Extra points in account

[Cyberc1978]

Yesterday evening when I looked at my DVC account I all of a sudden had 62 extra points in my account - in holding that is.

I checked my points activity and saw one of my rented reservations being cancelled. I talked to my renter to ensure that everything was fine and it was. They had been upgraded from a studio at BCV to a 1BR - not a bad trade off

I then checked my account and all points are intact no extra points are taken.

question am I allowed to use the points or rent them for that matter? They are in holding so it limits the use of them.

just curious if I’m allowed to use them?

regards.

 

[drusba]

I am not clear on what happened. If I am understanding correctly, you rented a reservation to another for a studio. When that renter arrived at BCV, he got an "upgrade" to a 1BR (possibly because he requested one). That upgrade was done by cancelling the studio reservation and thus sending the 62 points into holding.

We need a "rest of the story," because if you have not checked your point accounts for actual totals from the current or next use year, there may be a serious "surprise" awaiting you, and it may not show up in your account until today. If the renter was given an upgrade, it is possible that what happened is that a large number of points from your account have been charged for that 1BR, because that is what can happen when a renter asks for and gets an "upgrade' when the initial reservation is in points, i.e., you may be paying for that upgrade. That is why it recommended that any rental agreement make it clear that the renter is not to request any upgrade.

Nevertheless, something different may have happened because points for the studio were put back into your account as holding points instead of being used as part of the upgrade. That suggests, possibly, that the renter actually made and paid for in cash a new reservation for that 1BR, giving up his rental from you. But that would not be an "upgrade," but a new reservation that would undoubtedly cost that renter a lot more money than the renter paid you.

As to being able to rent points in holding, the answer is yes you can but it can be difficult to do because holding points can be used only for making reservations at 60 days or less from date of arrival, which severely limits the anbility to do a rental.

 

[Chuck S]

Wait a couple days to see what happens. If the points were modified at the resort, Member Services will need to review it. Resort managers have limited access to points, and many do not understand how they work. If your renter requested the one bedroom, it may very well be that the points for the studio were refunded, and the points for a one bedroom will be taken from your account. It has happened before.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Thanks.

For now everything looks normal except for the extra holding points.

My current and future UY looks normal.

according to my renter she regularly gets upgraded as she is a travel agent.

I’ll wait a few days to see what happens If anything.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks.

For now everything looks normal except for the extra holding points.

My current and future UY looks normal.

according to my renter she regularly gets upgraded as she is a travel agent.

I’ll wait a few days to see what happens If anything.

I had this happen when they messed up my account at check in. They had to do some canceling and then rebooking.

It took a few days, maybe a week, everything to be sorted out Including the correct points to be taken.

I get that this traveler is normally upgraded, but in this case, with DVC, the front desk may not realize what could happen And how different it is with a points reservation

I think the only way as the owner of the points you’d get to keep them is if the renter was changed to a cash stay in a 1 bedroom for free, Not given a DVC upgrade...even in those cases, the original points are taken.

I would give them a call to make sure that you are not going to be chargEd for the upgrade down the road.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I think this is kind of similar to the card in Monopoly that says, "Bank error in your favor!"

The trouble is, in the real world, if you spend the bank's money, then after a while, when they find the error, they will come looking for you, and the bank always WILL find the error, eventually.

Will that happen with the Disney Booking and Management program? Who knows? We already know that the program is a piece of trash that is far from perfect. But, it might happen, eventually.

So, what it looks like to me, is that when the upgrade was made, whoever made it, didn't transfer the points over. They probably were supposed to do that. HOWEVER, though the standard practice is probably to do that, it isn't NECESSARY and it isn't 'illegal' that they DIDN'T do that.

Disney has a bit of spare inventory floating around, constantly, which they can use as they see fit, to provide free upgrades and compensation and things like that. They often use it to 'make things right' for someone who has had a problem, or to provide a free perk to someone. So, this PROBABLY will slip by, since whoever set up the 'upgrade' probably (and possibly accidentally) put it into that category. So, the computer program might not necessarily come looking for the points to 'balance things out.'

I personally think that if you went ahead and used the points or spent the points, then if Disney ever DID come looking for you to pull the points from your account, then you would have a REASONABLE argument that it was THEIR ERROR and THEIR FAULT, and that you just innocently assumed the points were yours, since your 'friend' got a FREE UPGRADE. Since Disney did the Free Upgrade and made that choice on their own, without consulting you, and then gave you your points back, they now have NO right to come after you and take the points back, when you have already spent them.

 

[Chuck S]

I think this is kind of similar to the card in Monopoly that says, "Bank error in your favor!"

The trouble is, in the real world, if you spend the bank's money, then after a while, when they find the error, they will come looking for you, and the bank always WILL find the error, eventually.

Exactly. I wouldn't go spending points just yet. You can argue all you like, but this is much like a renter leaving a room charge balance...it will catch up to the DVC Owner, and I'm pretty sure they will take enough points for a one bedroom at some point, as it is kind of obvious,, saying the renter is a travel agent and is accustomed to getting upgrades, that it was not a room problem or resort error that triggered the upgrade, but that the renter asked for the upgrade. I'll give the renter the benefit of the doubt that they may not know points room and cash room work differently for upgrades, but they do. Call member services sooner rather than later, explain the situation, and see what they say.

 

[DVC_B]

The points should be pulled out in a few days. The resort had to check out the original reservation which returned points to you. The upgrade was free but the origional points will be pulled. The resort sends a form to member services to manually pull them out.

 

[Sandisw]

I think this is kind of similar to the card in Monopoly that says, "Bank error in your favor!"

The trouble is, in the real world, if you spend the bank's money, then after a while, when they find the error, they will come looking for you, and the bank always WILL find the error, eventually.

Will that happen with the Disney Booking and Management program? Who knows? We already know that the program is a piece of trash that is far from perfect. But, it might happen, eventually.

So, what it looks like to me, is that when the upgrade was made, whoever made it, didn't transfer the points over. They probably were supposed to do that. HOWEVER, though the standard practice is probably to do that, it isn't NECESSARY and it isn't 'illegal' that they DIDN'T do that.

Disney has a bit of spare inventory floating around, constantly, which they can use as they see fit, to provide free upgrades and compensation and things like that. They often use it to 'make things right' for someone who has had a problem, or to provide a free perk to someone. So, this PROBABLY will slip by, since whoever set up the 'upgrade' probably (and possibly accidentally) put it into that category. So, the computer program might not necessarily come looking for the points to 'balance things out.'

I personally think that if you went ahead and used the points or spent the points, then if Disney ever DID come looking for you to pull the points from your account, then you would have a REASONABLE argument that it was THEIR ERROR and THEIR FAULT, and that you just innocently assumed the points were yours, since your 'friend' got a FREE UPGRADE. Since Disney did the Free Upgrade and made that choice on their own, without consulting you, and then gave you your points back, they now have NO right to come after you and take the points back, when you have already spent them.

The only problem with your argument is that when Disney finds the mistake, they will pull the points from the account. They won’t tell you ahead of time.

I agree that if Disney made the decision to upgrade, then the owner is not responsible for that. But to keep points that would be for the studio reserved without even checking is wrong.

Now, if you contact them and they tell you they were returned because the renter got a free room and you aren’t being charged, then I agree, they can’t come back later.

 

[Great3]

Although I don't know the answer or can predict what will happen in the future, I read enough threads here on DisBoards that DVC will take out the points later in a week or two (kinda like loading of points in for a new contract, it can take a while). It has to be manually adjusted, from what I understand. So while DVC may not take out the points difference for a upgrade, they will probably still take out the 62 points later when finally processing the room change.

I had DVC made an adjustment to my points manually for an exception, and it took them almost 10 days before doing it. So, I wouldn't go spending the points yet, at least wait until 2-3 weeks already past. Keep us posted on what happened at the end.

Great3

 

[Deb & Bill]

If the guest asked for an upgrade because she normally gets an upgrade, you may still be charged the extra points. Then you need to go after her for the cost for the additional points that were used.

 

[The Jackal]

Similar thing happened to us. We had a 2 bedroom standard view at VGF this fall. We were upgraded to a 2 bedroom lake view. Point were put in holding and then later went away after the trip. Do not spend them.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Update

The holding points are now gone again, all of my current and future points are intact.

can only have imagined what would have happen if I had used the points.

Im obviously not allowed to use the points as they are now gone again, why don’t MS inform you when stuff like this happens?

 

[sethschroeder]

Update

The holding points are now gone again, all of my current and future points are intact.

can only have imagined what would have happen if I had used the points.

Im obviously not allowed to use the points as they are now gone again, why don’t MS inform you when stuff like this happens?

Well and my question is how is being a travel agent getting you upgrades? Very strange guess I need to break out fake business cards and hand them in at check in lol.

 

[Chuck S]

Well and my question is how is being a travel agent getting you upgrades? Very strange guess I need to break out fake business cards and hand them in at check in lol.

I would assume an IATA card is required. My cousin got us into SeaWorld in San Antonio for free, once. She does corporate, not leisure, travel.

 

[Chuck S]

..., why don’t MS inform you when stuff like this happens?

Probably because it isn't MS that does those upgrades, it is the front desk.

 

[Sandisw]

Update

The holding points are now gone again, all of my current and future points are intact.

can only have imagined what would have happen if I had used the points.

Im obviously not allowed to use the points as they are now gone again, why don’t MS inform you when stuff like this happens?

I am not sure what they need would have needed to tell you. Your guest used a reservation that you booked for them, They were simply given an upgraded room.

It just took a few days to get the points taken back out for that room as the Front desk adjusted the room.

I think if you had booked a reservation with them, it would have been canceled and the points taken back

 

[Cyberc1978]

Well and my question is how is being a travel agent getting you upgrades? Very strange guess I need to break out fake business cards and hand them in at check in lol.

Maybe the upgrade was pure coincidence and nothing else.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Probably because it isn't MS that does those upgrades, it is the front desk.

True but MS have a part in it as it’s one of their members which all of a sudden gets points returned to their account and are not allowed to use them.

MS should ensure that any and all transactions is as smoothly and trouble free as possible.

 

[Cyberc1978]

I am not sure what they need would have needed to tell you. Your guest used a reservation that you booked for them, They were simply given an upgraded room.

It just took a few days to get the points taken back out for that room as the Front desk adjusted the room.

I think if you had booked a reservation with them, it would have been canceled and the points taken back

Since I did book a room for my guests and looking at my transactions the reservation was cancelled.

honestly I would expect that someone would inform me that the points was not to be used.