DVC site- first timer

[OKWFan88]

Hi. Today I purchased my first contract. A direct 125pt OKW contract. It is a Sept UY. I received the 2020 points and was planning on booking a trip in Dec of this year and using those 2020 points. But when I’m on the DVC site and setting up the reservation the system keeps taking from the 2021 points. I must be doing something wrong. Wouldn’t I want the 2020 points to be used first since they are available? Forgive me for my ignorance as I’m new at this. I did see a button that I could click for 2020 banked points but I haven’t banked anything. So needless to say I’m a little confused. I thought I had until August 2022 to use the 2020 points? I planned on using 115 of the 125 for a five night stay in a 1 bedroom in Dec 2021. Would I then “bank” the remainder 10 points for 2020 and use those for a Jan or Feb 2022 trip along with the Sept 2021 points? Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[Louis morrell]

Dec 2021 is in your 2021 use year. Your 2021 use year begins September first. Any reservation from September 1st 2021 until August 31 2022 is your 2021 use year. You will need to bank however many points you need for the reservation. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Louis morrell]

Use year is a little confusing at first but once it clicks in your head its pretty simple

 

[CarolynFH]

Louis is correct. Bank your 2020 points into your September 2021 UY, then book. As you noticed, you can bank while making the reservation. UY is like a fiscal year, and the date of the stay determines which points you can use. The date you make the reservation is irrelevant!

 

[CarolynFH]

This thread might be helpful: https://www.disboards.com/threads/understanding-use-year-updated-february-10-2021.1942668/

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

That trip falls into your 2021 use year, so like the others have said, you have to bank the points first, or while you're booking. The points need to be sitting in the correct use year for the date of your trip when you book.

Your banking deadline for all your (current use year - 2020 in this case) points is April 30th. If you end up taking a trip in the 2020 use year after banking your points, you'd need to borrow 2021 points into 2020.
When you move points by banking or borrowing, that transaction is final, so you might want to create a spreadsheet for your points usage. The dashboard shows you a summary, but once you move the points, it isn't super obvious if they are original to that use year or not.

My spreadsheet has a column for the reservation I'm making, then a column for each use year. When I move points among use years, I subtract from one column and add to the other. There are probably better ways to create a tracking spreadsheet, but this is working for me.

 

[achinforsomebacon]

Also, you'll need to bank by 4/30 (4 months before your UY starts) so if you're not planning on using any 2020 points before 8/31/2020, make sure to bank them all before it's too late. Then when you make the reservation for the 2021 UY, you can use the banked points first.

 

[AnnaS]

Just wanted to add my Congrats and Welcome Home!!!!

Enjoy and Happy Planning!!

 

[OKWFan88]

Thank you all for the info and link. I will review. What happens if you don’t bank the points by 4-30? Do you lose them?

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Thank you all for the info and link. I will review. What happens if you don’t bank the points by 4-30? Do you lose them?

Not immediately, but if you don't use the unbanked points by the end of your use year, then yes, they're lost.

This will be an annual thing to remember.

 

[CarolMN]

Thank you all for the info and link. I will review. What happens if you don’t bank the points by 4-30? Do you lose them?

No, you don't lose them, but if not banked, they expire. 8/31/21 would be the last night your 2020 points could pay for. If you won't be able to use your 2020 points before the end of August, 2021, then bank them. Do it on or before April 30, 2021, which is the banking deadline for your 2020 points. After you bank them, they won't expire until August 31, 2022.

Spend some time with the Understanding Use Year thread. @CarolynFH posted a link to it in her post above. You will be very glad you did!

 

[kes601]

The banking deadline for December use years is the following July 31.

The OPs Use Year is September (their stay is in December), so banking deadline is April 30. Just posting this so they don’t get confused.

 

[princesscinderella]

Hi. Today I purchased my first contract. A direct 125pt OKW contract. It is a Sept UY. I received the 2020 points and was planning on booking a trip in Dec of this year and using those 2020 points. But when I’m on the DVC site and setting up the reservation the system keeps taking from the 2021 points. I must be doing something wrong. Wouldn’t I want the 2020 points to be used first since they are available? Forgive me for my ignorance as I’m new at this. I did see a button that I could click for 2020 banked points but I haven’t banked anything. So needless to say I’m a little confused. I thought I had until August 2022 to use the 2020 points? I planned on using 115 of the 125 for a five night stay in a 1 bedroom in Dec 2021. Would I then “bank” the remainder 10 points for 2020 and use those for a Jan or Feb 2022 trip along with the Sept 2021 points? Any guidance would be appreciated.

Your 2020 points expire on Aug 31, 2020. Unless you are planning a trip between now and then you need to bank your 2020 points ASAP before the April 30th deadline so they can be used to make any future reservations in your 2021 UY which for you starts Sept 1, 2021. Once points are banked they will always be used first by default when making reservations online. You will see a breakdown of how the points were used when you get to the final reservation confirmation. If you aren’t happy with how things were taken out there’s a cancellation button that’s only available at that time to cancel without penalty.

 

[Louis morrell]

No, you don't lose them, but if not banked, they expire. 11/30/21 would be the last night your 2020 points could pay for. If you won't be able to use your 2020 points before the end of November, 2021, then bank them. Do it on or before July 31, 2021, which is the banking deadline for your 2020 points. After you bank them, they won't expire until November 30, 2022.

Spend some time with the Understanding Use Year thread. @CarolynFH posted a link to it in her post above. You will be very glad you did!

They have a September use year so they expire August 31st and must be banked before May 1st

 

[CarolMN]

The OPs Use Year is September (their stay is in December), so banking deadline is April 30. Just posting this so they don’t get confused.

You are absolutely correct. I will delete my post talking about December, fix the other post and hopefully, I didn't confuse anyone before you posted. Thank you!

 

[Nie0214]

What always helps me is to look at it this way:

September 1, 2020 starts my 2020 use year.

I can use these points for 9/1/20-8/31/21. If I’m not taking a trip between those dates, I must bank them into UY21.

September 1, 2021 starts my 2021 use year. I can use points in UY21 for stays between 9/1/21-8/31/22.

etc.

Your banking deadline is April 30 every year, so you need to move your points from this UY to the next one by then or you might lose them.

To add even more complexity... after buying direct you have one special booking. The team is allowed (by contract) to take a room out of cash inventory and use your points to book it. It’s a one-time courtesy so people who buy in don’t have to wait 7-11 months for their first trip.

So if you are entertaining going in October or November 2021 and your room isn’t available, call and ask about booking your first trip as a DVC owner.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

We also have a September UY and took a little while to get used to trips that occur in 2022, for example, are UY 2021. As others have said the 2021 UY begins on September 1, 2021 and runs through August 31st of 2022.

With a September UY, it helps to keep reminding yourself that 3/4 of your UY falls into the following calendar year (i.e., 2021 UY has only 4 months (Sep-Dec) in 2021 and 8 months (Jan-Aug) in 2022.

Also, as others have said, the dates of your trip must fall within the UY regardless of when you are making the reservation.

 

[CarolynFH]

It didn’t take long after we bought for me to realize I needed a spreadsheet to track our points. The first column is for Dates and the second is for Events. So September 1 of every year is New UY, then when we book a trip the dates of that trip go in with resort & villa size as the event. With everything in chronological order that way, I keep my UYs straight and know whether I’m borrowing (frequently!) or banking (almost never!).

 

[rick1zoo2]

Use year is a little confusing at first but once it clicks in your head its pretty simple

Mine keeps un-clicking!

 

[Sandisw]

Mine keeps un-clicking!

Try forgetting the calendar year! That is what helped me, especially with my Dec UY