Importance of use year timing?

[Lincolnshire]

We are just starting to research a DVC purchase and I've been checking out what's available at the Timeshare Store. Does the month of the use year matter, beyond obviously when you will get your next set of points? Would you want it 11 months before when you usually travel (ie November contract if you usually go in October)? Also, I take it that the popular times of year with DVC members are not the same as those for the general public - what are the high travel times for DVC? (Trying to figure out exactly how important home resort is if we travel in what are usually off times for the general public - thinking late October, early May, maybe February?)

 

[supersnoop]

We are just starting to research a DVC purchase and I've been checking out what's available at the Timeshare Store. Does the month of the use year matter, beyond obviously when you will get your next set of points? Would you want it 11 months before when you usually travel (ie November contract if you usually go in October)? Also, I take it that the popular times of year with DVC members are not the same as those for the general public - what are the high travel times for DVC? (Trying to figure out exactly how important home resort is if we travel in what are usually off times for the general public - thinking late October, early May, maybe February?)

You always have all your points; the use year is when those points can be USED, not booked. You generally want to travel in the first part of your use year, and avoid traveling in the last 3 or 4 months of your use year.

 

[kristenrice]

The "importance" of use year is only relevant if you need to cancel a vacation. You can only bank your points during the first 8 months of your use year. In addition to that, any points that have been banked or borrowed for a trip will expire at the end of the use year into which they were moved.

So, for example, we have a February use year. Our banking deadline is September 30. We took a trip October 19-15 using current and banked points. In order avoid the points going into holding, we would have had to cancel 30 days or more in advance. This meant that our cancellation deadline would be before our banking deadline so our current points would still be bankable. The banked points would have to be used by January 31 or they would expire. It was a little risky to book this late in the use year, but doable because the cancellation deadline was still before the banking deadline.

In 2013, we took a trip from November 5-10. This trip was more risky because even if we cancelled at the 30 day mark (to prevent the points from going into holding), we would still be past our banking deadline. This means that we would have had to try and use the points on short (less than 3 months!) notice during one of the busiest DVC times of the year...Dec-Jan.

For us, our typical travel occurs in the spring and early summer and rarely in November-January so a February UY works well for us. Like a PP said, ideally you should choose a UY month that falls right before the 8 months of the year that you are most likely to travel. That way, if you have to cancel, you still have the option to bank or at least have several months to reschedule.

 

[LisaS]

Here is a very helpful thread on understanding Use Year: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1942668

 

[com_op_2000]

DVC high usage time is mid-Jan through mid-Sept, except around holidays when it go to very high season.
DVC very high usage time is mid-Sept through mid-Jan.
DVC is designed to be booked at 98% every night of the year.
The main reasons that the mid-Sept through mid-Jan is the very high time is:
Start of F&W at EPCOT in Sept through early Nov - very hard to book BWV or BCV during those times except if you have the 11 month booking window.
Start of MNSSHP in early Oct though the first week of Nov - very hard to get monorail and VWL during those times except if you have the 11 month booking window.
NJ school holiday week in Oct.
Holiday lights in the resorts and parks starting the week before Thanksgiving through the New Year.
Thanksgiving week in Nov.
Marathons in mid-Jan.

 

[Lincolnshire]

This has been hugely helpful - thank you! But it's making me feel like I really don't know enough to evaluate the contracts I see listed. I wish there were a guidebook!

 

[com_op_2000]

...I wish there were a guidebook!

My suggested reading:
Read these threads, understand these terms:
UY
Home Resort
11 and 7 month booking windows
MF
MS
ROFR
end of contract dates for each resort
Banking and Borrowing
Then when you know each of these terms, read some more.

 

[Dean]

We are just starting to research a DVC purchase and I've been checking out what's available at the Timeshare Store. Does the month of the use year matter, beyond obviously when you will get your next set of points? Would you want it 11 months before when you usually travel (ie November contract if you usually go in October)? Also, I take it that the popular times of year with DVC members are not the same as those for the general public - what are the high travel times for DVC? (Trying to figure out exactly how important home resort is if we travel in what are usually off times for the general public - thinking late October, early May, maybe February?)

IMO it's very important for some, less so for others. However, it's important to realize that for those where UY is not as important, there are things in the nature of their usage that gives up the potential benefits of UY and they are taking MORE risk than one where UY make more difference. UY can easily be worth a full years points or more because it gives insurance related to cancelations and changes.

 

[disneynutz]

IMO it's very important for some, less so for others. However, it's important to realize that for those where UY is not as important, there are things in the nature of their usage that gives up the potential benefits of UY and they are taking MORE risk than one where UY make more difference. UY can easily be worth a full years points or more because it gives insurance related to cancelations and changes.

So do you agree that the correct UY can be free insurance under certain circumstances and it would be prudent for new buyers to take the time to buy a UY based on their typical vacation patterns?

Bill

 

[Dean]

So do you agree that the correct UY can be free insurance under certain circumstances and it would be prudent for new buyers to take the time to buy a UY based on their typical vacation patterns?

Bill

Absolutely but I actually look at it the other way. Having a poor use year or having usage where UY isn't helpful simply adds risk. Even then there really are few people where UY is meaningless.

 

[disneynutz]

Absolutely but I actually look at it the other way. Having a poor use year or having usage where UY isn't helpful simply adds risk. Even then there really are few people where UY is meaningless.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Bill

 

[DebbieB]

We are just starting to research a DVC purchase and I've been checking out what's available at the Timeshare Store. Does the month of the use year matter, beyond obviously when you will get your next set of points? Would you want it 11 months before when you usually travel (ie November contract if you usually go in October)? Also, I take it that the popular times of year with DVC members are not the same as those for the general public - what are the high travel times for DVC? (Trying to figure out exactly how important home resort is if we travel in what are usually off times for the general public - thinking late October, early May, maybe February?)

One point that confuses new members is the perception that points "deposit" when your use year starts. Points are actually loaded into your account in advance, so there is never a wait for points to be loaded to make a reservation. Points use is based on date of stay, not when you make the reservation.