Bank Points or Take a Chance?

[disneymom225]

Hello! We are soon to be DVC members (paperwork being FedExed as I type) and we have a choice of a Feb 1 or March 1 use year. Here's the dilemma. We plan on going to WDW about every other year with our next trip planned for Feb 07 (well, we are going in August but that's already paid for). If we do the Feb 1 use year, this year's points will expire before the trip so we thought of going to Hilton Head next summer. But there's no guarntee of getting res.-esp as we would be travelling end of June. If we take March 1- we just bank points and have enough to take grandparents. But no HHI. Does this make sense? I need some advice from more experienced members...
Thanks!

 

[dianeschlicht]

It really doesn't make a lot of difference. Either way, you can bank or borrow points for that trip. In fact, you can cancel your cash trip and use points for that too if you choose to.

 

[CHOPR]

You don't mention what resort your buying into. If it is SSR ask about getting a Sept '05 use year which is available now. If it's another resort then my advice is useless, sorry Good luck and welcome home!

 

[JimMIA]

It really doesn't make a lot of difference. Either way, you can bank or borrow points for that trip. In fact, you can cancel your cash trip and use points for that too if you choose to.

Diane's right, as usual. This is not a use year question -- it's just a question of whether you want to go to HHI or take the Grandparents to WDW. [EDIT: In fact, with banking and borrowing, you could probably do both.]

The only caveat I would offer about borrowing points for the HHI trip is don't borrow points for a tentative trip. Be sure you are really going. Once you borrow points, you can't "un-borrow," so they would expire at the end of the '06 use year.

 

[mowog]

Feb vs. Mar doesn't make a lot of difference. You can borrow or bank points so don't even consider the decision from a points use standpoint. The only difference would be when you tend to take vacations. If you go Dec/Jan then the Mar use year gives you an extra 30 days to do something if a trip falls through. For example we have Feb use year at BCV. We normally go Jan/Dec - say in Jan I broke my leg really bad and couldn't go on my DVC trip. I would only have until Feb 1 to find someone who would rent,buy, or use them as they would go into a "holding" account" and would expire if not used. Mar would give me an extra 30 days to get rid of the points. If you did spring/summer vacations then it wouldn't matter. I think what I've written is how it works but others have more experience.

Good Luck, Jean and Bob

 

[disneymom225]

Hi! I don't think I was clear. Still new at this. If I take March use-then I can bank my current points and use them for the grandparent trip. If I do Feb, then my points from this year will expire prior to that trip. I guess my question was-I can't book HHI until Nov. and there is no guarntee I will get that trip so should I risk it? I did change our Aug trip so the 1st night we are staying a VWL. Now, if I can get hubby to take an extra day off of work, maybe we can go a few days early and just hang out...
Thanks for all the helph

 

[disneymom225]

Yes, its SSR but we are going to take the earlier use year. We will probably be vacationing presidents weekend, summer--teacher schedule. Thanks for the tips