Disney Visa/Use Year

[LisaAP]

We made the decision last night! My husband and I are getting in on the fun and buying into DVC. I have two questions.

First, we have had the Disney Visa for a few years and really enjoy racking up the points to use towards our WDW vacations. Since we are going to be buying direct from Disney and paying in full, we are thinking that we should charge the purchase to our Disney Visa to get the points and then just pay the bill once it comes in. Has anyone done this? Is it allowed?

My second question has to due with use year and the month that you get your points. When I was speaking to the Disney rep last night and talked about forgoing the 2006 points to get the $13 off, she said that they are recommending a February use year so that you get your 2007 points as soon as possible. Then, when we talked about the fact that we generally travel in the fall, she suggested to have a use year/month to get points later in the year for banking purposes. I understand that you can not bank in the last 2 months of your year, but it seems to me that if you plan ahead of time it really won't matter much when your use year is. I am defiinitly a planner, so I do not expect many spur of the moment trips or cancelled reservations (although this certainly can happen). I guess what I want to know is how I should really go about picking what month I want. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much. Everyone here is a wealth of information to us rookies!!

Lisa

 

[tampapirate]

I cannot speak to your second point but we have charged the purchase on the Disney Visa.

 

[DebbieB]

You can use your Visa, just watch your credit limit. When I bought in 1999, I used an AOL Visa and got 6 months free AOL with the points. DVC split the charges into two so that I would not go over my limit. One was immediate and one was a month later, before closing.

Regarding use year, is there a particular time of year you usually go?

 

[tmt martins]

Yes you can and as DebbieB stated watch your Visa Limit.

Use year your right the only problem is if you travel in the fall and have to cancel with a early year Useyear Then you might run into banking problems.

Other then that UY is not that big of a deal when it is.and your travel today might not be what it is 10 years from now.

 

[jekjones1558]

We charged our entire purchase and got the points, then paid off. Great idea.
When we bought we were too stupid to even ask about use year. We really didn't know what we were doing. As luck would have it, our Oct. use year is perfect for us. Oct. and Dec. are our 2 favorite months to got to WDW, so if we need to cancel we have lots of alternatives for banking, rescheduling, etc, since the new use year wouldn't be for at least 10 months.
If you say you generally travel in the fall (great WDW weather!), then why not see if there isn't an Oct. or Dec. use year available? If you're buying now, you would get 2005 points and then 2006 points when your use year comes up. If they really want to make a sale, they should work with you on this.
Good luck!
Jean

 

[1000th happy haunt]

We did an add-on direct from Disney a few months back and charged it on our Disney Visa. At the time DVC was running a promotion, and our down payment is interest free for six months.

We've also used our Disney reward dollars to pay part of the maintenance fee.

 

[LisaAP]

I am a little confused. How would we ever get 2005 points? If we are buying directly through Disney, then isn't 2005 over and the points would be gone? When I spoke to the Disney Representative, she told us about the $13 discount. If we forgo our 2006 points then we can take $13 off per point. That is what we are probably going to do since we already have Disney plans for this September, but I don't see how we could get 2005 points even if we didn't pick that option. Thanks.

 

[Inkmahm]

I am a little confused. How would we ever get 2005 points? If we are buying directly through Disney, then isn't 2005 over and the points would be gone? When I spoke to the Disney Representative, she told us about the $13 discount. If we forgo our 2006 points then we can take $13 off per point. That is what we are probably going to do since we already have Disney plans for this September, but I don't see how we could get 2005 points even if we didn't pick that option. Thanks.

We just added 180 points for October use year to our first Oct UY contract. We were able to get and bank all 2005 points (October 1, 2005 through Sept. 30, 2006)and will get another 180 points for our 2006 UY (October 1, 2006 through Sept 30, 2007.)

 

[MonkeyPants]

paid for my dvc on my disney visa as well

 

[jekjones1558]

I am a little confused. How would we ever get 2005 points? If we are buying directly through Disney, then isn't 2005 over and the points would be gone? When I spoke to the Disney Representative, she told us about the $13 discount. If we forgo our 2006 points then we can take $13 off per point. That is what we are probably going to do since we already have Disney plans for this September, but I don't see how we could get 2005 points even if we didn't pick that option. Thanks.

Any use year month for 2006 that has not happened is actually still in 2005. So people with August, September, October and December use years (there is no July or November use year) do not get 2006 points until their month happens. Consequently their CURRENT use year points are 2005 until then. If you buy through Disney you get current use year points as well as all future years. The $13 deal is for February, a use year that is already past for 2006, so 2006 is current use year for February use year points.

You need to pick the deal that is best for you. If it were me I would push hard for a fall use year and ask to use the $13 deal for 2005 points. If they won't do that I would still ask for a fall use year and bank 2005 points and keep 2006 points. You could use all the points yourself or rent them out for cash.

Just my opinion, of course. Whatever you decide I hope that you will get as much enjoyment from DVC as we have! Good luck!

 

[jekjones1558]

Lisa,
Are you following this thread?
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1145655
Jean

 

[LisaAP]

Thanks so much. I totally understand now about the 2005 points. I am going to call tomorrow and see what I can get them to do. Don't be surprised if I have additional posts once I speak to the rep as I will probably have 100 more questions. Everyone is so helpful! Thanks.

 

[LisaAP]

I just spoke to one of the reps. The person I have been dealing with was not in so it was someone else and quite honestly, I didn't like him as much so I just asked the question and will talk to the other guy on Monday. I inquired about the February use year being the earliest I could get and suggested like Jean mentioned that I would be better off with a fall use year and then let them take the 2005 points for the incentive $13 and then I would still get 2006 point. He said that incentive or not, the use year month has to be at least 6 months after your purchase date. This just doesn't seem right to me, but I really didn't want to push the issue with that guy and choose to wait to talk to the person I usually deal with who I like much better. Is this true? Has anyone else run into this problem? Also, in thinking about it, this is kind of contradictory to what they are offering in the deal. I would actually be getting a February 2006 use month since those would be the points that I would be giving up and February 2006 is actually 6 months past the purchase date and not 6 months before. Just want to try to get the best deal possible on such a big purchase. Thanks.

 

[rfj1020]

"The person I have been dealing with was not in so it was someone else and quite honestly, I didn't like him as much so I just asked the question and will talk to the other guy on Monday"

Be careful and get everything in writing. When I was buying I had questions. Due to a heavy work travel schedule, I sent my questions in writing to my "guide". Not once did he respond to me.

Each time I was contacted by a different rep, always via phone, and always with some excuse as to why my guide or the previous rep I spoke to were unavailable. The DVC never sent any follow-up in writing even when asked.

At the time I figured this is Disney, not some used car sales shop, and they could be trusted. Regettably, the "oral" assurances and answers I got from the reps have proven untrue.

Be very careful, only speak with one person and document what they tell you, either by them sending it in writing or by sendig them a written confirmation of what you understand from the conversation. And keep copies. If it is incorrect and they fail to correct you - In writing - you have recourse should you need it later.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Boston5602]

Each time I was contacted by a different rep, always via phone, and always with some excuse as to why my guide or the previous rep I spoke to were unavailable. The DVC never sent any follow-up in writing even when asked.

I had the opposite experience , I had a guide from when I first toured and when I called back couple of times years later they put me in touch with the person I spoke to first. When I was ready to buy , my guide had left and I was recommended one by someone here at the Dis, whom I used to great satisfaction.( Although i didn't have many questions thanks to you gus here on the Dis ) Good Luck

 

[*elaine*]

I just spoke to one of the reps. The person I have been dealing with was not in so it was someone else and quite honestly, I didn't like him as much so I just asked the question and will talk to the other guy on Monday. I inquired about the February use year being the earliest I could get and suggested like Jean mentioned that I would be better off with a fall use year and then let them take the 2005 points for the incentive $13 and then I would still get 2006 point. He said that incentive or not, the use year month has to be at least 6 months after your purchase date. This just doesn't seem right to me, but I really didn't want to push the issue with that guy and choose to wait to talk to the person I usually deal with who I like much better. Is this true? Has anyone else run into this problem? Also, in thinking about it, this is kind of contradictory to what they are offering in the deal. I would actually be getting a February 2006 use month since those would be the points that I would be giving up and February 2006 is actually 6 months past the purchase date and not 6 months before. Just want to try to get the best deal possible on such a big purchase. Thanks.

If you are buying at SSR as a NEW MEMBER, I *think* that you have no choice as to the UY. It is determined by when you buy in and now they are currently selling February UY. In May it was a December UY. I think, again not 100% certain, but the only way to have a choice in the SSR Use Year is to buy resale through a place like The Timeshare Store, but I could be wrong.

I think that your guide is talking about UY interms of MONTH - the year doesn't matter. So, February is 8 months AFTER June (the month we are currently in), not before, so I'm confused by that part of your post. If you buy a stripped contract for the $13 per point incentive, you will not get points until Feb 2007. If you buy at $8 you will get your current year's points.

eta: On thinking about it in the shower, if being able to request your UY was a "make it or break it" part of the deal for you, and you presented it that way to Disney, I wouldn't be surprised if they were flexible on the UY with you. Just like the guides will sometimes tell prospective buyers that SSR is the only resort they can buy in at, when you *can* buy in anywhere as long as you are willing to wait if the points aren't available.

 

[bpmorley]

I've done it Lisa and you rack up some major pts doing it. I also pay my yearly fees on the card. So far it has paid for 2 AP's(after the DVC discount), it paid for our dining plan for our last vacation on 9 days. I have it planned that it will pay for our new AP's and airfare on our trip next year.

 

[byoung]

We purchase on our visa last June, 200 BVW points.

 

[rnorwo1]

We just added 180 points for October use year to our first Oct UY contract. We were able to get and bank all 2005 points (October 1, 2005 through Sept. 30, 2006)and will get another 180 points for our 2006 UY (October 1, 2006 through Sept 30, 2007.)

I am also thinking about purchasing DVC. Can you explain this a little more to me? If I buy and my UY is one of the remaining months of 2006, I will get 2005 points also? And can someone explain the connection between banking and UY? I've read about the percentages allowed at different time points, so is it just that you want the UY close to times you may visit so that if you have to cancel you can still bank?

What is the last month of this year that I can purchase and still get 2005 points?

 

[Inkmahm]

I am also thinking about purchasing DVC. Can you explain this a little more to me? If I buy and my UY is one of the remaining months of 2006, I will get 2005 points also? And can someone explain the connection between banking and UY? I've read about the percentages allowed at different time points, so is it just that you want the UY close to times you may visit so that if you have to cancel you can still bank?

What is the last month of this year that I can purchase and still get 2005 points?

Yes, if you buy direct from Disney and your UY is one of the remaining months of 2006, technically you are IN your 2005 UY and you will get all of the 2005 points, too. That's how it worked for my add on contract, I assume it works the same for a brand new contract. You'd have to ask Disney directly to make sure.

I picked October as our use year because we go to Disney in early December and in March or April each year. December is early in my use year, well within the banking deadlines. I'll know before my deadline for banking whether I am going to use points in March/April, too. Overall, I'd say get a use year that is just BEFORE you would normally visit Disney.