Best Use Year?

[SSRFred]

We're about to take the plunge. I would like to know if there is a preferred UY for banking with regards to the new rules. We've been offered an October UY.

Thanks

 

[Claire L]

All a personal preference really due to when you are more likely to vacation, rule of thumb is have a UY just before your major vacations are likely to be ie June UY for August or March UY for April etc. We have a March UY as we intend to vacation most in May or October.

Claire

 

[DebbieB]

Regardless of the use year, under the new rules effective 1/1/08, you will not be able to bank in the last 120 days of your use year. So with an October use year, you would have to bank before 6/1. Or for example if you had an April use year, you would have to bank before 12/1. So your personal travel habits would dictate if one use year was preferrable over another. If there isn't one particular time of year you usually go, then it doesn't matter.

 

[lisareniff]

We have an Oct. UY and it works well for us. We normally travel in Feb/Apr or sometimes Nov. but more importantly is that we would never travel to Florida in the heat and humity of the summer months.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

We bought our contracts with an August UY. Both contracts were loaded and we immediately banked, so we're always using points that will expire at the end of the UY if we don't use them (expire 7/31). If you purchase contracts and find yourself in this situation, UY may matter.

Had I known more about the system, I would have chosen a UY later in the calendar year. This would have allowed us to travel in August (DH & kids don't go back to school till late August) and would have given us some time to re-book (even with holding points) should our July vacation not work out. The risk we run now is we always vacation at the end of July, and if that vacation gets cancelled for any reason, we will lose 390 points.

Spend some time reading more UY threads and just make sure you understand the pros/cons with the new banking rules and when you think you will travel. Over time, your vacation habits may change, but at least for now, that will be your best guess. I don't think there's ever a "perfect" UY. Most people feel UY is insignificant, but you will find some people with a strong preferences (like me) because of situations that dictate their travel habits. Best of luck!!!

 

[Mattsmommy]

We're about to take the plunge. I would like to know if there is a preferred UY for banking with regards to the new rules. We've been offered an October UY.

Thanks

We spoke to our guide and she said at AKV she was able to get us an october UY and at SSR and August UY. I put a deposit on AKV and then she called me back saying that she got the ok from her manager to give us an August UY, which is what we wanted.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

We spoke to our guide and she said at AKV she was able to get us an october UY and at SSR and August UY. I put a deposit on AKV and then she called me back saying that she got the ok from her manager to give us an August UY, which is what we wanted.

That is our UY too- it works perfect for us. After the kids are out of school- years from now- we will probably use DVC mostly Oct-Jan. While the kids are in school we will most likely travel in Aug.

 

[browniemtb]

We too have an AugUY and works fine for us. As others have posted it is nice to have a UY just prior to you major vacation plans but with planning, and as a member you will become a planner, UY will not truly matter.

Brownie

 

[drag n' fly]

We got a October UY for us because for quite some time we will only be vacationing either at Christmas or Spring Break due to the three kids being in school so it works perfectly for us!

 

[disneykid4ever]

Our UY is September at SSR, and it works perfect for us since we like to visit WDW in the cooler months.

 

[lisareniff]

....I don't think there's ever a "perfect" UY. Most people feel UY is insignificant, but you will find some people with a strong preferences (like me) because of situations that dictate their travel habits. Best of luck!!!

I think UY is important as well, not just if you have to flat out cancel your reservation after the banking deadline but if you need to shave a day off the end or you need to waitlist for accommodations that require less points or you want the flexibility to move around your reservations due to waitlists. Having a UY that allows you to have most of your vacations within the first 3/4 of it's year is has it's advantages.