Transfer Snafu: New Rule? Or Bad Information?

[kristenrice]

A DVC "friend" and I have been doing a point transfer for the past 5-6 years on an annual basis without an issue. I only have 100 points and she has an entire contract that she rarely uses. I don't need the full contract so she is able to rent out a lot of the points and I am her "transfer contact". Each year, she asks me how many I will need for my planned trip and then she lists the rest for rent. It works out great. Yesterday, we ran into an issue for the first time....

She has an October UY and I have a Feb UY. When we called to make a transfer of 100 points from her Oct 2025 UY into my Feb 2025 UY, we were put on hold for a LONG time (about 10 minutes). When the CM came back on the line, she said they had done an "audit" of both of our accounts and my account was not eligible to receive another transfer since I had already received one for my UY. I explained that we have done this same transfer annually for the past 5+ years and it has never exceeded the one transfer rule and asked for an explanation. She insisted that the transferred points retain their UY so since I received points (in 2024) that did not expire until Sept 30, 2025 and I am still in my 2025 UY, I could not receive another transfer until October 1, 2025, which would be 2026 UY points. WHAT!!??? My trip is planned for October 17!! How am I supposed to make my reservation now!? She said that is exactly why they made the rule! Because people were trying to "get around" the 11-month booking window! That makes no sense. I continued to press her for an explanation but she did not budge. She continued to say, "ma'am, the system simply will not allow it". I pointed out that the last transfer we made was in January 2024 and she said that they "changed the rule" as of January 3, 2025. Coincidentally, our transfer was made on January 3, 2024.

I am blessed that my friend has graciously offered to simply make the reservation for me, even though it will only be a partial reservation since I have some of the points and I was transferring in the rest, so all is not lost. But is the CM correct? Or did we get a dud? I am assuming that our conversation was noted in our account(s) and I will say that, while I was not rude, I was very direct with my questions and I made it clear that I did not appreciate this new "policy". I also made it clear that I was not upset with the CM and it was not her fault and I did thank her for her time and explanation of the situation (even though it did not make sense). My friend said she will try another three-way call this evening, but I am just wondering what the chances are that we are going to get the same answer. Does this sound correct? Here's the summary, in a nutshell...

TL;DR version...
Jan 3, 2024: Member 1 transferred 180 points from BWV contract with Oct 2024 UY to Member 2, who has a Feb UY
Jan 10, 2024: Member 2 makes reservation with those points for trip Dec 10-17, 2024
March 3, 2025: Member 2 calls DVC to transfer 100 points to Member 1 from BWV Oct 2025 UY to Member 2....DENIED because MS says that Member 2 has already received their "one transfer per UY" since Member 1 has a Feb UY and they received points that are "still good for 2025"
Member Services claims that there is a new rule that went into effect as of January 3, 2025. Is Member Services wrong? Should we call back?

 

[Cyberc1978]

Unfortunately not all CM’s have gotten the correct training.
The transfer rules are 1 transfer in or out per UY.
I would call and try again. Hopefully you will get another CM which is more knowledgeable - if they still decline then ask for a supervisor and for an explanation.


That said they did change the transfer rules beginning of 2025. Here they are https://cdn1.parksmedia.wdprapps.di...teral-docs/MS-POS-Insert_12_2024-01-03-25.pdf

The rules are still 1 in or out per UY, unless you use the points immediately for an external exchange.

Have the new transfer rules handy when you call, should the CM give you grief - always nice to be able to reference the rules.

Good luck.

 

[drusba]

If I'm understanding correctly, in 2024, she transferred Oct 2024 points to you, that is considered a transfer to your Feb 2024 use year, and, if now, she is attempting to transfer October 2025 points, meaning for her from her next use year when she is still in the 2024 use year, such can be done and the points would be a transfer to your Feb 2025 use year.

The MS rep claimed there was a change in the rule Jan 3, 2025. If so, DVC made a change and kept it a secret from everyone, which legally it cannot do.

The rule change that was actually made was done in Dec 2024, not Jan 2025, (see https://cdn1.parksmedia.wdprapps.di...teral-docs/MS-POS-Insert_12_2024-01-03-25.pdf for copy of the new rules). That rule change -- which essentially says one can now transfer regular, banked, and borrowed points, and the recipient can, if the points are regular points, bank or borrow them -- says nothing about changing the rules that allow your friend to now transfer to you Oct 2025 points which would be deemed a transfer to your Feb 2025 use year.

Thus, attempt to call back and hopefully get somebody who actually understands what is allowed.

 

[kristenrice]

I believe the CM was trying to apply the same idea of booking window and UY to the transfer rules. She kept telling me that I had already used my transfer for 2025 because the points that I transferred were still good until Sept 30 of 2025. She was not going by the date that the transfer was made (which was in Jan 2024) OR which UY the points would be used in (my 2024 UY). We will definitely call back today.

 

[Sandisw]

I would call back and talk to someone to get it cleared up. The UY of the points is what counts.

Oct 2025 UY points count as your 2025 UY transfer. And as long as you have not received any other 2025 points transferred in, then it’s good.

Even though she will make it for you, I’d still call and talk to a supervisor.

 

[kristenrice]

IThe UY of the points is what counts.

Oct 2025 UY points count as your 2025 UY transfer.

Even though she will make it for you, I’d still call and talk to a supervisor.

This is what I was trying to explain to her and she kept insisting that because the October 2024 points that I received were usable until September 2025 (which was in my Feb 2025 UY) they still applied to my “one transfer per UY” and I could not make another transfer until they were no longer usable. She insisted it was because we were “crossing use years”. I am glad to hear that my understanding was, in fact, correct.

 

[juliebee]

The MS rep claimed there was a change in the rule Jan 3, 2025. If so, DVC made a change and kept it a secret from everyone, which legally it cannot do.

The rule change that was actually made was done in Dec 2024, not Jan 2025, (see https://cdn1.parksmedia.wdprapps.disney.com/media/dvc/en/collateral-docs/MS-POS-Insert_12_2024-01-03-25.pdf for copy of the new rules).

I can see where the Jan 3, 2025 came from... it's the last part of the link address itself.

 

[kristenrice]

So....we have figured it out....
When the transfer rules were changed, the system now will no longer allow a point transfer to occur between members who have different UY. When we called back, a different CM tried several times and repeatedly got an "error" message and had to "escalate" the issue. After a lengthy hold, she came back on and told us that we could not do the transfer because I had "already received points for my 2025 UY". We politely explained (again) that the points we were requesting were the October 2025 UY points so no 2025 UY points have been transferred yet. She immediately recognized that and said, "oh, you're right! Let me get them back on the line and figure this out." We were put on another 10-minute standby and when she came back on the line, she said that there had been a glitch in the system and now "the points have been transferred". She apologized profusely for the delay and thanked us for our patience. I was almost in tears because I was so happy and relieved and I could not thank her enough. Her name was Raven and she is the BEST!

My best guess is that when the rules changed to allow the transfer of banked, previously borrowed (i.e. different UY) and reservation points, it is now triggering an error that will require a manual override to avoid more than one transfer per year. On both calls, the CM's pointed out that the "rules changed...well, they didn't really change, they're just being enforced, and you're only allowed one transfer per Use Year". We had to explain multiple times that we are only doing ONE transfer for each of us, but because we have different Use Years, the system sees it differently because it overlaps. Her Oct 2024 points are good into my 2025 UY and I received them in my Feb 2023 UY. Now, I received her Oct 2025 points in my Feb 2025 UY. I should be able to receive her Oct 2026 points again next year in Feb 2026 (Actually, I think I should be able to receive them in November 2025 for a reservation in October 2026, but after this, I am not going to try and push that issue, especially since I don't generally use them for her home resort).

We are both going to send letters to member satisfaction, detailing our experience and asking for an explanation.

 

[IMMkXLVI]

Her name was Raven and she is the BEST!

Small world, I called yesterday and the agent I spoke with was the same, unless they have another female representative named Raven!

Glad she got it sorted. I've never transferred in or out but I was reading this thread with interest.
Is the once per UY a totality limit? One in or out per UY or, one in and one out in the same UY? Not sure why someone would transfer in only to transfer out (and vice versa) but I'm curious.

EDIT
Never mind the question, read the answer in another thread. It's one (in or out) per UY.

 

[Brian Noble]

We are both going to send letters to member satisfaction, detailing our experience and asking for an explanation.

I would also ask that they consider re-training if, for some reason, the Cast Members got it wrong the first time. It sounds like there has been some mis-understanding about the new rules, and how they interact with the systems that Cast uses to manage points. Not ideal, but understandable when significant changes to the system is rolled out.

 

[Sandisw]

Glad it was figured out and that they realized that it just needed to be done manually with an override!

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

I mean…

 

[PlutoNotPlanet]

Glad it worked out!

When the transfer rules were changed, the system now will no longer allow a point transfer to occur between members who have different UY.

Curious did it work out because the fixed the glitch, or overrode it? The above worried me

 

[DonMacGregor]

I’m not trying to stir the pot, but if this has happened to several members now, with each being placed on long holds, and front-line MS CM’s escalating the issue up the food chain, it doesn’t sound like a training issue in any measure whatsoever. Being put on hold and CM’s escalating means it’s not a training issue, but a problem with the system (who’d have thought Disney IT would have a glitch). The front-line CM’s are clearly unable to make the transfers and are having to go up the food chain to get the “issue” resolved.

 

[Mle8308]

Small world, I called yesterday and the agent I spoke with was the same, unless they have another female representative named Raven!

Glad she got it sorted. I've never transferred in or out but I was reading this thread with interest.
Is the once per UY a totality limit? One in or out per UY or, one in and one out in the same UY? Not sure why someone would transfer in only to transfer out (and vice versa) but I'm curious.

EDIT
Never mind the question, read the answer in another thread. It's one (in or out) per UY.

Nope, only one Raven. All Disney call centers, for regular reservations or for DVC, do not have any duplicate names. It is so if someone has a compliment for a CM, they know who it is. Or, if incorrect information is given, they know who to talk to. It's why sometimes you call and get a CM with a strange name. At CRO, there is a list of all CM's and their phone names. Some keep their actual names, but if there is someone who already uses that name, they have to choose a different one. I *think* this may be common to a lot of call centers.

 

[IMMkXLVI]

Nope, only one Raven. All Disney call centers, for regular reservations or for DVC, do not have any duplicate names. It is so if someone has a compliment for a CM, they know who it is. Or, if incorrect information is given, they know who to talk to. It's why sometimes you call and get a CM with a strange name. At CRO, there is a list of all CM's and their phone names. Some keep their actual names, but if there is someone who already uses that name, they have to choose a different one. I *think* this may be common to a lot of call centers.

Good information. Point of interest, I've worked for Microsoft and Intuit in their call centers and neither company, 20 years ago, had any such policy.

 

[kristenrice]

Here is my hypothesis as to what may have happened when the transfer rules changed, specifically allowing you to transfer borrowed points....

Example: Judy borrows points from her Oct 2026 UY into her 2025 UY and realizes she can't use them so she transfers them to Beth on March 1, 2025 which falls into Beth's Feb 2025 UY. Does this use Judy's 2025 transfer out OR her 2026 transfer out? (Did the points effectively change UY when Judy borrowed them?) It should use Beth's 2025 transfer in. Let's say that the system is reading it as Judy's 2025 transfer out. Now, in 2026, if they attempt to do the transfer again, the frontline CM (and the system) sees that a transfer of 2026 points has already been made (by BOTH parties) and it will try to block it because it thinks that it is a second transfer. If it was considered a 2025 transfer by both parties, then a manual override will need to occur, but if one party (Judy) was tagged as a 2026 transfer, then the transfer will be blocked. I'm not sure that they have figured out a way to automatically tell if someone is making multiple transfers in a use year when the transfers "cross" use years.

The statement that both castmembers made on both calls that concerned me was regarding the "use dates" of the points. They both said that the "points were good until September 2025 which was still in my 2025 Use Year". That implies that I could not perform any additional transfers until the points that I had received in transfer were no longer usable and that simply does not make sense to me. That equates to saying you cannot book a reservation until your UY starts. My UY starts in February and I have not made a transfer yet in this Use Year. If I get one transfer, in or out, per use year, I am not clear on why this is an issue.

 

[PlutoNotPlanet]

The statement says one transfer (in or out) per membership per UY. So, theoretically, it means Judy can transfer once for that Oct membership between Oct 1st 2023 and Sep 30th 2024, and once between Oct 1st 2024 and Sep 30th 2025. Similar, Beth once between Feb 1st 2023 and Jan 31th 2024, and once between Feb 1st 2024 and Jan 31th 2025. It should NOT be related to the UY of the points, or the UY of the other member's membership. But people can easily be confused.

 

[Sandisw]

The statement says one transfer (in or out) per membership per UY. So, theoretically, it means Judy can transfer once for that Oct membership between Oct 1st 2023 and Sep 30th 2024, and once between Oct 1st 2024 and Sep 30th 2025. Similar, Beth once between Feb 1st 2023 and Jan 31th 2024, and once between Feb 1st 2024 and Jan 31th 2025. It should NOT be related to the UY of the points, or the UY of the other member's membership. But people can easily be confused.

Except it is about the UY of the points and not when you get them. That is why people and apparently CMs are confused.

It’s really not complicated.

If the points you get are 2025 UY points, they count as your one and only 2025 UY transfer. If you send someone else your 2025 UY points, it counts as your one and only 2025 UY points.

It sounds like the reason this might need extra eyes now is that banked and borrowed points can now be transferred…

For example, if someone wants to transfer banked 2024 points, is DVC counting those as a 2024 UY transfer or 2025 with the new rules?

My guess that is why the OPs account may have errored because they do yearly transfers.

 

[kristenrice]

If the points you get are 2025 UY points, they count as your one and only 2025 UY transfer. If you send someone else your 2025 UY points, it counts as your one and only 2025 UY points.



My guess that is why the OPs account may have errored because they do yearly transfers.

This was the issue we were running into....sort of. The points we transferred last year in Jan 2024, were 2024 UY points, but they were OCT 2024 UY points (valid Oct 1, 2024- Sep 30, 2025). The trip was taken in December 2024. Now, I want to travel in October 2025 so we called to transfer October 2025 UY points, but the CM tells me that since we did a transfer of points that are still valid within MY (Feb 2025) use year, I am not eligible to receive any more points until AFTER those points are no longer valid (i.e. September 30, 2025).

I know (and all of us here know) that we were within the rules, but since the system wasn't allowing it, it was very frustrating trying to explain to the CM that we were not "skirting the system". She kept saying that the rule has always been there, they are "just enforcing it now". I know I have to tread lightly on this topic with Member Services because it is prohibited to exchange money for these transfers and it is definitely a "don't ask, don't tell" situation.

That brings me to another question...How does DVC "get away" with transfering points for money? Isn't that effectively what they are doing when they "sell" one-time-use points? Aren't they transferring the points to a membership at a cost?