Do I need to bank? Confused!

[mrsminniemouse]

Hi! My use year is August.

This year I borrowed most of my points for a trip in May. I have 26 points left in my August 07 use year. These expire end of July 08 I assume.

We want to travel to WDW and stay at BCV August 2008, which is next use year so I will have a new 570 points as well as the remaining 26 from this year.

MS told me I need to bank the 26 2007 points by 31 May 2008.

But, if I am making a ressie in January 2008 for August 2008 won't that use the points up before they expire in July? Or do I need to bank them in order to use them for the Aug 08 trip?

I guess what I am asking is, do the points get used at time of booking or at time of travel?

I hope somebody understands what I am asking! I dont want to bank the points if i dont need to.


Thanks so much.
Mandy

 

[drusba]

Points are formally "used" at time of travel regardless of when you call to reserve. Thus, to determine whether you need to bank (or borrow), you look at the dates you will be at WDW not the dates you make the phone call to reserve. You will need to bank those 07 points to use for a trip in Aug 08. If you are planning to call in Jan to make ressie, you can just bank them at that time and then make ressie in the same call.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Hi! My use year is August.
MS told me I need to bank the 26 2007 points by 31 May 2008.

Mandy

And MS gave you the old banking information. Next year, with an August UY, you need to bank by April 2, 2008 (120 days prior to July 31). This should still not be a problem if you bank at the same time as you make your reservation in January.

All the best -- Suzanne

 

[mrsminniemouse]

Thanks to both of you for your helpful replies. I will definitely ask to bank those points when I call to make my ressie.

Thank you!

Mandy

 

[LisaS]

Think of your points this way:

Your 2007 points are valid for stays from 8/1/07 to 7/31/08
Your 2008 points are valid for stays from 8/1/08 to 7/31/09
Your 2009 points are valid for stays from 8/1/09 to 7/31/10

Banking points moves them back by one UY, so if you bank your 2007 UY points into your 2008 UY, that makes them available for stays from 8/1/08 to 7/31/09. Your Aug '08 trip falls in your 2008 UY so you can use 2008 points for that trip and/or 2007 points that have been banked into your 2008 UY. If that doesn't provide enough points to cover your stay you can also borrow points from your 2009 UY.

You must bank the points first, then make the reservation because the points have to be available in the same UY as your dates of stay at the time you make the reservation. You can do it all in one call, though. Ask the MS CM to bank those 26 points and then make your reservation for Aug 2008.