Holding account question

[gmflash88]

Can someone ELI5 (explain like I'm 5) the holding account process? I've read up and down the forums and I still don't fully get it.

The following is hypothetical using my upcoming trip in Sept (I'm not an owner...yet):

I have 125 points on a Dec UY and this trip is booked with 100 of my points that were added on Dec 2019 with the remaining 25 banked. I need to cancel today (outside the 30 days)... Where do the 100 points go? If I need to cancel on August 15 (inside 30 days), where do the points go?

Thanks all!

 

[drusba]

A Dec use year has until July 31 to bank current use year points and thus if you cancelled today you could bank any Dec 2019 points into the Dec 2020 use year..

As to holding, if you cancel a reservation 30 days or fewer from arrival date, all points in the reservation go into holding. That means they must be used for a trip that ends by end of use year you are in, and they can only be used by making a reservation 60 days or fewer from date of arrival. Thus, it is something you should definitely try to avoid.

Currently, DVC is waiving holding for reservations canceled less than 31 days from arrival. However, that may not apply to a Sep reservation. Moroever, DVC could change that policy at any moment, so you should likely not rely on it to still be around in Aug. Safer course, unless you will keep reservation, is to cancel and bank Dec 2019 points on or before July 31. However any Dec 2018 points banked into 2019 and used for the trip would still have to be used for a trip that ends no later than Nov 30, 2020,