First Timer Help

[Jtbick01]

I am looking for my first DVC contract. I know the number of points and home resort I want. Would it be advised to make multiple offers at the same time and see who accepts? I see 4 that are all right about the same and have been listed for 3-4 weeks each.

We usually like to travel the last week of September or the middle of the summer. Due to kids breaks from school. I know the use year mainly matters in the even you have to cancel in the last 4 months. Unfortunately, we have had ER visits twice within days of getting on a flight. What's the best use year month to target or maybe it's easier to ask what months to avoid?

Am I correct in thinking it's the same if comparing two offers where 1) has no points left for 2025 but new points start Jan of 2026. vs 2) all points for 2025 are there, but the use year is December of 2025.

Last question. If contract is up Jan 31st, 2042, does that mean the last vacation we will get is 2041? What if your points hit in December, would you just have 60 days to use them?

Thanks

 

[Mousemath]

Have you read up on the cancellation policies? The points go into a holding account that you have to use within 60 days, which can be a challenge with availability.

I would make one offer at a time - the back and forth can happen pretty quick.

Yes, 2041 would be the last vacation year unless you squeeze a trip in January 2042.

 

[eticketplease]

Last question. If contract is up Jan 31st, 2042, does that mean the last vacation we will get is 2041? What if your points hit in December, would you just have 60 days to use them?

Your points would be allocated on 12/1/2041 for trips from 12/1/2041 until 1/31/2042.
You could also borrow those points to make them useable between 12/1/2040 and 11/30/2041.

 

[Genie+]

The way we picked our UY is looking at the least likely times we visit. For us that was over the summer and I went with a Sept UY. Now next year my trip goes April into May, which is about the limit of how far we’d push it. At least if we need to reschedule I’ll still have until Aug 31st to use the points. It’s not just the banking window to consider, it’s leaving yourself enough flexibility to reschedule.

So if you got an Oct or Dec UY and regularly visited late Sept, what would happen if you needed to reschedule? It would be next to impossible with an Oct UY, and even with Dec UY leaving 5 weeks to reschedule, it would be hard finding last minute availability in the fall.

 

[Jtbick01]

So how to I decide which one of these is best? We just got back on a trip and won't be going again until fall of 2026.

 

[Mousemath]

Those don't seem like they line up with your desired use year, except for the stripped October contract. It’s not priced in line with the others so you’d have to go in aggressive. Have you check out the dvcforless deal score? It’s helpful when starting.

 

[Wedgeout]

I’d offer one at a time. Pick your favorite & move on to next if rejected.

With banking and points in holding best to choose a UY covering travels mainly in first 9 months of it. Last minute cancellation will give more time to find something for the holding points.

Look at it as when points can be available for a reservation. Not that they ‘start’ at beginning of the UY. Points are there already. There is the period of time they may be used. All have a dues bill posted at same time at start of the calendar year, not UY month.

Depending on the UY, the amount of points in each UY of the contracts you are looking at will play a role on how many you have available for use. (Some stripped, others with banked). Everything is negotiable.

Each resort will expire on a January 31. It will be up to you to manage those last UY points before that final expiration. (If it’s a December UY more than if it is a February UY.)

Have fun matching a contract to your needs and wants. When deciding there is NOT a Jan, May, Jul, or Nov UY. Welcome to this community of information and knowledge.

 

[Genie+]

June might be good. That works well with trips June through January.

If there’s a likelihood of spring breaks in the future, then Aug UY might work better. Then you’d have Aug through March.

Let’s look at which months are thee worst to travel (the 3 months before point expiration):

Feb — Nov, Dec, Jan

Mar — Dec, Jan, Feb

Apr — Jan, Feb, Mar

June — Mar, Apr, May

Aug — May, June, July

*Sept — June, July, Aug

*Oct — July, Aug, Sept

*Dec — Sept, Oct, Nov

These last 3 don’t seem a good fit.

Is there a time of year you’re least likely to ever visit?

 

[chalee94]

We usually like to travel the last week of September or the middle of the summer.

Best UY should be Feb to June. Stay away from Sept and Oct. December is also not recommended.

 

[chalee94]

I would also agree to offer one at a time

 

[Wedgeout]

Your target trip is Fall 2026. For September 2026 for example you would book October 2025 for it.

You would use points that at in the UY covering that trip. (If have a June UY, it is 2026 points. If you have a December UY, it is 2025 points.)

Also you look at how many points you have that can be banked from the prior UY or borrowed from the next for the reservation.

 

[eticketplease]

So how to I decide which one of these is best? We just got back on a trip and won't be going again until fall of 2026.

View attachment 990862

You might be able to get away with a February use year for the summer months.
However while September is still in the bankable window if you had to cancel 30 days or less from the trip start date then those points would go into holding.

Holding points can not be banked and can only be used to book accommodations at 60 days out and if you are not able to find something those points would expire.

 

[Wedgeout]

As you search for that perfect match, you will notice the UY is not created equal. You will find more contracts for certain UY’s & that will also apply more or less to the specific resort, because there are more points out there issued in some UY’s over others.

 

[sndral]

I was curious which 2042 resort is still asking in the $130s per point & concluded it must be the Beach Club.
The broker’s list price is the beginning of the negotiations - it looks like folks in the ROFR thread have successfully negotiated prices in the $120s for BC.
Check out this thread & maybe even the link to the prior quarter.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/r...ost-for-instructions-formatting-tool.3969776/
https://www.disboards.com/threads/r...ost-for-instructions-formatting-tool.3965193/
If any of your listings are w/ Fidelity https://www.fidelityrealestate.com their buyer ‘administrative’ fee of $200ish effectively adds a dollar + per point to the cost of their contracts - however, they sometimes have reasonably priced contracts.
Other negotiables are who’s paying the MFs on those 2025 points - if the seller wants the buyer to reimburse them for 2025 MFs that’ll add $9+ per point.
I’d likely offer in the $120s on the 3 Feb. contracts & for the 2 w/ 2025 points I’d make my offer contingent on them banking those 2025 points. I’m not a very good negotiator, but I’d at least ask to not reimburse for 2025 MFs.
I’d personally avoid any w/ delayed closings, but that’s because of my view of the economy in general & dislike of dragging the buying process out further than necessary.

 

[Wedgeout]

Have some flexibility. Try not to lock onto just one UY. Gives a better shot at finding a good deal and more purchase options. I think 4 work fine for you. Feb, Mar, Apr, & Jun.. If see yourself taking a number of spring break trips.. focus on Feb & Mar more. It’s all personal choice. Good luck.

 

[sndral]

As you search for that perfect match, you will notice the UY is not created equal. You will find more contracts for certain UY’s & that will also apply more or less to the specific resort, because there are more points out there issued in some UY’s over others.

Very true & it’s even resort specific - here’s a summary of the use year breakdown per resort, https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...ty-of-disney-vacation-club-points-by-use-year
I find it fascinating that the Poly, which opened in the same era as the GF, has such a higher % of Dec. use year contracts compared to the GF.