Please point me to a thread that explains Use Year and its significance.

[Dodie]

I'm sure it's here. I'm sure there's an FAQ thread that I'm missing. We're looking at resales and I want to make sure I understand the significance of the Use Year.

We typically travel in September/October, sometimes early December, sometimes May. We're looking at VWL.

Thank you.

 

[DVC Mike]

Your Use Year is determined at the time you purchase your ownership interest in a DVC resort and marks the time each year when you receive a new allotment of vacation points. It affects when you can bank and borrow vacation points, and sets the deadline for certain vacation decisions.

Use Year month has nothing to do with when you can travel or even make a reservation at a DVC resort. You can always reserve 11 months ahead of travel for your home resort. The reservation date determines which Use Year the points are deducted from.

The Use Year months are: Feb, Mar, Apr, Jun, Aug, Sep, Oct and Dec.

For banking points, members will be able to bank up to 100% of their vacation points during the first 8 months of their Use Year and 0% of their vacation points during the last 4 months of their Use Year.

USE YEAR DEADLINE
Feb Sept 30
Mar Oct 31
Apr Nov 30
Jun Jan 31
Aug Mar 31
Sept Apr 30
Oct May 31
Dec July 31

You cannot book and travel on the Disney Collection (excluding Disneyland Resort Hotels in California), Concierge Collection and Adventurer Collection vacations within the last 120 days of your Use Year. However, you can travel in the last 120 days of your Use Year as long as you've booked your stay more than 120 days before the end of your Use Year.

A good Use Year is one in which you don't expect to regularly have a vacation scheduled during the last 4 months. So if you typically go in April, a March or April UY would be best.

 

[Dodie]

Thank you very much, DVC Mike. I'm sure you've answered that question a million times before and I'm sorry that you had to do it again.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

You cannot book and travel on the Disney Collection (excluding Disneyland Resort Hotels in California), Concierge Collection and Adventurer Collection vacations within the last 120 days of your Use Year. However, you can travel in the last 120 days of your Use Year as long as you've booked your stay more than 120 days before the end of your Use Year.

A good Use Year is one in which you don't expect to regularly have a vacation scheduled during the last 4 months. So if you typically go in April, a March or April UY would be best.

I have just learned about the 4 month restriction on the Disney Collection from these boards. My understanding also is that once you transfer points out and if you need to cancel the points remain out of the DVC pool. Are there any booking restrictions and how long are the points available to you to rebook - ie, does it still follow your use year?
We're on the west coast so it's nice for us to have the option to head to Disneyland on shorter notice if there are openings. We're currently buying a resale at VWL and were considering AKV as well and now I am thinking that maybe I should consider a different UY for AKV to give us more flexibility at Disneyland in case that booking window changes once GCV opens. Generally, the times I want to travel to CA are different than the times I want to travel to FL.

 

[CarolMN]

I have just learned about the 4 month restriction on the Disney Collection from these boards. My understanding also is that once you transfer points out and if you need to cancel the points remain out of the DVC pool. Are there any booking restrictions and how long are the points available to you to rebook - ie, does it still follow your use year?

We're on the west coast so it's nice for us to have the option to head to Disneyland on shorter notice if there are openings. We're currently buying a resale at VWL and were considering AKV as well and now I am thinking that maybe I should consider a different UY for AKV to give us more flexibility at Disneyland in case that booking window changes once GCV opens. Generally, the times I want to travel to CA are different than the times I want to travel to FL.

When you make a reservation at a non-DVC resort in the Disney Collection, the Conceirge Collection or for something in the Adventurer's Collection, the points become "reservation" points. If you have to cancel that reservation, the points are returned to your account but they are in "reservation status". That means they expire at the end of the use year and cannot be used to reserve a DVC resort or for an exchange via II.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

When you make a reservation at a non-DVC resort in the Disney Collection, the Conceirge Collection or for something in the Adventurer's Collection, the points become "reservation" points. If you have to cancel that reservation, the points are returned to your account but they are in "reservation status". That means they expire at the end of the use year and cannot be used to reserve a DVC resort or for an exchange via II.

Thanks Carol! One more question - is it fairly easy to reserve in the Disney Collection? ie - if they have rooms will you be able to reserve?

 

[CarolMN]

Thanks Carol! One more question - is it fairly easy to reserve in the Disney Collection? ie - if they have rooms will you be able to reserve?

Yes, AFAIK. But there is a $95 fee per reservation to do so. The only exception is the Disneyland resorts - GC, DLH & PP. Most here expect the exception to "expire" once the DVC villas are completed at the Grand Californian.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Yes, AFAIK. But there is a $95 fee per reservation to do so. The only exception is the Disneyland resorts - GC, DLH & PP. Most here expect the exception to "expire" once the DVC villas are completed at the Grand Californian.

Disneyland would be the one we would be looking at anyway and, as you said, I am assuming that the $95 fee will kick in once the Villas open at GC. At least it sounds like we have a decent option if we have a few points we want to finish off down there without the airfare to fly to FL.

Oh - just thought of another question. If we did have points in the reservation holding system does the 4 month black out at the end of your UY still apply or will they allow you to book in that circumstance? Since the points don't expire until the end of your UY then it would seem you would be allowed to - just not any new reservations with a transfer of DVC points? Just to be totally clear on this!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Yes, AFAIK. But there is a $95 fee per reservation to do so. The only exception is the Disneyland resorts - GC, DLH & PP. Most here expect the exception to "expire" once the DVC villas are completed at the Grand Californian.

Disneyland would be the one we would be looking at anyway and, as you said, I am assuming that the $95 fee will kick in once the Villas open at GC. At least it sounds like we have a decent option if we have a few points we want to finish off down there without the airfare to fly to FL.

Oh - just thought of another question. If we did have points in the reservation holding system does the 4 month black out at the end of your UY still apply or will they allow you to book in that circumstance? Since the points don't expire until the end of your UY then it would seem you would be allowed to - just not any new reservations with a transfer of DVC points? Just to be totally clear on this!