New Member (hopefuly) Questions - Orientation / Point Use Questions

[N4niner206]

I hope this is the right place to post this question...

My wife and I are currently non-members, but have an initial ownership purchase awaiting ROFR passage right now. We (obviously, based on the previous sentence) purchased the membership through a resale.

My questions...

1) Once you become a member, is there any sort of "orientation" for new members? This may sound silly, but it would be nice to have the opportunity to meet with a guide or MS rep in person to have questions answered. If so, does anything like this exist for new members who purchased through a resale?

We have an 8-day trip planned for early November. We may or may not (depending on ROFR and closing) be owners by then. On our trip, would anyone have a recommendation on the best way to get questions answered? We currently have an appointment sent to do the DVC tour. I'm debating on whether to cancel the meeting (as we don't need the sales pitch... we're already sold!)... and if we do go, whether to tell the guide that we already are (hopefully) new owners. Is there a better way to go about getting our questions answered?

2) One specific question I have that you all may be able to answer... the sale we have awaiting closing is for 150 points at OKW, UY is June. We will have all 2011 and 2012 points. I've not yet found a clear answer on how the UY plays into when you can make reservations. I DO understand the home-resort advantage and that your points become usable on your UY month, but I am confused about when points can be reserved. Consider the following scenarios...

Scenario A) Assume it is January 2012 and assume that I currently have ZERO points. I have not borrowed or banked ANY points. My UY is June, so my points become available in June. I am current and paid-up on all dues.

Now, I would like to book our annual fall trip at our home resort of OKW for one week starting on October 17. It is January, so I am within my 11-month advanced home resort booking window, but there are no points in my account until June. CAN I BOOK THIS TRIP IN JANUARY? WOULD I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JUNE FOR DVC TO SEE THAT I HAVE POINTS AVAILABLE, or does this require borrowing?

Scenario B) This time assume it is January 2012. I have banked 150 points from 2011. My UY month is still June, and all dues are paid-up and current. Again, I'd like to schedule a one-week trip for October 2012 at my home resort of OKW using my advanced booking window. CAN I USE MY BANKED 2011 POINTS TO RESERVE THIS TRIP (or are they unavailable until June when I recieve the 2012 points)?

Scenario C) Its still January 2012 and still UY month of June. I previously banked 150 points from 2011 with plans to use them later in the year. However, plans change and we can no longer take our originally scheduled fall trip. We have an opportunity to use the points in March 2012 and would like to use the points for this trip. CAN WE USE THE BANKED 2011 POINTS IN MARCH, IF OUR 2012 UY BEGINS IN JUNE?

I know, I know... a lot of questions. I've seen similar threads elsewhere, but failed to understand a clear answer. I guess I'm confused on when banked points become useable, and also when regular points become useable. Also, how early can you borrow points... a full year in advance? Thanks for the help all... I know there are a lot of knowledgeable people on here who will have the answers. Also, any advice on how to go about "orientation" or any good "welcome to dvc" sources would be appreciated. THANK YOU!!

-N4niner

 

[DVCconvert]

I guess I'm confused on when banked points become useable, and also when regular points become useable.

Banked points assume the characteristics of the UY which they've been banked into - buy cannot be carried forward in time beyond the expiration of said UY.

ie, if June '10 points are banked into '11 UY, they'll expire at the end of may in '12 - and those points belonging to your '10 allocation cannot be banked further.

Once you become a member, is there any sort of "orientation" for new members? This may sound silly, but it would be nice to have the opportunity to meet with a guide or MS rep in person to have questions answered. If so, does anything like this exist for new members who purchased through a resale?

Yes, and no. You will be assigned a guide and you can call them, but remembering that they're reason of existing is to sell points, depending on the nature of the individual you get assigned to, it maynot be like 'seeing an old trusted friend'...

I've not yet found a clear answer on how the UY plays into when you can make reservations. I DO understand the home-resort advantage and that your points become usable on your UY month, but I am confused about when points can be reserved.

I'm alittle fuzy on what you mean by 'ponts being reserved'.....UY plays into making reservations only that (assuming you're trying to book at your home resort) at the 11 month (in advance) mark you can use up to the totality of points you have (banked, transfered or "born-on") in that UY.

Is there a better way to go about getting our questions answered?

I think so...right here on the DIS

CAN I BOOK THIS TRIP IN JANUARY? WOULD I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JUNE FOR DVC TO SEE THAT I HAVE POINTS AVAILABLE, or does this require borrowing?

No borrowing needed as the date that you will travel, is after you will have been vested with your '12 point allocation.

CAN I USE MY BANKED 2011 POINTS TO RESERVE THIS TRIP (or are they unavailable until June when I recieve the 2012 points)?

Since your 150 '11 points were banked into the '12 UY, and your desired date of travel is after the investiture of your '12 points, you would be able to use all 300 points to make a reservation with - and MS will assume you'll want to use banked points up first in any reservation as they will not survive the closure of the '12 UY (in this example).

HTH

 

[Deb & Bill]

There is no orientation. If you bought directly from Disney, you would meet with a guide who would provide you information prior to buying.

A June UY means your points are current from June 1 to May 31. A Jan 2012 trip would fall into a June 2011 UY (from June 1, 2011 until May 31, 2012). So think of UY as your new calendar.

If your trip is before the UY where the points are available or you need extra to make the reservation, you borrow points. If you need more points for a trip in the next UY, you bank current year points into the next year and have more for a trip that year. Banking and borrowing are a final action. You can't un-borrow or un-bank.

With your June UY, you have all the points to use from June 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012. If you don't plan to use points during that time, bank them into your June 2012 UY. That would give you double points for June 2012 to May 2013. But you would have to use those banked points by May 31, 2013 or they would expire. You can only bank for one year.

When you make your reservation, Member Services looks at the points that are available at the start of your trip. So if you have to bank some first, they will help you bank them. And if you need to borrow some, they will help you borrow them. And even if you are in a different UY when you make the reservation, they look at what you have when the reservation would start.

 

[N4niner206]

When you make your reservation, Member Services looks at the points that are available at the start of your trip. So if you have to bank some first, they will help you bank them. And if you need to borrow some, they will help you borrow them. And even if you are in a different UY when you make the reservation, they look at what you have when the reservation would start.

Thank you both for chiming in... both very useful replies. The answer quoted above is what I was hoping to be the case...

So to confirm my understanding... it doesn't really matter how many points I have at the time I make the phone call to make the reservation... it DOES matter how many points I will have the time of the actual vacation. In other words, as long as the points will be available at the time of the trip, they will let you scheule. With a June UY, I wouldn't have to wait until June 1 for the points to hit my account to make a reservation for October... I could make that reservation either 7 or 11 months out (depending on home resort) and as long as points will be available for October, I'm set. Right?

Thanks again!

 

[DVCconvert]

I'm set. Right?

Sounds like it!

 

[N4niner206]

Great - thanks, you've answered a lot for me!

 

[WDW99]

Great - thanks, you've answered a lot for me!

DITTO!!!

 

[disneynutz]

Let me touch on the Guide issue. Disney is primarily in the business of selling new contacts, but they will resell points that have been foreclosed on.

The Guide that you will automatically be assigned as part of the resale closing process has the job of selling to you directly, they do not support a resale purchase or really want to spend any time with you unless you indicate that you may want to buy from them.

The point questions have been answered but the bottom line is that you need to have points in your account for the UY when your reservation occurs. The points will be removed from your account when you make the reservation. You can use banked, current, borrowed or transfered points.

Bill

 

[N4niner206]

Let me touch on the Guide issue. Disney is primarily in the business of selling new contacts, but they will resell points that have been foreclosed on.

The Guide that you will automatically be assigned as part of the resale closing process has the job of selling to you directly, they do not support a resale purchase or really want to spend any time with you unless you indicate that you may want to buy from them.
Bill

This is a very valid point, which makes me rethink going to the meeting. For one, I don't want to waste the person's time... nor do I want to hurt their "sales numbers", knowing that I have no intentions of buying anything from them in the immediate future. At the same time, I may want to add points at a future date... but I could schedule a meeting at that point, if necessary.

That being said, is a "guide" only assigned to those who purchase directly through Disney? Or is a guide transfered to me along with the resale of the membership? Does the guide serve ANY other purpose to the user, other than sales? I've read about members getting email reminders about expiring points, or help with their membership. Is this strictly a good-will gesture to help keep relations in hopes of future sales?

IF indeed no guide is assigned to me, do I address my inquiries to Member Services? Again, my appologies for the lack of knowledge, but I've yet to have the opportunity to learn first hand. Thanks!

 

[disneynutz]

This is a very valid point, which makes me rethink going to the meeting. For one, I don't want to waste the person's time... nor do I want to hurt their "sales numbers", knowing that I have no intentions of buying anything from them in the immediate future. At the same time, I may want to add points at a future date... but I could schedule a meeting at that point, if necessary.

That being said, is a "guide" only assigned to those who purchase directly through Disney? Or is a guide transfered to me along with the resale of the membership? Does the guide serve ANY other purpose to the user, other than sales? I've read about members getting email reminders about expiring points, or help with their membership. Is this strictly a good-will gesture to help keep relations in hopes of future sales?

IF indeed no guide is assigned to me, do I address my inquiries to Member Services? Again, my appologies for the lack of knowledge, but I've yet to have the opportunity to learn first hand. Thanks!

You will be assigned a Guide whose job is sales only. Reminders and help comes from MS. Once you get access to the member website, you will have access to additional information.

Bill