Confused on traveling during "Use Year" month

[rusafee1183]

I have a December use year. If I would want to bank, borrow and use my currect points to do a big family trip for Christmas, how does that work?

I thought I had to travel by December 1st in order to not lose my previous years points? So, would I not be able to do that? If I travel in that month, it would be AFTER December 1st.... so I'm lost

I have read the how to on banking and borrowing points a thousand times, but this still makes no sense to me.

Can someone explain this please?

 

[erionm]

Your Dec 2011 UY Points are valid for stays 12/1/2011 thru 11/30/2012.
Your Dec 2012 UY Points are valid for stays 12/1/2012 thru 11/30/2013.
Your Dec 2013 UY Points are valid for stays 12/1/2013 thru 11/30/2014.

You could bank your 2011 points into 2012 and borrow from 2013 for a reservation that takes place between 12/1/2012 and 11/30/2013. Any banked/borrowed points will expire at the end of the UY they are moved into if unused.

 

[chalee94]

I have a December use year. If I would want to bank, borrow and use my currect points to do a big family trip for Christmas, how does that work?

I thought I had to travel by December 1st in order to not lose my previous years points? So, would I not be able to do that? If I travel in that month, it would be AFTER December 1st.... so I'm lost

first. ignore booking dates, as UY month has nothing at all to do with when you book.

second, ignore calendar year, as you will get confused with a dec UY.

next, keep it simple.

your 2013 UY means those pts are valid for stays from dec 1, 2013 to nov 30, 2014. if you were planning a trip for dec 10, 2013 for 5 nights, that trip would fall in your 2013 UY (in other words, using current 2013 pts.)

(the confusing thing about dec UYs is that any other trips in calendar year 2013 - say if you wanted to start your trip on nov 28, 2013 - will probably fall into your 2012 UY.)

banking and borrowing have 2 simple rules:

1) you can move pts up or back one UY.

2) you can only move pts one time.

so if you bank 2012 UY pts into your 2013 UY, they cannot be banked again into your 2014 UY or "unbanked" back into 2012...they can only be used for stays in your 2013 UY after you bank them...if you don't use them they expire.

if you borrow 2014 UY pts into your 2013 UY, same thing. they are now stuck in your 2013 UY. (a difference between banking and borrowing is that you only borrow pts to complete a reservation, never just to have them available.)

so when you call to book a dec 10, 2013 reservation (11 months out - as early as jan 10, 2013 for your home resort), you would have access to any banked 2012 pts + current 2013 pts + borrowed 2014 pts (if needed.)

if you follow the first 2 steps (don't confuse booking windows with UY and don't confuse calendar year with UY), then i'm hoping this makes sense.

 

[chalee94]

I thought I had to travel by December 1st in order to not lose my previous years points?

to answer your question, that is true if you do not bank the previous year's pts.

as i stated in my detailed example, you cannot bank pts twice, so if you have banked 2011 UY pts into your 2012 UY, they will expire on nov 30, 2013 (the end of your 2012 UY) and you will lose them if you do not complete your stays before nov 30, 2013.

you cannot use 2011 UY pts in your 2013 UY. (cruises might be an exception if you bought direct, but that is generally true.)

 

[rusafee1183]

Thank you both for the responses!

I think it is the calander year that is throwing me off.

Thanks again!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Just think of New Year's Day as being Dec 1 instead of Jan 1.

 

[Sammie]

As I suggested to someone else that has a Dec use year, throw away the idea of a regular traditional calendar.

Also it helps at times until you get used to it, to do a visual. Print off a blank 12 month calendar and make the first month Dec, ending with November.

That way if you want to book a trip you can have your calendar ready for it.

 

[tb1972]

I too have a Dec UY and it confused me at first. I had to realize my UY was one year behind the calendar year. Even though it's 2012, we're currently still in 2011 UY.

Be careful with borrowing. I had to re think borrowing 2012 points. I was thinking of taking a Fall trip but wasn't 100% certain dd could go. Long story short, if I would've borrowed points for Fall and cancelled, the points would've been pulled to 2011 and I'd be committed to use them by Nov. 30 2012. I had to talk this through with MS to confirm my logic and decided not to borrow.

 

[rusafee1183]

I too have a Dec UY and it confused me at first. I had to realize my UY was one year behind the calendar year. Even though it's 2012, we're currently still in 2011 UY.

Be careful with borrowing. I had to re think borrowing 2012 points. I was thinking of taking a Fall trip but wasn't 100% certain dd could go. Long story short, if I would've borrowed points for Fall and cancelled, the points would've been pulled to 2011 and I'd be committed to use them by Nov. 30 2012. I had to talk this through with MS to confirm my logic and decided not to borrow.

This is exactly what I was trying to figure out. It seems like if I want to travel in the fall, I am going to be screwed if plans fall through

 

[chalee94]

This is exactly what I was trying to figure out. It seems like if I want to travel in the fall, I am going to be screwed if plans fall through

travelling late in your UY is always a risky idea.

since your banking window closes july 31, anytime you need to cancel after that for sept/oct/nov reservations, you will definitely be in a bind.

but if you never have to cancel, it won't be a big deal...