Two Use Years?

[sethschroeder]

I am wondering if anyone else can comment on having two use years. My thought originally was to have the same use year for all my contracts. Now I am thinking having a second use year which is earlier in the year would not be a bad thing because I could start walking reservations earlier.

Sept is current UY and I typically would be traveling Sept, Oct, Dec, Jan (possibly summer down the road). Would adding a April use year as an example be a huge issue?

I understand I would need to transfer points together for booking and would need to track the two different banking dates. That being said I see lots of people wishing they had a single use year as well.

 

[ray3127]

We have 3 use years... BCV, BLT, and VGC.

VGC does not matter because we only use the points there.

BLT & BCV don't really matter either, because we basically use the points exclusively there as well.

If I frequently combined at 7 months, then I'd want them in the same UY. But in our case I actually prefer the 3 separate UY.

The online DVC Dashboard is super easy with multiple UY, too.

I've heard others refer to it as having multiple bank accounts, and I think that's a good analogy. If you can handle a checking account and a savings account, then you can handle 2 UY.

 

[kboo]

We have 2 UY and use our contracts separately. Feb UY is used for Feb and April breaks and summer trips, August UY is used for August/summer and winter holidays. The nice thing is if we book an Aug trip we can use points from both contracts while still being within the banking window (so we can book and change our minds *fairly* easily, and use only current UY points) One of our kids has a Labor Day weekend-ish birthday, and the other kid has a Thanksgiving-ish birthday.

Rather than transferring points or pooling at 7mo, what we've tended to do is book split stays at 11mo, and then consider whether we might want to switch only part of our stay at that 7mo window. For example, have VGF/RIV split stay booked for 2020, we might use our VGF points for another MK resort at 7 mo, or AKV, or use RIV points for what might be available at BCV or BWV.

 

[KPeterso]

I have 2 use years (December for 4 contracts and February for 1 contract). I was not totally sold on the idea of 2 use years when I bought my February one. I bought it earlier this year when the resale restrictions were announced in January, and it was the right price for the right number of points at the right resort, so I jumped on it. I think if I add on again, I will probably get more February points to get more points in that account.

I had never thought of the idea above of it being like having multiple bank accounts, but it really is. 1 dashboard and then you can see all accounts at 1 time.

 

[Sandisw]

I have 3 and use them for different trips and never transfer between them since transferred points can not be used online. Sometimes I am borrowing on one, while I have current UY points, but it works because each membership has a good amount of points..475, 200, and 150.

However, In terms of walking, the only time it would be an issue for you is if you want to walk over Sept 1st. Since you said you want to travel during fall, and starting a walk as early as Sept 1st shouldn’t be an issue, I am not sure the different UY would help since those transferred points can’t be used without calling which puts you an hour behind.

Now, if you want to get one so you can more easily travel in the summer without having the risk of being beyond banking if you had to change or cancel,,Sept UY is not the best for summer...then it can make sense.

Two UYs are two memberships so one benefit is that you can book part of your trip on one and part on the other, It also means you get 4 wait lists as you get 2 for each membership.

I find keeping track easy as everything is in one log in and just a drop down

Good luck!

 

[skier_pete]

The problem of the transfer of points from one account to another is that they disappear from your online account and you have to call to book them - so I wouldn't buy two UY and then transfer them even though you CAN do that - you would have to keep calling in order to walk with those points or book with them - so hard to get a booking for walking if you can't book at 8 AM.

That said, I have two UY and have no issues at all with that. I wouldn't get two different UY for the same resort though as I just don't see the advantage. I get your point that you can't start walking until September 1st, but IDK that I would buy a different UY just to help with walking. I would just get enough points so that you don't need to walk your booking with an easier room category.

 

[sethschroeder]

Since you said you want to travel during fall, and starting a walk as early as Sept 1st shouldn’t be an issue, I am not sure the different UY would help since those transferred points can’t be used without calling which puts you an hour behind.

you would have to keep calling in order to walk with those points or book with them - so hard to get a booking for walking if you can't book at 8 AM.

My plan was I would just walk the April contract (150 points) until I get to the days I would like to lock in. Then transfer the points (from the Sept contract) and call to have the trip extended with those transferred points.

That is if I even decide I need to walk.

 

[Sandisw]

My plan was I would just walk the April contract (150 points) until I get to the days I would like to lock in. Then transfer the points (from the Sept contract) and call to have the trip extended with those transferred points.

That is if I even decide I need to walk.

Got it. Just remember that points that have been banked can not be transferred so if you ever had Sept points that you banked, those could not be moved to the April UY to be used for what you want to do.

But yes, if you wanted to walk a reservation that includes going from August 31st to Sept 1st, you can’t do that with what you have.

 

[disneynutz]

It can be done but IMO it is more work and more to keep track of. Might make sense if you have a good reason and are willing to deal with it.

Bill

 

[gharter]

We have had 2 UY contracts for several years.
It really has not been a problem keeping them separate.
We have a fall contract at BWV for F&W.
We have a spring contract at AKL (cause we love that resort) when we do F&G.

 

[Henwen88]

Agree with all the PP about transferring. We have June and December UY and mostly use them for separate purposes which I love. I have done the transferring route a grand total of once and it was such a cluster that I will never attempt again. If I need to combine at 7 mo, I'll just book separate nights with the respective memberships and link as continuing stay. Have never had to move, but occasionally will have to visit front desk for a magic band snafu (although that seems to be improving as well).