Advantage of multiple home resorts?

[kid-at-heart]

I see that a lot of folks have more than one “home” resort. What is the advantage? Being able to reserve earlier at multiple resorts? If so, if you try to reserve at the 10th or 11th month before your vacation (i.e., at WVL), are you limited to the number of points you have at that particular resort or can you combine the points you have for all your resorts to use at (again, example WVL) (using combined points from OKW and WVL)? I hope my questions make sense.

 

[DVC Mike]

I see that a lot of folks have more than one “home” resort. What is the advantage? Being able to reserve earlier at multiple resorts?

Yes, we get the 11-month Home Priority advantage at each of the resorts we own at.

If so, if you try to reserve at the 10th or 11th month before your vacation (i.e., at WVL), are you limited to the number of points you have at that particular resort or can you combine the points you have for all your resorts to use at (again, example WVL) (using combined points from OKW and WVL)? I hope my questions make sense.

You can only us the points you own at a particular resort during the home priority period. You can combine your points to book any resort only at the 7-mo window.

 

[chalee94]

What is the advantage?

getting the 11 month booking advantage at the new home resort.

Being able to reserve earlier at multiple resorts?

no. you can only book 11 months out using points for that resort. you cannot combine points until 7 months.

If so, if you try to reserve at the 10th or 11th month before your vacation (i.e., at WVL), are you limited to the number of points you have at that particular resort

yes.

or can you combine the points you have for all your resorts to use at (again, example WVL) (using combined points from OKW and WVL)?

no.

you may combine the add-on pts at 7 months, or else bank and borrow pts to give you 3 times the pts to book at your new add-on resort at 11 months every third year.

 

[dcamdad]

What is the advantage?

getting the 11 month booking advantage at the new home resort.

Being able to reserve earlier at multiple resorts?

no. you can only book 11 months out using points for that resort. you cannot combine points until 7 months.

If so, if you try to reserve at the 10th or 11th month before your vacation (i.e., at WVL), are you limited to the number of points you have at that particular resort

yes.

or can you combine the points you have for all your resorts to use at (again, example WVL) (using combined points from OKW and WVL)?

no.

you may combine the add-on pts at 7 months, or else bank and borrow pts to give you 3 times the pts to book at your new add-on resort at 11 months every third year.

May you "transfer" points from one resort contract to another for the 11 month window? Transfer has been a hot topic lately that I am still not sure of the rules to.

 

[wildernessDad]

May you "transfer" points from one resort contract to another for the 11 month window? Transfer has been a hot topic lately that I am still not sure of the rules to.

You can not mix points from different resorts and book at the 11-month window using the combined points. Points are like oil and water at the 11-month window.

 

[chalee94]

May you "transfer" points from one resort contract to another for the 11 month window?

transferred pts (are supposed to) retain their home resort status, so no.

there have been instances in the past where MS lost track of what home resort the transferred pts belonged to...but if you're transferring pts to yourself, you're unlikely to luck out...

 

[dcamdad]

transferred pts (are supposed to) retain their home resort status, so no.

there have been instances in the past where MS lost track of what home resort the transferred pts belonged to...but if you're transferring pts to yourself, you're unlikely to luck out...

So the few people loking for small amounts of transfer points (less than 15)would have to get the points from someone at the same resort they hope to book?

 

[chalee94]

So the few people loking for small amounts of transfer points (less than 15)would have to get the points from someone at the same resort they hope to book?

if they are booking farther than 7 months out, then yes.

 

[wildernessDad]

So the few people loking for small amounts of transfer points (less than 15)would have to get the points from someone at the same resort they hope to book?

Yes, because if not, then one could purchase a small resale contract at say VWL and another, separate contract, at OKW, where the points are less expensive and then transfer the points from the larger OKW contract into the smaller VWL contract and book VWL at 11 months. That would not be fair.

 

[kimberh]

So the few people loking for small amounts of transfer points (less than 15)would have to get the points from someone at the same resort they hope to book?

You would be able to borrow from the next year, if you were a few points short or needed all of the next years allocation. You would still be able to make your reservation at the 11 month window. Once points are borrowed they have to stay in the Use Year that you just borrowed them into. They cannot be banked back into the next year. It is a one way transaction. If, you decided to cancel the reservation, then the borrowed points would still be in the UY that you borrowed them into. The act of borrowing needs to be a concrete plan. I have almost had this backfire on me, once.

The fact is, the option is there if you need to use it. You can also except a point transfer from another member with the same resort ownership as you. Use what you need and bank the rest. Transferred points can be banked. Banked points cannot be transferred.

 

[wildernessDad]

As kimberh says above, you can borrow from next year's points if you need to.

You could also bank and borrow to triple the number of points for a vacation if you wanted to.

You'd be banking and borrowing points from your home resort.

Banking and borrowing are not considered to be transfers.

 

[dcamdad]

Yes, because if not, then one could purchase a small resale contract at say VWL and another, separate contract, at OKW, where the points are less expensive and then transfer the points from the larger OKW contract into the smaller VWL contract and book VWL at 11 months. That would not be fair.

But you can transfer and book at the 7 month window? Just asking because we are more than likely buy into another resort to add to our current OKW.
By the way how much snow are you getting in MD today? We,ve gotten maybe a little more than an inch with it now changing over to rain with mixed sleet here in Woodbridge. Makes me want to be home at OKW right now!

 

[chalee94]

But you can transfer and book at the 7 month window? Just asking because we are more than likely buy into another resort to add to our current OKW.

subject to availability, yes. at 7 months, points are points.

 

[dcamdad]

Thanks everyone for the transfer clarifications, just had never really paid attention to the tranfer policy. We have banked and borrowed since our original purchase in 1996, mostly borrow. Our original purchase was 150 pts at OKW which allowed us a 2BR every other year, which was fine for the past few years, however as time has passed we find ourselves wanting to return more. I dont know if age has mellowed me a bit or if I am more confident in my employees not to screw things up to bad while I am gone (actually left cell phone in the room all day every day in Dec.). As i mentioned we are discussing and additional purhase of probably another 160 pts at a different resort which as before with OKW would allow every other year, therby every year at WDW.

 

[wildernessDad]

Thanks everyone for the transfer clarifications, just had never really paid attention to the tranfer policy. We have banked and borrowed since our original purchase in 1996, mostly borrow. Our original purchase was 150 pts at OKW which allowed us a 2BR every other year, which was fine for the past few years, however as time has passed we find ourselves wanting to return more. I dont know if age has mellowed me a bit or if I am more confident in my employees not to screw things up to bad while I am gone (actually left cell phone in the room all day every day in Dec.). As i mentioned we are discussing and additional purhase of probably another 160 pts at a different resort which as before with OKW would allow every other year, therby every year at WDW.

Sounds like a plan! I hope it works out for you!

 

[chalee94]

sounds like a great plan. if you prefer (and subject to any discounts available if you buy all 160 pts in one contract), you might want to consider buying the contracts at the new resort in smaller increments, to make things easier if you decide to sell down the road...

But you can transfer and book at the 7 month window? Just asking because we are more than likely buy into another resort to add to our current OKW.

it occurred to me that this can get a little more complicated. just FYI if you're curious:

if you add-on a contract of the same use year month but a different resort (say, VWL), i believe you can pool the points at the 7 month window. so if you want to add an extra night at your new VWL home, but are 5 pts short, you can (at 7 months out, subject to availability) pool your leftover VWL points with 5 OKW points to book that extra night...without needing to use up a transfer.

(if you buy a resale contract with the same use year month, i believe you can request that DVC link it to your current "master" contract under one membership number.)

OTOH, if you buy a resale of a different use year month (or buy another 160 pt contract from DVC with a different use year month), you would have 2 "master" contracts and would need to use up your transfer to pool your points as described above. alternatively, you could borrow 5 VWL pts from the next year to complete the transaction at 11 months, or bank your leftover VWL pts into the next year and wait till 7 months to book the entire extra night with OKW points...

if i have confused you, maybe you could read this link to a related post...