Use year..when is it important?

[Epcot Mom]

We're planning to make the call tomorrow and start the contracts going. We're trying to figure out when we want our use year to be. (We realize we may not really have a "choice" but were told sometimes they have more than one month available.)

We typically take our annual trip in May but may also do June as our DD gets into school. When would be the best use year taking into consideration:

a) banking deadlines (6 months?)
b) cancellation policy for ressie (60 days?)
c) whatever else may be important

We're not that knowledgable yet so I'm not sure how much all this matters if you just do a little planning. We're really trying to pin down the limitations for a "worst case scenario." I read another post on this page about use year and it confused me more. I'm not stupid, I just get lost in the terminology that seems to flow off your tongues. For example, if it's a "Use Year"...why is it a month?

These are things I wonder about....

You guys are great! I really appreciate your thoughtful answers!!

Raeleen

 

[Dean]

Use year importance varies with the individual. For May and June, an early spring use year of say Feb, March or April would be best. That way you could bank your current year points if something happend and you couldn't make or reschedule a May or June trip. Reality is that it isn't that important but since you have the oportunity to chose, do so. I'd select a favorable use year over using the Magical beginnings.

Dean

 

[PamOKW]

It isn't that important unless you have to cancel on short notice. I'll try to give an example.

Your Use Year is April. You own 500 points. You have already banked 300 of your points but are using 200 for a trip in March. You have a week reserved at OKW starting March 15 using your 200 points.

On February 10 you discover you won't be able to make the trip. You are more than 30 days out so your points are still restored without going into holding account status. But, what are your options?

You are past the banking deadline and you've already banked more than 50% of your points anyway.

You can't make reservations at any non-DVC resort because you are into the final 60 days of your Use Year. (It would be too late for DVC to find an alternate use for your points.)

Your Use Year will end on March 30. You have to use your 200 points at a DVC resort before then.

This is worst case scenario. Having a reservation near the end of your Use Year and having to cancel on short notice.

 

[Epcot Mom]

Thanks for the advice. If I understand correctly, it would seem you would want a use year that would allow you to bank all of your points if you have to cancel on short notice. For example, if my typical annual trip is for mid May, but I had to cancel 31 days out in mid April, I would want to still be in the first six months of my use year to allow full banking, which would mean a November use year. Is this correct?

Also, Dean commented about choosing your use year rather than doing MB. I've not heard about this. Do you really get to choose your use year?

 

[drusba]

That banking /cancellation issue is resolved by having a use year that begins anytime up to 6 months before you usually go. For example, suppose you usually go in June and have a December use year (6 months from June); if you cancel as required at least 31 days out, you will be cancelling in May and will be able to bank 100% of the points as the last date for doing so for a December use year is May 31. In other words, use year has little impact and if you have any concern over that cancellation/banking issue just try to get a use year that begins at anytime up to 6 months before you usually go, but always remember that 15 years from now the time you will usually go may be different. Disney is usually selling a use year that begins 4 to 5 months before month of sale. However, you can request a different month. If you are doing magical beginnings they will be reluctant to change, although they might be flexible on that particularly if you want to move forward rarther than back a month (e.g., say from Sep use year to Oct use year). It is likely now that Oct is being sold; in April they should be selling December (I believe Nov is not used as a use year)

[This message was edited by drusba on 03-02-01 at 09:41 AM.]

 

[Disnydad]

I did not think that you get your choice. When we bought in December they just said your use year is August.

Don, DVC/VWL 2000

OS/90, BC/95, WL/97, Contemp/98&99, Poly/99, DxL/00, CBR/00

 

[Epcot Mom]

Based on everyone's responses, we made the call today and were able to get Dec as our use year. He initially set it up for Oct. When I asked if anything else was available, he said he could do September. I said...too bad, I really wanted December. He put me on hold and came back to say he got December and we're in. Starting small and I'm already wondering if we should have bought more points but our first trip is booked for 4/29-5/8. YEAH!

 

[PamOKW]

DisneyDad I don't think they generally let you pick your Use Year. If you ask, they sometimes will do it. I didn't know anything about Use Year when I bought (didn't really know all that much about DVC LOL). When a resort is new I think they try to sell you a Use Year that works well with when you are there, assuming that might be a time you regularly vacation. I bought in May and was given an April Use Year.

EpcotMom WELCOME HOME!!!

 

[Disnydad]

Epcot Mom, if you are like us, then you need more. We bought 200 points. We haven't used any yet. Two trips are booked so far 11/01 & 1/02. We already wish we had bought 270. Oh well. It's still cheaper than our old boat.

Don, DVC/VWL 2000

OS/90, BC/95, WL/97, Contemp/98&99, Poly/99, DxL/00, CBR/00