Understanding Use Year - Updated February 10, 2021

[disneynutz]

Okay, I have read through and *think* I get it now. Can you make sure I'm looking at the right UY. My brain is mush these days from little ones. We like to go down twice per year. We would go sometime between Sept-early Dec for one trip and May/June for the other for SWW.
I was initially thinking March would be the best but now I'm thinking April would be the best. If we had to cancel a Dec trip, we would still be in our banking window correct? If we went in Dec it would be the 1st two weeks and we would cancel in Nov. so I think we would still be good.

Am I understanding correctly that I need to start searching for an April UY?

Pick a UY where the first 8 months covers the most trips possible. That way when you cancel a vacation, you can bank your points and use them the following year.

People will post that they will never cancel but I guarantee you that a young family will have things happen that will cause a cancellation.

Bill

 

[chalee94]

We would go sometime between Sept-early Dec for one trip and May/June for the other for SWW.
I was initially thinking March would be the best but now I'm thinking April would be the best. If we had to cancel a Dec trip, we would still be in our banking window correct? If we went in Dec it would be the 1st two weeks and we would cancel in Nov. so I think we would still be good.

Am I understanding correctly that I need to start searching for an April UY?

april is your best bet, yes.

it puts you most at risk for trips in jan/feb/march.

for a dec trip, as long as you cancel more than a month out, you will have no trouble banking current UY pts. (and if you cancel less than a month out, the pts become holding pts and could not be banked regardless of UY month.)

 

[supersnoop]

Okay, I have read through and *think* I get it now. Can you make sure I'm looking at the right UY. My brain is mush these days from little ones. We like to go down twice per year. We would go sometime between Sept-early Dec for one trip and May/June for the other for SWW.
I was initially thinking March would be the best but now I'm thinking April would be the best. If we had to cancel a Dec trip, we would still be in our banking window correct? If we went in Dec it would be the 1st two weeks and we would cancel in Nov. so I think we would still be good.

Am I understanding correctly that I need to start searching for an April UY?

I wouldn't normally recommend this, but if those two yearly trips are truly the normal, you could purchase two small contracts with different use years; one for each trip. As long as you only use one for each trip, that should be easy to manage. Otherwise, April is your best bet.

 

[CarolMN]

Okay, I have read through and *think* I get it now. Can you make sure I'm looking at the right UY. My brain is mush these days from little ones. We like to go down twice per year. We would go sometime between Sept-early Dec for one trip and May/June for the other for SWW.
I was initially thinking March would be the best but now I'm thinking April would be the best. If we had to cancel a Dec trip, we would still be in our banking window correct? If we went in Dec it would be the 1st two weeks and we would cancel in Nov. so I think we would still be good.

Am I understanding correctly that I need to start searching for an April UY?

The banking deadline for an April use year is November 30. As long as you cancel at least 31 days prior to arrival, you could bank the points used for the cancelled December trip.

A March use year would also work. Banking deadline is October 31. You'd have to cancel the trip on or before October 31, but that's probably only a day or so prior to the 31 day mark if you are going in early December. Remember that if you cancel less than 31 days in advance, the returned points go into holding status. Those points can't be banked.

April is what I would choose given you travel pattern. Good luck with the search & ROFR!

 

[famgel]

Ok need help made ressies for GV at our home resort SSR a for 1st week in Jan2016. I had 180 this use year (February) and borrowed 230 from 2/2016 -2017 use year. I'm thinking of trying for week at OKW at 7 mos. but know once I borrow it has to be used by this use year which would be 2/1/16. Question is can I use borrowed points and some of my current use years points and just bank balance left with current use year points with new ressie at 7 months?

 

[Mellyfer]

Wow, so much great information that makes my newbie head spin! I like the advice to consider that an ideal use year now may not suit future travel plans.
So, we mostly travel in March. But we would also like the option of travelling in August, and someday maybe during the Christmas/New Years holiday. What would you experts recommend as a suitable use year?

 

[CarolMN]

Wow, so much great information that makes my newbie head spin! I like the advice to consider that an ideal use year now may not suit future travel plans.
So, we mostly travel in March. But we would also like the option of travelling in August, and someday maybe during the Christmas/New Years holiday. What would you experts recommend as a suitable use year?

Given those travel possibilities, I'd get an August use year. Banking deadline for an August use year is the end of March, so an August use year would cover March trips as well as the August and December trips.

With an August use year, trips scheduled for July, June or May could be a problem if you have to cancel after the previous March 31. (If you travel in April, you have to cancel at least 31 days in advance to avoid the holding account. Points in the holding account cannot be banked and have other restrictions on their use).

Good luck

 

[wallygirl]

If adding on resale is it best to get the same UY? We're buying SSR w/ Aug UY, but will add on more as finances permit. Other than managing two banking dates are there any other reasons to buy same UY? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[chalee94]

If adding on resale is it best to get the same UY? We're buying SSR w/ Aug UY, but will add on more as finances permit. Other than managing two banking dates are there any other reasons to buy same UY? Thanks in advance for your help!

if you buy the same UY and the contracts are titled the same, then the contracts are under one member number (one is the master contract and the other is the "add-on") and they are easier to use. you can still sell or will them separately but they work together seamlessly.

if you buy a different UY you have not "added on" at all, but rather bought a separate master contract. if you want the different banking window and plan to use the contracts separately, that can be a good thing. but if you are planning to combine pts from both contracts, things are a bit more complicated.

if you get a great deal and you are pretty organized, buy the best deal you can get. but for most people, keeping the same UY is a better choice.

 

[ParkHoppers]

We have one contract at BLT and one on the way hopefully for VWL both with August UY. We like to travel Oct.Nov and Dec. From my understanding of UY I thought this would be ideal. Was I correct?

 

[chalee94]

We have one contract at BLT and one on the way hopefully for VWL both with August UY. We like to travel Oct.Nov and Dec. From my understanding of UY I thought this would be ideal. Was I correct?

If you really only travel in October to December (and never travel in July to September), an October UY would be "ideal."

But Aug sounds like a good UY for you. If you got the price you wanted, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[wallygirl]

if you buy the same UY and the contracts are titled the same, then the contracts are under one member number (one is the master contract and the other is the "add-on") and they are easier to use. you can still sell or will them separately but they work together seamlessly.

if you buy a different UY you have not "added on" at all, but rather bought a separate master contract. if you want the different banking window and plan to use the contracts separately, that can be a good thing. but if you are planning to combine pts from both contracts, things are a bit more complicated.

if you get a great deal and you are pretty organized, buy the best deal you can get. but for most people, keeping the same UY is a better choice.

Thanks Charles! I appreciate the info!

 

[ParkHoppers]

If you really only travel in October to December (and never travel in July to September), an October UY would be "ideal."

But Aug sounds like a good UY for you. If you got the price you wanted, I wouldn't worry about it.

We might go in September at some point so August was close enough for us to be happy with the UY.

 

[CarolMN]

We have one contract at BLT and one on the way hopefully for VWL both with August UY. We like to travel Oct.Nov and Dec. From my understanding of UY I thought this would be ideal. Was I correct?

We now travel mostly during those times and also have an August use year. It works very well - especially since we occasionally begin a vacation at the very end of September (when Food & Wine begins).

Remember not to get too hung up on perfect or ideal - your travel patterns can (and probably will) change over the life of your membership. We originally traveled mostly during school breaks. Luckily for us, we never had to cancel a trip. Use year only matters if you have to cancel a trip scheduled to occur late in your use year. Use year can be like like insurance - you hope you don't need it (and with some luck you won't), but it sure is nice to have when you do!

 

[Michal Holm]

If I understand correctly, my UY should be may or June if I plan to travel July-August?

Regards Michal.

 

[LisaS]

If I understand correctly, my UY should be may or June if I plan to travel July-August?

Regards Michal.

There is no May Use Year. There are 8 UYs available: Feb, Mar, Apr, Jun, Aug, Sep, Oct and Dec. If you plan to travel July-August then a July UY would be ideal but since it doesn't exist, June would be best assuming you do not plan to visit WDW from March through the end of May.

 

[Luvscrappin]

Trying very hard to find the best UY as we look at resale contracts. Currently, we vacation in July, but soon I think that will change to Sept-Dec and possibly May. What UY should we go for or avoid? IDK why this seems so confusing. Thanks for your patience!

 

[chalee94]

Trying very hard to find the best UY as we look at resale contracts. Currently, we vacation in July, but soon I think that will change to Sept-Dec and possibly May. What UY should we go for or avoid? IDK why this seems so confusing. Thanks for your patience!

1) UY has nothing to do with when you call to book - that is based on home resort only. "use" year is about when you "use" your pts for a stay.

2) you ideally want to travel early in your UY - you never want to travel in the last 3 months or so of your UY. if your travel patterns are spread out, but you'd never travel in January to March, then April is probably your best bet for UY. a June UY is decent but would make your May trips more risky if you need to cancel.

traveling late in your UY is more risky if you wind up needing to cancel - primarily because you risk being past your banking window and having to use-or-lose pts in a short window of time. that's really the main issue.

 

[Luvscrappin]

Thanks chalee94! That is what I was thinking but wanted to make sure. Now just to find a good resale contract...seems like since we made the decision to go for it that it's taking forever to happen!

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

DH mentioned we should look into Poly DVC. Yeah! I am just starting my research (actually in car now driving home from visiting family out of town). I am very green in my DVC knowledge and will be going back to read this entire thread.

Ok, UY.....we have historically gone in October. Went in August this year. Interested in visiting on May too. Best UY for us would be April?

TIA,
Debbie