Newbie trying to figure it all out - VGC??

[AstroBlasters]

When do you pay your annual dues? The month of your UY or the beginning of the calendar year or what?

And are there any other hidden costs I need to be aware of?

They are due in Jan/Feb I believe, but you can spread them out over the year with auto pay and no interest.

Many people get gift cards at target with the red card for a 5% discount and pay with that.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Thanks. And can we expect to see an increase of what...5-10% each year?

 

[AstroBlasters]

Thanks. And can we expect to see an increase of what...5-10% each year?

Dues? Around 4-5% has been the average.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Thanks. And can we expect to see an increase of what...5-10% each year?

https://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-p...content/2494-historical-annual-dues-by-resort

VGC dues have been painful the last 3 years

 

[ClaraOswald]

Okay...help me out here. Let's say we magically ended up with a contract before June of this year. UY June. 0 pts from 2022, 160 pts 2023, 160 pts 2024.

The 2023 points would expire before a June 2024 trip. So we would need to use points banked from 2023....is that right? Do you technically need to bank them before booking for June 2024? So you'd get the points June 1st, 2023 and need to bank them before the 11-month booking window hits just 1 month later?

 

[AstroBlasters]

Okay...help me out here. Let's say we magically ended up with a contract before June of this year. UY June. 0 pts from 2022, 160 pts 2023, 160 pts 2024.

The 2023 points would expire before a June 2024 trip. So we would need to use points banked from 2023....is that right? Do you technically need to bank them before booking for June 2024? So you'd get the points June 1st, 2023 and need to bank them before the 11-month booking window hits just 1 month later?

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.g...pecific/eng/member/mydvc/2008bankingchart.gif

Yup. Bank and then use.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Okay...help me out here. Let's say we magically ended up with a contract before June of this year. UY June. 0 pts from 2022, 160 pts 2023, 160 pts 2024.

The 2023 points would expire before a June 2024 trip. So we would need to use points banked from 2023....is that right? Do you technically need to bank them before booking for June 2024? So you'd get the points June 1st, 2023 and need to bank them before the 11-month booking window hits just 1 month later?

If you're planning for a June 2024 trip, you would haveto bank your 2023 points into 2024. You will haveto do that by January 31, 2024. But you should do that ASAP because you can start booking your June 2024 trip in July of 2023. You'll want to bank first before booking so that your 2023 points will be used first. Hope this makes sense.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Okay....so let's say we bank all 160 into 2024. But our trip only costs 128 points. That leaves 32 points that will expire by May 31st, 2025. So if we aren't planning to go back before then, we'd need to bank 160 of the 2024 points. And then we'd need to try to find some way to rent out or transfer those 32 remaining previously banked points. Is that right?

(Just saw an offer was accepted on one of the June contracts for 160. There are a couple left but now I'm wondering how likely it is for 160 pt June contracts to exist later in the year.....)

 

[Dobermanns]

Correct. Just remember that banked and borrowed points cannot be transferred.

 

[htguy]

Okay....so let's say we bank all 160 into 2024. But our trip only costs 128 points. That leaves 32 points that will expire by May 31st, 2025. So if we aren't planning to go back before then, we'd need to bank 160 of the 2024 points. And then we'd need to try to find some way to rent out or transfer those 32 remaining previously banked points. Is that right?

(Just saw an offer was accepted on one of the June contracts for 160. There are a couple left but now I'm wondering how likely it is for 160 pt June contracts to exist later in the year.....)

You could consider buying 125 points instead.

2023 bank all 125 points
2024 use 128 points (all 125 of the 2023 plus 3 of the 2024 points)
2025 use 128 points (all 122 of the 2024 plus 6 of the 2025 points)
2026 use 128 points (all 119 from 2025 plus 9 of the 2026 points)
etc.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Correct. Just remember that banked and borrowed points cannot be transferred.

I didn't know that. So what can you do with banked ones that will expire before you can use them? Rent them? Book a small reservation and hope someone rents that?

You could consider buying 125 points instead.

2023 bank all 125 points
2024 use 128 points (all 125 of the 2023 plus 3 of the 2024 points)
2025 use 128 points (all 122 of the 2024 plus 6 of the 2025 points)
2026 use 128 points (all 119 from 2025 plus 9 of the 2026 points)
etc.

I did consider this. But I think down the road we might want to do a 1-bedroom sometimes. 160 isn't even enough for 6 nights in a 1-bedroom so we'd need to rely on banked/borrowed for that.

 

[Sandisw]

I didn't know that. So what can you do with banked ones that will expire before you can use them? Rent them? Book a small reservation and hope someone rents that?



I did consider this. But I think down the road we might want to do a 1-bedroom sometimes. 160 isn't even enough for 6 nights in a 1-bedroom so we'd need to rely on banked/borrowed for that.

If you have points that will expire, then yes, you would have to rent a small reservation using them.

With an every other year plan, it may work to be on a borrowing plan vs banking.

Or, always plan a small trip that other year, even if just a resort only one.

 

[ClaraOswald]

If you have points that will expire, then yes, you would have to rent a small reservation using them.

With an every other year plan, it may work to be on a borrowing plan vs banking.

Or, always plan a small trip that other year, even if just a resort only one.

Sadly, our son is a creature of habit and routine (goes along with his autism) so a resort-only trip wouldn't work for us. And small trips aren't great when it requires a fair amount of effort (and $$) for us to get there. That's the main reason we like to spread this out a bit. We made an exception this past year....driving out in June 2022 and then flying out in February 2023 since we missed a couple years because of Covid. And it really did make us realize that waiting 12-18 months is probably better for us. On the years we might have an overflow, maybe we'd just stay an extra day?

 

[Sandisw]

Sadly, our son is a creature of habit and routine (goes along with his autism) so a resort-only trip wouldn't work for us. And small trips aren't great when it requires a fair amount of effort (and $$) for us to get there. That's the main reason we like to spread this out a bit. We made an exception this past year....driving out in June 2022 and then flying out in February 2023 since we missed a couple years because of Covid. And it really did make us realize that waiting 12-18 months is probably better for us. On the years we might have an overflow, maybe we'd just stay an extra day?

I certainly get it…in that case, I would then start smaller than you need and go with the borrowing route…because It would lead to stranding less points and ot dealing with the rentals.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I certainly get it…in that case, I would then start smaller than you need and go with the borrowing route…because It would lead to stranding less points and ot dealing with the rentals.

Definitely something to think about. Right now there aren't many June or December UY under 160 pts. And the ones that are there, are a lot more money per point.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Okay...still running different numbers. I keep running into an issue for trips that fall in the same month as the UY. Because of how we like to space our trips, I end up banking points most years. And I can use those banked points most of the time for a trip in the next year. But then for trips in the month of the UY, we end up losing some that expire right before we would need to use them. One time it was just 4 points. But then another time it was 96. And that was even after booking a 1 BR for the trip before that. I just can't seem to get things to line up.

Is it better to have a UY that is not the same month as one of the ones we typically travel in? Or would that not make a difference? I've been mainly looking at June and December UY.

Maybe I'm just doing this all wrong. Ugh.

 

[Sandisw]

Okay...still running different numbers. I keep running into an issue for trips that fall in the same month as the UY. Because of how we like to space our trips, I end up banking points most years. And I can use those banked points most of the time for a trip in the next year. But then for trips in the month of the UY, we end up losing some that expire right before we would need to use them. One time it was just 4 points. But then another time it was 96. And that was even after booking a 1 BR for the trip before that. I just can't seem to get things to line up.

Is it better to have a UY that is not the same month as one of the ones we typically travel in? Or would that not make a difference? I've been mainly looking at June and December UY.

Maybe I'm just doing this all wrong. Ugh.

The ideal is to travel earlier in the UY so that you have extra flexibility if you have to cancel or change a trip.

Without going yearly, it can make it a little tougher with banking because you end up with orphaned points.

What you may end up having to do is go more regularly in larger rooms when you have too many banked points. Or buy less and always be borrowing.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Okay...still running different numbers. I keep running into an issue for trips that fall in the same month as the UY. Because of how we like to space our trips, I end up banking points most years. And I can use those banked points most of the time for a trip in the next year. But then for trips in the month of the UY, we end up losing some that expire right before we would need to use them. One time it was just 4 points. But then another time it was 96. And that was even after booking a 1 BR for the trip before that. I just can't seem to get things to line up.

Is it better to have a UY that is not the same month as one of the ones we typically travel in? Or would that not make a difference? I've been mainly looking at June and December UY.

Maybe I'm just doing this all wrong. Ugh.

Going on June trips with a June UY is MOST ideal IMO. But yeah, if you don't go every year, you next safest bet is to stay in larger accomodations during the next trip or to rent out a little more than the UY allocation to ensure all your points are used.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Yeah, I think we'd just need to make sure we have things planned out at least a couple years in advance to make the most of our points. We will likely split our trips between Feb/June/Dec but not really sure which month we'd use the most. And honestly, that is likely to change as our son gets older too.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Yeah, I think we'd just need to make sure we have things planned out at least a couple years in advance to make the most of our points. We will likely split our trips between Feb/June/Dec but not really sure which month we'd use the most. And honestly, that is likely to change as our son gets older too.

I’d at least put a phone call in to this agent to get the seller’s story… of the 2500 to 2600 contracts on the market there are only 2 VGC Dec UY’s.
https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/listings/grand-californian/gc21260/

I’d go small and add on in the future when you move up to 1BD status.