Help With Best Use Year

[Lorana]

Thank you, everyone! I did actually consider a fixed week and sent an email to an agent this morning asking about the cost of buying CC direct.

I am such an impatient person, lol! I get something in my mind and want to act on it right away so when I saw a really good AKL offer today with a December UY, I started to get antsy. There just aren't very many contracts for October, which surprises me since December is such a popular time for DVC travel, and there are a ton for December. I will try to put my patient pants on and watch for a good October contract. Maybe I will keep watch for September, too.

I think a lot of people aren't aware of walking -- those of us on these boards are in a minority. Most people buy what is recommended to them, and if they want to travel in December, it makes sense to get a December UY, not realizing that you can't walk easily to those dates without having to get member services involved and risk losing it.

This is outdated, but it shows you that (for whatever reason), April, September, and October are the least popular Use Years overall.
https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program/own...ty-of-disney-vacation-club-points-by-use-year

Naturally, my UYs are September and October (and Oct is just our VGC contracts)! In hindsight, we ALMOST bought in August (our anniversary is that month), but found a really good deal for BRV when we were first buying (as we did a mix of direct and resale), and so switched to September UY. On one hand, we've managed to find a number of contracts we love, but man sometimes when I look at all the options for Aug UY, I almost wish we had stuck with our original plan. That said, much as I love the low low crowds of late August, we no longer want to deal with the heat, so I don't suspect we will often be traveling again then -- and if we do, we're willing to risk losing points, as we suspect by end of April, we'll know if we're definitely going or not.

 

[Lorana]

Have you considered buying a fixed week at CCV? Not sure if FW studio is still available for December week 2, but if it is it would be worth the cost differential.

Thank you, everyone! I did actually consider a fixed week and sent an email to an agent this morning asking about the cost of buying CC direct.

Fixed weeks aren't the value they were initially when we bought given the points redistribution, but boy let me tell you, it's so nice seeing our CCV weeks pop up weeks ahead and know that we're secure in getting our CCV Studios for Weeks 47 & 48 without having to walk them! Now I just wish we had bought week 49 as well, lol, or did a FW at RIV for the end of Food & Wine for week 46! ;-)

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Fixed weeks aren't the value they were initially when we bought given the points redistribution, but boy let me tell you, it's so nice seeing our CCV weeks pop up weeks ahead and know that we're secure in getting our CCV Studios for Weeks 47 & 48 without having to walk them! Now I just wish we had bought week 49 as well, lol, or did a FW at RIV for the end of Food & Wine for week 46! ;-)

For a time value of money vs. walking CCV studios those two weeks, they are still a decent value. I don't see those two weeks ever really getting easier.

 

[Lorana]

For a time value of money vs. walking CCV studios those two weeks, they are still a decent value. I don't see those two weeks ever really getting easier.

Oh, absolutely agree. If I were buying direct, I'd still be tempted.

(That said, we had decided to focus on Thanksgiving week previously because the old Gold APs were usable during that week. Now that Thanksgiving week requires a Incredipass, we're less enthused about that week, and now I wish we had focused on closer to Christmas! I can only hope that maybe Disney will shift its blockout dates again. That is one reason why we didn't do Thanksgiving this year, though we've renewed as Incredipasses so we can do Thanksgiving in 2023).

 

[PinkPixel]

I think a lot of people aren't aware of walking -- those of us on these boards are in a minority. Most people buy what is recommended to them, and if they want to travel in December, it makes sense to get a December UY, not realizing that you can't walk easily to those dates without having to get member services involved and risk losing it.

This is outdated, but it shows you that (for whatever reason), April, September, and October are the least popular Use Years overall.
https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program/own...ty-of-disney-vacation-club-points-by-use-year

Naturally, my UYs are September and October (and Oct is just our VGC contracts)! In hindsight, we ALMOST bought in August (our anniversary is that month), but found a really good deal for BRV when we were first buying (as we did a mix of direct and resale), and so switched to September UY. On one hand, we've managed to find a number of contracts we love, but man sometimes when I look at all the options for Aug UY, I almost wish we had stuck with our original plan. That said, much as I love the low low crowds of late August, we no longer want to deal with the heat, so I don't suspect we will often be traveling again then -- and if we do, we're willing to risk losing points, as we suspect by end of April, we'll know if we're definitely going or not.

Is there a good description with an example of what the DVC definition of "walking" means? I having been looking at DVC for awhile but don't know what exactly the example of "walking to dates" means.

 

[gmi3804]

Is there a good description with an example of what the DVC definition of "walking" means? I having been looking at DVC for awhile but don't know what exactly the example of "walking to dates" means.

DVC doesn’t advertise the concept. You have to learn about that stuff here.

 

[supersnoop]

Is there a good description with an example of what the DVC definition of "walking" means? I having been looking at DVC for awhile but don't know what exactly the example of "walking to dates" means.

You can make a reservation at 7 months or 11 months in advance. When you make that reservation, you can book up to 7 days into the future. "Walking" is using that ability to your advantage to lock up dates beyond when you intend to travel.

 

[PinkPixel]

You can make a reservation at 7 months or 11 months in advance. When you make that reservation, you can book up to 7 days into the future. "Walking" is using that ability to your advantage to lock up dates beyond when you intend to travel.

Thanks, would you mind making an example of a reservation that includes that and what you end up with? Still can't figure out the advantage.

 

[NEW-B]

Thanks, would you mind making an example of a reservation that includes that and what you end up with? Still can't figure out the advantage.

If I want to stay December 1-7 (6 nights), I can book that at 11 months on January 1, along with everybody else who owns there. So lets say one week before I actually want to stay I book 7 nights, Nov 24-Dec 1, I can do this on Dec 24. Every day following I modify that reservation by adding a day at the end and removing a day at the beginning. That reservation becomes:
On Dec 25 change to Nov 25-Dec 2
On Dec 26 change to Nov 26-Dec 3
On Dec 27 change to Nov 27-Dec 4
On Dec 28 change to Nov 28-Dec 5
On Dec 29 change to Nov 29-Dec 6
On Dec 30 change to Nov 30-Dec 7
You now have your whole stay booked on Dec 30. On Jan 1 you can remove Nov 30. That's the basic version. People can do it for longer or shorter.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks, would you mind making an example of a reservation that includes that and what you end up with? Still can't figure out the advantage.

Say I want to go to Disney on December 15th to December 20th. Your 11 month window opens on January 15th.

Instead you decide you want to walk into your dates, So, on January 1st, you book December 1st to December 6th. Now you have the room but for the wrong dates.

Because you have it booked from the 11 month window for that date, no one get check in until December 6th,

Since those are not your real dates, you go on again sometime before the 6th, modify and move the trip.

For example, you go in on the 4th and now change to Decemver 4th to 9th. Keep doing that until you get to your real dates.

 

[PinkPixel]

If I want to stay December 1-7 (6 nights), I can book that at 11 months on January 1, along with everybody else who owns there. So lets say one week before I actually want to stay I book 7 nights, Nov 24-Dec 1, I can do this on Dec 24. Every day following I modify that reservation by adding a day at the end and removing a day at the beginning. That reservation becomes:
On Dec 25 change to Nov 25-Dec 2
On Dec 26 change to Nov 26-Dec 3
On Dec 27 change to Nov 27-Dec 4
On Dec 28 change to Nov 28-Dec 5
On Dec 29 change to Nov 29-Dec 6
On Dec 30 change to Nov 30-Dec 7
You now have your whole stay booked on Dec 30. On Jan 1 you can remove Nov 30. That's the basic version. People can do it for longer or shorter.

Say I want to go to Disney on December 15th to December 20th. Your 11 month window opens on January 15th.

Instead you decide you want to walk into your dates, So, on January 1st, you book December 1st to December 6th. Now you have the room but for the wrong dates.

Because you have it booked from the 11 month window for that date, no one get check in until December 6th,

Since those are not your real dates, you go on again sometime before the 6th, modify and move the trip.

For example, you go in on the 4th and now change to Decemver 4th to 9th. Keep doing that until you get to your real dates.

THANK YOU! I finally get it now! I've been confused for over a year about it. People can be really creative!

 

[davidhr]

I’d say that most of the time, it isn’t needed. Even for December. CCV studious are notoriously difficult to book in December, but I was able to book it easily without walking. But honestly, I didn’t walk it because I got my points too late to be able to do it. But it was good to know that it might not be necessary.

Some people hate walkers, but I don’t see the big deal with it. I definitely do it if my dates are not flexible and I need to make sure I get those dates. But I don’t walk when my dates are flexible.