Understanding Use Year - Updated February 10, 2021

[Sandisw]

You mean basically a split trip at the end of July going into August? So using 150 points (banked plus current UY) at the very end of July and then 150 more (new current UY plus borrowed) in August? Very interesting!! Is that complicated to book? Does a reservation that crosses into the next UY count as being in each year separately or would it have to be split into two reservations?

It would still be one reservation. It just that the banked and current points can only be used for the days prior the UY start.

The only drawback for doing something like this is that you are using banked and current points right at the end of the UY. If you had to cancel that trip, you would be stuck and would lose all the points associated with the first part of the trip.

 

[PKS44]

It is not complicated and the options range from using 2 years on one side of the USE YEAR and 2 years on the other side or 1 year on either side and 3 on the other...as stated above--it is one reservation-- you just have to have the points eligible...Just a little trick I discovered to maximize use of points.

 

[chalee94]

The only drawback for doing something like this is that you are using banked and current points right at the end of the UY. If you had to cancel that trip, you would be stuck and would lose all the points associated with the first part of the trip.

this.

crossing use year to use 4 years worth of pts means you are traveling at the end of a use year...better not have to cancel or you are up the creek...

 

[TinknPink]

Potential "future owner" question. After reading the OP multiple times, I may be getting the hang of this, but if I ever become an owner, I can see using Excel to manage all of my current, banked, and borrowed points several years out. Has anyone ever created a detailed Excel spreadsheet to track and manage point usage?

I too would like to see if someone has developed a points tracking spreadsheet. I saw one reply to this question but it included more than what i am looking for (value/interest rates etc). I would like one that just tracks the points with columns for banking, borrowing, and added yearly points etc.

 

[kat3668]

Looking into possible purchasing DVC... I usually travel Sept , Dec, late jan early Feb or march what would be the best use year for me?

 

[Missyrose]

Looking into possible purchasing DVC... I usually travel Sept , Dec, late jan early Feb or march what would be the best use year for me?

Ideally, you want your UY to be just before you travel, so September would work best for you. August would probably also be just fine.

 

[gert]

I am really having a hard time understanding UY.

I'm planning on becoming a member through resale once my home equity loan closes. Probably 150pts at BWV to start. Our travel times would almost always be from June 15th-August 15th every year.

I don't anticipate that changing for another 10 years, and by then I'll have caught addonitis so many times and I'll be so flush with points that it won't matter if they go into holding and expire

What's my best UY?

 

[Sandisw]

I am really having a hard time understanding UY.

I'm planning on becoming a member through resale once my home equity loan closes. Probably 150pts at BWV to start. Our travel times would almost always be from June 15th-August 15th every year.

I don't anticipate that changing for another 10 years, and by then I'll have caught addonitis so many times and I'll be so flush with points that it won't matter if they go into holding and expire

What's my best UY?

June would be ideal--if you can't find that, with the travel dates you mention, I would look for April, March or Feb UY. Those would all work too.

Having a UY that starts just before your typical travel offers the most flexibility if you have to cancel or want to change a trip at least 31 days in advance.

UY does not have any impact on when you can book. You can always call 11 months in advance to book at your home resort and 7 months in advance for the others.

 

[gert]

June would be ideal--if you can't find that, with the travel dates you mention, I would look for April, March or Feb UY. Those would all work too.

Having a UY that starts just before your typical travel offers the most flexibility if you have to cancel or want to change a trip at least 31 days in advance.

UY does not have any impact on when you can book. You can always call 11 months in advance to book at your home resort and 7 months in advance for the others.

Bless you! No idea why I had so much trouble figuring out my best UY. I read all 12 pages of this thread and when I was done my brain hurt and I finally went from long-time lurker to first-time poster.

 

[luv2sleep]

I have asked for a June UY contract. My travel time would be July, Aug, October and December (plus the occasional 1st week of Jan). Besides June, what other UYs would work for me? I am on the VGC waitlist.

 

[disneynutz]

I have asked for a June UY contract. My travel time would be July, Aug, October and December (plus the occasional 1st week of Jan). Besides June, what other UYs would work for me? I am on the VGC waitlist.

A June UY is great for vacations between June - January which it the 8 month banking period should you ever need to cancel a vacation. Vacations in February - May if canceled have to have the points used before the end of May or you lose them.

Bill

 

[luv2sleep]

A June UY is great for vacations between June - January which it the 8 month banking period should you ever need to cancel a vacation. Vacations in February - May if canceled have to have the points used before the end of May or you lose them.

Bill

Thank you! I will stick with June then.

 

[emilymad]

I currently have a December UY. I am looking to add on but not yet sure where or how many points. I seem to change my mind 15 times a day! I had been looking at contracts only with a December UY. In another thread it was pointed out to me that having a second UY can greatly increase your flexibility. Is my thinking correct that if I look for a June UY that between that and my December UY I would have the whole year covered?

 

[chalee94]

Is my thinking correct that if I look for a June UY that between that and my December UY I would have the whole year covered?

it would cover the whole year, provided you are using june UY pts for stays in oct and nov...and using dec UY pts for stays in april and may. if you need to use pts from both contracts, it lessens the benefit.

owning 2 UYs makes it a little more complicated to keep up with. not a big deal but if you take your eye off the ball, it's a little easier to forget to bank or something and lose pts.

also, you cannot combine june UY pts and dec UY pts to book a single night's stay, so you'd need to book 3 nights with one contract and 4 with the other and ask MS to link the reservations (or else transfer pts from one contract to the other.)

 

[emilymad]

Thanks! I think I could keep it all straight. I had forgotten about not using the points from each UY on the same night. That is good to keep in mind.

 

[babesboo99]

Thank you.. I am going to print this out as well this answered alot of questions for me..

 

[babesboo99]

My DH and I are planning to buy BCV points with an Oct UY we usually travel Oct-Jan maybe a few times in the spring or summer. Is Oct a good UY for us? We will probably bank and borrow depending on what size rooms we get.

 

[luv2sleep]

Great info about having two different use years. Thank you!

 

[MousekeTom]

 

[luv2sleep]

Wow, that's so helpful! I actually saved a copy of that image, lol! Makes it very clear!