Help figuring out use year and other things to consider

[uandmfan]

Hi

We are considering a BLT resale. I'm totally confused so any info/advice would be appreciated!

We usually go in early February and will later go in mid-March. From the points charts, in feb we wil need 356 points for a week in a 2 bedroom and 386 for March.

We plan on going every other year.

1. How many points should we look at buying?
2. What use year would be best for us? This totally confuses me.
3. If we go every other year, should I look at buying something the year before we want to go so I can bank the points or am I better off looking for something where I will be borrowing points?
4. If I had a few points left over we haven't used and won't be able to how easy is it to transfer the points to someone else so we can at least get the MFs back?
5. Should we consider a cheaper resort and hope to trade in to BLT? When the kids are older I imagine our preferences will change.
6. What happens at the end of the contract? Does the ownership just expire? Do they get extended?

I know there are a lot of questions there. I've done some reading but thought using my situation would help me sort it out.

Thanks!

 

[hayesdvc]

Like many of us that knew very little about DVC when we began the resale process, I would read and read and read the below link; especially the "Purchasing DVC" section. Like any other purchase, you don't have to know everything to know many things before you make an offer on a specific home resort. It is a huge financial commitment for most. Good Luck and happy reading.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/★-☆-★-the-dvc-information-center-★-☆-★.3436037/

 

[disneynutz]

My biggest thing is know for 100% that BLT is the resort that you love more than all others. We bought BLT thinking that we would love it there and we really don't. Don't get me wrong, BLT is a fine resort, we just love BWV, VGF, and VWL more.

Like any purchase, knowledge is power, the more you know, the happier and more money you will save.

Bill

 

[ColinBlair]

Hi

We are considering a BLT resale. I'm totally confused so any info/advice would be appreciated!

We usually go in early February and will later go in mid-March. From the points charts, in feb we wil need 356 points for a week in a 2 bedroom and 386 for March.

We plan on going every other year.

1. How many points should we look at buying?
2. What use year would be best for us? This totally confuses me.
3. If we go every other year, should I look at buying something the year before we want to go so I can bank the points or am I better off looking for something where I will be borrowing points?
4. If I had a few points left over we haven't used and won't be able to how easy is it to transfer the points to someone else so we can at least get the MFs back?
5. Should we consider a cheaper resort and hope to trade in to BLT? When the kids are older I imagine our preferences will change.
6. What happens at the end of the contract? Does the ownership just expire? Do they get extended?

I know there are a lot of questions there. I've done some reading but thought using my situation would help me sort it out.

Thanks!

1) See #3
2) The February use year would probably be best, but if early February also means late January then you would probably be better with December instead. That is the time of year I chose December as my use year so that I wouldn't have to worry about it.
3) Lets say you buy 160 points of BLT fully loaded the same year you plan to go

Year 1: 160 points banked 160 points current 160 points borrowable
Year 1: 356 point vacation
Year 2: 0 points banked 124 points current 160 points borrowable
Year 2: No Vacation
Year 3: 124 points banked 160 points current 160 points borrowable
Year 3: 356 point vacation
Year 4: 0 points banked 88 points current 160 points borrowable
Year 4: No Vacation
Year 5 88 points banked 160 points current 160 points borrowable
Year 5: 386 point vacation
Year 6: 0 points banked 22 points current 160 points borrowable
Year 6: No Vacation
Year 7: 22 points banked 160 points current 160 points borrowable

At year 7, you have 342 usable points and 22 points that have to be used that year. You could have used more of the points in the previous years and take year 8 off as well or you could have more than 160 points. Or, get a standard room instead of a lake view room every so often. One important thing to note is that each off year there are 0 points banked. Staying every other year you want that to be the case.

4) I think you have to have enough points to make it worth doing for the other person. When someone needs just a few points it is probably easier to just pay Disney for one time use points. Unless you buy more than 178-193 points at your current plan I don't think you will need to worry about having any points left over unless you completely miss a year.
5) BLT is a really good value. Changing to the cheapest resort would save you something like $524 per year unadjusted for inflation. The most expensive resort would be $1471.44 more expensive than the BLT (again, not adjusted for inflation). Only you can tell what the balance is between value and where you actually want to stay.
6) Nobody knows what will happen. Legally, the ownership reverts to Disney at the end of the contract. If they do try and extend it, they have to at least let you opt out of extending it.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

Here is the way I think of Use Year. Use Year is the month that new points are added to your account.

Let's say you have to cancel your plans to visit your resort, and need to reschedule. There are penalties for canceling late in your use year, and you may even lose your points, unless you can reschedule your trip within your use year. So if you know you are going to visit mostly in Feb/March, then if you have a use year of February, and you need to cancel a reservation, you have another 11 or 12 months to figure out what to do with your points.

Specifically, if you had an April use year and canceled a March trip, you would risk losing your points unless you could use them by April 1st. You cannot bank points to the next year in the last 4 months of your use year. The banking deadline is 4 months before your use year starts, so if you had a Feb use year, you could still bank these points to the next year.

 

[Dean]

Hi

We are considering a BLT resale. I'm totally confused so any info/advice would be appreciated!

We usually go in early February and will later go in mid-March. From the points charts, in feb we wil need 356 points for a week in a 2 bedroom and 386 for March.

We plan on going every other year.

1. How many points should we look at buying?
2. What use year would be best for us? This totally confuses me.
3. If we go every other year, should I look at buying something the year before we want to go so I can bank the points or am I better off looking for something where I will be borrowing points?
4. If I had a few points left over we haven't used and won't be able to how easy is it to transfer the points to someone else so we can at least get the MFs back?
5. Should we consider a cheaper resort and hope to trade in to BLT? When the kids are older I imagine our preferences will change.
6. What happens at the end of the contract? Does the ownership just expire? Do they get extended?

I know there are a lot of questions there. I've done some reading but thought using my situation would help me sort it out.

Thanks!

Remember that due to Easter the points in March could be far more still some years. Of course you could potentially avoid those years for that time.

1. I'm not sure you much on property or DVC experience you have so I'll assume you have a fair amount of on property but somewhat less DVC experience. I'd go for somewhere in the range of 220-270 to start with looking for a loaded contract assuming you can pay cash. With the extra points of a loaded contract, it'll feel larger for several years. That'll give you a chance to get into the system and figure out how it works. Then if you need more points later you can buy a second contract either at BLT or at a different home resort (likely even better). That'll also keep you from having such a large single contract.
2. Feb by far as described. I'd only buy Feb if you only plan to travel Feb/March consistently. I wouldn't even consider Dec.
3. IF you're set and can pay cash, I'd buy as soon as you find a contract that's a good choice for you even if you had to rent out points initially to do so. And I wouldn't buy a contract that's a less good choice just to get in that next trip.
4. Likely not feasibly in this situation because you can't transfer banked points and if you're planning to go every year and/or initially for a loaded contract, the points you might have extra should be banked points. You could rent them though.
5. In general I'd consider that as the first option unless specifics make it a bad idea, I don't think you' can count on getting BLT consistently at the 7 month window. Plus owning there gives you the standard view option if you can book at 11 months out.
6. No one knows, assume it's gone because either it will be or you'll have to pay to extend it.