Splitting a reservation with member services, unsure how to proceed

[Deirdres]

I called member services today to break up a three day reservation at OKW that I had booked. I was looking to make it 3 single reservations, so if I found one of the days in RAT at AKL, I could do the 2-browser trick and swap one day out. (I will be at AKL for the two days prior, and have a current waitlist for all three additional days). Was very surprised when I was told that they could not do this, especially since originally it was three separate reservations that I had called and had combined. She did mention something about having the names on the res different for each night, and that might work. Does anyone know the best way to accomplish splitting the res? FYI, there currently isn't any availability to work with, dates are completely booked.

 

[CarolMN]

To the best of my recollection, MS has pretty much always been reluctant to split a single reservation into multiples. They will even combine multiples into a single if they happen to notice them. But of there are different names on the reservations, they will not combine them.

Do you have enough points to book a single night at AKV? If so, you could book it when it's available and then ask MS to drop the first or last day of the OKW reservation as appropriate. Obviously, this wouldn't work if the first night you find at AKV is the middle night you need, but you have a 2 out of 3 chance of the first or last night coming through first, so maybe you'll be lucky.

Good luck!

 

[Deirdres]

To the best of my recollection, MS has pretty much always been reluctant to split a single reservation into multiples. They will even combine multiples into a single if they happen to notice them. But of there are different names on the reservations, they will not combine them.

Do you have enough points to book a single night at AKV? If so, you could book it when it's available and then ask MS to drop the first or last day of the OKW reservation as appropriate. Obviously, this wouldn't work if the first night you find at AKV is the middle night you need, but you have a 2 out of 3 chance of the first or last night coming through first, so maybe you'll be lucky.

Good luck!

Unfortunately I do not have enough points to add the extra night, need to figure out how to stalk the RAT for single days and then swap resorts as I doubt my 3 day waitlist will come through.

 

[Dean]

I called member services today to break up a three day reservation at OKW that I had booked. I was looking to make it 3 single reservations, so if I found one of the days in RAT at AKL, I could do the 2-browser trick and swap one day out. (I will be at AKL for the two days prior, and have a current waitlist for all three additional days). Was very surprised when I was told that they could not do this, especially since originally it was three separate reservations that I had called and had combined. She did mention something about having the names on the res different for each night, and that might work. Does anyone know the best way to accomplish splitting the res? FYI, there currently isn't any availability to work with, dates are completely booked.

I've split a reservation into 2 in the past but the last few years I recall several the tried and were told no and I don't recall any successful reports that didn't include a cancelation and rebooking. The best way to handle this would have been up front with single day wait lists but I likely wouldn't do what you were asking even if you could.

 

[Sandisw]

I think that the difficulty is that right now, there is no availability for the days you want to split and so, once you cancel the day, it could go to a wait list before it can be re-booked. Technically, to split, it has to be given a new reservation which means it has to be canceled first. Ideally, it would be great if they could find a way to modify reservations online so you could cancel part of it and replace it with something else. But, as of now, its only MS you can do it.

The only other option I can think of, since you don't have the points to book before canceling is to call and book a night with similar point totals by buying one time use points to cover, and then canceling it. Once you cancel, call MS to see if they can swap the one time use points into the 3 day reservation (providing those days were booked 7 months or less in advance). This way, some of your own points would be freed up and show up online so that you could book on your own. The drawback, of course, is that you have to pay for the points, and if you are beyond your banking deadline for the freed up points, and nothing comes through, you could be stuck.

 

[Deirdres]

I think that the difficulty is that right now, there is no availability for the days you want to split and so, once you cancel the day, it could go to a wait list before it can be re-booked. Technically, to split, it has to be given a new reservation which means it has to be canceled first. Ideally, it would be great if they could find a way to modify reservations online so you could cancel part of it and replace it with something else. But, as of now, its only MS you can do it.

The only other option I can think of, since you don't have the points to book before canceling is to call and book a night with similar point totals by buying one time use points to cover, and then canceling it. Once you cancel, call MS to see if they can swap the one time use points into the 3 day reservation (providing those days were booked 7 months or less in advance). This way, some of your own points would be freed up and show up online so that you could book on your own. The drawback, of course, is that you have to pay for the points, and if you are beyond your banking deadline for the freed up points, and nothing comes through, you could be stuck.

Thank you for the advice. The 3 days at OKW were booked at about 10 months, so I guess I don't have that option. My chances of getting AKL is a long shot anyway, as I am looking for W-F, on marathon week. I just figured I might have a chance for the Wed., to add to my 2 nights at AKL (M-T). We are starting the trip at BCV for 3 nights, and don't usually do split stays, but it looks like we will be moving twice.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Earlier this year I had 2 or 3 single reservations but with consecutive days. MS combined them without me knowing/accepting so I called them and asked them to split them again as I too wanted to stay somewhere else if I could get the days. Got a supervisor and she split the reservation into singles again. Can't remember if they got new reservation numbers or not.

So to my knowledge it can be done, I have to admit that this is the one and only time I ever tried to do it - maybe I was lucky.

I did however learn to put different names on each reservations if I wanted to be sure to keep them as singles - I know that OP asked for them to be combined so this doesn't apply here.

 

[Sandisw]

Earlier this year I had 2 or 3 single reservations but with consecutive days. MS combined them without me knowing/accepting so I called them and asked them to split them again as I too wanted to stay somewhere else if I could get the days. Got a supervisor and she split the reservation into singles again. Can't remember if they got new reservation numbers or not.

So to my knowledge it can be done, I have to admit that this is the one and only time I ever tried to do it - maybe I was lucky.

I did however learn to put different names on each reservations if I wanted to be sure to keep them as singles - I know that OP asked for them to be combined so this doesn't apply here.

I definitely think that using different names is the way to go if you know you want to help ensure MS doesn't automatically combine. And, I am glad that you were able to get it split back. I too wonder if it is because you booked that way and therefore, they had to fix it back to your original booking!!!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I called member services today to break up a three day reservation at OKW that I had booked. I was looking to make it 3 single reservations, so if I found one of the days in RAT at AKL, I could do the 2-browser trick and swap one day out. (I will be at AKL for the two days prior, and have a current waitlist for all three additional days). Was very surprised when I was told that they could not do this, especially since originally it was three separate reservations that I had called and had combined. She did mention something about having the names on the res different for each night, and that might work. Does anyone know the best way to accomplish splitting the res? FYI, there currently isn't any availability to work with, dates are completely booked.

Afaik best hope to get it done is to email and ask to have each of the 3 nights booked under a different name. You'll be able to change that later if necessary.

It isn't guaranteed that they will do it though.