Adding on to Master Contract

[BWV Dreamin]

Hopefully someone could explain this to me. If I purchase a master contract thru Disney, then add on smaller contracts, they are all part of the total master contract. How would I be able to use the points? Are they theoretically all combined? Can I use points from one towards the other even if they are from different resorts? If so, will those points be able to be used at the 11 mos mark? They are all under the same UY so they would all be subject to the banking deadline. Whats the advantage as compared to different contracts under different UY's with the once a year transfer?

 

[wildernessDad]

They would be subcontracts to the master contract. If you added on at another resort, you could NOT combine them at the 11 month mark to make a reservation. You CAN combine subcontracts to the master at the same resort at the 11-month mark to make a reservation.

There is no way around this 11-month home resort rule. That is the way it should be.

 

[vandy]

Hopefully someone could explain this to me. If I purchase a master contract thru Disney, then add on smaller contracts, they are all part of the total master contract. How would I be able to use the points? Are they theoretically all combined? Can I use points from one towards the other even if they are from different resorts? If so, will those points be able to be used at the 11 mos mark? They are all under the same UY so they would all be subject to the banking deadline. Whats the advantage as compared to different contracts under different UY's with the once a year transfer?

Your master contract will be the contract that meets the minimum purchase requirement at the time from Disney. Currently that is 160 points. If you purchase more points than that, you can keep them all on one, or split an additional contract. For example, our initial purchase was for 175 points but we split into two contracts, 150 (which was minimum at the time) and 25, just in case we wanted to sell or give one to the kids. We've added on since then with two 50 pt and one 60 pt, all with the same UY.

You can use all points you own from any one resort to make reservations at that resort at the 11 month window. If you own points from another resort, you cannot combine and use those points until the 7 month window. You can make one reservation for one resort, and another reservation for the other resort and have a split stay at 11 months, but you cannot combine different resort points until 7 months.

Having the same UY can be helpful if you only travel during a specific month or time each year. Should you need to cancel, a good UY will allow you to bank the points. Otherwise, same UY would just be for simple planning. Having multiple UYs is common and not that big of a problem though, especially with the software programs available to help you keep track.

 

[LisaS]

I assume that your BWV and VB contracts are separate master contracts but let's look at it both ways to see how you could use points from both contracts for one stay. Let's say you have 30 points left in each contract and you want to use them up by booking VWL at 7 months out for 3 nights at 20 points per night for a total of 60 points.

Separate master contracts: 1) You can book part of the trip from each contract and link the two reservations. The problem is you have only enough points in each contract for one night so you could only book a 2-night stay and would have 10 points left over in each contract. 2) If you still have your one transfer per UY, you would transfer the points from one contract to the other to get the 60 points you need to book the 3 nights.

Master and add-on: You would have a pool of 60 points to use to book the 3 nights at VWL without using up your one transfer per UY.


The points in a master and its add-ons are also considered pooled when calculating banking percentages. If you had a 150-pt master at BWV and a 50-pt add-on at VB and had banked no points so far in your UY, at your 25% banking window you could bank all 50 of your VB points since those 50 points are only 25% of your total. This feature is moot starting in 2008 since the 50% and 25% banking windows are going away.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

You are correct, I have two separate master contracts with different UY's. For some reason I thought if all the add on's were under the same UY, you could pool those points for a ressie. But they would all have to be at the same RESORT, which I forgot, and thought you could do this with different resort add on's under the same UY. Sooo....what I am gathering from everyone's replies is that it doesn't matter if its same UY add-ons, or separate master contracts with different UY's, if they aren't the same resort, they must adhere to the 7 mos. rule for ressies. I would think then having separate master contracts with different UY's would now be an advantage so that the banking deadlines would be spread out and you could transfer points from one master to the other. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't look like you can transfer points from one add-on to the other with the same UY under the same master. And less flexibility now with all of those points expiring at the same time.

 

[AKV707]

Newbie question: If I do an add on to my master AKV contract (adding on AKV points) does the add on have to be the same use year as the master?

 

[LisaS]

For some reason I thought if all the add on's were under the same UY, you could pool those points for a ressie. But they would all have to be at the same RESORT, which I forgot, and thought you could do this with different resort add on's under the same UY.

You can pool the points for a reservation at 11 months for two contracts at the same resort or at 7 months for two contracts at different resorts.

Sooo....what I am gathering from everyone's replies is that it doesn't matter if its same UY add-ons, or separate master contracts with different UY's, if they aren't the same resort, they must adhere to the 7 mos. rule for ressies.

Correct. In the 11-month window you can only use points from the resort you are trying to book.

I would think then having separate master contracts with different UY's would now be an advantage so that the banking deadlines would be spread out and you could transfer points from one master to the other.

It depends on your situation I guess. I have an Oct UY and we only go to WDW between Oct and May. My 100% banking deadline is May 31st so all of my travel dates fall within my 100% banking deadline. Also remember that when you transfer points, they are supposed to retain their home resort and UY so in theory you cannot extend the life of your points by transferring them to a different contract with a later UY.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't look like you can transfer points from one add-on to the other with the same UY under the same master. And less flexibility now with all of those points expiring at the same time.

There is no reason to transfer points between a master and an add-on or between add-ons to the same master because there is nothing to gain by doing so. The points can be pooled to make a reservation so there is no reason to transfer points between related contracts. I find it easier to manage my three contracts with just one banking deadline to remember (I have a hard enough time remembering one banking deadline!) Fortunately I own the perfect UY for all of my travel dates so I have no need to own different UYs. I know that's not the case for everyone however.

 

[LisaS]

Newbie question: If I do an add on to my master AKV contract (adding on AKV points) does the add on have to be the same use year as the master?

Disney will only sell you the same UY unless you purchase a minimum of 160 points and then you could purchase a different UY. Your other option to get a different UY would be to purchase a contract on the resale market. In either case (min 160 from Disney or resale) it would be set up as a new master contract with a new membership number to go along with it.

 

[AKV707]

Disney will only sell you the same UY unless you purchase a minimum of 160 points and then you could purchase a different UY. Your other option to get a different UY would be to purchase a contract on the resale market. In either case (min 160 from Disney or resale) it would be set up as a new master contract with a new membership number to go along with it.

Lisa - There really would be no advantage to doing that is there? I have a June UY and we pretty much travel between June and November so it is actually a perfect UY for us.

 

[LisaS]

Lisa - There really would be no advantage to doing that is there? I have a June UY and we pretty much travel between June and November so it is actually a perfect UY for us.

It sounds like your Use Year will work very well for you so I can't see any reason to own more than one. Your UY only really matters if you have to cancel a trip on relatively short notice. My DH's work travel schedule can be subject to change so I chose my UY carefully to be sure our usual travel dates would fall within my 100% banking window. As long as I cancel 31 days or more in advance I'll be able to bank the points from a cancelled reservation. It also helps to have a UY where you normally travel early in your UY. Again in the event of a cancellation, any banked or borrowed points used for that reservation cannot be banked but at least you would have a lot of time before the end of your UY in which to reuse them for something else.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

As long as I cancel 31 days or more in advance I'll be able to bank the points from a cancelled reservation.

This assumes that when you cancelled, you were still within your 100% banking timeframe. If not, this is where you would have an advantage in having 2 UY's. You could then transfer those cancelled points that couldn't be banked from that contract into the other UY contract, and if that one is within the 100% banking timeframe, bank them. They then would not be lost.

 

[LisaS]

This assumes that when you cancelled, you were still within your 100% banking timeframe. If not, this is where you would have an advantage in having 2 UY's. You could then transfer those cancelled points that couldn't be banked from that contract into the other UY contract, and if that one is within the 100% banking timeframe, bank them. They then would not be lost.

I have read here that people have transferred points that were past their banking deadline to other members who then were able to bank them even though the owner would not have been able to do so. I don't know if that works when you transfer points to yourself. And if it does, I don't know if it's a loophole that might get closed at some point. Have you managed to do this?

 

[wildernessDad]

As long as I cancel 31 days or more in advance I'll be able to bank the points from a cancelled reservation.

This assumes that when you cancelled, you were still within your 100% banking timeframe. If not, this is where you would have an advantage in having 2 UY's. You could then transfer those cancelled points that couldn't be banked from that contract into the other UY contract, and if that one is within the 100% banking timeframe, bank them. They then would not be lost.

I don't see how that could be done. Transfered points retain, or are supposed to retain, the same resort AND UY.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

As long as I cancel 31 days or more in advance I'll be able to bank the points from a cancelled reservation.

I don't see how that could be done. Transfered points retain, or are supposed to retain, the same resort AND UY.

Transferred points retain the same UY and resort, so in theory if you received points from someone else with the same UY and resort, you could use those points at 11 mos ressie mark. If the UY is different, then those points would have to be used at the 7 mos. mark. If you transfer to yourself having different UY's, then those transferred points are subject to the 7 mos ressie rule, but not the banking deadline ressie mark.Any transferred points have until the last day of the UY of the contract that they were transferred into to be banked.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Remember, too, that when you have different master contracts (different contract numbers), you must transfer points from one to another to get more points to make a single night reservation. For example, you need one more night at VWL and need 35 points. You have 20 points in you Dec UY contract and 15 points in your Aug UY contract. You'd have to use your once a year transfer for each contract to move the 15 points to the 20 points to get 35 points.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Remember, too, that when you have different master contracts (different contract numbers), you must transfer points from one to another to get more points to make a single night reservation. For example, you need one more night at VWL and need 35 points. You have 20 points in you Dec UY contract and 15 points in your Aug UY contract. You'd have to use your once a year transfer for each contract to move the 15 points to the 20 points to get 35 points.

Yes, however, those transferred points can only be used at the 7 mos. mark, sooo, if you need to combine the points, the entire one day ressie must wait until the 7 mos. mark. Thats the down side to having two master contracts. With all under the same UY, you can pool them. Pros and cons definitely between the two scenarios. I still think there is more flexibility with two masters.

 

[wildernessDad]

Transferred points retain the same UY and resort, so in theory if you received points from someone else with the same UY and resort, you could use those points at 11 mos ressie mark. If the UY is different, then those points would have to be used at the 7 mos. mark. If you transfer to yourself having different UY's, then those transferred points are subject to the 7 mos ressie rule, but not the banking deadline ressie mark.Any transferred points have until the last day of the UY of the contract that they were transferred into to be banked.

Okay, now I see what you are doing. Thanks.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Transferred points retain the same UY and resort, so in theory if you received points from someone else with the same UY and resort, you could use those points at 11 mos ressie mark. If the UY is different, then those points would have to be used at the 7 mos. mark. If you transfer to yourself having different UY's, then those transferred points are subject to the 7 mos ressie rule, but not the banking deadline.Any transferred points have until the last day of the UY of the contract that they were transferred into to be banked.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I have read here that people have transferred points that were past their banking deadline to other members who then were able to bank them even though the owner would not have been able to do so. I don't know if that works when you transfer points to yourself. And if it does, I don't know if it's a loophole that might get closed at some point. Have you managed to do this?

This transfer of points rule applies to anyone who transfers from one contract to another, and yes from yourself to yourself. Thats one reason why people will try to get points transferred into their contracts from those who are about to lose those points. (Whether for a fee or not is another discussion!) The recipients of those points can still bank them even when they are past their banking deadline. Again, they have up until the last day of their use year to bank them. Whether this is a loophole Disney tries to close, well I just don't know about that. But again, this is one of the advantages in having two master contracts.

 

[Dean]

Lisa - There really would be no advantage to doing that is there? I have a June UY and we pretty much travel between June and November so it is actually a perfect UY for us.

Actually there are potential advantages. You could title them differently such as adding relatives to get member cards and perks. You could have multiple UY and chose the best UY and contract for a given trip. You get a transfer for EACH separate contract each UY so two contracts gives you more transfer options.

I don't see how that could be done. Transfered points retain, or are supposed to retain, the same resort AND UY.

The operative word is "supposed to" which in reality is sometimes yes, sometimes no. I certainly wouldn't buy based on this loophole but it is still operational at least part of the time.