Can you help me strategize my points??

[8timesblessed]

OK I'm not one for planning ahead very well! So having a timeshare is really difficult. But I'm going to try and make this work but need to know if I have thought this out correctly??? We have a timeshare with Club Intrawest that we got when we first got married 14 years ago. Well lets just say that I use my points at the very end of the time and make a last minute trip. We were able to use our points there for staying at the VGC in May and bougth into DVC at the same time and had the best time. We only have 260 points at this time but don't like to be in debt so we bought what we could at the time.

Well we are a family of 10 so that doesn't leave alot of options for staying unless we want to split up but right now our kids are 12-4. So we are looking for GrandVillas.

I had 100 pts that needed to be used up by Oct 2011 our UY so I am taking 2 of our boys to DW in March and staying at the BWV in a studio. SO excited to try it out before we bring everyone. So that brings me to the next question. We were hoping to do WDW in early December to experience the holidays without the huge crowds but it seems like you all think this is a busy time anyway. We went to DL in late May and it was perfect for us.

Because we own at VGC we can't book until 7 months out unless I rent points or transfer in points but not sure I understand that. Lets say I wanted to stay at OKW in a GV from Dec 4-15 and that requires 537pts. I have 661 to work with if I borrow. We want to go to DL in Fall of 2012 and I would need 530pts to stay for 5 nights in a GV. I would be better off renting or transferring in most of the points needed for the Dec trip and hanging onto my VGC points so I can book 11 months out next year.

So if I'm banking 141 points from 2010 octUY into 2011 they would need to be used by when??? I was planning to use them in Dec 2011 but now I'm second guessing myself. I was planning to use these and then transfer in the rest needed for our Dec trip and save the rest for our trip next year.

Are you confused or is this just me?? I'm new to this and this is alot for me to plan. Thanks if you can help me.

 

[vicki_c]

Honestly, I can't follow all the different trip scenarios.

But you get 260 points in each use year. I think you said you have Oct as your use year. So, for example, your 2011 points are good for trips from:
Oct 1 2011 - September 30 2012.

When you can book has no bearing on that. It is the trip dates that are relevant.

For a December 2012 trip, you could use your 2012 points, or 2011 points that you banked into 2012, or 2013 points that you have borrowed into 2012.
Banked 2010 points become 2011 points basically but they expire on September 30, 2012. Those could not be used for your Dec 2012 trip.

I think you may be overcomplicating it with mixing in the 7 month window for booking - that doesn't matter.

 

[8timesblessed]

So my banked points from 2010 actually become 2011UY points. So need to be used my Sept 2011.

If I want to get a reservation at OKW GV only because it's alot less and my points would go farther. I would need to actually find someone with 537 points to make the reservation if I wanted it 11 months out because my points can't be used until 7 months out.

I was really wanting to use my points but not sure I want to take my chances on getting a GV at 7 months out early December. I thought I would be safe since kids are in school but it seems like the everyone on here thinks it's a busy time.

Would someone be willing to do a transfer and then I make a reservation using my points at VGC for them??? But buy the extra that I don't want to trade out of my points??
Say I want to use 391 of my own points but buy the other 146 and then I could make a 11 month window reservation for that person at VGC using the 391 points I have. Is this too confusing or do people do this???

 

[vicki_c]

See a few comments below

So my banked points from 2010 actually become 2011UY points. So need to be used my Sept 2011.
No - your 2011 points can be used for stays from Oct 2011 -September 2012. Including any 2010 points that you banked into 2011.

If I want to get a reservation at OKW GV only because it's alot less and my points would go farther. I would need to actually find someone with 537 points to make the reservation if I wanted it 11 months out because my points can't be used until 7 months out.

I was really wanting to use my points but not sure I want to take my chances on getting a GV at 7 months out early December. I thought I would be safe since kids are in school but it seems like the everyone on here thinks it's a busy time.
Pretty much one of the most busy DVC times of the whole year.

Would someone be willing to do a transfer and then I make a reservation using my points at VGC for them??? But buy the extra that I don't want to trade out of my points??
Say I want to use 391 of my own points but buy the other 146 and then I could make a 11 month window reservation for that person at VGC using the 391 points I have. Is this too confusing or do people do this???

 

[ToddyLu]

I am blonde and was lost with all the UY talk so I will just tell you this...

from the details of your situation I would think I would be easier for you to get a GV at 11 months at OKW by renting a reservation from someone. I would save my VGC points for times when I was styaing there, but would definitely try to book at 11 months when possible.

If you want a GV at OKW for Christmas--you will definitely have to rent points at 11 months to secure that, if available. Because of the size of your family I think it will be always a risk of NOT getting a 2BR or GV at 7 months. Those are usually the first to go.

If I had points at VGC and had a family your size I would book that venue at 11 months to get the larger accommodations. If I knew I was going to go to WDW every other year or so I would purchase a second contract at SSR, so I could at least insure (based on availabiltity) a reservation at WDW at 11 months in a large villa.

If WDW was only going to be a one time trip with everyone, then I would rent.

My brother and his wife have 5 children, 17-2. I would advise him to purchase and he would actually have to purchase enough points at WDW to always get a least a two BR. So he would have to have at least around 250 points out of the gate.

 

[ToddyLu]

Would someone be willing to do a transfer and then I make a reservation using my points at VGC for them??? But buy the extra that I don't want to trade out of my points??
Say I want to use 391 of my own points but buy the other 146 and then I could make a 11 month window reservation for that person at VGC using the 391 points I have. Is this too confusing or do people do this???[/QUOTE]

Yes, I am sure you could have an arrangement with another owner for this scenario. You can post what you want on the rent/trade board and look around there. I think by this Feb you will have to have at least 50 posts on the DIS to post a request or reservation.

You can transfer points into your account from another member once a year. Because it is only once a year you need to make sure that is what you want to do. If someone transfers more VGC points into your account and you make a reservation, then you retain control over that reservation. If you rent a reservation from someone, that member retains control over the reservation. So you could have your 260 ponts and have another VGC owner transfer stuff in--but they would have to have enough points to fill the balance you need---because you could not have another member do a second transfer, for say another 50 points--because there is only one transfer in or out...not two.

 

[Sandisw]

The one part of your OP that I can say is that if I were you and wanted to go to WDW in early December and get an OKW Grand Villa, and then go to DL in the fall of the following year, I would definitely seek a transfer of the OKW points and save your own for that other trip.

At most resorts, you will need the 11 month window to get the grand villas. And, since you are a family of 10 who need them for extended times, it will be crucial to have home resort advantage.

Good luck!

 

[8timesblessed]

Thanks for your help! We were originally planning to do our resort for early December but since Carsland doesn't open til 2012 we decided we should do WDW first to experience Christmas since we just did DL in May.

Hopefully I can figure out this week what we can do!