Help me understand

[cjsmom5]

I have been doing tons of reading on the boards and am trying to understand it all ... I have a few questions. Can someone explain to me the "intricacies" of the following (what they mean and what I should know)

1) What does it mean when someone says points are in reservation status?
2) What does it mean when someone says points are in "holding"?
3) What are the rules with banking points...when can you do it ... what is the deadline for doing it in relationship to your use year?
4) What is the most common way that people "lose" points?
5) If a member is wanting to have points transferred from another member is the cost typically similar to that of what I have seen in regards to "renting" points?
6a) If you have, for example, 50 points at BCV and 200 points at AKV ... at 11 months you can make a reservation at either -- correct?
6b) But, if you want to make a reservation at BCV for 100 points, since you only have 50 points, then you would have to wait until the 7 month window when you had a enough points to cover the entire reservation - correct?
6c) Using the scenario in 6a - can I transfer 100 points from my AKV account to my BCV account giving me 150 points in that account - and then make my BCV reservation at the 11 month out mark?

We are looking to buy in at AKV since it will be one of the few that will have two bathrooms in their one-bedroom when Kidani Village is done. Nice advantage for us when my DS brings a friend. But, I also like the Boardwalk/BC area. So am just trying to figure it all out.

Plus, we are looking at the "developer points" incentive right now ... but I am thinking that those points may have different restrictions than the normal points. I have a call into DVC to ask them.

Thanks everyone for all your help! While we have been to WDW 24 times in the last 10 years or so -- we have never looked at DVC until now. It is starting to make sense for us to do this ... we will see.

 

[CarolAnnC]

I have been doing tons of reading on the boards and am trying to understand it all ... I have a few questions. Can someone explain to me the "intricacies" of the following (what they mean and what I should know)

1) What does it mean when someone says points are in reservation status?
2) What does it mean when someone says points are in "holding"?
3) What are the rules with banking points...when can you do it ... what is the deadline for doing it in relationship to your use year?
4) What is the most common way that people "lose" points?
5) If a member is wanting to have points transferred from another member is the cost typically similar to that of what I have seen in regards to "renting" points?
6a) If you have, for example, 50 points at BCV and 200 points at AKV ... at 11 months you can make a reservation at either -- correct?
6b) But, if you want to make a reservation at BCV for 100 points, since you only have 50 points, then you would have to wait until the 7 month window when you had a enough points to cover the entire reservation - correct?
6c) Using the scenario in 6a - can I transfer 100 points from my AKV account to my BCV account giving me 150 points in that account - and then make my BCV reservation at the 11 month out mark?

We are looking to buy in at AKV since it will be one of the few that will have two bathrooms in their one-bedroom when Kidani Village is done. Nice advantage for us when my DS brings a friend. But, I also like the Boardwalk/BC area. So am just trying to figure it all out.

Plus, we are looking at the "developer points" incentive right now ... but I am thinking that those points may have different restrictions than the normal points. I have a call into DVC to ask them.

Thanks everyone for all your help! While we have been to WDW 24 times in the last 10 years or so -- we have never looked at DVC until now. It is starting to make sense for us to do this ... we will see.

I will take a stab at a couple of your queries and I am sure many others will join in to help out.

6a) You can use the points you own at each resort at 11 months out. You cannot combine them till 7 months prior.

6b) If you own 50 BCV points, remember you can borrow from the following year or bank the prior year to achieve your 100 points.

6c) You will not want to transfer your points to yourself. First of all, a transfer will retain its original use year and resort. So your points cannot be "changed" from AKV to BCV points.

You will want to calculate your typical vacation plans when making your purchase. If you want to stay at BCV versus AKV more often, then buy most of your points at BCV. Will make it much easier in the long run.

 

[cjsmom5]

Thanks CarolAnn - appreciate that.

 

[RobDoc]

I have been doing tons of reading on the boards and am trying to understand it all ... I have a few questions. Can someone explain to me the "intricacies" of the following (what they mean and what I should know)

1) What does it mean when someone says points are in reservation status?

"Reservation Status" means that the points were used for a non-DVC reservation and later cancelled. They were returned to the account, but may only be used for another non-DVC reservation - NOT at a DVC resort - and they will expire at the end of the Use Year.

2) What does it mean when someone says points are in "holding"?

Points go into the "Holding Account" when a reservation is cancelled 30 days or less prior to arrival. They may only be used for another reservation made within 60 days of arrival and will expire at the end of the current Use Year.

3) What are the rules with banking points...when can you do it ... what is the deadline for doing it in relationship to your use year?

Beginning on January 1, 2008 you can bank all of your points for the first 8 months of the Use Year. No points may be banked during the last 4 months of the Use Year.

4) What is the most common way that people "lose" points?

The most common way is just to fail to make reservations. Some are lost due to passing banking deadlines.

5) If a member is wanting to have points transferred from another member is the cost typically similar to that of what I have seen in regards to "renting" points?

By definition, Transfers are not supposed to have any monetary transaction. In reality, transfers will generally be in the same cost range as rentals.

... Plus, we are looking at the "developer points" incentive right now ... but I am thinking that those points may have different restrictions than the normal points. I have a call into DVC to ask them.

The only restrictions are that Developer Points must be used within 12 months of your purchase, can only be used to make a reservation within 7 months of arrival, they cannot be banked and will expire at the end of the 12 month period id not used.

Good luck with you decision!

 

[CarolMN]

I have been doing tons of reading on the boards and am trying to understand it all ... I have a few questions. Can someone explain to me the "intricacies" of the following (what they mean and what I should know)

1) What does it mean when someone says points are in reservation status?

When a member uses points to book a cruise, a non-DVC WDW resort or anything else in the Disney Collection, the Adventurer's Collection or the Concierge Collection, the points become "reservation" points. If the non-DVC reservation is canceled, the points are returned to the member's account in reservation status. Those points cannot be used to book a stay at a DVC resort and they expire at the end of the use year.

Reservation points can only be used to book something in the Disney Collection, the Adventurer's Collection or the Concierge Collection

2) What does it mean when someone says points are in "holding"?

Those are points that were returned to a member's account as a result of a late cancellation. If a member cancels a DVC resort reservation less than 31 days prior to arrival, the member gets the points back, but there are restrictions on using them. You may not book a stay using holding points unless it is 60 days or less from arrival. Since availability is often quite limited at the 60 day mark, it can be difficult to use holding points. Holding points expire at the end of the use year.

3) What are the rules with banking points...when can you do it ... what is the deadline for doing it in relationship to your use year?

Starting 1/1/2008, you can bank your points if you do it before the end of the 8th month following your use year. For example, if you have an April use year, you could bank up to 100% of your annual allotment if you do it before the following November 30.

4) What is the most common way that people "lose" points?

No idea. Sorry.

5) If a member is wanting to have points transferred from another member is the cost typically similar to that of what I have seen in regards to "renting" points?

Terms are entirely negotiable between the two parties involved. FWIW, the documents members sign say that no compensation should be offered for such transfers.

Looks like CarolAnn answered your other questions.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[CarolMN]

Looks like you got lots of answers from the mods today. I'm glad mine agreed with Doc's - I would have answered more quickly (and beat him to the punch), but making dinner is interfering with my DIS time this afternoon!

 

[Caskbill]

Just to clarify, if you cancel a DVC reservation at 30 days or less, the points become "Holding" points. If you cancel a non-DVC reservation, they become "Reservation" Points, regardless of when you cancel.

Transfers ONLY occur between two different "Master" DVC contracts. When you purchase you normally only have a single "Master" contract, and then possibly several "Add-On" contracts.

Master contracts each have their own membership number. Add-On contracts share the same membership number as their associated master contract.

So, for your questions 6A, 6B, 6C. Points can be used to make a reservation at a home resort at 11-months. They cannot be used to make a reservation at a non-home resort until 7-months. If you have an OKW master with an AKV add-on, then at 7-months you can use those points in any combination to make any reservation.

If you have two different master contracts, eg an OKW June UY and an AKV September UY, you can transfer points between the two (using your one and only annual transfer allowed), but the transferred points still retain their own use year month and resort identification. Thus if you transferred 100 AKV to a BCV master contract, the transferred points remain as AKV points. They do not become BCV points. And as such, cannot be used until 7-months, just the same as if you had a BCV master contract with an AKV Add-on contract.

To keep it simple, don't think of them as contracts, but as memberships.

Case A: Membership # 12345 consists of a 50 point BCV master contract and a 200 point AKV add-on contract. At 11-months you can make a 50 point reservation at BCV, or a 200 point reservation at AKV. At 7-months you can make any DVC reservation at any resort, using all 250 points.

Case B: Membership # 12345 is a 50 point BCV master contract. Membership # 98765 is a 200 point AKV master contract. These two memberships are as distinct from one another as your contract would be from my contract. At 11-months you can make a 50 point BCV reservation, and/or a 200 point AKV reservation. At 7-months, you can make a 50 point reservation at any dvc resort, using your 50 BCV points. You can also make a 200 point reservation at any dvc resort, using your AKV points. If you transfer the points from Membership # 98765 into Membership #12345, then you'd have 250 points you could use to make a reservation at 7-months. You do NOT have 250 points which you could make a reservation at 11-months since they are still separate resort home points.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mirthrindr2]

"Reservation Status" means that the points were used for a non-DVC reservation and later cancelled. They were returned to the account, but may only be used for another non-DVC reservation - NOT at a DVC resort - and they will expire at the end of the Use Year.

Can you still use points in 'Reservation Status' to book a stay in non-DVC accommodations at a resort that includes DVC units? Example, Beach Club (main resort as opposed to BCV accommodation), AKL (main resort), Boardwalk (non BWV units), Wilderness Lodge main lodge, etc.

Thanks
Jim

 

[Caskbill]

Can you still use points in 'Reservation Status' to book a stay in non-DVC accommodations at a resort that includes DVC units? Example, Beach Club (main resort as opposed to BCV accommodation), AKL (main resort), Boardwalk (non BWV units), Wilderness Lodge main lodge, etc.

Thanks
Jim

No, reservation points can only be used in the resorts listed in the various collections such as Disney, Concierge, etc.

Value resorts, and DVC affiliated resorts (BC, AKL, BWI, WL) are not included and cannot be booked using reservation points.