Best use year

[tomv]

I have been researching these boards as I prepare to purchase at DVC! I appreciate all the great information, but I am still unclear on the ideal use year for me. I anticipate staying in November or January. Which use year would best suit these stay months and why? Thanks for your help!

 

[Crystal_27]

October is always a popular UY for those who like to travel around the holidays (especially since January and November aren't available use years). If I were you, I'd opt for October. Good luck!

 

[momhmmx2]

YUP I agree with pp. October sounds like it would be best for you if those are your preferred travel months.

 

[tomv]

Thanks for the quick replys! I'm trying to understand this whole use year thing, so why in my situation is October best?

 

[jekjones1558]

Thanks for the quick replys! I'm trying to understand this whole use year thing, so why in my situation is October best?

In the event that you have to cancel your Nov. or Jan. trip you will have plenty of time to do one of 2 things with your Oct. use year points:
1) Reschedule your vacation before the points expire on Sep. 30 or
2) Bank the points before the banking deadline, which is May 31 for Oct. points.

If you had a Feb. use year, for instance, you would have little time to reschedule before your points would expire (on Jan. 31 for Feb. points) and your banking deadline would have already passed (for Feb. points the banking deadline is Sep. 30).

 

[chalee94]

here is a link to a great thread for learning about "use year."

 

[Sandisw]

I agree with others that Oct UY works very well for November and January trips.

Traveling at the beginning of a UY gives you the most flexibliity if you have to cancel or change a trip since you have 8 months to bank points if they will go unused.

Plus, if you plan a trip with borrowed points, and then have to cancel, you still have a lot of time to reschedule a trip with those points (since borrowed points can not be returned).

We have a June UY since we travel mostly in August right now. And, once we retire, it will be fall trips for the most part.

Good luck!

 

[tomv]

Thanks for clearing things up for me, October it is! Now if I could only decide on my home resort and how many points to purchase, I'll be ready to buy!

 

[lisareniff]

We have an October UY and it works great for us. Traveling Oct through June gives you time to cancel, shave a day off or waitlist for a lesser point reservation before our banking deadline.

Also as those that live in the north east, we would not go down to FL in the summer. Way too hot there and too beautiful here. A good way to look at it is what months would you never travel on a DVC vacation and have those at the end of your UY.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

I always remind members that your membership is for 40+ years. What travel habitsyou have now will most likely change several times over the life of you contract. What UY works for you now maynot work for you in the future. I like my AUG UY. We vacation in the summer, so August vacations are safe for us. When we retife we will spend JAN and FEB in Florida so AUG UY will also work for us then.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Thanks for clearing things up for me, October it is! Now if I could only decide on my home resort and how many points to purchase, I'll be ready to buy!

DVC'S golden rule: BUY WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY!!!

 

[tomv]

I agree with the strategy to buy where I want to stay, the problem is that I like them all!

 

[kbtiger591]

Well is it best to try to acquire a UY month that is the same as the month you wish to vacation if possible? Is that the most ideal situation if you do anticipate vacationing mostly in that month?

Say you like to vacation in the first half of December. Would having December as your UY allow you the most flexibility I'm gathering?