Home Resort points question

[crazydisneyman]

Greetings! We are ready to purchase a membership in DVC, but we are wondering about which resort to purchase. I would like to know how points work regarding your home resort.

What I know:
- When you buy points at a resort, that becomes your home resort
Example: 160 points at Animal Kingdom Lodge makes that my home resort
- Points are good for a Use Year
Example: On October 1 we will receive 160 points to use for that year (Oct 1 - Sept 30)
- I can make a reservation for a resort stay 11 months out at my home resort, but I need to wait until 7 months out to make a reservation at any other DVC resort
Example: I can make my res at AKL on Jan 1, 2009 for a Nov 1, 2009 stay, but I need to wait until May 1, 2009 to make a res for a Nov 1, 2009 stay at Old Key West.

If any of this is wrong, please correct me. Now the question.

My question (assuming I am not banking or borrowing points):
- If we bought 160 points at AKL and 160 points at Saratoga Springs, then can we use 320 points to book at either resort 11 months out?
Example: I want to book AKL 320 points beginning on Jan 1, 2009 for a Nov 1, 2009 stay.

Or are the points you buy only good for your home resort for the 11 month res? So, I would only be able to book 160 points worth of vacation points at either resort instead of using the full 320 11 months out? I understand that I can book anywhere 7 months out.

I hope this makes sense. Thanks for all your help.

 

[disney1474]

You can't use AKV points at 11 month window to book at SSR. For instance, if you want to book SSR at 11 month window, you can do so with the number of points you have for that resort. At 7 month window you than can use AKV points at SSR or any other resort. Hope this makes sense!!

 

[crazydisneyman]

Okay. So this means that when I buy 160 points at AKL then I can use those points for a res 11 months out.

I understand that.

Now, if I wanted to combine my points from different resorts, say I have 160 at AKL and 160 at SSR, then I need to wait until the 7 month date to book a res. Correct?

 

[cincinmouse]

Now, if I wanted to combine my points from different resorts, say I have 160 at AKL and 160 at SSR, then I need to wait until the 7 month date to book a res. Correct?

Correct?
What I have heard other people do in the situation you are talking about is change resort every other year so that you have double the points that year by borrowing from the next year.

Example 160 SSR 160 AKV

2009 160 AKV 2009 points + borrow 160 AKV 2010 points have 320 AKV pts@11 month window. At the same time banked 160 2009 SSR points

2010 160 SSR pts 2010 + 160 SSR pts banked from 2009 = 320 SSR points at the 11 month window.

2011 start proces over.

The DVC system is so flexable with so many options it can be very confusing.

 

[crazydisneyman]

Wow! That is very cool. You can understand my confusion as it sounds like you can do almost anything to manuver your points.

Thanks for the ideas and help!