DVC for dummies?

[dez1978]

Is there a dumbed down, all in one, book or something to tell me all about using, tracking, banking etc for my DVC points to help me get the most out of my points?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Not that I've seen. You'll run across articles written here and there that outline DVC and how to use it.

 

[CarolMN]

This is a good place to start:

www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club

Lots of good info there. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all the info provided.

Good luck with your research and feel fee to ask questions here.. Many experienced Members hang out here and love to help.

 

[myth2001]

Certainly not an all in one, but this article helped me to understand points usage a lot better:
https://wdwuntangled.com/disney-vac...nding-points-use-years-banking-and-borrowing/

 

[RoseGold]

It’s an intentionally complicated system with a lot of rules. We can help you, but nobody said it would be easy.

 

[ldo]

We only use DVC to stay at DVC. For that, it's very easy, IMHO-the main thing is not to miss your banking deadline, which is 4 months before your UY. For 2021, you can only borrow 50% of 2022 points, due to covid imbalance. That is new and hopefully will only be for 2021/2022.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Book your home resort at 11 months out. At seven months out, see if another resort might be available and you can cancel the home resort reservation and try to book the other resort. Bank your point no later than four month from the end of your UY. You can borrow one UY ahead. You cannot bank a second time. You cannot unborrow or unbank points. You can transfer current year points. You cannot transfer banked or borrowed points. You cannot borrow transferred points. You can bank transferred points.

 

[sethschroeder]

get the most out of my points

So even this comment what do you mean?

Get the most nights? The best rooms? The best time of year? The best calculation of points needed vs cash rate costs?


Basically the dumbed down version in the simplest form I can think of is:

• Plan your trip and if any points are left over bank them by deadline
• Never cancel trips if you do cancel 31 days out (avoid points in holding) and prior to banking date (so you can bank)
• If you banked points year prior you need to go or rent out a trip that year (banked points expire that year)
• Book at 11 Months and plan trips as soon as point charts come out to figure out point requirements (2022 Point Charts released last month)
• UY is based on Month to following year Month
  • Easy way to remember is "Year" is based on what month started your 12 month period

That should start you out but really you need to read and watch content on DVC to get a full understanding. You ask a question though on something more specific or vague and people can help.

 

[dez1978]

So even this comment what do you mean?

Get the most nights? The best rooms? The best time of year? The best calculation of points needed vs cash rate costs?


Basically the dumbed down version in the simplest form I can think of is:

• Plan your trip and if any points are left over bank them by deadline
• Never cancel trips if you do cancel 31 days out (avoid points in holding) and prior to banking date (so you can bank)
• If you banked points year prior you need to go or rent out a trip that year (banked points expire that year)
• Book at 11 Months and plan trips as soon as point charts come out to figure out point requirements (2022 Point Charts released last month)
• UY is based on Month to following year Month
  • Easy way to remember is "Year" is based on what month started your 12 month period

That should start you out but really you need to read and watch content on DVC to get a full understanding. You ask a question though on something more specific or vague and people can help.


View attachment 549438

Well before we bought DVC, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of things. But now that I'm trying to manage 2 contacts (both dec uy, same resort) I feel like I'm missing something. We bought 2 150 point contracts in Jan 2020, so we got 300 points off the bat. We planned a trip for Nov, but then cancelled it and banked those points (2019 points). Then planned a trip for march, using those 300 points plus a few from 2020. So then I need to bank the rest of 2020's by July? Then how long to I have to use those before they expire? I need a tracking app lol

 

[com_op_2000]

You are doing the right thing by doing your research up-front.
Read these threads on the DIS and understand the following terms:
UY
MF
HR
11 month and 7 month booking windows
Concierge Collection
RCI
CM
MS
Direct vs resale
Rule of 4
Once you have a full understanding of these terms.
Then read some more.

 

[sethschroeder]

So then I need to bank the rest of 2020's by July? Then how long to I have to use those before they expire? I need a tracking app lol

So I would put it in an spreadsheet otherwise there are some trackers out there as well. I just use my own google sheet I created.

Basically when you "bank" points they become the following UY points except they can not be banked again. So your 2020 UY points (Dec '20 - Nov '21) points are now in your 2021 UY (Dec '21 - Nov '22) after you bank them.

 

[chalee94]

Well before we bought DVC, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of things. But now that I'm trying to manage 2 contacts (both dec uy, same resort) I feel like I'm missing something. We bought 2 150 point contracts in Jan 2020, so we got 300 points off the bat. We planned a trip for Nov, but then cancelled it and banked those points (2019 points). Then planned a trip for march, using those 300 points plus a few from 2020. So then I need to bank the rest of 2020's by July? Then how long to I have to use those before they expire? I need a tracking app lol

You can use banked Dec 2019 UY pts for stays during your Dec 2020 UY - which runs from Dec 1, 2020 to Nov 30, 2021. If you don't complete a stay by the end of Nov 2021 using those banked 2019 UY pts, they disappear into the void and are lost.

If you are not going to use your current Dec 2020 UY pts for a stay during your Dec 2020 UY (which ends, again, Nov 30, 2021), then yes, go ahead and bank them to your Dec 2021 UY. The latest you can bank your Dec 2020 UY pts is July 31, 2021. After that, they are stuck in the 2020 UY and will expire if not used to complete a stay by Nov 30, 2021.

Banking and borrowing are FINAL transactions. You can only move a point up or back one UY with banking or borrowing, and after that, that point is stuck in that new UY and cannot be moved again. If you don't complete a stay by the end of their new UY using those banked or borrowed pts, they disappear into the void and are lost.

 

[Travel60]

Well before we bought DVC, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of things. But now that I'm trying to manage 2 contacts (both dec uy, same resort) I feel like I'm missing something. We bought 2 150 point contracts in Jan 2020, so we got 300 points off the bat. We planned a trip for Nov, but then cancelled it and banked those points (2019 points). Then planned a trip for march, using those 300 points plus a few from 2020. So then I need to bank the rest of 2020's by July? Then how long to I have to use those before they expire? I need a tracking app lol

Most people I know use a spreadsheet and periodically check it against what DVC shows.

We are pretty casual about it (we own the timeshare, it doesn't own us). We travel when we want and try to make sure we use any banked points and don't forget to bank any leftover current year points. One year we had to change dates for a trip at last minute due to a change at DS's school. New trip was fewer points and it looked like we weren't going to be able to use the extras. But, DD and I found cheap flights and spent a long weekend at VB...girls trip!

We don't get into the renting....sounds like work. But we have used points to cruise, stay at Concierge Collection and at RCI. Works for us.