Help for someone looking to purchase their first contract

[pammyk22]

Hello!
We have stayed at AKL 5 times over the last 10 years and decided that buying a resale at AKL might be the right decision for us. I’ve looked at prices and I understand annual dues but I have a couple questions that I can’t seem to find an answer too. I was wondering if someone might answer some basic questions for me or point me in the right direction to find the answers.
1. I understand that the points are deposited into the account on your “use year” but if you have ability to book out 11 months how does one time it properly. Do 2026 points book only 2026 trips? I guess I need someone to lay out strategizing booking. If use year is march 2026 and you want to take a trip in August 2026 when can you book that trip?
2. If you are a few points short can you purchase a few points from Disney, what is the cost?

Thanks for helping clear up my confusion

 

[Joroc0801]

1) Booking windows are independent of the use year. The only thing that is important is that you have the points you need at the time you use the reservations. For an Aug 2026 stay you would still be able to use home priority to book 11 months ahead. It doesn't matter that your March 2026 UY points haven't loaded yet. They will be available when you use the reservation.
2) Below is a link to some info on OTUP. Each Use Year you have the ability to purchase 24 one time use points at a cost of $20 pp.

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/faq/add-on-one-time-use-points/how-to

 

[RuntheMouse]

Hello!
We have stayed at AKL 5 times over the last 10 years and decided that buying a resale at AKL might be the right decision for us. I’ve looked at prices and I understand annual dues but I have a couple questions that I can’t seem to find an answer too. I was wondering if someone might answer some basic questions for me or point me in the right direction to find the answers.
1. I understand that the points are deposited into the account on your “use year” but if you have ability to book out 11 months how does one time it properly. Do 2026 points book only 2026 trips? I guess I need someone to lay out strategizing booking. If use year is march 2026 and you want to take a trip in August 2026 when can you book that trip?
2. If you are a few points short can you purchase a few points from Disney, what is the cost?

Thanks for helping clear up my confusion

1. You would book your August 2026 trip 11 months out at the earliest which is now. It will use your March 2026 points which are valid for trips from 3/1/26-2/28/27. You get a new allotment of points on 3/1/27.
2. You can use OTUP mentioned above but only at 7 months. You can borrow from your next year if you want.

 

[pammyk22]

Thank you both for the info. That makes a lot of sense! I was driving myself crazy trying to figure out how it worked!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Thank you both for the info. That makes a lot of sense! I was driving myself crazy trying to figure out how it worked!

Welcome home! I guarantee it won't be your last questions!! Enjoy - AKL is an absolutely amazing resort.

 

[AwfulWaffle]

Good news is you rarely have to strategize for Aninal Kingdom. I can almost always get in at the 7 month mark. December can be hit and miss for Jambo House but for the most part we have always been able to switch to here at seven months. My family’s favorite resort as well but Wilderness Lodge has a special spot in my heart so we bought there instead but. Usually flip to AKV at seven months out.

 

[kilik64]

Yea use year trips people up at first. It dictates WHAT points are used, not WHEN you can book. The main thing for use year is banking deadline, as depending on when you normally visit if its a yearly trip, you'll want a use year that creates a beneficial banking deadline.

 

[Sandisw]

Point are actually all in your account from the start. The UY just determines when the points become available for stays.

This is why booking window isn’t impacted by your UY.

The dashboard only shows so many years for planning reasons!

 

[Hubalorian]

Hello!
We have stayed at AKL 5 times over the last 10 years and decided that buying a resale at AKL might be the right decision for us. I’ve looked at prices and I understand annual dues but I have a couple questions that I can’t seem to find an answer too. I was wondering if someone might answer some basic questions for me or point me in the right direction to find the answers.
1. I understand that the points are deposited into the account on your “use year” but if you have ability to book out 11 months how does one time it properly. Do 2026 points book only 2026 trips? I guess I need someone to lay out strategizing booking. If use year is march 2026 and you want to take a trip in August 2026 when can you book that trip?
2. If you are a few points short can you purchase a few points from Disney, what is the cost?

Thanks for helping clear up my confusion

Do you typically vacation at a certain time of year? If so, that use year would likely be beneficial for you.

I also recommend buying smaller (50-100point) AK contracts to get to your ultimate goal point value. Smaller point contracts retain their resale value much better than bigger point value contracts.

 

[pammyk22]

Thank you. We have taken a lot of summer trips but I think over the first bunch of years having it we might look at trips during different times of year to celebrate milestones.
I was thinking 100 points to start

 

[Cfabar1]

Thank you. We have taken a lot of summer trips but I think over the first bunch of years having it we might look at trips during different times of year to celebrate milestones.
I was thinking 100 points to start

Great choice. Just stay away from one bedrooms then!

 

[longboard55]

I found it is better to borrow ahead than bank. The problem with banking points is if you have to cancel, there will often not be enough time to reuse the points.

 

[Tatebeck]

I found it is better to borrow ahead than bank. The problem with banking points is if you have to cancel, there will often not be enough time to reuse the points.

I don't think this makes any sense?

Both borrowed and banked points are both locked into the new use year once they were changed. If you borrowed or banked 100 points into the current use year, then canceled that trip, you would have the exact same amount of time to use those points up either way...

I personally feel that to always be banking some points is more flexible than if I was always borrowing. It allows you to use more points for a single booking if needed at some point because you can still borrow points later to add to your banked + current year points.

Also if you are taking multiple trips per year, you are likely borrowing points for your last reservation of the year. If you have to cancel that you could be in trouble. If you are banking points, those will likely be in your first reservation of the year, which gives you time to use the the banked points later in the year if you cancel your first reservation.