2 more questions!! I am full of questions today!!

[DisneyLoverUSA]

If I buy a 150 point contract for OKW and it costs 157 points for a one week stay in a 1 bedroom villa, what do I do about the extra 7 points I need. DO I borrow from my next year's points or can I just buy the extra 7 points from Disney when booking the stay?

Also, I see that the OKW 1 bedroom villas have a full size kitchen. Have any of you stayed there and know whether or not there is actually kitchen stuff there like dishes, silverware and pots and pans, or do you have to bring your own kitchen equipment?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Options for points would be using banked points, borrowing points, receiving a transfer of points from another member or purchasing up to 24 one time use points from DVC. Actually, you could also purchase an additional contract and the minimum for that is 25 points.

The catch with getting up to 24 points from DVC for a reservation is that it can only be done at the 7 month booking window. You also can't waitlist with the intent to purchase points. In most cases it makes the most financial sense to borrow from yourself until you reach a point that you can't. At that time you could take a break from Disney or you could look to get a larger 1 time transfer from another owner. Rules on transferred points are that they can be banked but they cannot be borrowed. They do retain their UY and home resort status so if you wanted to use them with an OKW contract at 11 months then you would need a transfer of OKW points to do so.

The kitchens are stocked with dishes, silverware, glassware and some basic cooking pots and pans.
From the member website for OKW:
"Full kitchen will include the following: dinnerware, glassware, flatware, 8 pc. cookware set, colander, casserole dishes mixing bowl set, cutting board, measuring cups, measuring spoons, cookie sheet, paring knife, cook's knife, whisk, tongs, vegetable peeler, serving spoon, serving fork, ladle, serving platter, vegetable bowls, salad serving bowl, sugar bowl, pitcher, cream server, tea kettle, pot holders
Appliances: 10 cup coffee maker (with 1 coffee starter pack: decaf and regular coffee, coffee filters, sugar and Equal packets), microwave, toaster, 1 bar mixer, blender, electric mixer, 4 burner electric stove/oven, refrigerator with ice maker, dishwasher."

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

=)

 

[disneynutz]

You should buy enough points to stay at other resorts, not only your home resort. Point requirements can change and the points required during different seasons are different.

You should take all of this into consideration before you buy.

Bill

 

[Sandisw]

Be sure to consider points needed during all the seasons as well. As Bill mentioned, they can adjust the points charts and what you don't want is to be so limited that a few points a night change impacts you greatly.

If you already know that you would probably want to use 157 each year, then I would search for a bit bigger contract.

Or, as someone mentioned, just plan on borrowing as a way to cover. If that is your plan, be sure you understand UY and choosing one that will optimize your ability to use up borrowed points if you ever had to cancel or change a trip since once borrowed, points can not be returned to their original UY.

Good luck!

 

[Dean]

If I buy a 150 point contract for OKW and it costs 157 points for a one week stay in a 1 bedroom villa, what do I do about the extra 7 points I need. DO I borrow from my next year's points or can I just buy the extra 7 points from Disney when booking the stay?

Also, I see that the OKW 1 bedroom villas have a full size kitchen. Have any of you stayed there and know whether or not there is actually kitchen stuff there like dishes, silverware and pots and pans, or do you have to bring your own kitchen equipment?

You're looking at the cheap resort overall and the lowest week. If you're planning a 1 BR yearly for 7 nights, you'll need more points or you'll need to get creative which you can do in a number of ways. These would include some shorter stays, renting extra points (DVC or privately), cash for some trips, smaller unit some trips, or to skip a year here and there. I presume you're looking at resale. You might consider SSR as well, you can always use your points for a 1 BR at OKW and would get a longer life on the RTU except for extended OKW contracts.

 

[RobDoc]

..The kitchens are stocked with dishes, silverware, glassware and some basic cooking pots and pans. The amount will depend on the size of the villa - ie, a 2BR will have more dishes than a 1BR because of the occupancy difference.

At OKW, the 1BRs will all have the same dinnerware as a 2BR since all 1BRs are lock-offs and are sometimes combined with the adjacent Studio to make a 2BR. I believe that lock-off 1BR villas are all DVC resorts will have supplies for a 2BR villa. Dedicated 1BRs may not have the same supplies (but OKW does not have any dedicated 1BRs or Studios).

 

[luckyman_apd]

If you were to buy 150, but needed 157 for a week and planned to borrow each year to make up 7 points, After your 6th year you would only have 3 points to use for your 7th year. At that point you would have to skip a year and bank those 3. So then skip the 7th year, and then start again year 8 for another 6 years.

Another solution is to reserve a studio for the first night, and then switch to a 1 br for 6 nights. Still a 7 night trip, but you have to switch rooms after a night. If you are not in the room a lot for the first day or two this is a good way to save points.

 

[Chuck S]

Options for points would be using banked points, borrowing points, receiving a transfer of points from another member or purchasing up to 24 one time use points from DVC. Actually, you could also purchase an additional contract and the minimum for that is 25 points.

The catch with getting up to 24 points from DVC for a reservation is that it can only be done at the 7 month booking window. You also can't waitlist with the intent to purchase points. In most cases it makes the most financial sense to borrow from yourself until you reach a point that you can't. At that time you could take a break from Disney or you could look to get a larger 1 time transfer from another owner. Rules on transferred points are that they can be banked but they cannot be borrowed. They do retain their UY and home resort status so if you wanted to use them with an OKW contract at 11 months then you would need a transfer of OKW points to do so.

The kitchens are stocked with dishes, silverware, glassware and some basic cooking pots and pans. The amount will depend on the size of the villa - ie, a 2BR will have more dishes than a 1BR because of the occupancy difference.

That is true at some resorts, but at OKW, there are no dedicated one bedroom units, all of them connect to a studio to make a lock-off two bedroom, so all of the kitchens should be stocked as a 2 bedroom unit...since any one bedroom could be a two bedroom, depending upon how it is booked.

 

[DenLo]

That is true at some resorts, but at OKW, there are no dedicated one bedroom units, all of them connect to a studio to make a lock-off two bedroom, so all of the kitchens should be stocked as a 2 bedroom unit...since any one bedroom could be a two bedroom, depending upon how it is booked.

It's true at BLT as well, all of the 1 BRs are stocked for a 2BR occupancy which means service for 8 (not sure why is it's not for nine but that's another story). And like Chuck S mentioned regarding OKW, BLT does not have any dedicated 1BRs.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It's true at BLT as well, all of the 1 BRs are stocked for a 2BR occupancy which means service for 8 (not sure why is it's not for nine but that's another story). And like Chuck S mentioned regarding OKW, BLT does not have any dedicated 1BRs.

I must confess that I've never counted the service ware and might have been confusing the count with towels. And we've not had a lock-off, only dedicated at OKW or BLT with the exception of a studio. If I were to guesstimate there wasn't any difference in the plates count at a VWL dedicated and lockoff 1BR. And the AKV Jambo grandvilla was stocked more like a 2BR. There may be just a standard amount for every kitchen. Thanks for correcting - I'll modify my post.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

I have been looking into how many points it takes during certain seasons and for a 7 night stay during value season it is 157 points but for the season we might like to come it is 174 points. But we have talked about it and decided we would probably only stay 5 nights so the 150 points would cover a 5 night stay in October or a 7 night stay in January.

I think we have decided on a 150 point contract at OKW but it is going to be March or April before we look into buying. I am just researching it now and looking at current listings and past sales to get an idea of what to expect when it is time to buy.

I think we will want to buy a loaded contract with a user year of Feb through August. I am sure it might take awhile for us to find exactly what we are looking for. We may end up having to buy a bigger contract or at a different resort or with a different user year. I really don't want to buy a stripped contract and not be able to use it until 2013.

I appreciate all your responses and your help.

I have another question if anybody comes back to this thread and sees it...

When you pay cash for a room you can make a room request to stay in a certain part of the resort? Can you do that when you own DVC and book yourself a stay? Can you request to be near the main pool, etc? I know even when you pay cash it doesn't mean you will ever get your request but I wasn't even sure if you can make such requests when you are staying on DVC points.

It seems OKW is kind of spread out and to be able to go to the main pool you will have to drive unless they put you real close to it to begin with.

 

[Chuck S]

With DVC, near Hospitality at OKW is a booking category. It includes bldg 11 to 14 and 23 to 26, with 16, 62, 63 & 64 used as overflow and/or handicap, as only 62, 63 & 64 have elevators.

I honestly don't know if it is a booking category, or is only considered a request, with cash reservations.

 

[LisaS]

we have talked about it and decided we would probably only stay 5 nights so the 150 points would cover a 5 night stay in October or a 7 night stay in January....

I think we will want to buy a loaded contract with a user year of Feb through August.

If your stays will primarily be in October and January, February would be the worst possible UY for you. With a Feb UY, your banking deadline will be Sep 30. If you cancelled a January reservation any time after Sep 30th, it would be too late to bank the points. You would have until Jan 31 to use the points or lose them.

It's best to have a UY where you will travel early in your UY. That gives you maximum flexibility in case you have to cancel a trip or want to go on the waitlist for a stay that costs fewer points than what you have currently booked. You can bank current UY points any time during the first 8 months of your UY. If you used banked or borrowed points for that cancelled stay, you have until the end of the UY in which your stay was booked to use them for something else.

If you expect to travel primarily in Oct and Jan, an Oct UY would be great for you. You could also consider Sep or even Aug. You can book your home resort using home resort points 11 months from check in (and any resort using non-home points 7 months from check in) regardless of your UY.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

If your stays will primarily be in October and January, February would be the worst possible UY for you. With a Feb UY, your banking deadline will be Sep 30. If you cancelled a January reservation any time after Sep 30th, it would be too late to bank the points. You would have until Jan 31 to use the points or lose them.

It's best to have a UY where you will travel early in your UY. That gives you maximum flexibility in case you have to cancel a trip or want to go on the waitlist for a stay that costs fewer points than what you have currently booked. You can bank current UY points any time during the first 8 months of your UY. If you used banked or borrowed points for that cancelled stay, you have until the end of the UY in which your stay was booked to use them for something else.

If you expect to travel primarily in Oct and Jan, an Oct UY would be great for you. You could also consider Sep or even Aug. You can book your home resort using home resort points 11 months from check in (and any resort using non-home points 7 months from check in) regardless of your UY.

That deadline, Sept 30th is the reason I was thinking Feb would be a good user year. So say I have an October trip booked and have to cancel it, I have all they way up to Sept 30th to cancel it. Then we could still re book it for January because it would still be in the current user year.

If my user year is October and I have a trip booked in October that means I would only have until May 31st (4 months prior to October) to cancel it.

For me I probably wouldn't know that far in advance if we needed to cancel it and if we did cancel an October trip within 4 months of travel that means we would have to use those points sometime during the summer to avoid losing them. We definitely don't ever want to go March through September unless that is the only choice we had. I want to avoid Spring Break and summer and holidays.

Does that make sense or am I way off base in my thinking? Correct me if I am wrong. This is all very new to me and I am just now learning about all of it.

 

[zavandor]

If my user year is October and I have a trip booked in October that means I would only have until May 31st (4 months prior to October) to cancel it.

I may be wrong (I'm not a DVC member, yet, but I'm studying a lot here on the boards ), but if you have an October UY, a trip in October 2012 would use points that expire 9/30/2013. So you have time until May 2013 to use or bank them. And you could use them to book up to September 2013.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

I may be wrong (I'm not a DVC member, yet, but I'm studying a lot here on the boards ), but if you have an October UY, a trip in October 2012 would use points that expire 9/30/2013. So you have time until May 2013 to use or bank them. And you could use them to book up to September 2013.

Having an October user year WOULD give me more time to use the points before I have to bank them, but I was more looking at giving ourselves more time to be able to cancel if we needed to. With my husband's type of work (boat pilot) he may HAVE to work over for someone who doesn't show up or has a family emergency. It doesn't happen very often, but if it did and we had to cancel, we may not have 4 months notice that our dates changed. If we have a Feb user year we would have all they way up to 9/30 to cancel that October trip. Then we would still be able to use THOSE points for a January trip (if there was availability of course)

I am thinking if we cant find a 150 point OKW contract with a Feb user year we might even go with a March or April user year. That would give us (with a March UY) up until October 31 to cancel an October trip, or (with a May contract) up until November 31st to cancel a January trip.

I may be way off base in my thinking but that is what is making sense to me right now. What would be the best user year if we needed to cancel with little notice.

Anybody think I am way off base? If so please explain. (<-- newbie)

 

[zavandor]

If you have a October trip booked with point of that year October UY, you may cancel your reservation up to 31 days in advance with no consequences.
The points go back to their use year. In your case, your 2012 UY, so you will be able to use them for a reservation again up to September 2013. Or you can bank them.

If you cancel 30 days or less before, they go back to your UY too, but they became On Hold, so you can use them only to book up to September 2013 but only 60 days in advance (so it can be difficult to find a room available with a short notice).

If you cancel on check in date, you loose everything.

 

[chalee94]

Having an October user year WOULD give me more time to use the points before I have to bank them, but I was more looking at giving ourselves more time to be able to cancel if we needed to.

as the above poster said, with an oct UY, if you are staying in oct 2012, you would typically be using pts from your 2012 UY (doesn't matter if you call in nov 2011 to book - they would be current based on the date of the stay). the banking window for those oct 2012 pts would close on may 31, 2013.

edited to add: naturally, you could bank your oct 2011 pts for use in oct 2012...you would have to bank those by may 2012, so banking when you call 11 months out (nov 2011 in this case) would be easy - just remember that once banked, the pts cannot be moved again and will expire if not used in the 2012 UY).

please don't buy a feb-april UY without stopping and doing some additional research - i'd highly recommend this thread (at least the first post):

Understanding Use Year

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

as the above poster said, with an oct UY, if you are staying in oct 2012, you would typically be using pts from your 2012 UY (doesn't matter if you call in nov 2011 to book - they would be current based on the date of the stay). the banking window for those oct 2012 pts would close on may 31, 2013.

edited to add: naturally, you could bank your oct 2011 pts for use in oct 2012...you would have to bank those by may 2012, so banking when you call 11 months out (nov 2011 in this case) would be easy - just remember that once banked, the pts cannot be moved again and will expire if not used in the 2012 UY).

please don't buy a feb-april UY without stopping and doing some additional research - i'd highly recommend this thread (at least the first post):

Understanding Use Year

Thank you for the link. I read it.

This has me thinking. "If you cancel a reservation 30 days or less prior to arrival, the points go into the holding account. In addition to expiring at the end of the use year, holding points may only be used to make a reservation that will begin no more than 60 days in the future. Since availability is often very limited 60 days or less prior to arrival, it can be very difficult to use holding points. It is not unusual for holding points to expire without being used."

If I had an October user year that would mean I would have to cancel before May. That's not enough time for me. But if I had a Feb user year I could cancel all the way up until September 30th. And still have time to reuse those cancelled points for a trip that following January because my UY wouldn't be until February.

I may not be understanding it well enough but it is making sense to me right now that if I want more flexibility in the dates I can cancel, that Feb UY for October and January travel would make sense.

There is no January user year so I can't get that. January will probably be our main travel dates but occasionally October as well. So since there is no January UY Feb is the closest thing and it still accommodates the October travel.

We travel in October and January but since we loved our last trip to WDW this January we are probably going to try to stick with that timeframe.