Help me understand when I can book

[mamatohaleybug]

I am in the process of buying a contract with an August UY. It has all of it's 2024 points and extra points banked from 2023. If I want to travel in Oct or Nov, can I book as soon as my points load in my account? I don't have to wait to book until they are usable, I just can't travel until they are usable? Thanks!

 

[Mommb]

If points become usable in August, then as soon as the points are yours, you can book a stay that begins in August.

 

[MyDogTink]

You can and should book as soon as your points load. Oct and Nov are busy times so availability may be scarce.

 

[CarolynFH]

can I book as soon as my points load in my account?

Yes - you don't have to have the points when you book, they just have to be there when you check in.

That's why we don't have to wait for the first day of our UY to book a vacation in that UY - we can book 11 months from checkin even if the points won't be there until the relevant UY begins.

Good luck with getting your dates!

 

[mamatohaleybug]

Yes - you don't have to have the points when you book, they just have to be there when you check in.

That's why we don't have to wait for the first day of our UY to book a vacation in that UY - we can book 11 months from checkin even if the points won't be there until the relevant UY begins.

Good luck with getting your dates!

Thank you! Not sure why I was getting myself confused but I sure appreciate you verifying that I was correct.

 

[DebbieB]

Thank you! Not sure why I was getting myself confused but I sure appreciate you verifying that I was correct.

Look at the use year your stay falls into. In your case, it’s 2024. So you can use banked 2023, current 2024, borrowed 2025.

One misconception is when points load. Points are loaded 3 years in advance. I have an April use year, my online dashboard shows 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 so they are “there” already. This is because cruises can book 2 years in advance (plus a year to borrow).

 

[drusba]

You will be able to try making that Oct or Nov reservation as soon as you get control of your account and can start using it to make reservations.

The real issue you will likely have for Oct or Nov is finding room availability. Traditionally, WDW DVC has had two distinct demand seasons: (a) the high to extremely high "fall" demand season that runs from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan, and (b) the more moderate season the rest of the year, e.g., room demand for the first two weeks of Dec makes Easter time look like an off-season. Members can start reserving their home resort beginning 11-months out from date of arrival, and other resorts beginning 7-months out.

Thus, trying to reserve just a few months before you want to go in Oct or Nov will likely mean getting a reservation will be difficult since most rooms will already have been reserved before even now, using the 11 and 7 month reservation windows. Your chances, if any, will likely be limited to SSR and possibly Kidani or OKW at WDW, and even those could be gone, although you may find 1BRs open (which at most resorts are usually the last room size to fill).