Help with BLT Use Year Please!

[Mama2Princesses]

Can someone help me understand BLT use year?

We are in process of purchasing 160 points at BLT.

I thought I read somewhere that I could get 2 years of points, which would be ideal, since we want to use our points for a May 2010 trip.

I was thinking about an April UY (will travel mainly during the summer, possibly October or January on occasion).

My guide told me I could get an April UY for BLT, but we would not get our points until April 2010. So the UY would be from April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011.

If I want my points sooner, I would have to choose a UY in August, since that is when BLT opens, or later.

Am I understanding all this correctly? Thanks so much!

 

[disneynutz]

Sounds right to me. You can't get April '09 points because BLT wasn't open in April '09. If it was already open and you bought now, you could get '08 and '09 points.

 

[bumbershoot]

You are buying directly through DVC?


What your guide says is not what our experience was. We bought in March, and have a February use year (we didn't get a choice, it was just given to us, and it was too late (I thought) when I realized we could have chosen). We have points NOW, to use between now and Feb (or late Jan?).

If we can't use them before then, before the end of September we'll have to "bank" them, so they can be used after Feb 2010 but before they run out in Feb 2011 (I know I'm not being exactly specific with the dates here...please know there are exact dates, I'm just not 100% sure on them, but will find out before I have to know!).

So if we "bank" them by the end of September (4 months before our Use year ends/restarts), then from Feb '10 to Feb '11 we'd have 160x2 points available for us.

Of course we can't use them at BLT until BLT opens, LOL, but I *think* I could use them at another resort before BLT opens...I haven't tried to see if that's true b/c we wouldn't be using them before October at the earliest.

In your case, if what your guide is telling you is the truth (and again, it wasn't our experience), you could always borrow your 2011 points for a trip in 2010. I think there would be a limit on what months b/c of Use Year, but I *think* a May '10 trip would work with an April use year.


I'm not the expert though, just telling you my recent experience. I'll be following this thread!

 

[drusba]

I think you need to recheck with guide to clarify. That BLT opens in Aug has nothing to do with use year being sold right now or when you get first allotment of points. When they started selling BLT they were selling Feb use year (you could request later month) and persons who bought actually got first issue of points Feb 2009 -- they just can't be used for a trip until BLT opens meaning Aug 09 or later. My guess is they are now selling March or April and that would mean you would get 09 points. Again you can request a later month but you would still get an 09 month with first issuance of points in 09; they should not be selling any use year where first points come in 2010.

If you got a March or April use year with first points in 09, you could have two year's of points for a May 2010 trip -- you would bank this year's points into next year and also have allotment coming in March or April 2010.

What use year you have is irrelevant to when you can go (any time of year) or when you can call to reserve (always 11 months out at home resort, 7 at others). It does determine by when you must bank (you can bank any amount up to 100% of points by end of 8th month of use year, but none during last four months of use year). Many choose a use year that allows that in the event you need to cancel a trip during usual time you go each year. If usually summer or October, April is fine for that purpose. If you usually go Jan, you are cutting the banking/cancellation hedge a tad too close with an April use year.

 

[Sandisw]

I just added on at BLT and got points for my June 09 UY. I have already used them to book vacations after August 1st. As others have said, I know people who bought and were given points for their Feb 09 UY so why would April not get points..

I would ask your guide to please have that clarified with a supervisor because it would not make any sense that some people are getting 09 points and others are not.

My understanding was that everyone who bought BLT would get 09 points. Your guide is correct that none of the points can be used before August when BLT opens. But if you have an April UY, you are supposed to be getting 09 points, which would allow you to have two set of points for your May 2010 trip.

I know that VGC is not getting points for the earlier UY's (because it doesn't open until November) so maybe the guide is just misspoke and confused the two resorts.

 

[Mama2Princesses]

Thanks everyone! I thought I had read that people were getting UYs (and 2009 points) before August. I will call my guide tomorrow morning for clarification.

 

[AStamm]

My guess is they are now selling March or April and that would mean you would get 09 points.

We just bought 300 points at BLT three weeks ago and were still given a UY of February.

 

[Mama2Princesses]

Just wanted to update everyone...my guide left a message and noted that she misspoke. Our UY is February, so we will have 160 points to bank for our May 2010 trip! : Thanks for all your advice and replies!

 

[POS]

Mama2,

Your guide is wrong. I just purchased 130 BLT Points March Use Year. I have 130 points online right now and I plan to bank them all and use them in October 210. I need 254 points in all for a 6 night 2 bedroom Bay Lake View stay. I would expect that if you purchase between now and before the end of the year, you will get 2009 points.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Thanks everyone! I thought I had read that people were getting UYs (and 2009 points) before August. I will call my guide tomorrow morning for clarification.

I called my guide yesterday. I currently have Dec UY at SSR. He said I would get Dec UY 09 at BLT, MF starting at date of opening but Dec 09 points. Dec 08 and Dec 09 points if I added on instead at SSR or AKV.

Does that sound right? Or is he just locking into the Dec UY thing. I would like to get Feb or March points, if available. Then I would get another allotment that much sooner.

Also, I asked why MF at BLT are so much less. He said it is a smaller property, so less property taxes. But VWL is also a smaller property, but it's taxes are not less. So I am guessing stated MF at BLT are currently lower than they will typically be. Of course I know about them all going up about 4-4.5% each year.

 

[Mama2Princesses]

I ended up with a February UY, which means I have my points for Feb 2009-Jan 2010, then a new allotment comes February 2010. MFs start when the resort opens in August.

I would call your guide back and ask for February, if that is what you want! However, most people here seem to recommend having the same UY for your contracts. Just be aware that you will have to manage 2 UYs and have 2 master contracts (from what I understand).

 

[Crystal_27]

Just wanted to update everyone...my guide left a message and noted that she misspoke. Our UY is February, so we will have 160 points to bank for our May 2010 trip! : Thanks for all your advice and replies!

Thanks for the update, and congratulations (neighbor) on your BLT purchase!!

 

[5forDiz]

I called my guide yesterday. I currently have Dec UY at SSR. He said I would get Dec UY 09 at BLT, MF starting at date of opening but Dec 09 points. Dec 08 and Dec 09 points if I added on instead at SSR or AKV.

Does that sound right? Or is he just locking into the Dec UY thing. I would like to get Feb or March points, if available. Then I would get another allotment that much sooner.

Also, I asked why MF at BLT are so much less. He said it is a smaller property, so less property taxes. But VWL is also a smaller property, but it's taxes are not less. So I am guessing stated MF at BLT are currently lower than they will typically be. Of course I know about them all going up about 4-4.5% each year.

If you want to have February or March Use Year for BLT points you will have to purchase the points as if it's a first time purchase; it will not be treated as an add-on to your contract at SSR unless you take December Use Year which is the Use Year of your SSR contract so you would have 2 master contracts and if you did decide to go ahead with Feb or March UY you will have to purchase whatever the minimum number of points Disney requires for a new buy-in ( iirc 160 at BLT) as if you are a first time buyer. Also, in order to combine points from these 2 contracts would mean you'd have to do a transfer from one contract to the other and that would use the single transfer per year option for both those contracts.

If you stay with your December UY then points you purchase at BLT will be treated as an add-on to your master SSR contract and may be purchased for as little as 25 pts with cash or 50 pts if you want Disney's financing.


And yes if you purchased add-on points at SSR now you would get 2008 UY allotment of points because it is presently 2008 Use Year for December - 2008 UY runs from 12/1/2008 - 11/30/2009 and you'd be able to bank these Dec 2008 UY points into 2009 UY no later than July 31 2009. Then on Dec 1 2009 you'd receive the 2009 UY allotment of add-on points (2009 UY is 12/1/2009 - 11/30/2010 ), etc.

 

[Sandisw]

I called my guide yesterday. I currently have Dec UY at SSR. He said I would get Dec UY 09 at BLT, MF starting at date of opening but Dec 09 points. Dec 08 and Dec 09 points if I added on instead at SSR or AKV.

Does that sound right? Or is he just locking into the Dec UY thing. I would like to get Feb or March points, if available. Then I would get another allotment that much sooner.

Also, I asked why MF at BLT are so much less. He said it is a smaller property, so less property taxes. But VWL is also a smaller property, but it's taxes are not less. So I am guessing stated MF at BLT are currently lower than they will typically be. Of course I know about them all going up about 4-4.5% each year.

With your Dec UY, you will get your first points Dec 09. Your MF's, however, will only be due for 1 month this year. You will not pay MF's from August since you won't have the points to use yet.


If you really want a different UY, my understanding is that DVC will make you buy a new master contract with 160 points. But I would talk to your guide about it if that is what you really want.

Good luck!