Any downside to a December Use Year

[nderh2o]

Just got off phone with guide and was informed that current SSR sales are for building with Dec use year (2005). Was told that if I commit by end of May that I would receive full Dec 2005 points allotment to use or bank by Dec 2006 (next allotment). So far, so good...
However, I am relatively new to this and was wondering is there a downside to having Dec as my use Year... Consider that we plan on using our points in Late June - Early July for the near future (3 kids under 7 and school year is a factor). Also, for the time being, I believe that we will be staying at OKW until the kids are a bit older (want the extra space offered).

Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[RobDoc]

The only downside for a Dec Use Year with that travel schedule is that - if you should cancel - you might miss the ability to bank those points and would have to use them by the end of November. With a Dec Use Year, your 100% banking deadline is May 31. If you cancelled a July vacation after May 31, you would onle be able to bank a maximum of 50% of your points.

Except for cancelling, there is no problem with any Use Year. Keep in mind that your travel habits could change in the future- so I wouldn't place too much importance on Use Year unless you typically make a lot of changes in your travel plans.

Enjoy!

 

[Nanajo1]

We have a Dec UY and right now it is a bit problematic. We take a big family trip every other Nov while we have never had to cancel I get really nervous until we're all there because of the banking deadlines. But as the DGKs grow we will have to go during school vactions and deadlines will friendlier.

 

[MinMouse]

We also have a Dec UY. You are smart to consider your banking options up front. We have a trip planned in November and really like going in the fall. It does worry me that we might have to cancel a trip at some point. I would hope I could rent/trade them out to a family that can't get a reservation for the time we have. But it is a consideration we did not make when purchasing. But I have to agree with the other posters --- travel plans change from year to year --- UY is usually not a factor at all.

 

[Granny]

The hardest part about a December UY is that most of your trips will occur in the calendar year after your UY starts. So it can be a bit confusing talking about a 2008 trip using 2007 UY points. But that can happen with any UY, so it really isn't a big deal.

 

[MinMouse]

The hardest part about a December UY is that most of your trips will occur in the calendar year after your UY starts. So it can be a bit confusing talking about a 2008 trip using 2007 UY points. But that can happen with any UY, so it really isn't a big deal.

Boy are you right. I often find myself befuddled just because of this point. I do find it helpful to be able to see my points on the member website now. Visualizing it really helps. I just banked some points and then panicked that I hadn't done it right. Just a check on the DVC website and I was ok again. But maybe that's just me!

 

[Dean]

I think UY matters to a degree. Certainly if you're usual travel is a few months before your use year, that can be a problem. Dec should work fine for June or July. While March, April or June might be better, likely not enough to justify delaying your points. I'd take Dec in this situation.

 

[carol1231]

We have a Dec UY. When it was offered to us, we didn't even think about when to bank. But since I am always borrowed into the next year, I don't have any thing to bank anyways . So for us, it hasn't been a problem.

 

[MonkeyPants]

trying to figure out if Dec works for me as well.

I figure I will likely hit WDW twice a year, a 4 or 5 day trip in sept/oct and a 10-11 day trip in Jan.

 

[byoung]

I have a Dec use year, have no problem with it so far.

 

[fishermouse]

trying to figure out if Dec works for me as well.

I figure I will likely hit WDW twice a year, a 4 or 5 day trip in sept/oct and a 10-11 day trip in Jan.

We have Dec use year as well, so far no problem but like you we usually take a fall trip, DW and I both have Oct Birthday so we try to be away for one of them. We have not had to canx so far but if we did it could be a problem. You can't bank Dec use year points in Oct. Somehow I would have to find a way to use them before Dec. in my case I guess I could xfer to my Sister she always goes in Nov. and has a june UY. Don't know if she could canx her points and use mine without taking a chance of losing her Reservation. Just hope it never becomes an issue.

 

[OKWJan]

We have a December use year too, and it has never been a problem at all. Actually, we are well borrowed into our 2006 points already too . Never have enought of those points to go all the times we want to go .

Jan

 

[CarolMN]

We have Dec use year as well, so far no problem but like you we usually take a fall trip, DW and I both have Oct Birthday so we try to be away for one of them. We have not had to canx so far but if we did it could be a problem. You can't bank Dec use year points in Oct. Somehow I would have to find a way to use them before Dec. in my case I guess I could xfer to my Sister she always goes in Nov. and has a june UY. Don't know if she could canx her points and use mine without taking a chance of losing her Reservation. Just hope it never becomes an issue.

While it is true that you cannot bank points in October (or November) if you have a December use year, it is also true that if you cancel your October vacation less than 31 days prior to arrival, the points go into the holding account. Holding points can't be banked, have reservatrion restrictions associated with them and expire at the end of the use year no matter what use year you have.

So if you cancel yor birthday vacation at least 31 days in advance, you'd be doing it in August. At that point you could bank up to 50% of your points (if you do it before the end of August).

Best wishes -

 

[fishermouse]

So if you cancel yor birthday vacation at least 31 days in advance, you'd be doing it in August. At that point you could bank up to 50% of your points (if you do it before the end of August).

Best wishes -

Good point, I was only thinking about last minute emergencies, Should be pointed out that if you cancell far enough in advance you can still bank your points using the standard banking restictions. I have already cancelled one date and scheduled another with no loss off points. Have even read on board that for real emergencies MS has allowed members to bank after the dead line. never experienced it myself so don't count on it.

 

[mydogdrew]

Banking/cancel aside, December is the best UY if you are planning to ever add-on. For example, let's say you want to add 100 points at SSR this coming July. With Dec UY, you will get 2005 points (with no dues and the ability to bank all or some of these points) while a June UY will get only 2006 points with pro-rated dues.

 

[Dean]

Banking/cancel aside, December is the best UY if you are planning to ever add-on. For example, let's say you want to add 100 points at SSR this coming July. With Dec UY, you will get 2005 points (with no dues and the ability to bank all or some of these points) while a June UY will get only 2006 points with pro-rated dues.

I don't think any use year gives you much advantage from adding on per your example. It depends on your use year and when you're adding on. If you were in Nov, 2005 and wanted to add on, it would be the reverse. I don't know if some use years are more available than others (I don't think so), but if so, that might be a factor.

 

[Didney Daddy]

We have Dec use years on our contracts and it has been no problem. We vacation in WDW in Oct/Nov/Jan and sometimes in May. Cancellation is the only concern but you can always rent the points pretty reliably so I would not let UY be a consideration.

 

[Suzi Q]

We also have DUY on our 3 contracts and vacation in Oct/Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb. So far we have not had any problems but I always get a little nervous with the Oct/Nov vacations and hope we don't have to cancel.