedroom Lockoff?

Potential issues I could see:
1) the 1 BR may be a preferred unit, while my Studio is not
2) as a cash booking, the Studio has daily housekeeping (which we don't need), while the 1BR does not. I would be happy to forgo daily housekeeping for a mid week if that allowed us to have connecting rooms.
3) we have the Disney Dining plan, but my parents do not.

I'd love a unit that is actually connected so we could share the kitchen, it would also allow my kids to each have their own sleep sofa and it would make it easier for us to get dinner one night while my parents spend time with their grand kids.

I appreciate any input from folks who may have tried this before. I'm aware that room requests are not always granted, and I totally understand that. Thanks so much.

 

[littlestar]

I have booked a standard studio on DVC points and combined an RCI 1 bedroom standard trade by requesting they be linked - both units had the same lead name. They told me they would try to put them side by side and they were able to do it, but this was not a holiday or busy time either.

 

[bendadin]

Having just stayed RCI AKV last week, while they don't have housekeeping, they do come in for a visual (and take the garbage at the same time.) They did come in on day 4 for towels, etc. And we have done SSR after the split and our unit was not preferred so that might be on your side. They treated us really nice. They gave us a welcome platter of chocolate covered strawberries (although two days before we actually arrived because we were on a Disney cruise.) So when I gave the platter to housekeeping, they gave us a new welcome platter of zebra domes.

I'd list as many people that the studio holds to get those free dining credits. If the kids are under 9, I'd list adults rather than children to get adult meal credits.

 

[Shelb14]

Having just stayed RCI AKV last week, while they don't have housekeeping, they do come in for a visual (and take the garbage at the same time.) They did come in on day 4 for towels, etc. And we have done SSR after the split and our unit was not preferred so that might be on your side. They treated us really nice. They gave us a welcome platter of chocolate covered strawberries (although two days before we actually arrived because we were on a Disney cruise.) So when I gave the platter to housekeeping, they gave us a new welcome platter of zebra domes.

I'd list as many people that the studio holds to get those free dining credits. If the kids are under 9, I'd list adults rather than children to get adult meal credits.

Oh, that's a great idea...I wish I had done that! I have my immediate family of 4 on the Studio reservation, so 3 "Disney Adults" (me,my husabnd and my 12 year old) and also my 9 yo son. Unfortunately free dining ended yesterday and the 1 Bedroom matched late last night. My parents are booked on the 1 Bedroom. I don't think they'd let me change guests on the Studio at this point? I'm definitely looking for ways to maximize the use of the dining plan. We've only used it one other time, back in 2012 when we booked a Free Dining package.

 

[bendadin]

Oh, that's a great idea...I wish I had done that! I have my immediate family of 4 on the Studio reservation, so 3 "Disney Adults" (me,my husabnd and my 12 year old) and also my 9 yo son. Unfortunately free dining ended yesterday and the 1 Bedroom matched late last night. My parents are booked on the 1 Bedroom. I don't think they'd let me change guests on the Studio at this point? I'm definitely looking for ways to maximize the use of the dining plan. We've only used it one other time, back in 2012 when we booked a Free Dining package.

You have the room booked under the promotion, so my bet is that they will let you amend your guests. I'm guessing it was the standard 2 day PH purchase per guest (which is still fine to use on anybody else as they sit in MDE.) I would call and ask to amend your guests.

 

[sb2313]

To answer your question, 2 years ago I successfully combined an akl kidani 1 bedroom from rci with a Dvc point booked studio, both Savannah view. I contacted dvc and cross referenced both reservations on each. Additionally, I called front desk at aklv a few months out and followed up 5 days before checkin. This resulted in success and 7 nights in a 2 bedroom.

 

[bnoble]

code 14S. I'm not sure what hat means. I'm hoping it's standard and not preferred.

14S means: "One bedroom, sleeps four, checking in on Saturday." (The other 1BR codes are 14F (Friday) and 14U (Sunday), IIRC.) RCI does not know which section deposits are drawn from, only DVC does, and they can't tell you until RCI sends a confirmed reservation over so I don't think there is any way to know without confirming.

 

[Dean]

We're family travelling together as a party of 6 (2 Grandparents, 2 parents and 2 kids). We are trying to get (2) 1 BR units at SSR for late August, by using RCI to exchange into DVC. In both 2015 & 2017 we had success trading for (2) units with the same dates.

Our ongoing search hit for (1) of the 1BRs for a whopping 85,000 points this weekend & it's currently on hold. Does anyone have an idea if this price is the new "norm" or why it's so much more than we've paid in the past (54,000-68,000 points)? When I viewed the room on hold from my mobile device it had a code 14S. I'm not sure what hat means. I'm hoping it's standard and not preferred.

Because we have not matched for the 2nd ongoing search, and the 1st match was SOOO expensive, I went ahead and booked a SSR Studio directly through Disney under their Free Dining promotion which ended yesterday.

Has anyone had success in getting DVC to link the reservations and then putting you in a 2 Bedroom Lockoff?

Potential issues I could see:
1) the 1 BR may be a preferred unit, while my Studio is not
2) as a cash booking, the Studio has daily housekeeping (which we don't need), while the 1BR does not. I would be happy to forgo daily housekeeping for a mid week if that allowed us to have connecting rooms.
3) we have the Disney Dining plan, but my parents do not.

I'd love a unit that is actually connected so we could share the kitchen, it would also allow my kids to each have their own sleep sofa and it would make it easier for us to get dinner one night while my parents spend time with their grand kids.

I appreciate any input from folks who may have tried this before. I'm aware that room requests are not always granted, and I totally understand that. Thanks so much.

I've done this and similar a number of times combining exchanges with points reservations, going from a 2 BR to a 1 BR and vice versa without changing rooms and the like. The issue is where you have the same category room booked. The number for Member Services should be on your confirmation, call and ask the room type of the exchange and make the request to combine. Make the same request on the cash side. Don't do online checkin, go to the Front Desk and request again.

 

[Shelb14]

14S means: "One bedroom, sleeps four, checking in on Saturday." (The other 1BR codes are 14F (Friday) and 14U (Sunday), IIRC.) RCI does not know which section deposits are drawn from, only DVC does, and they can't tell you until RCI sends a confirmed reservation over so I don't think there is any way to know without confirming.

Thanks, this is very helpful information!

 

[Shelb14]

I've done this and similar a number of times combining exchanges with points reservations, going from a 2 BR to a 1 BR and vice versa without changing rooms and the like. The issue is where you have the same category room booked. The number for Member Services should be on your confirmation, call and ask the room type of the exchange and make the request to combine. Make the same request on the cash side. Don't do online checkin, go to the Front Desk and request again.

When you've had success, did they give you a 2 bedroom lockoff or a 2 bedroom dedicated unit? I recently saw that the 2nd bedroom in dedicated units have 2Q beds instead of 1Q+1SS, which would be great. We'd be very happy with either scenario.

 

[Dean]

When you've had success, did they give you a 2 bedroom lockoff or a 2 bedroom dedicated unit? I recently saw that the 2nd bedroom in dedicated units have 2Q beds instead of 1Q+1SS, which would be great. We'd be very happy with either scenario.

It has to be a 2 BR lockoff in this situation, there really is no chance of a non lockoff unit as they will have to give you a a BR and studio. At VB one time on an exchange, we had a 2 BR and only needed a 1 BR and I offered to accept same just to be helpful but they said it was not an option. Likewise if one is standard and one preferred, you won't be able to combine them. That's not to say that it's a zero chance but it's very close.

 

[Swans5]

I've done this and similar a number of times combining exchanges with points reservations, going from a 2 BR to a 1 BR and vice versa without changing rooms and the like.

You sound experienced using RCI to exchange into DVC. I posted another thread trying to get a feel for how hard this is to do, and so far no one has mentioned direct experience succeeding. We are inheriting a Wyndham/RCI deed that is eligible for a deedback, and that sounds like a great (free) option to get rid of it. But if it were possible to succeed in getting DVC through RCI, we might just keep the deed. I don't mind putting time and effort in. (We own DVC already.) I'm the sort who is sitting by the computer at 6AM pacific when Moonlight Magic becomes available, books FPs at 60 days, dining at 180 days, etc.

Thoughts or advice?

 

[paxsarah]

You sound experienced using RCI to exchange into DVC. I posted another thread trying to get a feel for how hard this is to do, and so far no one has mentioned direct experience succeeding. We are inheriting a Wyndham/RCI deed that is eligible for a deedback, and that sounds like a great (free) option to get rid of it. But if it were possible to succeed in getting DVC through RCI, we might just keep the deed. I don't mind putting time and effort in. (We own DVC already.) I'm the sort who is sitting by the computer at 6AM pacific when Moonlight Magic becomes available, books FPs at 60 days, dining at 180 days, etc.

Thoughts or advice?

I missed reading your other topic because the subject line read to me like a DVC owner wanting to use their DVC points to exchange out via RCI, which I have no experience with.

It is fairly easy to exchange into an SSR 1BR through RCI, and Wyndham points are a fairly economical way to do that. (Assuming the Wyndham deed is points and not an unconverted legacy fixed week.) Especially if you're fairly flexible, SSR units come up throughout the year, usually 3-6 months in advance of check-in. It's quite rare (but not unheard of) to exchange into another resort, but basically impossible to get larger than a 1BR within the last several years. The best method of getting an exchange is to set up an ongoing search in RCI. We've stayed at SSR in 2017 and 2018, BWV in 2016, BLT in 2014, and BCV in 2012. (It was around 2016-17 that the deposits became almost exclusively SSR.)

 

[Dean]

You sound experienced using RCI to exchange into DVC. I posted another thread trying to get a feel for how hard this is to do, and so far no one has mentioned direct experience succeeding. We are inheriting a Wyndham/RCI deed that is eligible for a deedback, and that sounds like a great (free) option to get rid of it. But if it were possible to succeed in getting DVC through RCI, we might just keep the deed. I don't mind putting time and effort in. (We own DVC already.) I'm the sort who is sitting by the computer at 6AM pacific when Moonlight Magic becomes available, books FPs at 60 days, dining at 180 days, etc.

Thoughts or advice?

As I posted on the other thread, I wouldn't take it unless it makes sense without DVC. I own DVC and also trade in. I do own a small amount of Wyndham points as well. Even if you were successful getting SSR 1 BR using it, you'd have the Wyndham fees, RCI fees (either through Wyndham or directly), the exchange fee and the DVC extra $195 fee. Not worthwhile for a single week IMO for a SSR 1 BR sometimes. And it might not even be enough TPU to get a 1 BR.

 

[paxsarah]

And it might not even be enough TPU to get a 1 BR.

This would almost certainly be the case if the deed is a legacy fixed week. If the deed is converted or UDI points at a reasonable MF rate, it's a good economical way to get that SSR 1BR.

 

[Swans5]

This would almost certainly be the case if the deed is a legacy fixed week. If the deed is converted or UDI points at a reasonable MF rate, it's a good economical way to get that SSR 1BR.

It's points, 308,000 biennial odd. We usually stay in DVC studios, so a 1bdrm would be quite an upgrade. Dean above referenced four separate fees associated with making this exchange. That gives me pause. But we are super flexible.

Is there a fee for setting up the ongoing search? Also: Janeway!!! <3

I just checked forum etiquette, and it looks like I should move further discussion to the other thread I started, so I'll do that now. thx!