Thinking of buying would this work?

[sallyjane]

We have been thinking of buying into DVC. We rented points at BCV's last year and loved everything about that resort. Now I am sure all the other resorts are nice but we really fell in love with BCV's. Do you exprienced owners think this would work.

We like to go in December and I think we will need about 200 pts we only need studios for two weeks every year. So I thought If I bought 100 pts with a December use year at BCV's and 100 pts with a use year of August at SSR then every year in December we would have 200 pts to use at BCV. I thought by doing this we would still have 100 points at SSR after the BCV contract ran out.

What do you all think does this sound like a good plan. Please I need feedback pros and cons of having the points split this way.

 

[lisaviolet]

The 100 points at SSR can never become 100 points at BCV. Therefore, you will not have 200 BCV points every year. They, those 100 SSR points, can be used to try to book BCV at seven months out but never can be used for getting BCV with "owner resort priority" (7-11 month advanced booking window).

I'm sorry if I misunderstood what you were planning. I just wanted to make sure on this point.

All the best to making a decision. I think you are so smart to know where you love and where you want to buy.

 

[sallyjane]

Thanks for the quick reply. So at the 11 month window you get priority over someone booking at the seventh month window? I also thought that by dividing the points I would at least be able to stay at BCV's every other year by banking and borrowing. But if I cant combine my points then maybe that wouldn't work? Please help?! I thought I had it all worked out.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Why would you want separate use years? Juggling two small contracts with separate use years for separate resorts can be confusing.

If you want to stay at the BCV's and can plan 11 months ahead of time, then buy 200 points there. That will allow you to make reservations 11 months ahead of time for December, which is a very busy DVC time of year.

Also remember that use year has nothing to do with when you can make a reservation.

HBC

 

[bpmorley]

If you have 100 pts @ BCV you can book at the 11 month window for BCV only. If you have 100 SSR pts you could only book BCV at 7 months out.

 

[sallyjane]

Why would you want separate use years? Juggling two small contracts with separate use years for separate resorts can be confusing.

If you want to stay at the BCV's and can plan 11 months ahead of time, then buy 200 points there. That will allow you to make reservations 11 months ahead of time for December, which is a very busy DVC time of year.

Also remember that use year has nothing to do with when you can make a reservation.

HBC

I guess I am just trying to get the most use out of my points. I struggle like most between staying where I love (BCV) or getting the most years for my money (SSR/AKL).

 

[robinb]

Yes, you could combine two years worth of your BCV points to stay at BCV every other year and still have your 11 month window. That window is very important in December, especially at the beginning and the end of the month. You can book at SSR on your "off" year and then waitlist for another resort at the 7 month window.

I just have to say ... are you *sure* that 200 points will be OK for you for two whole weeks? You would spend 208 points minimum at BCV in a studio in Adventure Season and December is a combination of Adventure, Choice and Premier with no two weeks the same. Caskbill's DVC planner will help with your points planning: http://web.nalu.net/~wneth/dvcplanner.htm

Also ... your kids are both small now. You should be prepared for when they are older and you may choose to only go during school vacations.

 

[sallyjane]

If you have 100 pts @ BCV you can book at the 11 month window for BCV only. If you have 100 SSR pts you could only book BCV at 7 months out.

That is why I thought that if I had BCV points 11 month window in December and my SSR 7 month window in December I could combine the points to book at BCV for December using all my points?

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I guess I am just trying to get the most use out of my points. I struggle like most between staying where I love (BCV) or getting the most years for my money (SSR/AKL).

I can understand your reasoning (I don't necessarily agree with it but I understand it). But it still doesn't answer the two use years question?

Since you asked what I thought, I'd suggest you stick to one use year for the number of points you are talking about. And remember if you are only buying 100 points, your first contract no matter what the home resort is, would have to be a resale purchase.

HBC

 

[sallyjane]

Yes, you could combine your points to stay at BCV every other year and still have your 11 month window. That window is very important in December, especially at the beginning and the end of the month. You can book at SSR on your "off" year and then waitlist for another resort at the 7 month window.

I just have to say ... are you *sure* that 200 points will be OK for you for two whole weeks? You would spend 208 points minimum at BCV in a studio in Adventure Season and December is a combination of Adventure, Choice and Premier with no two weeks the same. Caskbill's DVC planner will help with your points planning: http://web.nalu.net/~wneth/dvcplanner.htm

Also ... your kids are both small now. You should be prepared for when they are older and you may choose to only go during school vacations.

I home school so we can take vacations during the non peak times. We like going during the first or second weeks in December and we wouldn't need two full weeks we could go 13 days instead. We live in the West so we would probably only be able to go once a year because of airfare.

 

[crisi]

I think you are confusing use year with when you can book.

Use year is when you get your points - you can book a reservation for points that WILL BE in your account when you travel - regardless of if they are there now. We have an April use year. I can book now for any vacation using those April points for after April 1st.

The only time use year is really meaningful is when you cancel a trip. The points have to be used by the end of your use year or banked by the end of the banking window for your use year. If you travel late in your use year and have to cancel, it can make those points difficult to use and you could lose them.

If you had 100 BCV points and 100 SSR points you could use 200 points to stay at BCV every other year booking at the 11 month window. In the alternate year you'd have 200 SSR points and would book SSR, hoping to be able to switch at the 7 month window (which isn't likely in early December).

As to the extra years, make sure you do your math. I'd rather spend the next 30 years not having to worry about not being able to book than have the luxury of staying where I don't want to stay when I'm 80 - but I may be older than you are.

 

[sallyjane]

Thanks everyone you have all been very helpful. The use year stuff can be kind of confusing. I guess I should just pick my first choice resort and buy a contract with all the points. So much for trying to have my cake and eat it too. Also I will choose a use year with the month that I am most likely to take my vacations.

 

[robinb]

Thanks everyone you have all been very helpful. The use year stuff can be kind of confusing. I guess I should just pick my first choice resort and buy a contract with all the points. So much for trying to have my cake and eat it too. Also I will choose a use year with the month that I am most likely to take my vacations.

You can still have your cake and eat it too ... it just takes a bit more planning and flexibility. You want to pick a use year *just before* when you think you usually travel. I have an August and a September use year and I usually travel over New Year's Eve. If I had to cancel a trip I could still bank all of my points into the next use year by my 100% banking deadline.

 

[sallyjane]

So lets say I have a September use year. I should still be fairly safe booking a trip in December as long as it is before the 7 month window opens up? Are you saying that as long as you Stay with-in the 11 to 8 month window you should beable to get your home resort?

 

[lisaviolet]

So lets say I have a September use year. I should still be fairly safe booking a trip in December as long as it is before the 7 month window opens up? Are you saying that as long as you Stay with-in the 11 to 8 month window you should beable to get your home resort?

Sally,

Let's take the use year out of this question. It has nothing to do with your chances of nabbing your favourite resort. Nothing.

Yes, you should be able to get your resort, dates, unit size when you are using your home resort advantage (before 7 months). I mean there are always times when someone doesn't get everything (maybe calling at 7.5 months for a OKW GV at a certain time or BW view at FandWine time). But very rarely. Plus, on a waiting list at that point, before 7 months, you would probably would get it (ie. first on any WL)

Sally, if you really want the extra years of SSR/AKL you could go 150 at BCV and 50 at one of these. Disney would give you same UY. Or buy SSR 100 points resale and add 100 points at BCV through Disney (same UY again).

If you thought you might like to buy 250 then it becomes really simple. 150 at BCV then 100 SSR or AKV. Disney will sell you sold out resorts.

As you and others already stated those BCV points can be managed with banking and borrowing. The 100/100 would give you 200 BCV points every other year. And you could always roll your dice with the SSR points to get BCV for those "extra" vacations as well. You never know.

All the best,

Lisa

 

[lisaviolet]

Use year.

I left it b/c it's a separate part of your decision. As the other posters said it only has to do with when you like to vacation. And then it really only has to do with what happens if you cancel that reservation and what happens to those points.

Sally, some DVCers could care less what their UY is.

I have a March UY. Just what I got. I take a lot of March break trips so I'm glad that I always have points available or if I have borrowed them and have none then I'm in the position to borrow more for this trip.

Go back to Robin and Crisi's posts regarding UY.

 

[robinb]

Let's take the use year out of this question. It has nothing to do with your chances of nabbing your favourite resort. Nothing.

ITA. Use Year matters most if you have to cancel a reservation.

 

[LisaS]

So lets say I have a September use year. I should still be fairly safe booking a trip in December as long as it is before the 7 month window opens up? Are you saying that as long as you Stay with-in the 11 to 8 month window you should beable to get your home resort?

You can make a reservation at your home resort (using only points from that resort) 11 months prior to your checkout date regardless of your Use Year. So if you want to stay at BCV in early December and you own points at BCV, you can call Member Services as early as some time in January (11 months prior to checkout) and book your stay. That is true regardless of whether you have a Feb Use Year or an Aug UY or a Dec UY or any other UY. Your Use Year determines when your points get renewed every year and also your banking deadlines, but it does not affect when you can call to book a reservation.

If you owned points at both BCV and SSR, you could call 11 months ahead and book as many nights as you are able to with your BCV points. At 7 months prior to your checkout date, you can call again to try to add additional nights to your original reservation at BCV using your SSR points. The problem is, early Dec is one of the busiest times at DVC so it's unlikely you will be able to do that. By banking your BCV and SSR points in alternating years you could alternate stays at BCV and SSR if the extra 12 years means more to you than staying at BCV every trip.

Regarding which UY to purchase, it really only matters if you ever have to cancel a trip on short notice. So if you expect you will always go to WDW in Dec, then an Oct UY or a Dec UY would work well for you. The problem is, over the lifetime of your membership, your travel plans might change.

Good luck and keep asking questions if things are still not clear.

 

[Pennyguy23]

I'm new to this and I thought the same thing as she did. So if I had two propertys(for Example: 150 SSR and 150 BWV) I could only book 11 month in advance with my 150 BWV points. Not the 150 SSR.

Is there any forums I should read that are good reading for a rookie like me?

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I'm new to this and I thought the same thing as she did. So if I had two propertys(for Example: 150 SSR and 150 BWV) I could only book 11 month in advance with my 150 BWV points. Not the 150 SSR.

Correct. Of course you could book 11 months in advance at SSR with the SSR points.

Keep reading all of the DVC Boards. You're in the right place. And if you see something you don't fully understand, ask about it.

HBC