How does it work owning points at different resorts? Pros vs Cons please?

[gmg1999]

We own 160 points at SSR, but already are wishing we would have gotten more, because for our weeks stay, really can only get a studio. As our family of 4 gets older, I'm sure we'll need more space. So we noticed there are some 50 point contracts out there for OKW. That would help us with getting a larger room, combining the points, but now I'm thinking that is not how it works? Please share thoughts, comments. Thanks!

 

[momto3pirates]

We own 160 points at SSR, but already are wishing we would have gotten more, because for our weeks stay, really can only get a studio. As our family of 4 gets older, I'm sure we'll need more space. So we noticed there are some 50 point contracts out there for OKW. That would help us with getting a larger room, combining the points, but now I'm thinking that is not how it works? Please share thoughts, comments. Thanks!

You can combine but only at the 7 month point.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We own 160 points at SSR, but already are wishing we would have gotten more, because for our weeks stay, really can only get a studio. As our family of 4 gets older, I'm sure we'll need more space. So we noticed there are some 50 point contracts out there for OKW. That would help us with getting a larger room, combining the points, but now I'm thinking that is not how it works? Please share thoughts, comments. Thanks!

You could use the 50 OKW points at OKW 11 months out or wait until seven months out and combine them with your SSR to book anywhere. You can only use home resort points at 7-11 months out to book the home resort. All points are equal at seven months or less.

 

[DizBub]

We own 160 points at SSR, but already are wishing we would have gotten more, because for our weeks stay, really can only get a studio. As our family of 4 gets older, I'm sure we'll need more space. So we noticed there are some 50 point contracts out there for OKW. That would help us with getting a larger room, combining the points, but now I'm thinking that is not how it works? Please share thoughts, comments. Thanks!

If I were you I would get another SSR contract, at least enough to combine with your existing points to get your 1 bedroom, maybe a little more. Book your SSR stay at 11 months and at 7 months take your chances at any of the other resorts. At 7 months you have a fair shot at staying at most of the other DVC resorts in a 1 bedroom, depending on the season.

 

[JYL13]

All points are equal at seven months or less. Deb & Bill
At 7 months you have a fair shot at staying at most of the other DVC resorts in a 1 bedroom, depending on the season. DizBub

We are also considering DVC. So you're both saying that I could buy 200 points at Old Key West in Oct, but use it every year in Apr at Beach Club Villas?

The last week of April is listed as one of the quietest at WDW, so I would presume the villas are not as booked as Christmas week ... what are your thoughts on being able to book for that week? Does it really have to be 7 months out? Is anything available at 2 months out in your experiences?
Thanks so much for your information,
Judy

 

[Chuck S]

All points are equal at seven months or less. Deb & Bill
At 7 months you have a fair shot at staying at most of the other DVC resorts in a 1 bedroom, depending on the season. DizBub

We are also considering DVC. So you're both saying that I could buy 200 points at Old Key West in Oct, but use it every year in Apr at Beach Club Villas?

The last week of April is listed as one of the quietest at WDW, so I would presume the villas are not as booked as Christmas week ... what are your thoughts on being able to book for that week? Does it really have to be 7 months out? Is anything available at 2 months out in your experiences?
Thanks so much for your information,
Judy

With an OKW October use year (or any use year), you could book an April reservation at BCV in September. The booking window is different from your use year.

Say you have an OKW October use year, and you receive your points October 1, 2015. You can still book an April 2016 BCV reservation in September 2015, using those October 2015 points. As April 2016 falls within your October 2015 Use Year.

The 7 months booking window for April opens in September, booking windows and use year are independent of each other. As long as you'll have points in the proper use year to fund that reservation you may book it at 7 months.

I know it seems clear as mud to explain it, but once you work with it, it becomes clear.

 

[crisi]

However, it is subject to availability - and busy DVC times are not necessarily busy Disney times. April is not terribly busy - so you'd have a good chance for that BCV room - but it often surprises new people how busy early December is for DVC - things lock up tight.

BVC is a small resort - and the owners generally pay a resale premium to own there - that means they are more likely to stay there and book in their 7-11 month window than owners at some other resorts - meaning that at seven months there is less availability than at other resorts - and a LOT of appeal to non-owners. Year round, if the resort isn't booked already by the seven month window, rooms at BCV disappear pretty quickly once the window opens.

 

[DizBub]

We are also considering DVC. So you're both saying that I could buy 200 points at Old Key West in Oct, but use it every year in Apr at Beach Club Villas?

Judy

Yes. But what crisi said about availability is correct. For BCV you will have to try to book right at your 7 month window.

I got lucky one year and got a 2 bedroom at BCV at 7 months but got totally shut out the next year even being on the waitlist for 6 months and 3 weeks. That's when we decided to buy our own BCV contract.

 

[jpkenyon]

We own 160 points at SSR, but already are wishing we would have gotten more, because for our weeks stay, really can only get a studio. As our family of 4 gets older, I'm sure we'll need more space. So we noticed there are some 50 point contracts out there for OKW. That would help us with getting a larger room, combining the points, but now I'm thinking that is not how it works? Please share thoughts, comments. Thanks!

I own point with InnSeason and they're "shared" with RCI, but I have yet to be able to use them. It's very frustrating and I'm sorry I ever bought there.

 

[abner1776]

It is my understanding that if you add on points thru DVD, they will sell you points with the same UY as you currently own. That makes it easier for booking purposes as you only have to worry about one banking deadline, etc. Of course if you add on via the resale market, you would need to decide yourself what UY you want to purchase.

Other than the 7 and 11 month booking windows, owning contracts at different resorts is more a matter of tracking the different points to make sure you don't miss banking windows. People that go to WDW more than once each year may prefer points at different resorts so they can vary their visits and don't always go to the same resort all the time and still have the advantage of the 11 month booking window to get the rooms they prefer.

 

[JYL13]

Thanks to all for your information. crisi and dizbub
Chuck S, I've read your reply about 6 times, I'm hoping the "mud" will clear, as it obviously effects which contract you buy, but it hasn't cleared yet! I'll keep re-reading.
abner1776 "People that go to WDW more than once each year may prefer points at different resorts so they can vary their visits" ... I hadn't thought about that, thanks for the input.
We're going the beginning of Apr. I think we'll go take a tour. I'm excited. I've been watching you tube alot. Thanks to all the people who post those tours too.
Judy

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks to all for your information. crisi and dizbub
Chuck S, I've read your reply about 6 times, I'm hoping the "mud" will clear, as it obviously effects which contract you buy, but it hasn't cleared yet! I'll keep re-reading.
abner1776 "People that go to WDW more than once each year may prefer points at different resorts so they can vary their visits" ... I hadn't thought about that, thanks for the input.
We're going the beginning of Apr. I think we'll go take a tour. I'm excited. I've been watching you tube alot. Thanks to all the people who post those tours too.
Judy

The UY of your contract has nothing to do with when you can book or stay. It's just when you get your next year's worth of points. So an Oct UY contract can book any time of the year, not just in October. You just have to be 7-11 months out from your check in date to book at your home resort (where your points comes from). Then at seven months out, you can book any resort that has availability for any seven months out or less reservation.

But some locations, some booking categories, some resorts book at exactly at 11 months out. So at seven months out, unless someone cancels their reservation that they made at 11 months out, you cannot book at that location.

Your UY also determines when you need to bank your points if you want to use the current year points in the next year. Basically, a UY is just a new calendar. You aren't Jan 1 to Dec 31 any more. You are Oct 1 to Sept 30 or whatever your UY is.

 

[RobDoc]

I own point with InnSeason and they're "shared" with RCI, but I have yet to be able to use them. It's very frustrating and I'm sorry I ever bought there.

Any points you own through InnSeason have nothing to do with making DVC reservations through the DVC Member Servies. Unless you own at a DVC resort, you are dependent on either reserving thru Disney for a cash reservation or thru RCI for a reservation, based solely on availability provided by DVC members trading out via RCI.

Getting DVC reservations via RCI is not a sure thing. Sorry you have not been able to do so, but owning at a non-DVC Resort holds no guarantee for availability at a DVC resort unless you wish to pay for a cash reservation directly through Disney or renting from a DVC member.

 

[Dean]

I own point with InnSeason and they're "shared" with RCI, but I have yet to be able to use them. It's very frustrating and I'm sorry I ever bought there.

You own at a resort that happens to be a member of RCI points. As such you normally have to put your points into RCI points for the first 3 years IIRC. You'd then need to exchange to DVC to stay there, as noted, no guarantees for any exchange including DVC. However it's possible to stay at DVC using RCI points, I've done it several times. But you've got to stalk the website and be flexible planning a year out but expecting not to get something until 4-7 months out.