Bank/Borrow and Reservation Allocation

[JoeyPeligroso]

Just wanted to make sure that I understand the bank/borrow/modify/contract allocation rules before I make and potentially later modify a reservation.

Comments/Plans:

• It is my understanding that banking and borrowing are final transactions that cannot be undone.
• I have an October use year.
• I am planning a vacation in March 2023 and am coming upon on my 11-month window.
• The reservation I am planning will require points that I have banked into 2023 UY from the 2022 UY (already done), all my existing points originally in the 2023 UY, and a small number of points borrowed from the 2024 UY.
• I’d like to secure the reservation now (April 2022) for this 11-month window.
• If I shorten my trip, I would do it more than 1 month out from the trip and would also do it before my banking window ends for the October use year.

If I have to shorten the trip via a later modification (the trip might shorten by one day), I would then not have need for the same amount of points, and would not have had to borrow points from the 2024 use year:

1. Is it possible to reallocate and retain all of the banked and borrowed points for use on a shortened March 2023 reservation and release only the original 2023 UY points as the reservation is shortened so that these released points (originally from the 2023 UY) could be banked into the 2024 UY (As the borrowed 2024 UY points must remain in the 2023 UY as part of the permanent borrow transaction)?
2. How do I reallocate the points for the reservation online, and/or is this done automatically when I modify the existing reservation?

Thanks for your help with these questions!!

 

[SleeplessInTO]

1. Yes
2. Should be able to do this online by modifying. I like to go into my contracts online and confirm (for 2024 UY) that the borrowed points are going against my shortened reservation. And take a screenshot. And maybe call MS to confirm.

I may be a little paranoid.

3. You didn’t ask this but you may want to try borrowing a couple of points in advance of when you need it. To see if it works. Just in case you run into the borrowing dwarves (aka the glitch) on the actual day of. I may be paranoid but I have my reasons.

 

[Marionnette]

Just wanted to make sure that I understand the bank/borrow/modify/contract allocation rules before I make and potentially later modify a reservation.

Comments/Plans:

• It is my understanding that banking and borrowing are final transactions that cannot be undone.
• I have an October use year.
• I am planning a vacation in March 2023 and am coming upon on my 11-month window.
• The reservation I am planning will require points that I have banked into 2023 UY from the 2022 UY (already done), all my existing points originally in the 2023 UY, and a small number of points borrowed from the 2024 UY.
• I’d like to secure the reservation now (April 2022) for this 11-month window.
• If I shorten my trip, I would do it more than 1 month out from the trip and would also do it before my banking window ends for the October use year.

If I have to shorten the trip via a later modification (the trip might shorten by one day), I would then not have need for the same amount of points, and would not have had to borrow points from the 2024 use year:

1. Is it possible to reallocate and retain all of the banked and borrowed points for use on a shortened March 2023 reservation and release only the original 2023 UY points as the reservation is shortened so that these released points (originally from the 2023 UY) could be banked into the 2024 UY (As the borrowed 2024 UY points must remain in the 2023 UY as part of the permanent borrow transaction)?
2. How do I reallocate the points for the reservation online, and/or is this done automatically when I modify the existing reservation?

Thanks for your help with these questions!!

You are not in your October 2022 UY, so you did not bank 2022 points into 2023. You banked 2021 points into 2022.

Your March 2023 trip will fall during your October 2022 UY. Try to wrap your head around that info as you move forward with your planning. I have a December UY and it always trips me up when I make long-range plans.

On to answering your 2 questions.

1. When you modify a reservation that uses banked, current and borrowed points the banked points will be applied to the shortened reservation, followed by the borrowed points and then any current allotment of points.
2. The order in which the points will be used is automatic. Or at least it should be. It's always wise to check after you modify the reservation.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

You are not in your October 2022 UY, so you did not bank 2022 points into 2023. You banked 2021 points into 2022.

Your March 2023 trip will fall during your October 2022 UY. Try to wrap your head around that info as you move forward with your planning. I have a December UY and it always trips me up when I make long-range plans.

On to answering your 2 questions.

1. When you modify a reservation that uses banked, current and borrowed points the banked points will be applied to the shortened reservation, followed by the borrowed points and then any current allotment of points.
2. The order in which the points will be used is automatic. Or at least it should be. It's always wise to check after you modify the reservation.

Good point re October UY.

 

[JoeyPeligroso]

You are absolutely correct, and thank you! I did bank 2021 into 2022. So I'd be using banked 2021 points, borrowed 2023 points, and current UY 2022 points for my March 2023 reservation. My head is spinning...

So, if I modify the March 2023 reservation to shorten then the modified reservation will be booked with banked 2021, borrowed 2023, and will release excess 2022 points. The released points can then be banked into 2023UY?

Thank you!

 

[Marionnette]

You are absolutely correct, and thank you! I did bank 2021 into 2022. So I'd be using banked 2021 points, borrowed 2023 points, and current UY 2022 points for my March 2023 reservation. My head is spinning...

So, if I modify the March 2023 reservation to shorten then the modified reservation will be booked with banked 2021, borrowed 2023, and will release excess 2022 points. The released points can then be banked into 2023UY?

Thank you!

Yes. You will be able to bank those 2022 points into 2023 but keep in mind that they will need to be used before September 30, 2024. You will not have your full allotment of 2023 points because you borrowed some into 2022 and if borrowing restrictions are still in place, you won't be able to borrow more than half of your 2024 points.

It's situations like that which keep me from borrowing unless I am absolutely sure that the points will be used. I would rather use this year's points up, not bank anything and have a full allotment of next year's points to either use or bank. Once banked, they need to be used within the next UY and I'm still dealing with random banked points that must be used before December 1 or just accept that they will be lost.

 

[JoeyPeligroso]

Thank you very much - this is incredibly helpful!

 

[JoeyPeligroso]

You will be able to bank those 2022 points into 2023 but keep in mind that they will need to be used before September 30, 2023.

Quick question to clarify this comment - if I bank points from my 2022 UY into 2023UY, I would need to use these banked points by September 30 2024, correct?

My head is still spinning a bit, but just wanted to make sure that I understand this properly.

 

[Marionnette]

Quick question to clarify this comment - if I bank points from my 2022 UY into 2023UY, I would need to use these banked points by September 30 2024, correct?

My head is still spinning a bit, but just wanted to make sure that I understand this properly.

My mistake! See how hard it is to get UYs straight when they're late in the year?!!! Points from a October 2022 UY which are banked into 2023 must be used by September 30, 2024. I'll edit my PP.

 

[JoeyPeligroso]

My mistake! See how hard it is to get UYs straight when they're late in the year?!!! Points from a October 2022 UY which are banked into 2023 must be used by September 30, 2024. I'll edit my PP.

No worries!! - You easily picked up on my earlier error, just wanted to clarify that item for my understanding before I make the reservation

It's a lot to take in for me process, I find myself having to rethink the UY scenarios each time I make a reservation. I'm embarrassed that after a few years of ownership that I still don't understand everything. I sure appreciate these forums as they are so helpful for all things DVC and Disney.

Thank you for your help!

 

[CarolynFH]

No worries!! - You easily picked up on my earlier error, just wanted to clarify that item for my understanding before I make the reservation

It's a lot to take in for me process, I find myself having to rethink the UY scenarios each time I make a reservation. I'm embarrassed that after a few years of ownership that I still don't understand everything. I sure appreciate these forums as they are so helpful for all things DVC and Disney.

Thank you for your help!

We have a September UY. The first reservation we made borrowed points, and I realized I needed to be able to see how many I had left in each UY. So I made a chart - in one column I list dates, such as the start date of our UY, and in another column I enter the number of points we get on that date. Resort reservations are entered chronologically in the date column, so I automatically know which UY they fall in. I have other columns to enter the points cost of each reservation, OTU points purchased, etc. so I can keep a running total of my points. But the most important feature to me is the Date column, because I can keep the UYs straight!

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

I actually talked to DVC about this yesterday and I was told that since I borrowed 48 points from 2023 if I cancelled that reservation I would NOT be able to bank the points and they would HAVE to be used in 2022. Which is a total bummer.

 

[Marionnette]

I actually talked to DVC about this yesterday and I was told that since I borrowed 48 points from 2023 if I cancelled that reservation I would NOT be able to bank the points and they would HAVE to be used in 2022. Which is a total bummer.

Members have never been able to "bank" borrowed points. DVC did make an exception during the height of the pandemic and they "returned" borrowed points when members canceled a trip. But that courtesy is no longer being extended.

 

[Sandisw]

I actually talked to DVC about this yesterday and I was told that since I borrowed 48 points from 2023 if I cancelled that reservation I would NOT be able to bank the points and they would HAVE to be used in 2022. Which is a total bummer.

Banking and borrowing are final transactions and other than during the pandemic, its always been enforced pretty regularly. The only time they will return borrowed points to their original UY is when you add on direct and end up with new points in the current UY to use.

But, once borrowed, if the trip is canceled, those points need to be used by the end of the UY you moved them into for the trip.

 

[drusba]

Rules to follow:

1. You can always book your home resort at 11-months out (7-months for others). In determining which points you can use for a trip, wipe from your mind the date you try to make the reservation and look only to the dates you will be in WDW. With an Oct use year and a desired March 2023 trip, you can reserve the trip at your home resort in April 2022, and at the time of making the reservation use Oct 2022 use year points, which will be the "current" use year points for that trip, Oct 2021 use year points if you first bank them before trying to reserve, and, if needed, borrow up to 50% of your Oct 2023 points at the time of making the reservation.

2. Once points have been banked or borrowed, they cannot be returned to their original use year for use for a trip in that use year. Thus, if you have banked or borrowed points already in a reservation and cancel the reservation, they must be used for a trip that is completed by the end of the use year into which they were banked or borrowed.

3. If you modify an existing reservation, which modification decreases the total points used for a reservation, the online system is designed to extract from the reservation "current" use year points before extracting any banked or borrowed points. Thus, if you modify the March reservation by removing a day, Oct 2022 points will be the first to come out of the reservation. Banked or borrowed points will not come out of the reservation until after all current use year points are first extracted. Just be careful that any such modification is done 31 or more days before designated time of arrival in the original reservation, because any cancellation or modification done 30 days or fewer out will result in all points that come out of the reservation going into "holding" and all such points must be used by the end of the use year applicable to your original reservation, and can only be used when reserving a trip with an arrival date that is 60 days or fewer from the date you attempt to make the new reservation.

 

[clarker99]

3. If you modify an existing reservation, which modification decreases the total points used for a reservation, the online system is designed to extract from the reservation "current" use year points before extracting any banked or borrowed points. Thus, if you modify the March reservation by removing a day, Oct 2022 points will be the first to come out of the reservation. Banked or borrowed points will not come out of the reservation until after all current use year points are first extracted. Just be careful that any such modification is done 31 or more days before designated time of arrival in the original reservation, because any cancellation or modification done 30 days or fewer out will result in all points that come out of the reservation going into "holding" and all such points must be used by the end of the use year applicable to your original reservation, and can only be used when reserving a trip with an arrival date that is 60 days or fewer from the date you attempt to make the new reservation.

So, banked points dont get used first? Can you call MS and have them use the banked points first? This seems counter-intuitive.

 

[CarolMN]

So, banked points dont get used first? Can you call MS and have them use the banked points first? This seems counter-intuitive.

Banked and borrow points get used before current use year points. I believe you have misread @drusba's post.

 

[DVCanadian]

Easiest way to manage use year is to write it out on a piece of paper.

October 1, 2021 - September 30, 2022 - # of points
October 1 2022 - September 30, 2023 - # of points
October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2024 - # of points

Reservations are made within the time periods above. Move points to where the reservations are.

Use year is similar to school year and fiscal year as it doesn’t follow the calendar year (but your annual dues do LOL).

 

[Marionnette]

So, banked points dont get used first? Can you call MS and have them use the banked points first? This seems counter-intuitive.

Points get taken in the following order and you don't need to call MS to do it:

•Holding​

•Banked​

•Borrowed​

•Transferred​

•Annual Allotment​

 

[CarolynFH]

Easiest way to manage use year is to write it out on a piece of paper.

October 1, 2021 - September 30, 2022 - # of points
October 1 2022 - September 30, 2023 - # of points
October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2024 - # of points

Reservations are made within the time periods above. Move points to where the reservations are.

Use year is similar to school year and fiscal year as it doesn’t follow the calendar year (but your annual dues do LOL).

Exactly! I’ve been keeping my very simple spreadsheet since we bought, and entering reservations into the correct UY is the most important part!