Help from the experts?

[Leia's Mom]

OK, can I get some help thinking through the best way to use my points? Here is my situation. Probably easy for most people, but I get stuck. . . I actually think just typing this out will clarify it for me, but let's see. . . [Added at the end that I think the math isn't the question is is about switching over a reservation at the very end. Thank you for anybody with the patience to read through this thing]

Two contracts. Use year for both is December. AKL (160) and Poly (160). AKL - Available for 2018 (164) - 4 points are banked from 2017, Available for 2019 (160); Poly Available for 2018 (139); Available for 2019 (160).

Every year I need about 90 points for the January marathon at Poly (my husband is a very, very good man who surprised me with DVC just for my marathon addiction).

I would like a 1 or 2 bedroom AKL Savannah view for spring break (March) 2020 (I would take another resort to save points, but this seems safest given the booking out window) -- So that is 350 points. So, to do that, I bank the 160 from 2018, use the 160 from 2019 and borrow 30 from 2020.

So, I will need 94 points for the marathon in 2020 (wow, looking at it now, that went up).

So, I want to go for fall break this year as well. That's Columbus Day weekend. I may have messed this up, but I think that leaves me with 124 points for fall break. 4 of those have to be used this year and they are at AKL. So, my best bet is to book on the first day I can book at any resort or book at AKL. I could book a 1 Bedroom Savanna view at 130 points (borrowing 6 points) and be done with it. Or, I can do a 68 point studio and be golden.

So, given all this, I think I book at the AKL now and then on the day it opens up, I get them to switch over to use my Poly points for the AKL reservation OR I switch over to another resort entirely. Given the dates, I'm not borrowing so nothing to lose, right? That way I don't lose the 4 banked points. Does that sound right?

 

[Cyberc1978]

With a September UY your 2018 points are good from 09/01-2018 - 08/31-2019

With that in mind you don’t bank 2018 points to use then in March 2019 as that is within your 2018 UY. If you don’t have enough points you would need to borrow from your 2019 UY.

Columbus Day is in October which is within your 2019 UY so no need to Borrow here.

Marathon 2020 is also within your 2019 UY so you don’t borrow from 2020 UY unless you have already used up your 2019 UY points.

 

[Cyberc1978]

In terms of switching points you can only do this if the room you are trying to switch the points to are already available in open inventory. If not MS can’t/won’t switch as that would negate the 11 month window.

 

[Donna M]

To the op, Cyberc1978 gave you info with a September UY and I see you have a Dec. one.

 

[Sandisw]

Let's see:
Fall trip...you can book with AKL points now and like you said, that would use up your banked points. Let's use your 130...since this fall in your Dec 2018 you, it will leave you 34 points left. Those you bank to 2019 UY, which now gives you 194 in your AKL 2019 UY.
Jan, 2020 trip. Falls in your 2019 UY. 94 points needed...bank the 2018 points into 2019. That gives you 299. After you book January, that leaves you 205 Poly in your 2019 UY.

Between both contracts, that still leaves you 399 from both contracts to cover whatever you want to secure for March 2020. Now, because they are two different resorts, at 11 months, you would have to book some nights at AKL, some at Poly, then change out at 7 months.

Since your goal, though, is getting AKV in March 2020, you may be better off using Poly points to book the fall and saving AKV so you can book the entire trip for March 2020. But, using Poly points for AKV in the fall requires you to wait until 7 months or book it know with the AKV points, and then at 7 months, change out what you can, providing there are still nights left. If you were able to use Poly points for Fall 2019 trip instead of AKV, that leaves you about 324 to book your March 2020 trip at the 11 month mark all at AKV.

Hopefully, I haven't confused you more!!!!

 

[Cyberc1978]

To the op, Cyberc1978 gave you info with a September UY and I see you have a Dec. one.

Sorry about that I misread it as September UY.

A 2018 December UY goes from 12/1/2018 - 11/30- 2019

That also means you can book all your reservations without the need to bank your points first.

 

[Leia's Mom]

Thanks. That aligns with what I was thinking except that it didn't occur to me that I can book before the banking window. I think I will just book Poly at the 7 month window (if possible -- if not, I'll just pick another location) and use AKL and Poly. Next question, if I book online, can I select which contract to book under or should I just call?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Are they one member number or different member numbers? Like one is the master and the second is an add on to the master (the first numbers to the left of the decimal point are the same, to the right they are different).

 

[Leia's Mom]

One membership number. Two contracts.

 

[Deb & Bill]

One membership number. Two contracts.

That helps when using the points at seven months out. You don't need to transfer between accounts.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks. That aligns with what I was thinking except that it didn't occur to me that I can book before the banking window. I think I will just book Poly at the 7 month window (if possible -- if not, I'll just pick another location) and use AKL and Poly. Next question, if I book online, can I select which contract to book under or should I just call?

You will have the option to select if the reservation is 7 months or less. If more than 7 months out then it will only show the contract that corresponds to the home resort you are booking at.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Since your goal, though, is getting AKV in March 2020, you may be better off using Poly points to book the fall and saving AKV so you can book the entire trip for March 2020. But, using Poly points for AKV in the fall requires you to wait until 7 months or book it know with the AKV points, and then at 7 months, change out what you can, providing there are still nights left. If you were able to use Poly points for Fall 2019 trip instead of AKV, that leaves you about 324 to book your March 2020 trip at the 11 month mark all at AKV.
!

Using the PVB points thought for the fall means leaving the 4 banked AKV points at risk of not being able to move the reservation. It probably isn't a huge risk but it would be there.