Points question for dummies

[snoopy5386]

I have a June use year and tomorrow I will be booking a trip for November of 2013. I want to use 97 of my 2012 points for this trip. I have to bank them first right?

[chalee94]

yes.

but remember: once you bank them, they cannot be "unbanked."

[luckyman_apd]

Originally Posted by snoopy5386

I have a June use year and tomorrow I will be booking a trip for November of 2013. I want to use 97 of my 2012 points for this trip. I have to bank them first right?

Yes, that is correct. Your June UY points can only be used from June 2012 till May 31st 2013 unless you bank them. Once banked, they will become 2013 points and can't be used until June 2013. So yes, you will need to bank them first. June UY you should have till the end of January to bank them. Just remember, banking and borrowing are final transactions. You can't undo them.

[maburke]

Originally Posted by snoopy5386

I have a June use year and tomorrow I will be booking a trip for November of 2013. I want to use 97 of my 2012 points for this trip. I have to bank them first right?

If you are looking at booking right when your window opens, be aware that you can bank online ahead of time, and not waste reservation time to do it. Your banked points will be immediately available for reservation.

[Smile&Nod]

I think i need an education as well. I thought that you could make a reservation now before the banking deadline and use your points for a future UY reservation.

For example, if you have June 2012 points , the banking deadline is 1/31/13 and want to use them in your 2013 use year you don't actually have to bank them first?

Maybe when i've called they have actually banked my points for me.

[DebbieB]

Originally Posted by Smile&Nod

I think i need an education as well. I thought that you could make a reservation now before the banking deadline and use your points for a future UY reservation.

For example, if you have June 2012 points , the banking deadline is 1/31/13 and want to use them in your 2013 use year you don't actually have to bank them first?

Maybe when i've called they have actually banked my points for me.

With a June use year, your 2012 points are good for stays 6/1/12 to 5/31/13. For stays 6/1/13 or after, they have to be banked. When you make the reservation has nothing to do with use year, it's always date of stay.

[BlazerFan]

I don't know if you have enough points in your 2013 UY to make the reservation or if you need the 97 points.

If you have enough 2013 points for the reservation and want more flexibility, you could book the trip with 2013 points only. Then, before the banking deadline, when you are sure you don't need the points before 5/31/13 you could bank them and call MS to re-allocate your points on the November reservation to use up the banked points first.

That's what I've done in the past just in case I'm able to book a last minute trip.

[myxdvz]

call MS to re-allocate your points on the November reservation to use up the banked points first.

I didn't know this was possible! I was going to post a similar question that involves borrowing from next year's UY. Then switching those points with another ressie made with current UY.

Any risk of losing either reservations?

[TMAN264]

I have a similar question, as we are close to buying a DVC. We tend to travel in fall, so a June Y/E was recommended to me. My question is, if I buy a June Y/E, can I book a future trip even though the points haven't happened yet? Example, We want a October 2013 trip, but I have zero points until June 2013. Can I call today and reserve the trip since it is less than 11 months away? Thanks!

[chalee94]

Originally Posted by TMAN264

I have a similar question, as we are close to buying a DVC. We tend to travel in fall, so a June Y/E was recommended to me. My question is, if I buy a June Y/E, can I book a future trip even though the points haven't happened yet? Example, We want a October 2013 trip, but I have zero points until June 2013. Can I call today and reserve the trip since it is less than 11 months away? Thanks!

let's say you have a sept UY and don't have any pts coming until sept 2014.

you can STILL book a stay 11 months out (as far out as nov 2013 - which is in your 2013 UY) by borrowing those 2014 UY pts.

11 months (at your home resort) is the ONLY issue regarding when you can call.

when you book at stay in your 2013 UY, you have access to banked 2012 UY pts (if any) + current 2013 UY pts ("current" based on dates of the stay - again, the date of your call means nothing) + borrowed 2014 UY pts (if needed).

more info is here if you need it:

Understanding Use Year - Updated 5/31/2012

[DebbieB]

Originally Posted by TMAN264

I have a similar question, as we are close to buying a DVC. We tend to travel in fall, so a June Y/E was recommended to me. My question is, if I buy a June Y/E, can I book a future trip even though the points haven't happened yet? Example, We want a October 2013 trip, but I have zero points until June 2013. Can I call today and reserve the trip since it is less than 11 months away? Thanks!

Future use years are loaded into your account in advance. I have an April use year and if I look online at my account, I see 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. So I could use 2013 points now and even borrow 2014 for a stay after 4/1/13.

[BlazerFan]

Originally Posted by myxdvz

I didn't know this was possible! I was going to post a similar question that involves borrowing from next year's UY. Then switching those points with another ressie made with current UY.

Any risk of losing either reservations?

I think the only restriction is if you booked your home resort at 11 months you can't change out with points from a different resort at the 7 month mark. I know MS was checking that last time I did this, but they were all points from the same home resort.