Big family trip - banking, borrowing - have I got this right?

[gzmtlock]

We're planning a big family vacation for Jan 2-7, 2024. Home resort AKV-Kidani, December UY. Looking at a GV-savannah and 2 studios-standard. I'm confident we'll use the GV, may have to cancel one or both studios. For those dates, we'll need 415 points for the GV and 64 points for each studio.

We have a December UY, with the following points available:

2022 - 197
2023 - 200
2024 - 200

For the GV, I'm thinking I need to bank the 2022 points and use those plus all the 2023 plus borrow 18 points from 2024. Then would use 2024 points for both studios, with the thought that, should we need to cancel, those points would return to the 2023 UY and have to be used by November 2024.

As I'm typing this, I think we may book only 1 studio. The second would be for the family that is (in these circumstances) the least reliable, and it probably wouldn't be hard to get them a studio later. If we delay that booking, those points would stay in the 2024 UY and be available until Nov 2025.

Have I got this right?

 

[CarolynFH]

Yes, you have it right!

For those who are new to DVC: The trip would be in your December 2023 UY, so you could use banked 2022 points, 2023 points, and borrowed 2024 points. If you cancelled, any banked or borrowed points would remain in the 2023 UY and have to be used no later than the night of November 30, 2024.

 

[gzmtlock]

Shew! Thanks! I think I may have finally figured all this out.

 

[accm]

I think I would probably use the 2023 UY points first for the studios that may get cancelled, since that'll give you more time to use them after. Unless you know for sure you'll use them by Nov 2024.

 

[kes601]

I think I would probably use the 2023 UY points first for the studios that may get cancelled, since that'll give you more time to use them after. Unless you know for sure you'll use them by Nov 2024.

I was going to say the same thing. Anything you think you might cancel you need to use the current UY (in this case Dec 2023) points so that they can then be banked if you do cancel.

 

[Sandisw]

To add, if you do end up canceling the studios and did book on borrowed points, you can reallocate them into the GV reservation as long as you canceled those rooms 31 days or more from the trip.

It is not automatic, but it would free up points you can bank.

 

[kes601]

To add, if you do end up canceling the studios and did book on borrowed points, you can reallocate them into the GV reservation as long as you canceled those rooms 31 days or more from the trip.

It is not automatic, but it would free up points you can bank.

Nevermind. Think I had a brain fart so I'm removing what I had said.

 

[Sandisw]

Nevermind. Think I had a brain fart so I'm removing what I had said.

Your advice is also good.. one can do it either way!

 

[gzmtlock]

Thanks for all the advice.

I used all the banked 2022 points, all the 2023 points, and a few borrowed 2024 points for the GV. With that investment, we won't cancel. Even if everyone else drops out (which I really don't think will happen, but you always have to consider the worst-case scenario), DH and I will have a lovely time in a huge space.

I booked only one studio, with borrowed 2024 points. If we should have to cancel that, we'll have 10 months to either use or rent those points.

We're holding off on booking the second studio for now. It will be awhile before studios book up for that time of year. And that gives both us and the adult kid whose the furthest away from "plan ahead for everything" awhile to decide our comfort levels with the risk that comes from booking months ahead.

I want to make sure I'm understanding the previous several posts. If we should cancel (31 or more days ahead of check in) the studio we did book, we should contact GS and have those 2024 points exchanged for 2023 points that were used for the GV. That would allow us to bank the 2023 "reclaimed" points into 2024, which in turn would make those points available until Nov 2025? Instead of Nov 2024, which is what would happen if the borrowed points for the cancelled studio stayed in the 2023 UY?

It's no wonder I didn't become an accountant. . . .

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, that is what you would do to reallocate the points.

With a Dec UY..it seems that is what you have…you not only need to cancel 31 days ahead but also before your banking window closes. You didn’t say when the trip is so just want to be sure you are considering that as well.