Newbie... have questions

[Gena001]

All right - I've been reading and have some questions that I just haven't totally comprehended.

1. It looks like the use years are quarterly? Not every month is available? So, this means if we normally go in Sept or Oct, we'd prefer a UY of August?

2. It seems that most owners recommend purchasing in smaller points contracts rather than one large points contract. Why?

3. If we ever wanted to stay at the GF or the Poly, we can't use points or book through DVC, right? We'd have to go through regular WDW reservations...?

4. Please, can someone explain "add on"? I get that you buy at one resort and then you purchase more points later (either at your home resort OR possibly a different one). What are the advantages/disadvantages? And, why would you want to purchase for another resort?

Thank you, in advance, for your patience & help.

 

[Kmango]

All right - I've been reading and have some questions that I just haven't totally comprehended.

1. It looks like the use years are quarterly? Not every month is available? So, this means if we normally go in Sept or Oct, we'd prefer a UY of August?

2. It seems that most owners recommend purchasing in smaller points contracts rather than one large points contract. Why?

3. If we ever wanted to stay at the GF or the Poly, we can't use points or book through DVC, right? We'd have to go through regular WDW reservations...?

4. Please, can someone explain "add on"? I get that you buy at one resort and then you purchase more points later (either at your home resort OR possibly a different one). What are the advantages/disadvantages? And, why would you want to purchase for another resort?

Thank you, in advance, for your patience & help.

1) There are something like 10 UYs. I don't remember right off the top of my head which months don't have UYs, but there's definitely more than 4. We have September, which is perfect for us, and would probably be perfect for you.

2) If you plan to keep all of your points for the duration of the contract, there's no real reason to break them down into smaller increments. However, if you think you may intend to resell some or all of them later, smaller contracts are better because a) they're easier to sell and b) you can't sell just part of a contract, you have to sell the whole thing. Thus, if you buy 400 points as one block and later discover you really only need/want 300, you either have to sell the whole thing or keep them. If you had 300 and 100, you could sell the 100, and keep the 300. Also, if you're planning on bequeathing your contracts to your kids, splitting simplifies that.

3) You CAN book GF or Poly on points, it's just not a very good idea because the point values are ridiculously high, and also have some weird circumstances about cancellation.

4) Add-ons: the reason why one would want to do this is to gain home resort booking advantage (11 month booking window) at another resort. You can only use the points you own at that resort in the 11 month window, but by banking and borrowing, you really get the most out of your points.

Hope this helps.

 

[Caskbill]

There are 8 use year months as follows:

Feb, Mar, Apr, Jun, Aug, Sep, Oct, Dec

Multiple smaller contracts can be an advantage if you ever decide to sell, you wouldn't have to sell everything. Also, some have multiple contracts so they can leave them to different heirs, such as their children.

You can use points at GF or Poly, but it's not really a good use of points. Basically you'd be using the same amout of points that would get you at least a 1-B/R villa in a DVC resort. Possibly as much as a 2-B/R. And that's for just a regular hotel room. Also, additionally there is a $95 booking fee to use your points at one of the WDW hotels. Finally if you do use points at one of the WDW hotels, they are converted from DVC points to 'reservation' points. If you cancel the reservation, the points cannot be used for a DVC stay, but can only be used to book another hotel, cruise line, etc. Something that uses 'reservation' points. Also once converted to 'reservation' points, they cannot be banked or borrowed. So if you cancelled, you would have to use those points prior to the end of your use year, or lose them.

Add-on is simply purchasing more points, and 'adding' them to your Master Contract as Add-on contracts. Add-on's will be the same use year. If you purchase at the same 'home' resort, then the points are treated as a combined total. If you get the add-on at a different resort, then you have another 'home' resort wherein you can use that home's points at the 11-month window. If the points are at two different home resorts, then you may combine them at the 7 month window to make a reservation at any DVC resort. Many get fewer points for an add-on, often at a different home resort, for the 11 month booking advantage. A small add-on, such as 50 points, can be used every 3rd year via banking and borrowing, then in this example giving the owner 150 points to use that specific year.

Hope this helps

 

[Gena001]

I think I understand now w/ one thing about the add on points... so, if I purchase at 2 different resorts, I have 2 places I can book 11 months out. Got it. But, if I have 150 at one & only 50 at another... it sounds like I can't book at the second location until 7 months out (to combine the points) OR until a few years have passed so I can book that 2nd resort at the 11 month window. Right?

(I couldn't book at the 2nd resort using 50 points & also by applying some of my 1st resort points, can I?)

Thank you both for your explanations. They both helped.

 

[MARY-IN-OH]

Just wondering - How come there is no use year at DVC for Jan/May/July/Nov?
thanks
mary

 

[chalee94]

I think I understand now w/ one thing about the add on points... so, if I purchase at 2 different resorts, I have 2 places I can book 11 months out. Got it. But, if I have 150 at one & only 50 at another... it sounds like I can't book at the second location until 7 months out (to combine the points) OR until a few years have passed so I can book that 2nd resort at the 11 month window. Right?

if you have 150 at SSR and 50 at OKW (for example), you cannot ever use the SSR pts to book OKW at 11 months. similarly, you cannot ever use the OKW pts to book SSR at 11 months.

think of the pts like currency. you can book SSR only with SSR pts. you can "spend" banked SSR pts, current SSR pts or borrowed SSR pts to book SSR at 11 months...but OKW pts cannot be used at SSR until the 7 month window. the same is true of any DVC resort.

but you can bank/borrow OKW pts to book OKW at 11 months for 150 pts (50bankedOKW+50currentOKW+50borrowedOKW) every third year.

(I couldn't book at the 2nd resort using 50 points & also by applying some of my 1st resort points, can I?)

not till the 7 month window, no. until then only the "currency" of the 2nd resort will be accepted for booking.

 

[DVCGeek]

Just wondering - How come there is no use year at DVC for Jan/May/July/Nov?
thanks
mary

I was wondering about that too- I hope someone around here knows!

 

[dianeschlicht]

For those of you fond of typing in colors....Remember there are lots of folks out there with red/green color blindness....It makes reading posts very difficult!

 

[DVC Mike]

For those of you fond of typing in colors....Remember there are lots of folks out there with red/green color blindness....It makes reading posts very difficult!

OK, Thanks!