Buying Small Contract - Reservations at 11 Months versus 7 Months

[hayesdvc]

In reading the various threads, I need some clarification.

Let's say I have a SSR contract for 200 points (any UY) and a BLT contract for 25 points (any UY)

Can I make a reservation at BLT at 7 months using BLT points and also use points from my SSR contract (I assume the UY for either contract would not matter)?

I assume you could only use the SSR points for BLT at the seven months mark. If not, why would anyone ever purchase more points at the same home resort. In my example, are there other factors I am missing to make the BLT reservation at the seven months mark and still useg part of the SSR points?

NOTE: I don't think I should ever use the word "assume" as it relates to DVC

 

[Disneybuckeye]

You can only use points for each resort at 11 months. To cross resorts you have to wait until 7 months. Hence the recommendation to buy where you want to stay. Use year does not matter.

 

[LisaS]

Let's say I have a SSR contract for 200 points (any UY) and a BLT contract for 25 points (any UY)

Can I make a reservation at BLT at 7 months using BLT points and also use points from my SSR contract (I assume the UY for either contract would not matter)?

The UY does matter. If you own BLT and SSR contracts and they are the same UY (and are titled the same way and were set up under the same membership), you can combine the points at 7 months out to make a reservation. If the two contracts have different UYs, then they will be set up under separate memberships and the points cannot be combined unless you transfer them from one membership to the other. Your other option when using points from different memberships would be to book your stay as two reservations. You would book the first N nights with your BLT membership and the last M nights with your SSR membership and then have MS link them so that the room assigner (hopefully!) assigns both reservations to the same room. You would have to check out and check in when you transition from reservation #1 to reservation #2.

I assume you could only use the SSR points for BLT at the seven months mark. If not, why would anyone ever purchase more points at the same home resort.

That is correct. If you want to book BLT more than 7 months out, only BLT points are accepted as payment for that reservation. Once you are 7 months or less from check-in you can use any points to book any resort, subject to availability.

In my example, are there other factors I am missing to make the BLT reservation at the seven months mark and still use part of the SSR points?

NOTE: I don't think I should ever use the word "assume" as it relates to DVC

If you owned both BLT points and SSR points, at 11 months out you could book part of your BLT stay using your BLT points. At 7 months from the nights you want to add, you could use SSR points to book the remaining nights, subject to availability.

 

[Wildernessbride2005]

Is there a fee to transfer points between memberships? We are adding a small contract to our home resort with a different use year.

 

[chalee94]

No fee for transfers. You cannot currently book online using transferred pts, so you would have to call MS.

(It would be much easier with the same UY BTW)

FYI remember that transferred pts can be banked but cannot be borrowed.

 

[hayesdvc]

The UY does matter. If you own BLT and SSR contracts and they are the same UY (and are titled the same way and were set up under the same membership), you can combine the points at 7 months out to make a reservation. If the two contracts have different UYs, then they will be set up under separate memberships and the points cannot be combined unless you transfer them from one membership to the other. Your other option when using points from different memberships would be to book your stay as two reservations. You would book the first N nights with your BLT membership and the last M nights with your SSR membership and then have MS link them so that the room assigner (hopefully!) assigns both reservations to the same room. You would have to check out and check in when you transition from reservation #1 to reservation #2.

That is correct. If you want to book BLT more than 7 months out, only BLT points are accepted as payment for that reservation. Once you are 7 months or less from check-in you can use any points to book any resort, subject to availability.

If you owned both BLT points and SSR points, at 11 months out you could book part of your BLT stay using your BLT points. At 7 months from the nights you want to add, you could use SSR points to book the remaining nights, subject to availability.

So even if you have multiple contracts and different resorts, as long as each contract has the same UY, you will only have ONE DVC membership?

 

[LisaS]

So even if you have multiple contracts and different resorts, as long as each contract has the same UY, you will only have ONE DVC membership?

The contracts must all be titled the same as well (same owners). For example, if a couple owned a contract in both their names and later purchased another contract at the same resort but decided to add an adult child to the title so that she would be a co-owner, that new contract would have to be set up under a new membership.

Provided all of your contracts are the same UY and titled the same, they can be set up under the same membership even if they are for different resorts. Points from contracts under the same membership can be pooled when making a reservation. When using points from multiple contracts from the same resort, those pooled points can be used to make a reservation at their home resort 11 months out. When pooling points from different resorts, they can be used to book any resort 7 months or less from check-in.

 

[hayesdvc]

The contracts must all be titled the same as well (same owners). For example, if a couple owned a contract in both their names and later purchased another contract at the same resort but decided to add an adult child to the title so that she would be a co-owner, that new contract would have to be set up under a new membership.

Provided all of your contracts are the same UY and titled the same, they can be set up under the same membership even if they are for different resorts. Points from contracts under the same membership can be pooled when making a reservation. When using points from multiple contracts from the same resort, those pooled points can be used to make a reservation at their home resort 11 months out. When pooling points from different resorts, they can be used to book any resort 7 months or less from check-in.

THANKS !!!

 

[Wildernessbride2005]

Yes same UY would have been ideal, but finding that contract was near impossible. We wanted 50 points at VWL and one finally showed up so I grabbed it. We will likely need to transfer points every 2 to 3 trips so that hopefully works out.

Thanks for all the help here.

 

[SuperRob]

Glad I saw this thread. I didn't know that different use years would add additional complexity. We've been looking at the resale market, and I figured I'd get September to "balance out" having an April use year (plus our anniversary is September), but now that I know this, it sounds like sticking with April is almost a must.

 

[Dean]

Glad I saw this thread. I didn't know that different use years would add additional complexity. We've been looking at the resale market, and I figured I'd get September to "balance out" having an April use year (plus our anniversary is September), but now that I know this, it sounds like sticking with April is almost a must.

It depends. IF it's a full sized contact and a different home resort, it still might be a good option. It does add complexity but about the amount of balancing a checkbook. It can also add options and benefits like additional wait list options and insurance in the form of more time to use the points if you have to change or cancel if you have a well timed UY.

 

[disneynutz]

Yes same UY would have been ideal, but finding that contract was near impossible. We wanted 50 points at VWL and one finally showed up so I grabbed it. We will likely need to transfer points every 2 to 3 trips so that hopefully works out.

Thanks for all the help here.

Transferred points don't show in your account and we have found that MS sometimes has difficulty using them.

Bill

 

[dgaston]

This thread inspired me to check some of the reseller webpages, and I found a 60 point BWV contract to add to my 25 point August Use year! I own the BWV points with my DD. Still learning the ins and outs of balancing April at AKV and SSR, but it's nice to have options.

 

[Minniesgal]

Glad I saw this thread. I didn't know that different use years would add additional complexity. We've been looking at the resale market, and I figured I'd get September to "balance out" having an April use year (plus our anniversary is September), but now that I know this, it sounds like sticking with April is almost a must.

It does depend and it is usually preferrable but I think a must is a bit strong.

I have 3 contracts. 1 at AKV, 1 at GCV and 1 at GFV. They are all the same UY but i use them to book home resort at 11 months so I generally only use home resort points at home resort. Unless something goes wrong.

For example our next trip was supposed to be 5 nights VGC, 5 nights AKV, 5 nights GFV. However, expedia messed up my flights giving me no time in California. While it was their mistake getting them to admit that would have taken weeks by which time WDW accomodation might have been scare so we just lived with it and luckily it happened the day of our 7 month window so we swapped 5 nights in a VGC 1 bedroom for 5 nights at a 2 bedroom at SSR. So even now all my bookings are separate and using separate home resort points. SSR is booked with VGC points, AKV with AKV points and VGF with VGF points. So if you were to add on a separate resort to use at a separate resort I don't think same UY is essential. Although even though I use my points as i d same UY means I only have 1 banking window to remember.

However, if you want points to mix together with your existing points for booking same UY is essential. It is worth thinking hard about how you will use them before deciding.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

If I can piggyback on this thread - is it really hard to book non-home resort at 7 months out? Our trips would be every other year spending xmas week at AKV (6 nights, 1 bedroom) but I would also like the option to pop into a BCV studio for a long F&W weekend sometimes (3 nights). I was just going to try to find a resale contract at AKV that would meet our needs, but should I split it up and get 2 contracts to guarantee booking? If I do that, should I aim for the same UY to keep things simple?

 

[crisi]

If I can piggyback on this thread - is it really hard to book non-home resort at 7 months out? Our trips would be every other year spending xmas week at AKV (6 nights, 1 bedroom) but I would also like the option to pop into a BCV studio for a long F&W weekend sometimes (3 nights). I was just going to try to find a resale contract at AKV that would meet our needs, but should I split it up and get 2 contracts to guarantee booking? If I do that, should I aim for the same UY to keep things simple?

Everyone wants to pop into an Epcot resort for F&W. It isn't impossible, but it is difficult to book at either Epcot resort at seven months during F&W. And getting harder.

 

[LisaS]

Studios at the Epcot resorts (BCV or BWV) are in high demand during F&W, especially during long weekends. For example, there is no availability at this point (8.5 months out) for a studio in any booking category for the whole of Columbus Day weekend 2016. The only night with any studio availability that weekend is Sat Oct 8 at BCV only (nothing at BWV).

You would have to book that reservation the instant the 11-month window opened so you would need BCV points. They could be your own points or points you had transferred into your account from a BCV owner, though there is no guarantee that you would find someone willing to transfer their points. So many people have added on at the Epcot resorts just for F&W, it is getting harder to book a studio there, even right at 11 months out for some booking categories (BWV Standard View).

 

[chalee94]

If I can piggyback on this thread - is it really hard to book non-home resort at 7 months out? Our trips would be every other year spending xmas week at AKV (6 nights, 1 bedroom) but I would also like the option to pop into a BCV studio for a long F&W weekend sometimes (3 nights). I was just going to try to find a resale contract at AKV that would meet our needs, but should I split it up and get 2 contracts to guarantee booking? If I do that, should I aim for the same UY to keep things simple?

Xmas week at AKV - right at 7 months out, you can probably swing a savanna view or standard room - no way on value or club villas

BCV studio at 7 months is tough - during food and wine (or most of the 4th quarter of the year) is unrealistic

keeping the same UY makes things easier - yes

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Thanks for the responses! I think I may just try to get a contract that fits our xmas week needs for now, we can always add on our rent points for BCV later.