Exception to the "Can always make res at home resort 11 mos ahead of check out" rule

[edith76]

I'm guessing, but I think the original problem was that their computer accounted for a 3 year period of points when it really needed to account for 4. Whatever, I was told it was fixed and I've not had a problem since.

Dougmatt, I have a 19 yr old son already who is not too kean on all these vacations. Last week he asked me why we couldn't just stay home for a change. Go figure...In the past year we've been to Tahiti, South Florida beach, Florida golf vacation, Magic cruise and we are going to Hawaii in a few weeks. I guess I over did it.

 

[PamOKW]

When dealing with the Use Year, keep it simple and it's easier to follow. In fact, MS wording in their reply is the key:


I would like to assist you in advising that if you will want to make a Disney Cruise Vacation for July 2003, and you have a June Use Year, you will be taking points from your 2003 Use Year to confirm this cruise.


To know when to call to make a reservation work from 11 months (or less) from your check-out date.

To know how many points you can use....think how many points you'll have during the year of your actual trip. The maximum is 3 times your yearly total.

I'm not really following the problem mentioned in this thread. The only thing I can see is that at one time there was a computer glitch that didn't allow jumping ahead more than one calendar year. However, this should never have been a restriction on using your points. In any case, it sounds like Member Services knows the system and can help folks work things out if they get confused.

 

[boardwalk prof]

We also have two use years -- march and august. Whenever I make reservations, our August contract is hiding. Even when I added on at BCV, our guide needed to hunt down the August contract.

I too have a 15 year old son who is getting tired or always going to Disney.

 

[dougmatt]

edith and bwprof: My 12 yo DS is always psych'd about going.. He plans to work at dis one day as an imagineer.... Hope he can. So no problem there.

My 14 yo DD however is a diferent story. So we try to trade out and vary the choices (won't help you edith I think yours is on OVERLOAD!). My DD ABSOLUTELY loved the cruise. The 'common grounds' coffee shop for teens is excellent. At that age they are more interested in hanging out with other teens, than with the parental units... My DD also enjoys VB (get's to check out the guys) so if you haven't been yet he would probably enjoy that (he of course would (should?!?) be checking out the girls) . We give her a lot of freedom there, that we aren't comfortable with at the other resorts since it is somewhat isolated.

My ONLY suggestion for edith is a ski vacation during the winter. Spread out the trips and add some variance. My 2 really enjoy the slopes.

Now back to the 'actual' topic. My situation wasn't caused by a computer glitch that has been fixed, or a hidden contract (but has happened to me as well). Rather MS completely understood my issue and told me I just couldn't do it. Others have posted they had the same issue, but Dean has said he has been allowed to do it.. I have copied off his reply from MS and intend to send it to them if I EVER hit this problem again...

 

[PamOKW]

Dougmatt -- I'm still puzzled by your situation. I just took a look at your original example and I think I might be missing something. Here's what I see.

April 2001-March 2002 -- All points are used
April 2002-March 2003 -- 50 points remain
April 2003-March 2004 -- Full 350 available

You want to book for June 2003. The April 2003 points will be the ones that are current for that reservation. I don't see where you need to borrow. You can bank and use the 50 remaining 2002 points and then just use the 350.

The alternative might be that you are saying

April 2002-March 2003 -- All points are used
April 2003-March 2004 -- 50 points available
April 2004-March 2005 -- Full 350 available

Then you'd have 50 points for the June 2003 vacation and should be able to borrow from April 2004. I can't imagine why MS would find this to be a problem.

 

[DVC1996]

Pam......

DougMatt would not have had a problem if he had pts left in his April 2002 Use Year. He has 0 pts for his April 2002 Use Year. If the 50 pts had been in his 2002 Use Year instead of his 2003 Use Year then he could make the ressie in July 2002 for June 2003. He was trying to borrow two years in advance instead of one year in advance. So...if he wants to vacation in 2002 the only pts he has available for use until April 2003 would be borrowed 2003 pts ( 50pts). Sooo.....there is no way he could make a ressie on July 2002 if he has only 50 pts to play with. He will have to wait till April 2003 to make his July 2003 ressie ( only 3 months prior) because he won't have the pts needed till he is able to borrow from his April 2004 Use Year ( not available till April 2003).

I think he ran into the same kind of problem with his December Use Year example. I think I responded to this on another thread.
One needs to look at their Use Year instead of the Calendar Year.
MS was right on this one. I know it is confusing. When I first read the post it stumped me too

 

[DVC1996]

The alternative might be that you are saying

April 2002-March 2003 -- All points are used
April 2003-March 2004 -- 50 points available
April 2004-March 2005 -- Full 350 available

Then you'd have 50 points for the June 2003 vacation and should be able to borrow from April 2004. I can't imagine why MS would find this to be a problem. [/B]

Pam...... It's Harriet again with another explanation which may explain it better than my previous post. If DougMatt wants to call in July 2002 to make a June 2003 reservation he has only 50 borrowed points to make a reservation. He can't borrow April 2004 points till his April 2003 Use Year comes again. This is why MS wouldn't let him make the reservation at the 11 month window. He just didn't have the points available for use.

 

[PKS44]

"You may borrow up to 100% of your allotted Vacation Points from the next Use Year into your current Use Year."

The above is from the Member Guidebook but the bolds are mine...While I always assumed it had to do with WHEN the vacation is- the wording is ambiguous---SO apparently someone is saying he cannot borrow from April 2004 until he is "currently" in the April 2003 Use Year. I believe this is a misinterpretation of the book.

I have done this very thing just recently, TRUE STORY:

I have an August Use Year. I made a reservation for January 2003(which is August 2002 Use Year) in February 2002 (which is Aug 2001 Use Year). I used banked Aug 2001 points into 2002 Use Year and borrrowed some from my Aug 2003 Use Year. Now how did I do that if in Feb 2002 I was "CURRENTLY" in my 2001 Use Year and yet I borrowed from "2 years ahead?" (ie 2003)
Because it is ONLY 1 year ahead of WHEN THE VACATION TAKES PLACE, NOT when the reservation is made.

It has to be this way or borrowing is of little help and the 11 months window becomes less meaningful...I believe (and Hope) that the mistake is with those who denied him and not those who let me "get away with it." They really to need to clarify this and I hope make it so you can base things on when you USE the points not when you reserve.

Paul

 

[Dean]

Paul, go back and look at my quotes from the member guidelines, it's not ambigious at all.

 

[PKS44]

Dean-

I agree that your quote from the member Guidebook is exactly how the policy should be and has been for me when I made my reservation. It looks like they have changed the wording in the 2001-2002 guidebook that I quoted (page 26). I can see how a CM reading that quote would interpret things differently than if they read the quote you cited...is there a quote similar to the one you gave in the latest guidebooks? Did they change the rules? I guess they are allowed to change borrowing and banking any way they want, though I would think it is actually to DVC management's advantage to have points borrowed (or banked)as early ahead as possible to free up inventory/points to them for their use.

Paul