Buying Resale Contracts with Different Use Years

[Katie2]

So we have an offer out on an August use year contract, and found another small contract with a June use year. I have heard several times that I should stick to the same use year, but what is the reasoning behind this? Is it simply to make the math easier, or are there other unknown perils that I am not aware of?

 

[CarolMN]

Different use years mean different memberships.

If you plan to combine points from different use years for a single reservation, you will encounter booking difficulties. You can get around them, but it will require at least one call to MS. If you are trying to book a concierge, value, standard or other tough to get reservation, you will be at a significant disadvantage and may not get the reservation.

My advice is not to do it, especially if you will be a new member. That said, different memberships can be an advantage in certain limited situations. IMO, a better strategy for newbies is to wait to consider multiple memberships until they have some actual DVC booking experience.

 

[Katie2]

Different use years mean different memberships.

If you plan to combine points from different use years for a single reservation, you will encounter booking difficulties. You can get around them, but it will require at least one call to MS. If you are trying to book a concierge, value, standard or other tough to get reservation, you will be at a significant disadvantage and may not get the reservation.

My advice is not to do it, especially if you will be a new member. That said, different memberships can be an advantage in certain limited situations. IMO, a better strategy for newbies is to wait to consider multiple memberships until they have some actual DVC booking experience.

Thank you, CarolMN. I think based on your response, we will wait to see what happens with the first contract.

 

[Bellecruiser]

Don’t do it!

 

[KPeterso]

I bought a new contract this year that was a different use year. It was the right size and resort, and I wanted to get it prior to the January resale changes, so I went for it. I am still not 100% sold on having 2 use years, but I am going to make it work. You can see both contracts from the same online account and just need to switch your dashboard between the 2 contracts. I am trying to decide if I should transfer my current year points into my other contracts or if I will book a separate reservations for the different contracts.

 

[lovewdwdvc]

Same UY is best but if you look at the point and are willing to be diligent it may work. I would not do it though.

 

[Deb & Bill]

With two different UY, you can make reservations for alternating years or transfer between them. But you cannot borrow transferred points and you cannot transfer banked or borrowed points. Plus they still only allow one transfer in or out each UY.

 

[CarolMN]

With two different UY, you can make reservations for alternating years or transfer between them. But you cannot borrow transferred points and you cannot transfer banked or borrowed points. Plus they still only allow one transfer in or out each UY.

And you can't book online using transferred points from your different membership.

 

[denecarter]

Just use them alternating years (or trips).

 

[Cyberc1978]

With two different UY, you can make reservations for alternating years or transfer between them. But you cannot borrow transferred points and you cannot transfer banked or borrowed points. Plus they still only allow one transfer in or out each UY.

My experience is that is not the case. I have more than 1 UY and I can transfer points between my UY's and still get 1 inbound/outbound point transfer.

To list some of the pros and cons for multiple UY's

Pros: 2 wait lists per UY, 24 "one time use points" per UY, if you visit during two different times of year ie. spring and Christmas then you can minimize or remove the risk of loosing points if you have to cancel.
If you always know that a booked trip will happen then the latter does not matter.

Cons: Multiple banking deadlines to keeps track on. No easy way of combining points when making a booking.

if you always go during the same time of year then multiple UY dont makes sense. Unless you see the use of some of the pros I listed.

Maybe someone can add to the pros/cons.

 

[CarolMN]

My experience is that is not the case. I have more than 1 UY and I can transfer points between my UY's and still get 1 inbound/outbound point transfer..........

So far, you and many others,have been lucky. MS has been known to routinely make exceptions to the one transfer per membership per use year rule if the memberships are owned by the same person(s). However, that is not the rule and there have been reports of some CM s not willing to make that particular "pixie dust" exception. So no guarantee that it will continue.