Points Transfer? **UPDATE**

[Beth]

Ok, guys. You've tried to explain this to me before, but I'm gonna ask one more time... This time, I have a specific scenario...

A co-worker of mine wants to book a GV at OKW for early December - but she owns at VWL. I've offered to book the dates for her, then she can transfer the equivalent VWL points into my account.

My question is concerning the "one transfer per year in or out" limitation. I'm not sure which year they're referring to in that statement.

Here's the scenario. My use-year is October, my co-worker's is August. Let's say we will conduct this transfer on June 15th, 2002.

When will be able to make another transfer?
(1) January 1, 2003 (calendar year)
(2) October 1, 2003 ('my' use-year)
(3) August 1, 2003 ('her' use-year)
(4) June 15, 2003 (one year anniv of the transfer)

Also - is "transferring" addressed in the new guidebook? I finally got mine last week - but I don't see it in here anywhere!!

Thanks very much for your insight.

**UPDATE**

Just got off the phone with MS. With respect to my specific scenario detailed above - here's how it works.

When my co-worker transfers the points to my account on August 1, 2002 - we will first have to specify "which" of my use-years they are to be transferred to. This part confused me the most, as I understood that the points, themselves, <i>retained</i> their use-year - even after the transfer. She said, "Yes, that's correct - as far as their expiration is concerned - but that's where it stops." Transferred points can not be borrowed, so, depending upon when I intend to use those points will determine "which" of my use-year's I will want to assign them to.

So, on August 1, 2002 - I can have them transferred to my October, 2001 use-year, or to my October, 2002 use-year but, either way, they expire on July 31, 2003. I keep telling myself that I understand this part - but the more I read it, the more cloudy it becomes.

As far as the transfer restrictions - it "is" specific to your use-year. For my co-worker - if she conducts the transfer on August 1, 2002 - using her August, 2002 points - she won't be able to transfer again until August 1, 2003. But, here's the kicker. If these points are deemed being transferred to my October, 2002 use-year - I won't be able to transfer again until October 1, 2003 - a full <b>14 months</b> after the transfer. (When is a year not a year?!?)

Does any of this make sense? I guess it does - but it was a little much to swallow after a 3-day weekend!!

Oh, and also. She verified with a supervisor that the only place in which the specifics concerning transfers is addressed is in the public offering statements. It can't be found in the guidebook or th website.

Don't know if anyone else benefitted from this - but I thought I'd pass it on.....

 

[RobDoc]

I have never seen a definition of a "year" for this transaction. While it may be defined in several ways (calendar, use year or time period), I would assume that it likely means "within a 12 month period of time", since that would make the issue equal for everyone.

Good question. MS would be the best source for the definitive answer.

 

[DVC Daisy]

I questioned MS about this extensively about a year and a half ago when another member and I wanted to do this with our VB and BWV points. After much questioning this is basically what we got as a response:

1. One transfer per member in or out of their account per use year. So your 2002 gets one in or out and same with your 2003 (hers too).

2. Banked or borrowed points cannot be transferred. (Maybe this has changed, if so Yippee!)

3. One big thing I am sure you know, but the transferred points retain their home resort preference. So the WLV points she gives you would have WLV 11 month resort preference.

Now that was all awhile ago, so maybe some (or everything) has changed. YMMV of course!

We decided to just make reservations for each other and "trade" reservations. This ended up working out GREAT and I made a new DIS friend in the process!

Best of Luck!

Deb in CA

 

[Beth]

Thanks Doc and DVC Daisy.

DVC Daisy,

Isn't it also true that the points retain their use-year? I knew about the home resort status... So - if these are August, 2002 points - they will expire 7/31/03 - regardless of when she deposits them into my account, or of what use-year "I" have.

So. Based on what you're saying, say she transfers them to me as soon as she gets them - say August 5, 2002. Then, <i>she</i> won't be able to transfer again until August, 2003, but <i>I</i> could transfer again as early as October, 2002, as the points are being transferred into my October 2001 use-year?!?

So confusing....

 

[RobDoc]

Yes, transferred points will retain their original use year and home resort status and must be used by the end of the current use year.

I'd still suggest a call to MS to be certain about the frequency issue. If use year is the definition, your assumption should be correct.

Good Luck!

 

[DVC Daisy]

Beth,

It is confusing - plus make sure when you call that you get the "guru" of points transfer on the phone. I got many, many just plain strange answers from MS when I just talked to whoever answered the phone! So just ask right off for a supervisor or whatever and it may save you some frustration.

Another thing that they did tell us is that in order to do any point transfer we (both parties) would have to conference call MS. So you may want to be prepared for that and have your coworker close by.

We ended up just trading reservations and that worked well too.


Best of Luck!

Deb in CA

 

[Beth]

**bump**

 

[drusba]

Having read your update, it looks logical. The "transfer" issue is covered in the offering documents but all they say is that you are limited to one transfer "per use year" in or out and they never explain how it might actually work as the CM apparently has. Thus, we can only assume the CM is correct because there is nothing in writing to say otherwise.

One thing to be aware of is that you can now bank transfered points. You can't transfer banked points but current points once transfered can be banked by the recipient subject to the transferor's banking deadlines.

Also note that the entire transfer issue can be easily avoided. You enter into an agreement for you to make a ressie for the other member at OKW using your points and putting their name on the ressie and the other member agreeing to make a reservation at VWL using his points and putting the ressie in your name. That is not a "transfer" covered by the one transfer rule, which applies only to an actual transfer of points from one member's account to another. There is no limit to the number of times you can use your points to make a reservation that you put in someone else's name.

 

[Beth]

Thanks, drusba.

I'm aware of the ability to make reservations in other members'/non-members' names - but this makes it so much easier, as it would never happen that <i>my</i> reservation(s) would equal the exact amount of points as her's.

We both live less than an hour from WDW - and we both tend to use our points for short 1-2 night stays. It could foreseeably take 4 of my reservations to equal this large one for her, and I'm certain it wouldn't be even. I'd hate to ask her to call and make 4 reservations for me!!

But I "wasn't" aware of being able to bank the transferred points - that's very good to know, and it was <i>not</i> addressed by the CM at MS - though she did a VERY good job giving me the info she "did," IMHO.

 

[Dean]

DVC has chosen to define one per year as one per use year which is the best way to keep up with it. I assume that you are making the OKW GV reservation in her name without transferring the points to her.

 

[Beth]

That's correct, Dean - then she'll transfer those points to me from her contract at the start of her next use-year -- August 1, 2002.