Question about use year

[Princess Steph]

We are looking into DVC. We are staying at SSR on rented points this December and will decide what we are going to do at that time. My question is how does the month of the use year affect me? We like to vacation in the fall, Sept and Oct. We are going this year early Dec (we like to travel value season). When should I look for my use year and how will that effect banking and borrowing? Any advice will be helpful. Thanks

 

[Figment2]

If you travel in the Fall (especially Oct or Nov), you do not want a December use year. I have a December use year. Friends & I always take a week long trip the end of October/beginning of November. I'm not concerned because if I can't go, I know they will. If all of us couldn't go, I would have to rent the reservation since the points would have to be used by Nov 30 (or I'd lose them forever). I would be past my banking deadlines (unless we knew before August 31) which is unlikely.

My use year works perfectly when I travel in Dec. If I have to cancel and as long as it's more than 30 days out, I have a whole year to re-use those points. If they are current years points (meaning the points I received on 12/1) I can even bank them. I have until May 31 to bank all my current years points into next year; August 31 to bank 50% and September 30 to bank 25%. This year I actually banked 21 points but I have to admit I'm usually in the borrowing mode.

Hope this helps

Cyn

 

[RobDoc]

Basically, Use Year is the month your points are renewed each year and it has nothing to do with banking or borrowing (except in determining the specific deadlines for banking).

If you will mainly travel in September and October a September Use Year would work well for you since any cancellation would give you plenty of time to reuse or bank your points. The only problem would be if you had a September Use Year and had to cancel a reservation for August on short notice- you would be past your banking deadlines and would need to use the cancelled points before August 31 or they would be lost. If you mainly travel in September or October- you will have little problems with that scenario.

I wouldn't worry too much about Use Year- it has nothing to do with when you can make a reservation and owuld only be an issue if you have to cancel reservations.

Enjoy!

 

[Princess Steph]

Thanks for the replies. I'll keep that in mind when I walk through SSR this winter!!

 

[MinnieGirl33]

When we started with DVC we primarily traveled in September. We have an April use year & that has seemed to work well for us so far.

Beware of add-on-itis! We were infected early on & are now up to 3 trips/yr. We have relapsed & will be looking for a cure next year (or whenever the next resort is announced)!

Good luck with your decision. Hope you enjoy SSR as much as we do!