Rule of Four --- Explain?

[STLDisney_Freak]

I'm a newbie. We recently purchase BLT. I'd like to use my points eventually to do another disney cruise, but we love to go during the christmas holidays like we did this year. Since we have a Feb use year, does that mean that we can never use our points in the months of Oct, Nov, Dec, or Jan for it? I guess I just don't understand how the rule of 4 works. How does it work?

Thank You!

 

[chalee94]

oops - sorry. i didn't realize you were just talking about cruises.

deleted to avoid confusion.

 

[tjkraz]

You cannot BOOK and TRAVEL during those last 4 months outside of the DVC resorts. You can plan a vacation for that period, but it must be booked sooner.

In other words, you can BOOK your non-DVC trip in June and travel in December.

You cannot book in October and travel in January because the booking date falls in the last 4 months of the Use year.

Again, this applies to only non-DVC destinations (cruises, non-DVC resort stays...although Disneyland is excluded from the "rule of 4".)

 

[dburg30]

Also I thought the rule of 4 came into play with banking now also. If you arent going to use your points, they must be banked before 4 months of the end of your UY.?

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

You cannot BOOK and TRAVEL during those last 4 months outside of the DVC resorts. You can plan a vacation for that period, but it must be booked sooner.

In other words, you can BOOK your non-DVC trip in June and travel in December.

You cannot book in October and travel in January because the booking date falls in the last 4 months of the Use year.

Again, this applies to only non-DVC destinations (cruises, non-DVC resort stays...although Disneyland is excluded from the "rule of 4".)

Okay so as long as I book the non-dvc units before the last four months then I'm okay to travel in the last four months, correct?

 

[cf1]

Also I thought the rule of 4 came into play with banking now also. If you arent going to use your points, they must be banked before 4 months of the end of your UY.?

I'm new here but just banked for the 1st time and that sounds right. I have until 1/31 to bank or they expire 5/31.

 

[erionm]

Okay so as long as I book the non-dvc units before the last four months then I'm okay to travel in the last four months, correct?

Correct.

 

[DebbieB]

Okay so as long as I book the non-dvc units before the last four months then I'm okay to travel in the last four months, correct?

Correct. The reason for this is DVC will then send a room to CRO for sale to the general public. The profits from that room will then pay for your trade-out. They want more than 4 months to be able to do that, as the points will expire at the end of your use year.

 

[Dee77]

Great info here for another newbie that didn't understand this either. Thanks!

 

[ACDSNY]

Okay so as long as I book the non-dvc units before the last four months then I'm okay to travel in the last four months, correct?

Just keep in mind that if you have to cancel a trip within the last four months of your UY you'll be past your banking deadline and will have to use them before the end of your UY.

 

[Caskbill]

Just keep in mind that if you have to cancel a trip within the last four months of your UY you'll be past your banking deadline and will have to use them before the end of your UY.

To clarify a little more, if points are used for a cruise or other non-DVC resort reservation which is later cancelled, the points are returned as RESERVATION points, not as DVC points, and as such cannot be used to book a DVC resort.

And most important, reservation points cannot be banked whether you are within your banking window or not. They will expire at the end of their use year if not used. The 4-month banking window is not applicable to reservation points.

 

[ACDSNY]

Thanks for the clarification Caskbill, Iwas thinking about DVC trips in general and forgot about the reservation status of points used for non-DVC resorts.

 

[lugnut33]

I borrowed June 09 points for a trip in May and if we don't go we have to use by June 09 or we lose the points.

 

[hakepb]

I borrowed June 09 points for a trip in May and if we don't go we have to use by June 09 or we lose the points.

That almost confused me (because June 09 points use begins on June 1, 2009)
But you borrowed them into the 08 UY. Once points are borrowed, they cannot be returned.
(Although if you are using any 08 points on that reservations and cancel before Feb (rule of 4) the real (not borrowed) 08 points could be banked into 09...