Advice for prospective DVC buyers

[cigar95]

<oops double post>

 

[cigar95]

Since this looks like the thread to ask about mechanics, may I ask another?

One owner I spoke with mentioned a restriction I've not heard elsewhere. If an owner has contracts at two resorts - saw OKW and BCV, for example, the owner cannot use the OKW points for a reservation at BCV unless he has no more BCV points available.

Is this true? And if so, are future-year points for BCV that could be borrowed included when considering "points available"?

given my tendency to think of how to work every possible angle - suppose I book a trip to BCV, using up all my points there. Then I use my OKW points to book *another* stay at BCV. Now I cancel the *first* trip, the one booked with the BCV points. Are the computers and/or the DVC staff tuned in enough to recognize that the second trip should be switched over to the now-available points on the BCV contract?

Apologies if this sounds like an arcane scenario, but I suspect I would not be the first to think of angles like this one.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Since this looks like the thread to ask about mechanics, may I ask another?

One owner I spoke with mentioned a restriction I've not heard elsewhere. If an owner has contracts at two resorts - saw OKW and BCV, for example, the owner cannot use the OKW points for a reservation at BCV unless he has no more BCV points available.

Is this true? And if so, are future-year points for BCV that could be borrowed included when considering "points available"?

given my tendency to think of how to work every possible angle - suppose I book a trip to BCV, using up all my points there. Then I use my OKW points to book *another* stay at BCV. Now I cancel the *first* trip, the one booked with the BCV points. Are the computers and/or the DVC staff tuned in enough to recognize that the second trip should be switched over to the now-available points on the BCV contract?

Apologies if this sounds like an arcane scenario, but I suspect I would not be the first to think of angles like this one.

I understand the question, but I'm not understanding the reason. Why would you want to wait until the 7 month window and book BCV with OKW points when you still have BCV points? I guess I have no idea if that would be possible or not, but certainly an interesting twist on the question.

 

[RobDoc]

...One owner I spoke with mentioned a restriction I've not heard elsewhere. If an owner has contracts at two resorts - saw OKW and BCV, for example, the owner cannot use the OKW points for a reservation at BCV unless he has no more BCV points available.

Is this true? And if so, are future-year points for BCV that could be borrowed included when considering "points available"?

No, that is not true. If you own points at two resorts, they may be used at their home resort at 11 months or combined at 7 months.

given my tendency to think of how to work every possible angle - suppose I book a trip to BCV, using up all my points there. Then I use my OKW points to book *another* stay at BCV. Now I cancel the *first* trip, the one booked with the BCV points. Are the computers and/or the DVC staff tuned in enough to recognize that the second trip should be switched over to the now-available points on the BCV contract?

The OKW points can't be used for a BCV reservation until 7 months. If you later cancel the original reservation made using the BCV points, they will simply be returned to your account to be used or banked based on usual deadlines. The second reservation using OKW points will remain as it is.

 

[cigar95]

Thanks, Doc. Just so I don't misunderstand -

In my hypothetical example, I own points at both resorts, and have my full allotments available. Six months before my trip, I call MS and ask for availability at BCV. Surprisingly, the dates are available. So I can use my OKW points to book this stay, and leave my BCV points untouched.

This could be significant because points at smaller facilities like BCV and VWL are more "valuable", in the sense that those resorts are typically the more difficult ones to book. It might make sense to preserve them when possible.

 

[*elaine*]

Thanks, Doc. Just so I don't misunderstand -

In my hypothetical example, I own points at both resorts, and have my full allotments available. Six months before my trip, I call MS and ask for availability at BCV. Surprisingly, the dates are available. So I can use my OKW points to book this stay, and leave my BCV points untouched.

This could be significant because points at smaller facilities like BCV and VWL are more "valuable", in the sense that those resorts are typically the more difficult ones to book. It might make sense to preserve them when possible.

But you need to make sure that you haven't passed the deadline to bank those BCV points. They won't be more valuable if you didn't use them in the 7-11 month window and you miss the deadline to bank them for the following year's use....

 

[JimMIA]

Thanks, Doc. Just so I don't misunderstand -

In my hypothetical example, I own points at both resorts, and have my full allotments available. Six months before my trip, I call MS and ask for availability at BCV. Surprisingly, the dates are available. So I can use my OKW points to book this stay, and leave my BCV points untouched.

Yes, that's correct. At seven months, "points is points," and it doesn't matter which you use.

 

[JimMIA]

But you need to make sure that you haven't passed the deadline to bank those BCV points. They won't be more valuable if you didn't use them in the 7-11 month window and you miss the deadline to bank them for the following year's use....

Be careful with the terminology. Banking deadlines have absolutely nothing to do with when you are travelling, or what window you are in.

Banking deadlines are a function of Use Year.

 

[*elaine*]

Be careful with the terminology. Banking deadlines have absolutely nothing to do with when you are travelling, or what window you are in.

Banking deadlines are a function of Use Year.

Yes, exactly. And I would think that that is an important part of the equation in judging the "value" of the points (that is the part I was responding to).

Let's say the UY for both contracts is August. It is currently November and you decide to travel in 6 months in May. You can choose to book anywhere, because you are within the 7 month window. However, you have now passed a banking deadline, and can only bank 50% of your points. You also have passed the BCV 11 month booking window advantage with those points. Why would BCV points be more valuable in this case? They seem equal to me.

And then, let's say your OKW UY was September, and you could use the BCV points and still bank 100% of your OKW points. Why would BCV be more valuable? It seems like you would want to use those and hang onto your OKW points.

Maybe I'm dense, but I'm not getting it - it just seems like UY is an important consideration in this hypothetical situation. Sorry if I'm missing the obvious, which is likely, so please forgive my obtuseness.

 

[RobDoc]

If you have passed your banking deadline and can no longer bank some (or all) of your remaining BCV points, I would agree that they need to be used before they will expire. In that scenario, the OKW points may be more valuable if they can be extended for another year.

In general (and at this time), BCV points seem to be more in demand- especially at 11 months - so preserving them to be available for the future seems to be a wise decision.

In my hypothetical example, I own points at both resorts, and have my full allotments available. Six months before my trip, I call MS and ask for availability at BCV. Surprisingly, the dates are available. So I can use my OKW points to book this stay, and leave my BCV points untouched.

Yes, at 6 months, I'd also use the OKW points to make that reservation and preserve the BCV points for the 11 month priority, as long as they can be banked for that purpose.

Enjoy!

 

[cigar95]

Gosh, sorry I created such consternation! I didn't intend for that statment to get complicated at all.

My observation about BCV points being "more valuable" was a very general statement, not based on any particular use year or date on the calendar. Since they provide advantages for a limited-supply, high-demand commodity, in general they provide value that other points may not.

No disputing that *any points* will lose some of their inherent value as they approach an expiration date or pass a banking deadline. It just seems that all else equal, points at the smaller, harder to get resorts start out with a value - maybe quantifiable, maybe not - that points at the larger properties may not provide.

Also no disputing that all resorts have their fans, and that there will certainly be some who would value their OKW or SSR points more than those elsewhere.

 

[JimMIA]

Maybe I'm dense, but I'm not getting it - it just seems like UY is an important consideration in this hypothetical situation. Sorry if I'm missing the obvious, which is likely, so please forgive my obtuseness.

No...you're getting it, and so is cigar95 -- you're both right, but I'm just saying watch the terminology. The power of DVC is its flexibility, but we have to learn a new language to use it well.

My point in distinguishing between booking windows and use year/banking deadlines is that many new people think they are the same, or related in some way. They are NOT.

I know you know better, but that's a common misunderstanding that I don't want someone contemplating a DVC purchase to have. In a thread like this, there are always a lot of new people lurking in the background reading like crazy, and it's easy for them to read misconceptions into what we post.

Of course you should consider banking deadlines when deciding which pile of points to draw from, but I don't want newbies making the common mistake of mixing use year issues and booking issues together.

 

[JimMIA]

No disputing that *any points* will lose some of their inherent value as they approach an expiration date or pass a banking deadline. It just seems that all else equal, points at the smaller, harder to get resorts start out with a value - maybe quantifiable, maybe not - that points at the larger properties may not provide.

Very true, and that's not a function of how much I love a particular resort. It's a function of resort size, location, and time of the year.

If I'm going to book at certain times of the year at BCV, I NEED to own there -- pure and simple. There are very few times of the year (maybe early December) when I NEED to own OKW...unless I want a GV.

 

[*elaine*]

No...you're getting it, and so is cigar95 -- you're both right, but I'm just saying watch the terminology. The power of DVC is its flexibility, but we have to learn a new language to use it well.

My point in distinguishing between booking windows and use year/banking deadlines is that many new people think they are the same, or related in some way. They are NOT.

I know you know better, but that's a common misunderstanding that I don't want someone contemplating a DVC purchase to have. In a thread like this, there are always a lot of new people lurking in the background reading like crazy, and it's easy for them to read misconceptions into what we post.

Of course you should consider banking deadlines when deciding which pile of points to draw from, but I don't want newbies making the common mistake of mixing use year issues and booking issues together.

Makes sense!

 

[connorsmom911]

Ok, I'm going to jump on board here and ask a question or 2...I have dh actually contemplating the idea so I have to strike while the iron is hot!!

I'm wondering about the impact of use year...here is my hypothetical contract ideal...we're thinking 150 pt SSR to get ourselves going, although for the first few years we won't need that many pts. Our ds is only 3 so we'll be looking at a studio for a few years before we'll upgrade to a one-bedroom. Occasionally we'd like to use a 2-bedroom to invite my parents along. We would plan to go for a short trip (3 or 4 nights) or 2 every year, and then a larger trip every other year or every 3 years. We would mostly travel in the fall, probably Oct/Nov, maybe the first weeks of Dec and maybe occasionally April, but not around Easter. We will always pull ds out of school for trips (no flames please) or just go for short jaunts the 2 of us. We may eventually have another child too. We are not opposed to renting out some of our points for the first couple years to help offset some of the costs, as we do not have the cash for this and will be financing one way or another (again, no flames please).

What would be the ideal use year we should be aiming for? I'm trying to understand the whole banking/borrowing deadlines and how it would best work for us. I initially was thinking about just starting with a small 40 or 50 pt resale contract, maybe at OKW because that is the amount of pts we'd use in the first few years and initial outlay and maintenance fees would be pretty manageable. But then I thought that we will definitely have to add more in a few years and better to do it now when the price is better than later when it will only increase. Is it rational to think I could successfully buy a 150 SSR, use about 40 or 50 and rent out the rest to help offset the costs for the first say 5 years or so?

Any other thoughts or things I should be paying particular attention to? We are renting pts from a DVC member for a quick trip in October, staying at OKW in a studio. I want to take the tour at SSR to see if we would really like that as our home resort. I'd really love BCV too, but $$ is a factor for us, so OKW or SSR would be better as far as less pts and lower maint fees right now. I want to have all my research done by then so I can have any last minute questions answered at the tour. I don't think we will be in a position to buy right then, so I'm pretty sure I can deal with any sales pressure there will be. Any idea what the current incentives are?

Course, if I win the lottery between now and then we'll be buying right away with an add-on at OKW and BCV!!!

 

[Granny]

I'm wondering about the impact of use year...here is my hypothetical contract ideal...we're thinking 150 pt SSR to get ourselves going, although for the first few years we won't need that many pts. Our ds is only 3 so we'll be looking at a studio for a few years before we'll upgrade to a one-bedroom. Occasionally we'd like to use a 2-bedroom to invite my parents along. We would plan to go for a short trip (3 or 4 nights) or 2 every year, and then a larger trip every other year or every 3 years. We would mostly travel in the fall, probably Oct/Nov, maybe the first weeks of Dec and maybe occasionally April, but not around Easter. We will always pull ds out of school for trips (no flames please) or just go for short jaunts the 2 of us. We may eventually have another child too. We are not opposed to renting out some of our points for the first couple years to help offset some of the costs, as we do not have the cash for this and will be financing one way or another (again, no flames please).

What would be the ideal use year we should be aiming for? I'm trying to understand the whole banking/borrowing deadlines and how it would best work for us.

It looks like an October or September UY would be best for you. The importance of UY is for cancellations within 30 days of a trip. If you have to cancel an October or November trip within the last 30 days, you have until the end of your Use Year to use the points to book another trip. So if you have a late cancellation of an October or November trip, you'd have until the following October to use your points. On the other hand, if you had a December UY, you'd only have a month or so to rebook the trip.

 

[BeccaG]

(Bellow is a little background on me but here is my question.) If I borrow points from next year and change or cancel a reservation, do I have only until the end of the current use year to use those points or will I be able to use them in their origional year as well?


About me: I am brand new to DVC, my husband and I heard the whole spiel and toured the Boardwalks (although I think they were selling Saratoga) on our honeymoon three years ago. However, we just could not do it financially at the time. Fastforward to last week at Disneyland where they have a sales office for DVC, we sat down again and now we have made our deposit! I am very excited and reading A TON on line to find out as many of the quirks of DVC as I can so I can wisely use our 200 points. Of course I read a good deal before I purchased as well and this forum was extremely helpful. So thanks a ton to all you out there who have doctorates in DVC for sharing your knowledge with us freshmen!

 

[JimMIA]

(Bellow is a little background on me but here is my question.) If I borrow points from next year and change or cancel a reservation, do I have only until the end of the current use year to use those points

That's correct.

or will I be able to use them in their origional year as well?

Nope, afraid not. Banking and borrowing transactions are one-way deals. Once the points move in one direction, you can't move them back.

About me: I am brand new to DVC, my husband and I heard the whole spiel and toured the Boardwalks (although I think they were selling Saratoga) on our honeymoon three years ago. However, we just could not do it financially at the time. Fastforward to last week at Disneyland where they have a sales office for DVC, we sat down again and now we have made our deposit! I am very excited and reading A TON on line to find out as many of the quirks of DVC as I can so I can wisely use our 200 points. Of course I read a good deal before I purchased as well and this forum was extremely helpful. So thanks a ton to all you out there who have doctorates in DVC for sharing your knowledge with us freshmen!

Congratulations and welcome home!

 

[BeccaG]

That is what I assumed but thanks for the help!

 

[JimMIA]

Just bumping for the new folks