Another reason the new banking/use rules are TERRIBLE!

[jodifla]

The fact that they have almost always increased annually also makes the point of staying at other resorts on points totally pointless, you may as well rent them out and pay cash for the reservation at a non DVC hotel and put a few hundered in your pocket for spending. Some of the rates at such as the GF are such a joke that the cost of the annual dues on the points you have to spend is about as much as as the rack room rate so in effect they consider the actual annual point to be worthless.

Well, the room I'm looking at in Chicago is over $300 a night, so the points seem about right to me.

I've been looking at the rent trade board, but it seems like a MAJOR hassle to rent points.

 

[JimMIA]

So December use years can't bank after August 1?

Caskbill posted one of his handy-dandy charts on this, and hopefully someone can post a link to that.

I believe the policy starts not on January 1, 2008, but for 2008 Use Years. So if you have an early UY, like February, yes, it can have a negative effect. I have an October UY and my member page shows 100% banking through the end of March 08 -- which are the old rules, because I'm just starting my 07 UY.

If I understand this correctly, someone with a December UY would be in the same boat I think I'm in, and still be on the 100%-50%-25% banking schedule. Or, the member website could be wrong.

 

[Doctor P]

Caskbill posted one of his handy-dandy charts on this, and hopefully someone can post a link to that.

I believe the policy starts not on January 1, 2008, but for 2008 Use Years. So if you have an early UY, like February, yes, it can have a negative effect. I have an October UY and my member page shows 100% banking through the end of March 08 -- which are the old rules, because I'm just starting my 07 UY.

If I understand this correctly, someone with a December UY would be in the same boat I think I'm in, and still be on the 100%-50%-25% banking schedule. Or, the member website could be wrong.

Unless there has been a change, it was my understanding that the policy does go into effect on January 1, 2008 for ALL use years and applies to 2007 use years. Do we have information that has been posted from an official source to contradict this? Maybe I just missed it.

 

[RobDoc]

Unless there has been a change, it was my understanding that the policy does go into effect on January 1, 2008 for ALL use years and applies to 2007 use years. Do we have information that has been posted from an official source to contradict this? Maybe I just missed it.

The new policy takes effect on January 1, 2008. The first Use Year affected is June, 2007. Under the current policy owners with that Use Year can bank up to 100% of their points thru this Friday and after that date the 50% banking policy is in effect. After January 1, 2008 June Use Year members may still bank up to 100% of their points thru the end of January. Those with an August Use Year can bank 100% of their points thru the end of March.

This has been confirmed by MS to multiple members as reported here.

 

[JimMIA]

The new policy takes effect on January 1, 2008. The first Use Year affected is June, 2007. Under the current policy owners with that Use Year can bank up to 100% of their points thru this Friday and after that date the 50% banking policy is in effect. After January 1, 2008 June Use Year members may still bank up to 100% of their points thru the end of January. Those with an August Use Year can bank 100% of their points thru the end of March.

This has been confirmed by MS to multiple members as reported here.

I may well have misunderstood what I read in some threads here. A mind can only stand so much "streamlining!"

My page on the website, however, says, "You may bank up to 100% of your Vacation Points for Member ID number *** until the end of March 2008. Select the Bank Vacation Points link below to bank Vacation Points online or contact Member Services at ***."

That's six months (not 8) into my October 07 UY...which, to me, means I'm still on the 100-50-25 schedule. If that's not correct, DVC needs to update their website calculations, because mine is wrong.

 

[RobDoc]

I may well have misunderstood what I read in some threads here. A mind can only stand so much "streamlining!"

My page on the website, however, says, "You may bank up to 100% of your Vacation Points for Member ID number *** until the end of March 2008. Select the Bank Vacation Points link below to bank Vacation Points online or contact Member Services at ***."

That's six months (not 8) into my October 07 UY...which, to me, means I'm still on the 100-50-25 schedule. If that's not correct, DVC needs to update their website calculations, because mine is wrong.

Yes, that is based on the policy still in effect until January 1, 2008. At this time, that is absolutely correct. If it still reads the same way after January 1, then they'll need to update the website. The "8 month rule" does not take effect until after January 1.

 

[Dean]

The new policy takes effect on January 1, 2008. The first Use Year affected is June, 2007. Under the current policy owners with that Use Year can bank up to 100% of their points thru this Friday and after that date the 50% banking policy is in effect. After January 1, 2008 June Use Year members may still bank up to 100% of their points thru the end of January. Those with an August Use Year can bank 100% of their points thru the end of March.

This has been confirmed by MS to multiple members as reported here.

My understanding is that those with a Feb through April UY will also be affected in that once 1 Jan comes, they will be under 4 months from their UY and thus have no banking options for any 2007 points that may be remaining. They will have effectively jumped from the 50% banking window to 0%. The first UY that will potentially benefit from the change will be the June UY. While I could see DVC transitioning this by giving those I referenced an either or for the first year, I've seen nothing to indicate this will happen though I hope it does for those that might get caught this this change.

 

[RobDoc]

My understanding is that those with a Feb through April UY will also be affected in that once 1 Jan comes, they will be under 4 months from their UY and thus have no banking options for any 2007 points that may be remaining. They will have effectively jumped from the 50% banking window to 0%. The first UY that will potentially benefit from the change will be the June UY. While I could see DVC transitioning this by giving those I referenced an either or for the first year, I've seen nothing to indicate this will happen though I hope it does for those that might get caught this this change.

February Use Years would also have already exhausted any ability to bank points even under the current policy since the 25% deadline will pass this Friday. Even March Use Years will complete the ability to bank points on December 31. The first Use Year to "lose" any banking ability will be April since they will not be able to bank any points after January 1 under the new policy where they could still have banked up to 25% thru the end of January.

From all reports thus far - and a strict interpretation of the policy as stated by DVC - it appears that the new policy will be fully in effect after January 1, 2008.

 

[Dean]

February Use Years would also have already exhausted any ability to bank points even under the current policy since the 25% deadline will pass this Friday. Even March Use Years will complete the ability to bank points on December 31. The first Use Year to "lose" any banking ability will be April since they will not be able to bank any points after January 1 under the new policy where they could still have banked up to 25% thru the end of January.

From all reports thus far - and a strict interpretation of the policy as stated by DVC - it appears that the new policy will be fully in effect after January 1, 2008.

You're right about the Feb UY, I was counting wrong in my head, should have used the fingers. That means March won't lose anything either since their 25% banking deadline would end 31 Dec, so I guess it's just April that gets shafted. If we can't keep up with it ourselves very well, maybe they really did the right thing with the changes.

 

[flechette]

I think I understand the new banking policy - but I really hope I misunderstood the booking policy. As I read it we can not book anything the last 4 months of our UY? Or can someone clarify/correct that interpretation? I'm trying to figure out how in the world not being able to use our points for 1/3 of a calendar year = good and flexible.....

 

[jodifla]

I think I understand the new banking policy - but I really hope I misunderstood the booking policy. As I read it we can not book anything the last 4 months of our UY? Or can someone clarify/correct that interpretation? I'm trying to figure out how in the world not being able to use our points for 1/3 of a calendar year = good and flexible.....

That applies to anything outside of the DVC properties, as I understand it. Not great for me at all with an April use year and a February wedding anniversary!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuck S]

I think you can use your points during the last 1/3 of your use year. Certainly you can use them at DVC resorts and call to book those at anytime. You can also use points for outside venues during those months, but the reservation has to be made before the 4 month window. So jodifla is correct, no "last minute" reservations at non-DVC locations. The rule used to be 2 months, they've extended it to 4 months.

 

[RobDoc]

I think I understand the new banking policy - but I really hope I misunderstood the booking policy. As I read it we can not book anything the last 4 months of our UY? Or can someone clarify/correct that interpretation? I'm trying to figure out how in the world not being able to use our points for 1/3 of a calendar year = good and flexible.....

DVC points may still be used for reservations at any of the options during the last 4 months as long as the reservation was made prior to the last 4 months of your Use Year. The limitation now is that we cannot call during the last 4 months of the Use Year to make a reservation for that same time period for any of the non-DVC options. (This does not affect World Passport Collection.)

As Chuck noted, this is just an extension of the policy in place since the beginning where we could not make those reservations during the final 2 months of the Use Year.

Reservations at DVC resorts may still be made at any time, based on availability.