Question about booking...

[cruisin'momto3]

Hi there! We are still looking into buying DVC but have another question. I am looking at buying in with 300 points (not completely decided on where, though). If you have 300 points awarded in January of every year and are using those 300 in say November of 2010 and want to also take a trip with your 2011 points in March of 2011....do you have to take your trip in November and use up those points before you can reserve your trip in March of 2011? Or as long as you have the points coming, can you reserve at the 11 month mark even if you have an outstanding vacation? TIA, Ali

 

[Chuck S]

You can reserve the March 2011, trip in April of 2010. Your points won't be awarded in January, there are no January, May, July or November use years at any current DVC resort.

 

[stopher1]

You do not have to use up your total number of points before another trip is scheduled & reserved. You can have multiple trips planned & reserved at any time if you so choose, as long as you have enough points to cover them all. Through banking and borrowing you can have more points in a given year if you need them for a longer trip or larger accomodations. As long as you understand the booking windows (11 mos vs. 7 mos for home resort /non-home resort priorities); the banking & borrowing rules; the assorted cancellation rules and how points expire, you'll be good.

The flexibility of the point system is what makes the system work so well. Using the points charts (there's a link at the top right of the page if you don't have them already), you can determine how many are needed for any given trip you want to take. Unlike many timeshares where it's a full week vacation at a time, DVC allows you to take multiple shorter trips, or longer trips based on your point allotment.

Keep asking questions and get the answers you need. Enjoy your due diligence process...learn as much as you can so that when you do buy, you'll be fully informed. Good luck!

 

[chalee94]

as stated, your "use year" month (when pts are "awarded") has nothing to do with when you can call and book.

having an outstanding vacation is also a non-issue - your pts are "taken" when you reserve a room so you cannot book multiple reservations at the same time with the same pts. but you can book as many reservations as you have pts to cover.

here is a great thread for more about Understanding Use Year.

here is another thread you might find useful: Choosing Your Home Resort - What to Consider?

 

[rcchello]

You can actually call up one day and use some of this years points and reserve a room in the current year - bank your left over points into next year - use those points plus some of next years points and book a room for next year.

And since Disney Cruise Line you can book 2 years out, if they announce cruises that far out - you could book a cruise 2 years out using your point from two years from now (or banking and borrowing enough points into that year).

So it is possible to book three vacations in three different years during the same or multiple calls (using points from 4 use years). And you do not have to use up the points in one year before using the points in another year!

 

[DebbieB]

Some new members get hung up on when the points are "awarded" or "deposited". They are put into your account for the length of your contract. There is no waiting for points to deposit into the use year. When you are ready to make a reservation, you look at the dates of the stay and what use year would be applicable to those dates (current year based on date of stay, banked from the use year before, borrowed from the next use year).

 

[DenLo]

There is also good information for DVC Beginners at the DVCNews.com. Here's the link: http://www.dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-program/dvc-for-beginners

 

[cruisin'momto3]

Thank you so much for all your help!! Ali