Constant state of borrowing - bad idea?

[DeeBee3]

With all the covid craziness and a big 1st time holiday trip, I am out of points until 2023. However, I really want to do a 4th of July trip in 2023 so I would be borrowing again. Use Year is August.

Is this insane? I think I would be in a constant state of borrowing going forward. Is it better to be patient and wait another year or just go for it? I'm trying to think long-term with points and future trips. Most likely any trips would have to be at popular holidays or summer due to kids.

 

[CarolMN]

If it bothers you to borrow, you could look for a transfer to "catch up". If you continue to borrow more than a few points here and there, you'll either have to cut back on your trips or buy more points.

 

[stwaldman]

With all the covid craziness and a big 1st time holiday trip, I am out of points until 2023. However, I really want to do a 4th of July trip in 2023 so I would be borrowing again. Use Year is August.

Is this insane? I think I would be in a constant state of borrowing going forward. Is it better to be patient and wait another year or just go for it? I'm trying to think long-term with points and future trips. Most likely any trips would have to be at popular holidays or summer due to kids.

I mean, eventually the other shoe will drop and you'll be low/out on points if you're in a constant state of borrowing, but some people are very pro-this approach, because it means you have little risk of losing unused points and you've "made the most" of your contract to date.

The one other con that comes to mind is that because all of your travel will involve borrowed points, it will limit your flexibility to cancel/modify. You can't just sit on a reservation knowing you can cancel it at mo penalty, because the points are borrowed and you will have borrowed points that need to be used. maybe that's not an issue with your travel patterns, but others ot probably would be.

 

[DeeBee3]

you'll either have to cut back on your trips or buy more points.

I was afraid you would say that...

 

[disneydreamer1980]

This is why we bought our Poly contract (had OKW and BWV already) We were constantly borrowing to do our two week 2 bedroom stays so we bought more points. And I’m happy we did!

 

[cheryl.UK]

We were in a constant state of borrowing from 2012 until 2016. We look 2017 off (caught up) then did 2018 and 19 borrowing 2020's points. Boy are we glad we did that. We banked 2021 and this year we still have points banked for next year. Taking a year off for whatever reason is the best way forward.

 

[Pens Fan]

Personally, I wouldn't borrow for a July trip with an August use year. I'd be afraid something would come up and I'd have to cancel and then be pretty much out of luck using the points.

 

[zavandor]

The riskwould be high with current UY points too. It would be possible to cancel and bank the points only until March 30th, after that points couldn't be banked. Traveling so near the end of the UY is more dangerous.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Do you have annual passes? If not, I’d save the points so that when annual passes come back you can take multiple trips in that year. If you do have annual passes then borrow away!

 

[DVCanadian]

Go for it! If Covid taught me anything is that you don’t know what the future holds.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Why not look at Interval International options through DVC? We picked up a 2 BR villa at Marriott's Grande Vista for $450 for November (cash, no points). We were able to extend our two week trip for another week. The darn rental car costs more than the villa!

Otherwise you can transfer in at $18-20 PP or just buy another contract. Addonitis is very real!

 

[RoseGold]

If 2020 taught us anything, it's always borrow.

 

[Disney mac]

If 2020 taught us anything, it's always borrow.

I'll second this....Also, keep borrowing until you need a year off. Once you need a year or two off, you can then not worry about the first world problem of "having to use your points".

 

[RichVIII]

Don’t forget the 24 One Time Use Points you can purchase. I have purchased twice and 48 extra points have helped since we are in borrow mode as well. It seems like we go crazy some years and really wild others. I am with others, go now and use your points now - you never know what will happen.

 

[aokeefe]

If it makes you feel better, I'm almost out of my 2023 points (and I have a Dec UY so technically I consider them my 2024 points) When they lifted the 50% borrowing restriction, it made it much easier to book another trip!!! Like the others who mentioned 2020/Covid, etc, I would rather use what I can now and deal with taking a year off later.

 

[BamaGuy44]

Personally I would do what I needed to do for the current trip I'm planning if it's important to me, and worry about future years when I get there.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I borrow everything and have for 20 years. It's only been an issue when they limited borrowing in 2020. But then, I didn't have to bank anything.

 

[PalmettoPath]

It's either pay cash for that trip or it's time to add on

 

[wfjny]

Do you have annual passes? If not, I’d save the points so that when annual passes come back you can take multiple trips in that year. If you do have annual passes then borrow away!

We were borrowing for a while, but we had a catchup year when my daughter got married and Disney was just not in the cards.

However, now as AP holders, I have to say while we still plan our annual week long DVC trip, we do make quite a few long weekend trips staying off-site.

If people are constantly borrowing, and want to "get ahead", I would suggest doing a lot of searching to see if you can get something affordable off-site if it makes sense for you (perhaps a hotel room, perhaps renting a house, perhaps some other type of condo). Some of the best deals I have gotten were hotels that were under construction/re-construction.

 

[tjkraz]

If you're prone to cancelling or rescheduling, borrowed points have less flexibility than current. As long as you're within the first 8 months, you can bank the current year points. Borrowed points will expire in the current UY if they aren't used. That said, we were pretty thoroughly borrowed for 10+ years and never lost any points. But we also mostly made our plans and stuck with them during those years.

I never viewed frequent borrowing as a bad thing because all it takes is one year of missed trips to get you back on track. And that's what happened with us.

Putting yourself in a perpetual state of banking is probably the approach to be most avoided.