DVC Experts - Help with Use Year

[MJS]

We are thinking about buying at BCV. If we do so by the end of this month, the use year is February, and we get points upon closing and then more points in 2/2003. Beginning August 1 there will be a new use year, and the sales rep. told us that they do not know when that will be. Does anyone know what the typical spacing is between use years, or better yet, does anyone know what the next use year will be? Will I always get points at closing regardless of the use year?

 

[drusba]

Usually when months change, the use year being sold will also progress a month and use year being sold is 4 to 5 months before month of sale. With BCV because of pre-sale, it did not necessarily work that way as Feb was sold for some time and also March. Highly likely they will go to March in Aug although it could be May (there is no April use year; or is it the other way around-- April use year and no May? Can't recall at this moment). In any event, they will undoubtedly offer a month that begins before month of sale particularly now that BCV is open and you will get an initial allotment of points upon sale.

 

[Hilary]

Does anyone know what the typical spacing is between use years

These are the use years that have been available in the past - I don't see any reason why BCV would be different, but who knows?
February
March
April
June
August
September
October
December.

So if you're being offered February now, my guess would be that March will be the next one to be offered in August. When we purchased VWL points this time last year we were offered Feb or March, so that ties in with your scenario.

Will I always get points at closing regardless of the use year?

If you're purchasing through Disney (not a resale) then I believe you would always have the current year's points on closing, unless you opted for the Magical Beginnings program which has sometimes been on offer (Disney buy back your first year's points for a reduction in your purchase price).

 

[anniet]

Call me silly, but why the space between the months for the use years? Why are some months omitted?

 

[DebbieB]

I bought in September 1999 and got April. So they will probably be selling March in August. It usually goes by the 100% banking deadline. February's 100% banking deadline is July 31. But they will usually give you a month after that if you prefer it (say you would rather have June now). For add-ons they are usually more flexible, I have a friend with an August use year who got an add-on with previous year points in May or June.

I think they skip some months to make bookkeeping easier. I really wanted May but they do not sell it.

 

[drusba]

Originally posted by anniet
Why the space between the months for the use years? Why are some months omitted?

1. By the space I assume you mean selling a use year that begins several months before month of sale. That is clearly a designed selling incentive. You can buy and get points that are good right away and get another allotment in only about 7 months.

2. Why some months are omitted has never been explained (Jan, May, July and Nov are omitted as use years). Jan has possible explanation of (a) not wanting a month that always begins with a holiday and first of month is usual official day of point allotment, (b) program ends Jan 31, 2042--they don't want points issued in that one month of the year 2042.

 

[Dean]

I can see why they might want to have use years start only a portion of the months. Why they chose the ones they did is beyond me. Why not just 6 every other month or four, every quarter. Actually, having January would have been easier than every use year except maybe Feb. And why did they have the expiration on 31 Jan?

 

[colleen costello]

Help -- confusion. I thought your "use year" was simply based on when you bought your points. We were at WDW in March 2002 and that is when we bought DVC. My year begins March 1st and ends February 28. Is this a coincidence? What is all this about different months now being assigned?

Also -- I have read posts about sales at other DVC resorts. I thought they only sold one at a time. So for BCV to be offered, I thought all the others were already sold out. Could I still buy at Wilderness Lodge, or the off-site beach properties?

There is obviously a lot of good info you miss at the "sales pitch!"

Thanks!

 

[dvcChrisVWL]

Originally posted by colleen costello
Also -- I have read posts about sales at other DVC resorts. I thought they only sold one at a time. So for BCV to be offered, I thought all the others were already sold out. Could I still buy at Wilderness Lodge, or the off-site beach properties?

Vero Beach and Hilton Head have been for sale since before I signed up a year and a half ago. And they are still selling!

VWL is sold out but still has some points for add-ons available (as of last weekend). I was told by a DVC rep that you can put your name on a wait list for add-on points at other resorts and if they pop up, then they will give you a ring. But he did not put too much faith in the "they will give you a ring" part and said that if you are looking for add-on points from a sold-out property, to call every month and see if they have any. The points come in from buy-backs and people that don't pay (?repo?).

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by colleen costello
Help -- confusion. I thought your "use year" was simply based on when you bought your points. We were at WDW in March 2002 and that is when we bought DVC. My year begins March 1st and ends February 28. Is this a coincidence? What is all this about different months now being assigned?

It worked a little different at BCV earlier this year because February 2002 was the first use year available. If you bought in March, they couldn't go back 5 months. If you bought now, you would still be able to get March. I think it's part of a sales strategy to say you will get your next year points in less than a year. For example, I bought in September 1999 and got April use year. So I got my 2000 points 7 months later.

 

[PamOKW]

I thought they only sold one at a time

They sell whatever is still available. They've been lucky that the on-site resorts are selling out as quickly as they build them. HHI and Vero are still available. At one point, OKW, BWV, Vero and HHI were available direct from Disney at the same time.

 

[anniet]

I thought Vero was gone. I think you are right though, they sell what is still available. I bought in March 2002 and at first they were trying to sell us BCV.

When DBF expressed disappointment that we didn't buy while WLV was still available, our rep left the room came back and said "Good news, we've got a few more points left at WLV if you want, but your use year has to begin in 8/01. You can either keep the points or we'll buy them back at $10.00 a point. I don't think it was anything "planned" to get us to buy though, 'cuz we were all ready to buy BCV. We're very happy though. WLV is more of our style, although I'm sure we'll make the rounds. And yes we did sell back all but 25 points.