Best Use Year???

[Kevin&Anna]

Okay, we are thinking of purchasing a DVC. The wife is a teacher, so that restricts our travel to the summer (mid-late June through early-mid August), Christmas Break (Late Dec) and Spring Break (March or April). Currently we would probably be more likely to travel in the summer because it doesn't require as many points but as we have kids and they grow I can see Spring Break or X-mas being more of a possibility. I'm thinking Dec use year would be best although it may restrict us slightly in August. Any advise?

 

[disneydenisel]

I would very seriously think about a new UY, however. Once you have two, it is two different memberships. You can not combine the points for a single night without transferring between the two.

We had it for a short time and to be honest, it was more trouble than it was worth.

I do think that a June UY allows for more flexibility for those Dec trips than a Feb UY since you are still in the banking window for June UY but not Feb UY, but not sure if it would be worth owning different memberships.

Hi Sandi,

Thanks for your detailed reply . I do agree that thinking about having a different UY is already a bit confusing to me, but on the other hand, it is a different resort and I don't foresee needing to combine points from the two resorts. If I did, then I would have to use my annual transfer to get it to happen, so I have to be a lot more organized.

Well, I have a lot to think about. I found a pretty decent VGC contract and have a few days to go for it or not.

Thank you for your replies!

 

[lisareniff]

the other thing to consider is "when would i be least likely to travel to wdw?"

This is a very excellent approach and one that worked well for us. We would never consider going to Florida in the summer. We would die from the heat. So for us a Sept or Oct UY would be optimal. If I'm figuring correctly the last three months of the UY are the travel dates that would be more dangerous (4 month banking window adjusted for a 30 day cancelation window).

I think a good UY comes into play more then just a straight cancelation of a vacation. It can be beneficial if you need to adjust the length of stay due to plane flights or if a waitlist comes through and you need less points (need to bank) or more points (you already banked).

Good luck!

 

[CarolMN]

Okay, we are thinking of purchasing a DVC. The wife is a teacher, so that restricts our travel to the summer (mid-late June through early-mid August), Christmas Break (Late Dec) and Spring Break (March or April). Currently we would probably be more likely to travel in the summer because it doesn't require as many points but as we have kids and they grow I can see Spring Break or X-mas being more of a possibility. I'm thinking Dec use year would be best although it may restrict us slightly in August. Any advise?

Given your situation, I agree that a December use year would work best for your situation and actually, it will not restrict your August trips at all.

You must cancel a trip at least 31 days in advance to get back the points without restrictions. If you cancel 30 days or less prior to arrival, the returned points go into "holding" status.. That means the points cannot be banked, expire at the end of the use year and can only be used to make a reservation that will begin 60 days or less from the date you call to make the reservation. So the banking deadline doesn't matter for any trip that isn't canceled at least 31 days prior to arrival.

In order to bank the points from a canceled August trip, the trip would have to be canceled at least 31 days prior to its check in date - that would be sometime in July. With December use year, your banking deadline is July 31. So a December use year would work out OK for August trips.

HTH

 

[Kevin&Anna]

Thank you Carol!

 

[WDWBlue]

Definitely a June use year for those travel dates.

 

[myxdvz]

I am 6 months into my DVC membership and am finding out that YES, UY is important. When we purchased, we had no kids in school, so our guide helped us plan assuming we take our vacation the same time we went then (May, around memorial day weekend, end of school year). Our UY is April.

Now that I do have a Kindergardener and have seen school calendars, I know that our options are either Spring Break (March, Summer, Thanksgiving, Holiday break). Optimal for us is spring break, but with an April UY, if I cancel any March trip, there's no way for me to reuse the points. Also, I keep on getting hit by the rule of 4. Knowing what I know now, we'd probably better off with a January or December UY.

 

[ToddyLu]

DH is a fireman and picks his vacation every Dec. I have to wait until then for gauranteed dates of our Disney trip. We like going Oct-Dec. We have a Dec UY. While that may not be good for cancellations, it helps me know a year ahead what to plan and how I will be able to use points. With a Dec UY, I can book an Oct-Dec trip the following year, gaurantee the dates and call at the 11 month mark. I think if I had another UY it would confuse me somehow and would not really know if I could bank or not.

Luckily we stumbled into this UY with our purchase and it, I think, works out great.

Of course it is easier maybe since we do not have children and those schedules, and we do not see ourselves having to cancel.

 

[Sandisw]

I am 6 months into my DVC membership and am finding out that YES, UY is important. When we purchased, we had no kids in school, so our guide helped us plan assuming we take our vacation the same time we went then (May, around memorial day weekend, end of school year). Our UY is April.

Now that I do have a Kindergardener and have seen school calendars, I know that our options are either Spring Break (March, Summer, Thanksgiving, Holiday break). Optimal for us is spring break, but with an April UY, if I cancel any March trip, there's no way for me to reuse the points. Also, I keep on getting hit by the rule of 4. Knowing what I know now, we'd probably better off with a January or December UY.

Just a reminder that the rule of 4, booking AND traveling in the last four months of the UY does not apply to the DVC resorts. You do have to bank points by the end of month eight, but if you decided to travel after you have banked points, you can still borrow points from the following UY to travel during that time.

But I agree, understanding and choosing a UY that allows for the most flexibility, if possible, can save headache down the road of lost points if changes or cancellations have to happen. While that may be rare, weather, illness, and family emergencies can happen at any time so I think its important that people take UY into consideration when purchasing, especially from Disney since they will give you the UY you want.