Does Use Year really matter?

[justme0729]

I have been researching DVC for awhile and have read about Use Year. I have been trying to find a BLT 116-135 point contract with a Sept/ Oct use year and have only seen one in several months. I know that it is a little bit of a "safety net" if you need to cancel your reservation but worst case, you could sell the booked reservation, right? Does anyone feel like you really benefit frequently from choosing the use year that was best for you or would you just look for the right number of points if you can't find your use year too?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

One of the issues you're running into is that October, especially, just wasn't a major UY for BLT. Charts of the distribution are here: https://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-p...ear-distribution-charts-updated-february-2018

Once a point is declared to a UY, even in ROFR Disney cannot change its year. Only 14% of the points are September or October. From the sound of it, I'd consider widening your search to an August, but February would probably be a really bad UY for you.

Many people have "bad" UYs and do just fine, but the ability to sell a confirmed reservation is not always guaranteed because of the restrictions of that, and not everyone wants to be staring down a sell-or-lose scenario versus being able to use their own points.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

One of the issues you're running into is that October, especially, just wasn't a major UY for BLT. Charts of the distribution are here: https://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-p...ear-distribution-charts-updated-february-2018

Once a point is declared to a UY, even in ROFR Disney cannot change its year. Only 14% of the points are September or October. From the sound of it, I'd consider widening your search to an August, but February would probably be a really bad UY for you.

Many people have "bad" UYs and do just fine, but the ability to sell a confirmed reservation is not always guaranteed because of the restrictions of that, and not everyone wants to be staring down a sell-or-lose scenario versus being able to use their own points.

Yep. October is one of the tougher UYs across the board. It happens to be the absolute best UY for me and I bought my first small contract direct, not realizing how limiting it would be in terms of purchasing resale.

I know that I probably could make an Aug or Sep UY work....maybe even June (though certainly not ideal), but definitely not Dec, Feb, Mar or April. Of course, Dec and Feb are where nearly 1/2 of BLTs points are!!!

Personally, I'd never want to be traveling in the last 4 months of my UY unless it is already a reschedule of a previously cancelled trip. If it means I've gotta buy direct or choose a different home resort, or have 2 different UYs, so be it.

 

[jarestel]

Use year typically only accounts for how one travels today and pays little attention to how travel habits may change over time. I have to admit that I'm not one who places much value in finding the optimal use year. However, many here would argue that use year is extremely important. It's kind of a personal insurance program and if it makes you feel a little more protected, there's no harm in buying what you think (today) is your perfect use year.

 

[BillPA]

If you never have to cancel a trip, then UY isn't all that big of a deal. BUT, most will have something come that forces a change of plans. That's when it matters to have a UY that blends well with the majority of you travel times.

 

[supersnoop]

It doesn’t matter until it matters, and then it matters a whole lot. It’s exactly what you said; a safety net. If you never need it, then I guess it didn’t matter, but you won’t know that until it’s too late.

There are only 8 use years possible. 14% being October isn’t terrible. Waiting for any one particular use year is going to make it seem like all those others show up more often. If that use year makes the most sense for you, give it a couple months.

 

[lovin'fl]

UY hasn't mattered to us. We have June and Aug and most trips have been Aug through January but we have had March, May and July trips as well and all has been fine. BUT...the tough thing is having the 2 UY so I recommend whatever UY you end up getting, make sure any add on contracts have the same UY. So maybe look at the pie chart linked above to see what the common UY are (I think June and Dec???)....if you think you'll add on other contracts down the road.

 

[disneynutz]

It mattered to us a couple of times, a death in the family and a forced job move. Both times we saved our points for a later much needed vacation.

Bill

 

[lovin'fl]

Yeah, recently we too had to cancel in law's room due to MIL having cancer and needing to do chemo so they couldn't travel. We had to rebook something with those points before June 1 (June UY and borrowed points). We were able to book a May trip to HHI with them so it worked out but it had me thinking about which UY would be best for us and Oct would be. Most of our trips, now, will be Oct-May. However, when we bought in 2006, most trips were going to be July-Sept (young kids in school then and at year round school) and hence the June and Aug UY. Ideal UY can change over the years. I suppose, for OP, UY matters less if you have older kids already or won't have kids (so no schedules that will change in a few years) or if you plan trips all over the calendar and not a more specific time of year. Or if you will always be in borrowing mode, like us, where borrowed points have to be used by end of UY and cannot be banked, if trip gets cancelled, anyway.

 

[bumbershoot]

It only matters if you cancel.

Feb UY and our first several trips involved banked current and borrowed points in December. Eep. It all worked out. It might not have.

But our plans and when we can travel has changed so much over the years that no one UY would ever have been perfect for us.

...but the ability to sell a confirmed reservation is not always guaranteed because of the restrictions of that, and not everyone wants to be staring down a sell-or-lose scenario versus being able to use their own points.

Yep.

 

[disneynutz]

For us our plans don't change. We don't like the heat and will never visit crowded WDW in the summer or during hurricane season. I would rather stay home. An October UY for us is the best fit and all but one of our contracts have been October contracts.

Bill

 

[Dean]

I have been researching DVC for awhile and have read about Use Year. I have been trying to find a BLT 116-135 point contract with a Sept/ Oct use year and have only seen one in several months. I know that it is a little bit of a "safety net" if you need to cancel your reservation but worst case, you could sell the booked reservation, right? Does anyone feel like you really benefit frequently from choosing the use year that was best for you or would you just look for the right number of points if you can't find your use year too?

IMO the right use year vs the wrong one can easily be worth a years worth or points or more. In this case I'd go up on the number of points I'd consider rather than compromise on UY.

 

[MrInfinity]

If the UY matters to you, then it matters. If not, then it doesn't. I know not much help but it's a personal choice!

Most people put way less thought into all things Disney than we do, and this would certainly be true for Use Years. I've also observed that most UYs cost about the same. I've looked for trends that would show certain UYs cost more... but it's diluted by people buying whatever so we don't see that in practice.

I personally believe that certain UYs have intrinsically more value. June and Sep-Oct in particular are more valuable, while Feb and March are less. It comes down to the time of year and point requirements. Fall costs fewer points. Thus the Jan's and Feb's which are ill-suited for fall trips should be cheaper. I believe the best UY is a June. It covers your summer vacations plus the fall cheap times and is only suboptimal for the most costly spring travel.

Even if you aren't a summer-traveler... still, lots of people -- are. Thus if you're thinking about when you'll go to WDW in 10 years, maybe your kids' kids will have to go in the summer, so having summer as an option will never go out of style. There's also supply and demand. June sits between May and July which have no points. October has unusually low supply, but Sep is right next to it and is more available. Because of the low supply of Oct at BLT it should theoretically cost a bit more.

I sought out my UY specifically. Then got them for prices on par with others, so I conclude that UY value is not really reflected in the price since enough people don't care. If anything it's just up to what you want. Since you know what you want, I would wait for it.

 

[lovin'fl]

Huh. Confused. UY has nothing really to do with when you book or the point costs of when you book. Basically one wants a UY right before the time they'll typically go. If you know you are buying to ALWAYS go in July, then yes June is good. But Feb, March and April can work too. UY only comes into play if you think you'll cancel trips a lot. If you don't have much risk of that, then UY is not a big thing. I don't see why one UY would be worth more than another or why points go farther based on UY...doesn't make sense. UY is the month your annual allotment of points refreshes. You do have 3 years with borrowing and banking to use said points. And many people vacation all over the calendar....may do an Xmas trip and then a summer trip and then a Food and Wine trip. We have done every month but Feb and April.

 

[MrInfinity]

Right it's based on your travel dates.
Spring trips require more points than Fall trips.

A Studio in spring may cost you 153 points. The same week in the fall: 128. So -- do you (or most people) want to go in the spring or fall?

People who can or want to go in spring will pick spring
People who can or want to go in fall will pick fall
People who have the flexibility to pick based on cost will pick fall

Thus you've got higher demand for fall. Everyone out here knows about buzz-words like "fall frenzy" due to the lower point requirements, festivals, and holidays. Thus buying contracts that facilitate summer and fall trips should cost more because these times are more in demand. (but they don't). Since we see the prices pretty level in practice, I'd hold out for what the OP wants.

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

A lot depends on if you go each year around the same time or not. We've owned since 2009 and have really only traveled September thru January (including 3 Aulani trips). We have a September use year. We've never had to cancel so a February UY would have theoretically worked. But why risk it? The Sep UY gives us a bit of built in trip insurance. If I would have canceled any of those trips (outside 30 days) I could have had a ton more flexibility to use those points than if I had a Feb or Mar UY.

Like most here, I think UY is important and something to really consider to minimize your risk down the road. Unless you are saving a huge amount (think a $$$ amount equivalent to at least 2 years worth of points) I wouldn't buy a less optimal UY. But with the resale mkt as hot as it is I don't see a ton mis-priced contracts like that.

Good luck with what ever you do. We own BLT and love it

 

[Dean]

If the UY matters to you, then it matters. If not, then it doesn't. I know not much help but it's a personal choice!

Sometimes it doesn't matter but where it doesn't or more specifically where there isn't a good one, that person is taking more inherent risk than one where it does. To not care would be foolish but there are other factors like the deal, difficulty getting points at a given resort, subsidized contracts for Aulani/VB and the like.

 

[gharter]

Only if you plan to travel the same time every year. Then it makes a huge difference. If year to year, you will travel at different times, then UY is not as important.

 

[fromscratchmom]

As I've contemplated DVC several different times, October usually seems ideal for me and my likely future travel, but I could also see choosing September or perhaps even August instead.

I also tend to think I'm a person who should always stick with my original use year if I ever add on. However the possibility of having two different 11 month windows seems reasonably tempting, at least enough to understand others choosing it...not sure about if it could work for me.

 

[chalee94]

As I've contemplated DVC several different times, October usually seems ideal for me and my likely future travel, but I could also see choosing September or perhaps even August instead.

I also tend to think I'm a person who should always stick with my original use year if I ever add on. However the possibility of having two different 11 month windows seems reasonably tempting, at least enough to understand others choosing it...not sure about if it could work for me.

People do this all the time but think about it:

if you have an Oct UY and want to book your home resort for Dec 2019 at 11 months out, you'd call or go online in Jan 2019.

if you have an Aug UY and want to book your home resort for Dec 2019 at 11 months out, you'd...still call or go online in Jan 2019.

11 months is 11 months and the 11 month window is the home resort priority - based on which resort you purchase with no relationship at all to Use Year. Different UYs will give you different banking windows and maybe extra waitlist options, but UY has nothing to do with booking priority...