SS Use Year?

[tjkraz]

After renting points for a two vacations, the SS promotion finally has us considering DVC membership. Spoke to a guide for the first time last week, and have info coming in the mail. But, I'm hoping someone can answer a question for me while we are (not so) patiently waiting.

What will be the Use Year for those purchasing SS before it opens? I understand that dues won't begin until the May '04 opening of the resort, so does that make it a May Use Year for everyone who purchases prior to opening?

TIA

 

[RobDoc]

December 2003 is the earliest Use Year with points available prior to the May 1, 2004 opening.

All Use Years are available, but any earlier than December will not get points until 2004.

Any SSR points received prior to May 1 still cannot be used earleir than May 1. SSR owners may make reservations at that resort beginning on December 1, 2003. Other DVC members may make reservations at SSR beginning on Feb 4, 2004.

SSR owners with a Use Year later than May 1, 2004 will need to borrow from their 2004 allotment to make a reservation for May 1.

This policy is consistent with what was done when other DVC Resorts opened.

Enjoy!

 

[tjkraz]

Doc,

Thanks for the reply.

I understand everything about when reservations can be made and so on, but I just want to re-confirm one point on the Use Year if you don't mind.

If I'm buying into DVC for the first time, why WOULDN'T I want to select the December Use Year for SSR? I realize that the Use Year should be chosen carefully due to banking issues, but that issue aside, why wouldn't I want to choose a December Use Year? Wouldn't that entitle me to receive my point allotment on 12/03, and then again on 12/04?

Thanks.

 

[floridafam]

I also think a December use year is ideal for SSR.

You get pts this December and next December and you still get to take advantage of the incentives.

Am I missing something?

Will you get your last set of pts in Dec. 2053? I don't see anything wrong with this. Won't we all pretty much have to borrow our last year's pts anyway to use them before the end of the contract date?

Anyone have any reasons why Dec. would not be the best use year at SSR?

 

[disneycrazed139]

I am totally on the same page about the use year. I have a December 2003 use year, which will entitle me to 2003 and 2004 use years, so we can get started sooner and maybe bank some forward to 2004. I think that makes the 2003 use year great.

HOWEVER, I was thinking about the pros and cons of the use year.

For me, it would be good for my March vacation and okay for a June vacation.

But I thought it wouldn't be the greatest thing for making reservations in October-November because I would lose points if I cancelled! Plus...I don't know my son's school schedule for the following school year until June!! So how does a parent make reservations? Guess at when the vacations will be I guess? Maybe a June use year would be good. But then it wouldn't be good for March! So I guess there are pros and cons to each "use year"

 

[CarolMN]

Use year only matters if you cancel a reservation late in your use year and cannot use, bank or rent your points before they expire.

Maybe we have been fortunate, but we've never had to cancel a vacation. I would guess that most DVC members can say the same.

The questions to ask about use year:

How often will we travel late in our use year?
How often do we think we will have to cancel our reservations?

Unless you the answer to those question is "quite often", I'd choose December and get the extra points - IMHO, they are worth at least $10 each!

 

[disneycrazed139]

I agree it's a great deal. With the December use year then, if you cancelled on an October or November trip, you would then totally lose these points? That's how I am understanding it. Too bad, since I would like to travel in those months, but I guess any use year has its pros and cons.

My main concern about use year again is that I don't find out my son's school schedule for the following academic year until June. With a use year in December, I'm guessing December holiday and March will be the best and maybe June.



I'm workin' at it!

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by disneycrazed139
I agree it's a great deal. With the December use year then, if you cancelled on an October or November trip, you would then totally lose these points? That's how I am understanding it. Too bad, since I would like to travel in those months, but I guess any use year has its pros and cons.

You wouldn't necessarily lose the points if you had to cancel. If you cancel the reservation 31 or more days ahead of arrival, the points would be returned to the current use year. With a December use year, you are allowed to bank 25% of your annual allotment if you do it before September 30. It's possible, then, depending on when you cancel, that you could bank some of the points.

It is true that the points expire on November 30 if you cannot use them for a trip before then. My advice would be to rent the reservation or the points. Even if you do not get "top dollar" for the points, I'd be willing to bet you'd at least be able to recoup the cost of the dues.

My main concern about use year again is that I don't find out my son's school schedule for the following academic year until June. With a use year in December, I'm guessing December holiday and March will be the best and maybe June.



I'm workin' at it!

Too bad about the way your school district schedules. Ours sets the schedule a lot farther ahead than that! FWIW, couldn't you make a pretty good guess as to the school schedule for your October/November trips? The schedule really doesn't change that much year to year, does it?

If it's any comfort, your son will finish school sometime - and hopefully, you'll still want your DVC vacations. Remember, your travel patterns will probably change over the next 50 years or so!

Good luck with your decision!

 

[disneycrazed139]

I suppose I could talk to someone at my son's school and see if I could get the schedule a little ahead of time. The problem is that he is going to private school this year. It's a rather small school (200 kids) and I just don't think they decide for the next year until June. That's when they sent it out anyway.

You're right. I could estimate based on the current year's schedule, but the private school has a little more leeway in when the kids go. Honestly, I compared last year's with this to get a good idea and they were different enough that I would be making an educated guess only.

I think I will talk with admistration and see if they can help. Planning for March and June vacations will be easier than booking ahead for October, November, December. Although the private schools seem to have the whole week off for Thanksgiving (instead of just Thursday and Friday) and the whole week off preceeding Christmas (instead of just the day before Christmas Eve) So I guess I can guess those!