Aug UY 2018 Banked points – What will happen?

[dismedvc]

With today's announcement, August is currently the UY most impacted by the closure.

With today’ s announcement April and June UY got late banking and got borrowed points extended.
Sep UY found out today (before their banking deadline) that if the resorts are closed on the day of their reservation starts they will get late banking, so there is no danger of their current year points being lost.

However, August UY had to make a decision by March 31st (obviously before todays announcement) to either cancel and bank or risk losing their points.
In addition, 2018 Banked points for Aug UY are now in worse shape than 2018 banked points for April or June UY’s.
For an April UY that was using banked points for a reservation starting the last two weeks of March those banked points are now extended to September 30th, even though those borrowed points would have expired two weeks after they were originally planned to be used. For an Aug UY with a reservation using banked points for a reservation starting the last two weeks of March those points still expire on July 31st. (before the April UY borrowed points expire). That does not seem fair.

Full disclosure we have an August UY. We had a trip planned in June for 6 nights in 2 BR villas (3 nights at BLT and 3 nights at BWV) Those reservations used 111 current year points and 128 banked points. Because no announcement was made before our March 31st banking deadline we were effectively forced to cancel in order to avoid possibly losing current year points (Note: Aug was the only UY put into that situation)

DVC may come out with an update for Aug UY banked points, but for now it seems unfair that April UY banked points expire 2 months later than Aug UY banked points, and June UY banked points expire 4 months later than Aug UY banked points.
I would be interested in what other Aug UY members think.

ETA: right now there is lots of availability in June, July, August, and September. Why do Aug UY's only have the option to book with 2018 banked points in the first two of those months while April UY's can book with 2018 banked points in all four? (and June UY's can use 2018 banked points to book in all four plus October and November)

 

[Sandisw]

Here is my thought. Owners with March and April reservations with canceled banked points from Aug UY have been able to shift vacations already to summer since the closure was announced since they knew that the points would be expiring.

Those with April and June UY did not even have that option,

Yes, April UY is getting at most 4 months of use, but they aren’t finding out until today, which puts them at least a month later in t to use them. We still don’t know if they have to call, or if they show up online.

So, you are correct, Aug UY isn’t having as much time for cancellations happening today but if resorts are open, then technically the rooms are there to book,

Is it great for those with different UYs? No,

But, there are going to be people with April and June UY points that need to be used that will be in the same boat as you,..not finding the room they need, and thus the extension won’t do them any good anyway.

 

[mgarbowski]

Sep UY found out today (before their banking deadline) that if the resorts are closed on the day of their reservation starts they will get late banking, so there is no danger of their current year points being lost.

I have a September UY and I'm not fully confident of that. The extended FAQ says"Members with later Use Years should follow normal banking guidelines to bank their current Use Year Vacation Points. If a reservation was cancelled due to the Resort closure after the Member’s banking window, an exception will be made to bank the allotted Points associated with that reservation."

My reading of the quoted text is (1) we are advised to follow normal banking guidelines and (2) "If a reservation was cancelled" an exception will be made to allow banking. It makes no promise about future cancellations, and since the banking deadline has not expired for September or later UYs, I think we default back to the first part of advice, which is to consider "normal banking guidelines."

If you are referring to a different portion of the text please let me know.

 

[Sandisw]

I have a September UY and I'm not fully confident of that. The extended FAQ says"Members with later Use Years should follow normal banking guidelines to bank their current Use Year Vacation Points. If a reservation was cancelled due to the Resort closure after the Member’s banking window, an exception will be made to bank the allotted Points associated with that reservation."

My reading of the quoted text is (1) we are advised to follow normal banking guidelines and (2) "If a reservation was cancelled" an exception will be made to allow banking. It makes no promise about future cancellations, and since the banking deadline has not expired for September or later UYs, I think we default back to the first part of advice, which is to consider "normal banking guidelines."

If you are referring to a different portion of the text please let me know.

I interpret that clause the same way as you. I would think some Sept UY owners who had May reservations would have already adjusted them,

I am feeling confident that June and beyond reservations will be a go.

I agree...if I had a Sept UY, I would not gamble at this point.

 

[mgarbowski]

I interpret that clause the same way as you. I would think some Sept UY owners who had May reservations would have already adjusted them,

I am feeling confident that June and beyond reservations will be a go.

I agree...if I had a Sept UY, I would not gamble at this point.

I modified a reservation for August yesterday to use only previously banked points, and I banked the current year points that were freed up. I did this after the new announcement was made. It may turn out the FAQ was poorly worded and I could have gambled but been protected, but I am not willing to take the risk.

 

[mentos]

I’m in that boat (banked August 2018 UY) and managed to punt a May 2020 reservation out to the end of June 2020.
I’ve said before, this is a zero sum game...any benefit bestowed on one class will necessarily degrade everyone else’s experience for a short period of time.

I still agree with what DVC did as it was the most equitable solution, but yes...disappointed that April UY get to book through 9/30 and i can only go to 7/31.

 

[dismedvc]

If a reservation was cancelled due to the Resort closure after the Member’s banking window, an exception will be made to bank the allotted Points associated with that reservation."

I see what you are saying with regard to the word was. Since the Sept UY banking deadline is 4/30/20, no reservations have currently been cancelled before the banking deadline.

I interpreted it to mean if a reservation is cancelled due to resort closure after the banking deadline an exception will be made, but you are correct that is not the way it is worded. If your interpretation is correct, the only "later Use Years" this would apply to is Aug UYs.

ETA: However, if Aug is the only UY this applies to, why did they use the term later use years, implying more than one UY?

 

[mgarbowski]

I see what you are saying with regard to the word was. Since the Sept UY banking deadline is 4/30/20, no reservations have currently been cancelled before the banking deadline.

I interpreted it to mean if a reservation is cancelled due to resort closure after the banking deadline an exception will be made, but you are correct that is not the way it is worded. If your interpretation is correct, the only "later Use Years" this would apply to is Aug UYs.

It's definitely less than clear, but I'm not going to rely on the more generous interpretation. And you're correct the sentence as I read it has no effect on Sept UY. It might have been meant only for the August UY.

 

[Sandisw]

I see what you are saying with regard to the word was. Since the Sept UY banking deadline is 4/30/20, no reservations have currently been cancelled before the banking deadline.

I interpreted it to mean if a reservation is cancelled due to resort closure after the banking deadline an exception will be made, but you are correct that is not the way it is worded. If your interpretation is correct, the only "later Use Years" this would apply to is Aug UYs.

ETA: However, if Aug is the only UY this applies to, why did they use the term later use years, implying more than one UY?

I think they didn’t just say Aug UY because it might cause more confusion than not,..and the message they were trying to convey, I think, was that owners still in the banking window should not wait and assume they will get late banking,

I am feeling more confident of that June 1st date, but if something happens and that doesn’t happen, they left themselves wiggle room.

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

I'm in the same situation. We have 2018 banks points and had a trip planned in march - moved to April- moved to may- now we have moved it to the end of July. We have done everything we possibly can to use these points and just praying if we get cancelled again we will be granted the same treatment as the April and June UY.

 

[dismedvc]

I’m in that boat (banked August 2018 UY) and managed to punt a May 2020 reservation out to the end of June 2020.
I’ve said before, this is a zero sum game...any benefit bestowed on one class will necessarily degrade everyone else’s experience for a short period of time.

I still agree with what DVC did as it was the most equitable solution, but yes...disappointed that April UY get to book through 9/30 and i can only go to 7/31.

It does not seem right that an earlier UY is allowed to "leapfrog" a later use year with regard to expiration dates of 2018 borrowed points.

In addition to the April UYs getting to book through 9/30 as you mentioned, June UYs get to book through 11/30. That means June has been allowed to leapfrog three later UYs. (August UY only get until 7/31, September UY only get until 8/31, and October UY only get until 9/30.)

I think DVC may still make another exception. I do not think they will necessarily extend 2018 banked points for Aug, Sept, & Oct by 6 months, but I think they should update the policy to say 2018 banked points will be extended by 6 months, or until 11/30/ 20, whichever is earlier.

ETA: Aug UY might complain why do June UYs get a 6 month extension, and we only get 4 months. Sept UY might complain why do June UY get a 6 month extension, Aug UY get 4 months and we only get 3 months. (Etc. for October UY who would only get a 2 month extension)
However, as long as the earlier UYs do not have their 2018 banked points extended further out than later UYs I think that is a minor issue.

 

[mentos]

It does not seem right that an earlier UY is allowed to "leapfrog" a later use year with regard to expiration dates of 2018 borrowed points.

In addition to the April UYs getting to book through 9/30 as you mentioned, June UYs get to book through 11/30. That means June has been allowed to leapfrog three later UYs. (August UY only get until 7/31, September UY only get until 8/31, and October UY only get until 9/30.)

I think DVC may still make another exception. I do not think they will necessarily extend 2018 banked points for Aug, Sept, & Oct by 6 months, but I think they should update the policy to say 2018 banked points will be extended by 6 months, or until 11/30/ 20, whichever is earlier.

ETA: Aug UY might complain why do June UYs get a 6 month extension, and we only get 4 months. Sept UY might complain why do June UY get a 6 month extension, Aug UY get 4 months and we only get 3 months. (Etc. for October UY who would only get a 2 month extension)
However, as long as the earlier UYs do not have their 2018 banked points extended further out than later UYs I think that is a minor issue.

I hear ya. I looked at my home resort (VGC) calendar through 11/30 and pretty much found no opportunity to book a studio. I felt a *little* better knowing an extension would be futile.
A 6 month extension today, however, enables me to book in the 7-11 month window and available units were plentiful.

 

[mentos]

I'm in the same situation. We have 2018 banks points and had a trip planned in march - moved to April- moved to may- now we have moved it to the end of July. We have done everything we possibly can to use these points and just praying if we get cancelled again we will be granted the same treatment as the April and June UY.

I’m deeply thinking about booking a reservation in the 7-11 month window JUST so I can cancel it and rebook using *possibly* extended deadline points for August UY.

 

[dismedvc]

It's definitely less than clear, but I'm not going to rely on the more generous interpretation. And you're correct the sentence as I read it has no effect on Sept UY. It might have been meant only for the August UY.

I am feeling more confident of that June 1st date, but if something happens and that doesn’t happen, they left themselves wiggle room.

I think Sandi is probably correct. While "definitely less then clear", DVC seems to have very carefully worded the current notice in such a way that "they left themselves wiggle room"

For example: If the resorts stay closed beyond June 1st, then a member with a Sept UY might have a June, July, or August reservation
cancelled due to the resort closure. In that case the wiggle room seems to allow that member to call MS and request late banking, because at that future point in time they would fit the criteria (quoting from the current policy) "If a reservation was cancelled due to the Resort closure after the Member’s banking window, an exception will be made to bank the allotted Points associated with that reservation."

However, when mgarbowski said "I am not going to rely on the more generous interpretation" that is obviously the safer way to go.