is it possible to switch use year?

[cheezNE1]

If you bought your dvc direct from disney, can you request to have your use year switched? Or is there any other way to get new use year without having to sell the contract and buy a new one?

 

[drusba]

Only way to change use year is to sell (or give away) existing contract and buy new one.

 

[Sandisw]

Unfortunately, there is not. I tried that when I first bought in 2009. I had gotten an Oct UY with my VWL resale. I realized, when adding on at BLT, that I didn't want to stay with Oct but get June.

I asked if they could trade them out and they said no. I put up VWL for sale and DVC allowed me to add on at BLT with a June UY with only 130 points (it was 160 minimum at that time and they had not yet let many add on with less).

Because VWL was so small, 50 points, the loss I took for doing this was manageable. And, I did get one trip out of it before I sold so it really kept the loss less than $500.

But, it was worth it in the long run to own a UY that suits my travel needs now, and in the future, better.

 

[cheezNE1]

Unfortunately, there is not. I tried that when I first bought in 2009. I had gotten an Oct UY with my VWL resale. I realized, when adding on at BLT, that I didn't want to stay with Oct but get June.

I asked if they could trade them out and they said no. I put up VWL for sale and DVC allowed me to add on at BLT with a June UY with only 130 points (it was 160 minimum at that time and they had not yet let many add on with less).

Because VWL was so small, 50 points, the loss I took for doing this was manageable. And, I did get one trip out of it before I sold so it really kept the loss less than $500.

But, it was worth it in the long run to own a UY that suits my travel needs now, and in the future, better.

That's kinda similar to my situation. I added on BLT to my SSR march uy. I would have prefer Feb. UY for the winter recess that i'm planning to use it for. oh well.

 

[csharpwv]

We have a December UY and almost always go in December. I guess I haven't figured out exactly how a different use year will impact any given user.

The only thing I can think of is the rule of 4 - that would be tough in some instances, especially if you have a Spring use year and always vacation in the summer.

What are the positives/negatives of different use years?

We had a really tough time finding a December UY when we started shopping for our Hilton Head add on - Disney had ZERO December UY points available for Hilton Head. BUT - the pricing was $85 a point buying direct - so it's not like we would have bought from Disney anyway. We just passed ROFR at less than $42.00 per point. But we almost bought a UY different than our other contracts - but we are REALLY glad we didn't! We don't want to deal with two totally separate accounts!

What is the 'BEST' use year for the majority of travelers?

 

[drusba]

We have a December UY and almost always go in December. I guess I haven't figured out exactly how a different use year will impact any given user.

The only thing I can think of is the rule of 4 - that would be tough in some instances, especially if you have a Spring use year and always vacation in the summer.

What are the positives/negatives of different use years?

We had a really tough time finding a December UY when we started shopping for our Hilton Head add on - Disney had ZERO December UY points available for Hilton Head. BUT - the pricing was $85 a point buying direct - so it's not like we would have bought from Disney anyway. We just passed ROFR at less than $42.00 per point. But we almost bought a UY different than our other contracts - but we are REALLY glad we didn't! We don't want to deal with two totally separate accounts!

What is the 'BEST' use year for the majority of travelers?

Rule of 4: only prohibits you from calling during the last four months of your use year to make a reservation for a time during the last four months of your use year at a non-DVC resort (and it does not even apply to resorts in Disneyland). It does not prohibit you from calling more than 4 months before end of use year to reserve a time during the last four months. It also does not apply at all to reservations at a DVC resort -- e.g., you can call day before end of use year to reserve last day of use year if it is available.

Also, use year has no impact on when you can first call to reserve (always 11 months out at home DVC resort, 7 at others), or when you can go (any time of year).

Only real issue with use year is risk of cancellation and being able to bank points if you do so. You must bank by no later than end of eighth month of use year. Thus, for example, if you have a Dec use year and reserve time in November and then come late September you learn you have to cancel, you will not be able to bank any points in that reservation that is canceled and all points will need to be used by Nov 30 or forever lost. Thus, to avoid the cancellation/no banking issue, many recommend having a use year that begins shortly before the usual time you go annually (even up to 6 to 7 months before is OK to avoid the issue). If you have Dec use year and always go in Dec, you completely avoid the issue because if you cancel in October, you will still have until the end of the the next July to bank any bankable points in the reservation

 

[chalee94]

We have a December UY and almost always go in December. I guess I haven't figured out exactly how a different use year will impact any given user.

What are the positives/negatives of different use years?

dec is ideal for dec trips.

think about how it would work out if you had to cancel a nov trip as opposed to a dec trip. both if you had to cancel each trip 35 days out and 5 days out...that will explain it...

more info about use year here if you need it:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1942668

 

[Sandisw]

We have a December UY and almost always go in December. I guess I haven't figured out exactly how a different use year will impact any given user.

The only thing I can think of is the rule of 4 - that would be tough in some instances, especially if you have a Spring use year and always vacation in the summer.

What are the positives/negatives of different use years?

We had a really tough time finding a December UY when we started shopping for our Hilton Head add on - Disney had ZERO December UY points available for Hilton Head. BUT - the pricing was $85 a point buying direct - so it's not like we would have bought from Disney anyway. We just passed ROFR at less than $42.00 per point. But we almost bought a UY different than our other contracts - but we are REALLY glad we didn't! We don't want to deal with two totally separate accounts!

What is the 'BEST' use year for the majority of travelers?

When you have a UY that falls right before your typical travel, it gives you a lot more flexibility in terms of what you can do with points if you have to cancel a trip (more than 31 days out), want to change a trip that uses less or have borrowed points and need to cancel.

If you are still within that time frame, you can still bank points. If cancel with borrowed points and are traveling near the beginning of the UY, you have a lot of time to reschedule the trip.

Take me who now owns a June UY but had Oct UY. We travel in August. If I ever had to cancel an August trip after May 31st (banking deadline for an Oct Uy), I would have until September 30th to use up the points. I teach so travel in September is impossible so all would be lost.

Now, take my June UY. If I have to cancel or even want to just change my August 2011 trip, I can do that right up until 31 days priror to my trip and I lose nothing.

I would have until May 31st, 2012 to use any of the banked points, and I would have until Jan. 31st, 2012 to bank points as well.

There is not BEST UY for those that either travel at all different times or for everyone.

But, we knew short term our trips would be summer and long term, the fall or early winter (January). June UY works well for this. What it does leave the most vulnerable is Spring. Since I can't really travel then anyway, at least not now, it works out.

 

[cheezNE1]

The problem i'm having is that i'm looking to book a trip for Feb. of 2012. I won't have any points available till March of 2012 and I would need to borrow 2013 points as well for this trip. So which means I'm unable to book that Feb. 2012 trip because I would only be able to borrow from 3/2012 and not 3/2013. If i had UY feb. than i would use 2/2012 and borrow 2/2013. I hope this makes sense.

 

[Sandisw]

The problem i'm having is that i'm looking to book a trip for Feb. of 2012. I won't have any points available till March of 2012 and I would need to borrow 2013 points as well for this trip. So which means I'm unable to book that Feb. 2012 trip because I would only be able to borrow from 3/2012 and not 3/2013. If i had UY feb. than i would use 2/2012 and borrow 2/2013. I hope this makes sense.

Yes, it does. Since Feb 2012 trip falls in your March 2011 UY, that trip can only be 'paid' for with banked 2010 points, 2011 UY points, and borrowed 2012 UY points.

 

[Dean]

If you bought your dvc direct from disney, can you request to have your use year switched? Or is there any other way to get new use year without having to sell the contract and buy a new one?

There is currently no other way to do this without selling and buying again, a costly way to accomplish such a goal. Who know in the future, DVC might be willing to do this for an additional retail purchase.

 

[cheezNE1]

There is currently no other way to do this without selling and buying again, a costly way to accomplish such a goal. Who know in the future, DVC might be willing to do this for an additional retail purchase.

It would be nice if they allow direct add-on buyers to choose the uy rather than just assign them the same as the original contract. Especially if its at a different resort.

 

[Dean]

It would be nice if they allow direct add-on buyers to choose the uy rather than just assign them the same as the original contract. Especially if its at a different resort.

The only way they could do this would be to take back the current contract and replace it with another one. I won't be surprised to see this option in the next few years but would it be worth it to pay retail for 50 points for this option. More likely would be if they created a new trust based system with no home resort priority and gave owners a change to convert over for a fee.

 

[BUDDYBEAR]

no i wish there was