Point Help

[jillmc40]

I need some help from the experts on allocating my points...

So I originally had 3 vacations planned in my head, and I was going to use 4 years worth of points (only 2 per booking). Then I decided I didn't want to use the 4th year because that would mean a long break from Disney I can plan it so I use exactly 300 points (we own 100), I could plan it to use 318 (and buy 18 otu points), or I could go nuts and use 350. But I started wondering if people ever come across needing let's say 50 points and don't want to borrow (and can't buy more ). How do you handle that? If it were an ongoing thing then yes, buy more, but let's say for a one time thing.

I was thinking about looking on the rental board but then what? Rent points from someone for the nights that you don't have points for, and then use your own points for the other nights...With multiple reservations? Find someone to transfer the points to you?

I am wondering if there is an obvious answer glaring me in the face that I didn't think of...What do most people do in this situation?

I feel like a ditz asking this question but I am new and curious. For the record I think I am doing the 318 option...I should be able to get 18 otu points at Kidani at Easter time, right?

otu are available as long as they have rooms available at 7mo, or do they have a set number of otu points that they can use per year and that is it?

Thank you for your help

 

[drusba]

There are only three ways to get more points than you have for a trip (after any borrowing and banking of your own points): (a) find someone to transfer the points to you (members are limited to one transfer, in or out but not both, per use year, and it is often difficult to find anyone who is transfering the amount of points you actually want); (b) at 7 months out you can buy up 24 one-time use points from DVD when making a reservation; (c) purchase more points. The alternative to those is to get someone to rent points in the form of their making a reservation for a portion of the trip in your name and then you link that reservation with the one you can make on your own points. That is usually easier to find than someone transferring the points you want.

 

[MAO]

I've owned for 16 years now and have never run out of points. This year will be the first year I've actually had to 'lose' a few points as I just could not get the trips quite right (and I am planning on a big blowout next year, with three years' worth of points gone at once, so the banking/borrowing wasn't as flexible as it normally would be.) Having said that -- I am a single person who can only afford to go once a year regardless of how much I'd like to go more often. Being new to DVC will make it more difficult for you to determine what your 'norm' is, but there seems to always be a market for renting points so I would not worry overly much about needing more and not having access as long as you're willing to pay for them. I've never used the one time use points and hopefully you'll get answers to your questions about them, but I do believe you can't get them unless you've used all of yours so you can't hold some of yours in reserve in that situation. And I, personally, would think it better to use your own rather than renting someone else's in order to have a reserve -- there's no *guarantee* that you'd be able to use them within the required timeframe nor rent them to someone else.

(And just in case anyone starts freaking out about me 'losing' a few points - they're a total of 7 (seven) 2013 June UY banked points which means that they have to be used in the June '14 to May '15 timeframe and can't be transferred to anyone else. Not even OKW has a room for only 7 points so they really can't be used. After 16 years to only lose 7 points isn't too bad, I don't think.)

 

[drusba]

As to the mention above about one time use points. You can purchase up to 24 when making a reservation at 7 months out and there is no requirement that you use up your own points; you only need to be using some of your own points as part of the reservation.

 

[jillmc40]

Thank you both! So when you link a reservation does that mean you don't have to move rooms?

Exactly about not knowing how many points I need! For now I think 100 is great - who knows 5, 10 years from now how I will feel. I can certainly make it work with what I have, but if we wanted to do a 1 bedroom instead of a studio for a few nights, just to see what it was like, it is nice to know how I would go about it, without having to borrow or buy more.

I do lurk on the rent/trade board...I'm sure I would be able to find something. I would only do that for an easier resort. We own at VGF so I have 11 months there, but trying out a 1 bed at Kidani would be fun for the kids (ok, the adults too ). We love to sit on the balcony and look at the animals!

Thank you!

 

[jillmc40]

As to the mention above about one time use points. You can purchase up to 24 when making a reservation at 7 months out and there is no requirement that you use up your own points; you only need to be using some of your own points as part of the reservation.

Good to know! And is it 24 per use year or 24 per reservation? I thought I read somewhere per use year but can't find it again, so wanted to confirm.

 

[drusba]

It is up to 24 points for one reservation in a use year (limit is one reservation regardless of how many points of the 24 you purchase).

As long as both reservations made by two different members have the same occupant names on them, are for the same resort and room category, and are successive in days (i.e., one starts immediately after the other), they can be linked even if made by two different owners and linking results in your not having to change rooms.

 

[jillmc40]

It is up to 24 points for one reservation in a use year (limit is one reservation regardless of how many points of the 24 you purchase).

As long as both reservations made by two different members have the same occupant names on them, are for the same resort and room category, and are successive in days (i.e., one starts immediately after the other), they can be linked even if made by two different owners and linking results in your not having to change rooms.

As always you have been most helpful...Thank you!