OTU Points

[Minniemoo15]

Am I correct that OTU points can now be used for a reservation when booking online at the 7 month mark? Can I purchase these ahead of time so that I am ready to go at 8am at the 7 mo mark and don’t have to wait for Member Services to open?

If not- would a work around be calling now in to buy some for a bogus reservation 6 months out, canceling that reservation and then having those OTU use points in my account ready to go?

TIA

 

[Stargazer65]

It says your purchase must occur when making the reservation.
Hmmm...Maybe you could work around, it says only if you cancel that they expire at the end of your use year. 19 dollars per point, and you can only buy 24.
If you tried to work around but things end up not working out though as far as getting the reservation you want later, you could end up wasting a few hundred dollars.
I think I'd only do it to get an extra day and use up my leftover points.

 

[Minniemoo15]

It says your purchase must occur when making the reservation.
Hmmm...Maybe you could work around, it says only if you cancel that they expire at the end of your use year. 19 dollars per point, and you can only buy 24.
If you tried to work around but things end up not working out though as far as getting the reservation you want later, you could end up wasting a few hundred dollars.

Good point - I hadn’t thought of what I’d do if the reservation was no longer available at the 7mo mark. Hmm. Availability is looking good at this point but things are so much tighter this year overall than in the past. Thanks for that insight !

 

[Minniemoo15]

Okay here’s another question … can I buy OTU points at 7 month mark and have member services swap out those points for an existing reservation?

ETA: I’m guessing not from the “need to be purchased at the time of booking” language.

I think I’ll take my chances and wait for MS to
open at 7 month mark. Thanks for helping me think this through!

 

[kes601]

You cannot purchase them online (unless I missed that news). There are many threads that hash out ways around waiting for the 7 month mark. Here is a simple explanation:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/one-time-use-points-question.3831566/post-62829280

 

[Marionnette]

Okay here’s another question … can I buy OTU points at 7 month mark and have member services swap out those points for an existing reservation?

ETA: I’m guessing not from the “need to be purchased at the time of booking” language.

I think I’ll take my chances and wait for MS to
open at 7 month mark. Thanks for helping me think this through!

To answer your question: No.

You cannot swap points from a non-home resort at 7 months for a reservation made with home resort points, which is what you would have had if the reservation existed before 7 months. The only exception would be if availability still exists for those dates and that room. AND the non-home resort points would need to expire before any of the home resort points that were used based on the order in which points are taken - holding, followed by banked, then borrowed, transferred (which is what OTUPs are) and finally points from your annual allotment.

 

[Minniemoo15]

To answer your question: No.

You cannot swap points from a non-home resort at 7 months for a reservation made with home resort points, which is what you would have had if the reservation existed before 7 months. The only exception would be if availability still exists for those dates and that room. AND the non-home resort points would need to expire before any of the home resort points that were used based on the order in which points are taken - holding, followed by banked, then borrowed, transferred (which is what OTUPs are) and finally points from your annual allotment.

Thank you !!

They would actually be home resort points I am looking to purchase … I am trying to plan a multi family trip that involves 6 rooms at our home resort. I currently have the reservations booked under a combination of my points and my parents points but ultimately would like to buy the 24 OTU points for my aunt’s reservation so that I can keep 24 points for myself and bank them forward as a buffer and not drain all of my points.

It’s so complicated with multiple rooms, multiple start dates and even multiple DVC memberships! 7 month mark is next week so hopefully availability holds on.

 

[Marionnette]

Thank you !!

They would actually be home resort points I am looking to purchase … I am trying to plan a multi family trip that involves 6 rooms at our home resort. I currently have the reservations booked under a combination of my points and my parents points but ultimately would like to buy the 24 OTU points for my aunt’s reservation so that I can keep 24 points for myself and bank them forward as a buffer and not drain all of my points.

It’s so complicated with multiple rooms, multiple start dates and even multiple DVC memberships! 7 month mark is next week so hopefully availability holds on.

You don't get to choose where the home resort is for OTUPs. They are points that belong to DVC. They can be unsold points at RIV or they can come from a contract that was obtained thru ROFR.

 

[Stargazer65]

To answer your question: No.

You cannot swap points from a non-home resort at 7 months for a reservation made with home resort points, which is what you would have had if the reservation existed before 7 months. The only exception would be if availability still exists for those dates and that room. AND the non-home resort points would need to expire before any of the home resort points that were used based on the order in which points are taken - holding, followed by banked, then borrowed, transferred (which is what OTUPs are) and finally points from your annual allotment.

If I made a reservation with my SSR points at 11 months for 5 days, at then at 7 months buy a few OTUP to add a day and make it 6 days (assume the room type is open). I can do that...right?

 

[Minniemoo15]

You don't get to choose where the home resort is for OTUPs. They are points that belong to DVC. They can be unsold points at RIV or they can come from a contract that was obtained thru ROFR.

Gotcha.

 

[Marionnette]

If I made a reservation with my SSR points at 11 months for 5 days, at then at 7 months buy a few OTUP to add a day and make it 6 days (assume the room type is open). I can do that...right?

Yes. That's exactly how OTUPs are meant to work.

 

[Rick195275]

I bought a few of my OTUP the first day my use year opened with the intention of using them at 7 months on a room. I just called MS and had them book a room for me at SSR and add a few points for me. I cancelled the room 5 mins later and had the points ready for when I needed them. If you don’t get your room you can always reallocate them to your existing reservation and bank the points freed up to the following year if they are still bankable at that point

 

[Marionnette]

If you don’t get your room you can always reallocate them to your existing reservation and bank the points freed up to the following year if they are still bankable at that point

Not necessarily true. Only under certain conditions. See my previous post.

 

[Rick195275]

Not necessarily true. Only under certain conditions. See my previous post.

Hmmm are we sure Disney’s flawless system and stellar IT actually block this move from happening? When my 7 month window initially opened the room I wanted wasn’t available and I swore I reallocated the OTUPs to my reservation I used my 11 month window to book. Maybe I’m mistaken though I’ll have to go check out the points in my account.

 

[Sandisw]

Hmmm are we sure Disney’s flawless system and stellar IT actually block this move from happening? When my 7 month window initially opened the room I wanted wasn’t available and I swore I reallocated the OTUPs to my reservation I used my 11 month window to book. Maybe I’m mistaken though I’ll have to go check out the points in my account.

I will not work that way in my account and most it does not. The OTU points just started being online last fall with transferred points and most have trouble even using those during 11 months.

When you book at 11 months the contract is locked and can not be changed from using it first.

 

[Rick195275]

I will not work that way in my account and most it does not. The OTU points just started being online last fall with transferred points and most have trouble even using those during 11 months.

When you book at 11 months the contract is locked and can not be changed from using it first.

I definitely did see the lock prior to 7 months so it didn’t apply to the reservation before that. I just thought it allowed me to reallocate them to my home resort reservation after that. Can’t seem to figure the points out online to check though lol