OTU points and paid membership program

[TinkB278]

Hi! I apologize if this has been covered before. From what I understand, we can buy 24 OTU points per each membership. Can we buy that paid membership extra program on multiple memberships to get the BOGO deal on 24 OTU points per membership? Or is it BOGO on up to 24 points across all memberships?

 

[Sandisw]

In order to do that, two different people have to buy into MMB and then each can get the deal on a different membership.

The benefits apply to the person so each of us gets one set of BOGO free points.

I discussed this with them…my adult kids are on my Aug UY with us and DH and I are on the only ones on June and Dec UY.

If my son bought into the program too, he could get them on the Aug UY for the deal and I could on the June membership.

But, one person can unlock the deal more than once. Now, I can buy some on each membership but the total I am allowed is a maximum of pay for 12 to get 24.

 

[TinkB278]

So even if you pay $99 for each membership extra program, you can only get 12 free across all memberships? Or are you saying if someone else on the membership buys the extras on another membership you can get another 12 free. It’s just my husband and I on ours, so I could buy one and he could buy the other? Thanks for your help!

 

[Sandisw]

If you buy it, you are entitled to BOGO free for the maximum you can buy. Pay 12 and get 12 free.

Since you have more than one membership, your husband can also buy it and once he does, he will unlock that benefit for himself but his would need to be on a different membership since the maximum of 24 per UY doesn’t matter

Now, I believe that owners who have just one membership might be able to capitalize for 2025, if their UY is earlier in the year.

For example, someone with a Feb UY joins, and buys them for a trip in the Feb 2025 UY.

The other owner buys into the program and buys their entitlement for a trip in the Feb 2026 UY.

As long as you are purchasing them in 2025 when you are part of the program, the trip can take place in calendar year 2026.

Because this benefit is per person, and the enrolled member needs to be present for things like the extra lounge hours, character greets, and priority lounge waitlist, there is a valid reason why more than one person in a household would buy since some do travel without the other.

 

[TinkB278]

Thanks Sandi!!

 

[808blessing]

Very helpful! I always wondered about this.

 

[Avery&Todd]

If you buy it, you are entitled to BOGO free for the maximum you can buy. Pay 12 and get 12 free.

Since you have more than one membership, your husband can also buy it and once he does, he will unlock that benefit for himself but his would need to be on a different membership since the maximum of 24 per UY doesn’t matter

Now, I believe that owners who have just one membership might be able to capitalize for 2025, if their UY is earlier in the year.

For example, someone with a Feb UY joins, and buys them for a trip in the Feb 2025 UY.

The other owner buys into the program and buys their entitlement for a trip in the Feb 2026 UY.

As long as you are purchasing them in 2025 when you are part of the program, the trip can take place in calendar year 2026.

Because this benefit is per person, and the enrolled member needs to be present for things like the extra lounge hours, character greets, and priority lounge waitlist, there is a valid reason why more than one person in a household would buy since some do travel without the other.

Can I add a follow up question here please??

I have 102 pts left in my Sept UY 2025 account... I've already used up all my 2024 pts and I'd rather not dip into my 2026 pts yet. I have purchased the $99 membership program so I know I can buy enough points for the trip I need to book for Sept. 2025, but my question is...

Can I buy MORE points than I need so I don't have to use up all my 2025 points?

I have 102 pts left, and technically I only need 105 for my Sept. 2025 stay, but can I just do the BOGO and get 24 pts for the price of 12??

or can I only just buy the 2 points I need and only get 1 free?

THANKS!!!

 

[Sandisw]

Can I add a follow up question here please??

I have 102 pts left in my Sept UY 2025 account... I've already used up all my 2024 pts and I'd rather not dip into my 2026 pts yet. I have purchased the $99 membership program so I know I can buy enough points for the trip I need to book for Sept. 2025, but my question is...

Can I buy MORE points than I need so I don't have to use up all my 2025 points?

I have 102 pts left, and technically I only need 105 for my Sept. 2025 stay, but can I just do the BOGO and get 24 pts for the price of 12??

or can I only just buy the 2 points I need and only get 1 free?

THANKS!!!

You can buy the 12 to get 12 free for the total of 24, even if you have Sept 2025 points to use.

So, if you need 105, you can get the 24 (price for 12) and then use only 81 of your own!!!

 

[Avery&Todd]

You can buy the 12 to get 12 free for the total of 24, even if you have Sept 2025 points to use.

So, if you need 105, you can get the 24 (price for 12) and then use only 81 of your own!!!

OMG!!!! that is AMAZING!!!!!! 100% going to do that!!!

THANK YOU!!

 

[eticketplease]

Can I add a follow up question here please??

I have 102 pts left in my Sept UY 2025 account... I've already used up all my 2024 pts and I'd rather not dip into my 2026 pts yet. I have purchased the $99 membership program so I know I can buy enough points for the trip I need to book for Sept. 2025, but my question is...

Can I buy MORE points than I need so I don't have to use up all my 2025 points?

I have 102 pts left, and technically I only need 105 for my Sept. 2025 stay, but can I just do the BOGO and get 24 pts for the price of 12??

or can I only just buy the 2 points I need and only get 1 free?

THANKS!!!

Yes call in and make a fake reservation that costs 24 points.

Just remember that fake reservation would have to be for September 1st 2025 which you could make on Feb 1st 2025.

Then after you get off the phone cancel the reservation and then make your reservation for September with the OTUP and what is needed of yours. You can then bank the rest into 2025.

One more thing to remember is that OTUP are only good for reservations at the 7 month or less mark.

 

[Avery&Todd]

Yes call in and make a fake reservation that costs 24 points.

Just remember that fake reservation would have to be for September 1st 2025 which you could make on Feb 1st 2025.

Then after you get off the phone cancel the reservation and then make your reservation for September with the OTUP and what is needed of yours. You can then bank the rest into 2025.

One more thing to remember is that OTUP are only good for reservations at the 7 month or less mark.

OH DANG BLANG...

So I can't even make my Sept 15, 2025 reservation until Feb. 1st....UGH....since I have to buy points and I can't buy points until I'm at the 7 month mark - which is Feb. 1st...

UGH... BUT I guess not.

bummer

 

[Sandisw]

Yes call in and make a fake reservation that costs 24 points.

Just remember that fake reservation would have to be for September 1st 2025 which you could make on Feb 1st 2025.

Then after you get off the phone cancel the reservation and then make your reservation for September with the OTUP and what is needed of yours. You can then bank the rest into 2025.

One more thing to remember is that OTUP are only good for reservations at the 7 month or less mark.

No need for this persons to make the fake reservation since he will be booking within the 7 month window.

 

[Avery&Todd]

No need for this persons to make the fake reservation since he will be booking within the 7 month window.

OK - so no fake reservation needed but I still have to wait until Feb. 1st to book my Sept. 15, 2025 reservation using my Sept UY 2025 points, right?
And for the record, I'm totally a girl...."Avery & Todd" are dogs we used to have... - I couldn't come up with a unique name on my own 15 years ago!!

 

[Sandisw]

OK - so no fake reservation needed but I still have to wait until Feb. 1st to book my Sept. 15, 2025 reservation using my Sept UY 2025 points, right?
And for the record, I'm totally a girl...."Avery & Todd" are dogs we used to have... - I couldn't come up with a unique name on my own 15 years ago!!

The 7 months is from the start date of the trip so you would need to wait until the 15th since Feb 15th is 7 months from Sept 15th.

But, if this is for your home resort, you could book some of the nights now, up to as many nights now to go over the 81 you will use of your own. And then just call to add the rest when you can buy.

 

[riamac]

I hope you don’t mind me jumping in and asking my question on this thread…exactly what I was logging on for tonight.

I was considering getting the paid membership to get the BOGO OTU points also. We have a Feb UY and are traveling to Disney both in Feb and August. We need a few more points for our August trip and this works out well.

As I understand it, I need to call member services directly and have them place a reservation for something (anything) for the 24 points then I can cancel it and the points will be in my account. Once I do this, can I modify my Feb vacation (more than 31 days out) and will the OTU points automatically get applied to that vacation instead? I was thinking this would be better in case we change plans in August, that way I could bank the points.

Also, I’m a little confused with Sandisw chat about Feb UY and getting OTU points for both 2025 and 2026. Is this only if you have more than one
membership number? We only have one number.

Last question…when can I get the paid membership and actually the OTU points? Does that start on Jan 12th.

Thank you!

 

[Sandisw]

I hope you don’t mind me jumping in and asking my question on this thread…exactly what I was logging on for tonight.

I was considering getting the paid membership to get the BOGO OTU points also. We have a Feb UY and are traveling to Disney both in Feb and August. We need a few more points for our August trip and this works out well.

As I understand it, I need to call member services directly and have them place a reservation for something (anything) for the 24 points then I can cancel it and the points will be in my account. Once I do this, can I modify my Feb vacation (more than 31 days out) and will the OTU points automatically get applied to that vacation instead? I was thinking this would be better in case we change plans in August, that way I could bank the points.

Also, I’m a little confused with Sandisw chat about Feb UY and getting OTU points for both 2025 and 2026. Is this only if you have more than one
membership number? We only have one number.

Last question…when can I get the paid membership and actually the OTU points? Does that start on Jan 12th.

Thank you!

You can swap the points into the Feb trip if that was made 7 months or less. If you booked it during the home resort booking period than no.

You can go online and purchase the program now. The benefits start January 12th…though I have read reports that people have already been able to buy the DL tickets.

The OTU points can be bought 7 months from the date of your August trip, unless your Feb trip was booked 7 months or less than you can buy them next week for a fake night at least 31 days into the future, cancel and then reallocate.

Let me try to explain what I meant better. The benefits for the BOGO free special are for the member who buys.

If two owners buy into the program…each pays the $99…they each become eligible for a set of BOGO free

As long as you buy them during the benefit period…which is January 31st to December 31st, they can be used under the regular rules.

So, you buy them for your August trip which is in your Feb 2025 UY.

The other owner buys into the program but waits to access their benefit until say August to buy them for a trip in your Feb 2026 UY.

Now, this is only a big benefit for someone with one UY if you don’t want to buy every year but it’s a way to get access to them sooner than waiting until the 2026 benefit year starts.

It also gets you the 2nd Memory Maker to use as well, not to mention that each can get into the lounges if you are not traveling together.

 

[eticketplease]

As I understand it, I need to call member services directly and have them place a reservation for something (anything) for the 24 points then I can cancel it and the points will be in my account. Once I do this, can I modify my Feb vacation (more than 31 days out) and will the OTU points automatically get applied to that vacation instead? I was thinking this would be better in case we change plans in August, that way I could bank the points.

You can only use it for the February reservation if it was made at 7 months or less. If booked at 7-11 months then no you can’t use OTUP for those reservations.

 

[riamac]

Okay, thank you! Yes, the Feb reservation was made with home resort benefit so I can’t modify to use the points there. I did make a partial reservation for my August trip. Once I get the OTU points, I will be able to modify that reservation to use the new points and then bank my contract points.

Thank you for the explanation of both members getting the paid membership benefits. I think I understand now.

Last question (I think)…once I get the points and cancel the fake reservation, will the OTU points look different than my contract points on my dashboard, or will they be all rolled into the normal use year points?

 

[Avery&Todd]

The 7 months is from the start date of the trip so you would need to wait until the 15th since Feb 15th is 7 months from Sept 15th.

But, if this is for your home resort, you could book some of the nights now, up to as many nights now to go over the 81 you will use of your own. And then just call to add the rest when you can buy.

OK - let me ask another question...

But, for details, YES Im booking my home resort for the Sept. 2025 trip so I could book the whole trip and get the 24 pts on Feb 15th - which would be 7 months before my arrival date!

Next question/ scenario - I currently have a trip booked for 4 nights at BCV in March 2025 and I used (technically I borrowed) my 2025 UY points for that trip. Is it possible to call and buy the 24 BOGO pts now, and apply them to that reservation which would free up 24 pts from that reservation which I could then use for my Sept. 2025 trip?

To make sure I'm understanding, since I borrowed the 2025 pts, they're now 2024 pts, and they're now "stuck" as 2024 pts and I'd have to use them by Aug 30th 2025 so they couldnt be used for my Sept. 15, 2025 trip, right?

AND to clarify on the $99 membership - both my DH and I are on the 1 contract # (well, 2 contracts both for CCV with a Sept UY) - so you're saying we could both get the membership, but couldn't get the 24 pts each year just a total of 24 pts between the 2 of us?

If I buy the 24 pts, to apply them to our Sept 2025 trip, my DH can't then go buy another 24 pts to apply to a Dec. 2025 trip, right??

 

[eticketplease]

Last question (I think)…once I get the points and cancel the fake reservation, will the OTU points look different than my contract points on my dashboard, or will they be all rolled into the normal use year points?

Yes as they will show up as another contract possibly with a different home resort.

Right now it appears that I have a Grand Cal contract but that is my OTUP.

Even though it may show a different resort it still does not give you the 11 month advantage as they can only be used at 7 months.

You will have to click that contract when making your reservation to be able to use the OTUP