Different Use Year Month - is there a strategy

[bgsnmky]

We own 225 points at SSR which is not enought for a GV for a 25th anniversary in 2010. I am contemplating adding on some points and looking at the timeshare store and maybe looking toward next year any special developer points etc.

I have read about strategies at different resorts vs same resort. So far I have gotten that a reason to have at the same resort is that you get use all of them for the 11 month booking at 1 resort if needed (example - the family 25th anniversary trip).

Pros to different resorts is to have the 11 month window at different resorts to try.

I could be missing something - please enlighten me.

BUT my real question is does it really matter when the use year is.

My current use year is April. Is there any pros and cons to having the same or different use year.

Also, for the person buying for the first time, does it matter what month the user year is since you can book 11 months from when you WANT to go...not 11 months from your use month.

Thanks!

 

[Paticake]

We just added on this afternoon for the same reason. We need a GV for June 2009. The points are already showing up on the DVC website! We got the 2007 points, $500 gift card and $10/off per point. Happy planning!

 

[mama03]

You can bank this years points and then use next years points and borrow cant you? Instead of purchasing extra and paying yearly dues, why not just get a transfer of points from one of the other owners. I can only see adding on if you plan to do a GV every other year. Just my thoughts

 

[doconeill]

I don't know how long you want a GV for or when, but 225 points should be able to get you a GV for a week in the lower three seasons if you plan right and bank your 2009 points into 2010 and then borrow the reset from 2011.

I do know that having different UY can be rather confusing to most because of the different banking deadlines. But the UY only really matters for various deadlines (banking, trade-outs, cancellations, etc.) and not for bookings.

To get a whole new UY from Disney you need to buy a new master contract at the minimum number of points (currently 160).

What I'm not sure if is that if you have two separate master contracts from Disney, can you combine points without transferring between contracts?

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Also, for the person buying for the first time, does it matter what month the user year is since you can book 11 months from when you WANT to go...not 11 months from your use month.

Thanks!

Your UY can be a factor if you have to cancel a trip. If you cancel on short notice it will be too late to bank your points for another time and you will be put in a situation of use them or lose them within a short period of time. The UY selection strategy is pick a UY at leasy 4 months BEFORE your usual vacation period.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

If you...
* purchase points at same resort - it will allow you to use all of the points at the 11-month window to make a ressie. You will also be able to bank and/or borrow at the 11-month window.
* purchase points at another resort - It will give you an 11-month booking advantage at 2 resorts. It will also allow you to bank and/or borrow on one contract, while still having the other one to make reservations for other vacations.
* are trying to decide on whether to add the same or a different UY, here's a current thread that will help point out pros/cons to adding a contract with a different UY.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1784439

Things to consider:
* If you're looking at adding on points and want a GV ever year, other year or 3rd year, consider adding on at OKW (2057 expiration via direct or 2042 expiration date through resale) and buying enough points to complete that reservation. OKW's GVs are a bargain compared to other resorts.
* If it's a one time shot, look at renting. You can rent for $10 - $12 per point and many will do a transfer into your account so you don't have to worry about someone else making the reservation for you. You can only do 1 transfer in or out per UY, though.
* For some resorts (SSR specifically because we just looked), it was cheaper to rent 2 2-BR right across the hall from each other than it was to rent a GV. When we went, there were 3 families (a couple, a family of 5 adults and our family of 4 with a 12 and a 5 year old). By reserving 2 2-BRs, we could sleep sleep 16 versus the GV, which sleeps 12. Though we didn't have 16, this allowed all of us to have more space and sleep much more comfortably. It also gave us 2 living rooms in the evenings. The guys watched NCAA b-ball in one, girls chatted in the other (in peace!!! ) in the other!
* From what I understand, GV and beach cottages can be hard to rent, so having a home resort advantage can be critical.

Good luck with your decision!!! Whether you get 2-3 rooms or rent a GV, you'll have a ball. We sure did and can't wait to do it again!!!

 

[Buckeye Fan]

What I'm not sure if is that if you have two separate master contracts from Disney, can you combine points without transferring between contracts?

We just purchased a different UY to allow us more flexibility in our travel plans. With that said, you can link reservations. So, if I need 150 points to book a room for 5 days, I can book the first 3 days with one contract and book the other 2 days with the other without a transfer. The only thing I have to do is ask MS to link the reservation.

However, let's say I want the same reservation, and I have 140 points on one contract and 100 on the other. If I want to book that 150 point reservation, I would have to transfer 10 points out of the 100 point contract to the other and book, or borrow 10 points from the next UY.

As for the banking deadlines, all I have to remember is that I need to bank at the end of March and at the end of July (my UYs are Aug & Dec) if I choose to bank. My plans....place a reminder on my frig and work calendars to bank. Now that you can bank up to 100% in the first 8 months of your UY, I think it makes having separate UYs easier. Before, you had to worry about various banking deadlines for a single contract (it was graduated before - 100% deadline, 50% deadline, 25% deadline), so I could see why that would be much more complicated with various contracts with various UYs.

 

[dianeschlicht]

First of all, only do an add-on if you feel you will need more than the 225 you have each year. If you think this is a one time need only, then bank and borrow instead to get your desired GV ressie for that one year.

I don't know how long you have owned, but we found ourselves in a similar situation shortly after we joined eleven years ago. We planned out about 5 years of travel and realizes our original 230 wasn't going to be enough even with banking and borrowing, so we added on another 150 point contract. Our reasoning was to buy at the SAME resort and with the same use year to have the most flexibility with ALL 380 points at one time.

Now if your intent is to have a whole extra contract to give you 11 month booking at a new resort, then go ahead and think about a different use year. I guess I don't really see how buying a different resort or use year is an advantage for booking a GV in a given year though. You will still have to use banking and borrowing to accomplish the GV at one resort.

I guess you need to figure out how much maintenance costs you want to deal with, and if you really will need all the additional points for the life of the contracts. I think if you run the numbers and find that your annual total might be more than you think you are comfortable with, I would probably just use banking and borrowing to get the points for the 1 time GV use. If you bank or borrow just one year, you will have 450 points to use, and a combination of banking and borrowing gives you up to 675 to use at one time.

 

[Inkmahm]

You can bank this years points and then use next years points and borrow cant you? Instead of purchasing extra and paying yearly dues, why not just get a transfer of points from one of the other owners. I can only see adding on if you plan to do a GV every other year. Just my thoughts

I did that when I planned a big family reunion and I needed more points at BWV just for that one trip. I found someone on the rent /trade board with just a few more points than I needed and I had them transferred to my account. Worked very well for me.

 

[bgsnmky]

Can I just say..I just LOVE this Board! DISBOARDS rocks.

Ok..now that I got that out of the way.

I do plan on using the total 675 points (banked and borrowered). I ask DVC multiple times what I have to do and when I need to start booking


The problem is my home resort is SSR and that is not enough for the GV.

I would love to have Old Key West for the points, because I would have enough and it is a favorite of my parents (the 25th anniversary couple).

The best would be if I could find someone who has OKW as a home resort and they book for me and I book for them!!!! Or transfer points when they need it....(IF ANYONE HERE on this THREAD is interested LET ME KNOW)

It sounds like I will just plan on trying to find someone to rent the points from for this particular trip unless I think I want more long term. Thanks for the advice.

The two bedroom / plus another option does sound like a great idea too. The issue for me is not knowing who to put in what rooms. If I thought my parents would like the room by themselves..I would put the other 8 of us in the two bedroom and them in a studio...but I don't want them to feel left out. I have a year to figure that out I guess.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[doconeill]

The problem is my home resort is SSR and that is not enough for the GV.

I would love to have Old Key West for the points, because I would have enough and it is a favorite of my parents (the 25th anniversary couple).

675 point is enough for a GV at SSR, depending on length of stay and season, as I've mentioned.

However, you CAN use your points at OKW, so long as you are booking at the 7 month window. I don't know what the availability is like for OKW GVs though. You only need OKW home points if you want to book at the 11-month window.

 

[luvindisneyworld]

Just remeber that banked or borrowed points cannot be transferred.
I just dont want you to run into that problem when looking for someone and you can only do one transfer a year either transfer in or transfer out.

Can I just say..I just LOVE this Board! DISBOARDS rocks.

Ok..now that I got that out of the way.

I do plan on using the total 675 points (banked and borrowered). I ask DVC multiple times what I have to do and when I need to start booking


The problem is my home resort is SSR and that is not enough for the GV.

I would love to have Old Key West for the points, because I would have enough and it is a favorite of my parents (the 25th anniversary couple).

The best would be if I could find someone who has OKW as a home resort and they book for me and I book for them!!!! Or transfer points when they need it....(IF ANYONE HERE on this THREAD is interested LET ME KNOW)

It sounds like I will just plan on trying to find someone to rent the points from for this particular trip unless I think I want more long term. Thanks for the advice.

The two bedroom / plus another option does sound like a great idea too. The issue for me is not knowing who to put in what rooms. If I thought my parents would like the room by themselves..I would put the other 8 of us in the two bedroom and them in a studio...but I don't want them to feel left out. I have a year to figure that out I guess.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[bgsnmky]

good point on the banked or borrowerd. Now what if I purchase someone points..they can just reserve a particular day for me right and can I connect it with my reservation to make sure we don't have to move?