Understanding using points every 3 years

[Imagineer5]

Hi all - ok I'm sure you're groaning in the background as I keep asking inane questions one after another (sorry!!!) But I'm trying to figure something out that I can't seem to find the answer to...

If we buy into DVC, we'd probably start low (100 points) and go every 3 years by banking and borrowing. BUT then the use year seems to be a HUGE deal unless I am thinking incorrectly.

For example, my favorite time of year to travel to WDW is October. I'm thinking of an August use year:

AugustYear1: 100 Pts become available
MarchYear1: Last month to bank 100 Pts, bank into Year 2
AugustYear2: 100 Pts become available + 100 banked points + I will borrow 100 pts from Year 3

These 300 points have to be used in Year 2, but if I want to travel in October, I can't make the reservation until AugustYear2, only 2 months beforehand??

Does this mean that basically in order to make reservations 11 months ahead of time I would HAVE to have a November use year? BUT November isn't even available as a use year, so I've read...?? Help!!!

 

[helenk]

Your reservation date is not based on your Use Year, but rather the 11 month or 7 month date from the day you want to arrive.
So if you want to book at your home resort for Nov 14th 2010, you could do so today. If you want to book at another DVC resort, then today you could book for July 14th.
You are correct that you would need to bank points and borrow points for your stay.

 

[Imagineer5]

But, even if your reservation calls for 320 points, you don't need to have 320 points in your account at the time the reservation is made??

 

[LisaS]

But, even if your reservation calls for 320 points, you don't need to have 320 points in your account at the time the reservation is made??

Yes you would need to have 320 points in your account at the time you make the reservation. You achieve that by banking points prior to making the reservation and borrowing points while in the process of making the reservation.

Your points don't drop into your account on the first day of your Use Year, they are already there. Each set of points has a start and end date associated with them. For example, I have an October Use Year and here is how that works in my case:

Oct 2009 UY points are valid for stays from 10/1/2009 - 9/30/2010
Oct 2010 UY points are valid for stays from 10/1/2010 - 9/30/2011
Oct 2011 UY points are valid for stays from 10/1/2011 - 9/30/2012
Oct 2012 UY points are valid for stays from 10/1/2012 - 9/30/2013
and so until the end of the contract

If I want to book a stay in December 2010, my Oct 2010 points are valid for that stay. I could also use banked Oct 2009 UY points because banking those points make them valid for stays from 10/1/2010 - 9/30/2011. If I needed even more points, I could borrow from my Oct 2011 UY points because borrowing those points would make them valid for stays from 10/1/2010 - 9/30/2011.

I can do this because when I call in January 2010 (11 months prior to check in) to make that reservation, my Oct 2009, Oct 2010 and Oct 2011 are all available in my account and are either valid for a Dec 2010 stay or can be made valid for that stay by banking (2009 points) or borrowing (2011 points).

If I do bank or borrow points and later cancel that Dec 2010 reservation, the banked/borrowed points remain in my 2010 UY and must be used by the end of that UY on 9/30/2011 or they will expire. They cannot be put back into their original UY or rebanked. So when considering the "one trip every 3 years" strategy where you will be banking and borrowing for every trip you make, be aware that banking and borrowing are final transactions that cannot be undone.

Hope that helps!

 

[Imagineer5]

Thanks for that explanation so let me see if I get this right (bare with me please!!!)

Say my use year is August and we'll start in 2010.

So, August 2010 I get my first set of points. After this point I can bank these into the August 2011 use year. But, I want to make a reservation for October 2011 (inside of 2011 use year) using banked 2010 points, 2011 points, and borrowed 2012 points.

You're saying that despite the fact that in November 2010, at the 11-month mark, I've only received my August 2010 points (100), I can make a reservation for October 2011 using 300 points from 2011 and 2012 as well??

You say that the August 2011 points don't just show up in the account on August 1st so does that mean that when you make that reservation, DVC takes into account the # of points you'll have at the time of the trip?

Sorry I'm just trying to wrap my head around this!!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks for that explanation so let me see if I get this right (bare with me please!!!)

Say my use year is August and we'll start in 2010.

So, August 2010 I get my first set of points. After this point I can bank these into the August 2011 use year. But, I want to make a reservation for October 2011 (inside of 2011 use year) using banked 2010 points, 2011 points, and borrowed 2012 points.

You're saying that despite the fact that in November 2010, at the 11-month mark, I've only received my August 2010 points (100), I can make a reservation for October 2011 using 300 points from 2011 and 2012 as well??

You say that the August 2011 points don't just show up in the account on August 1st so does that mean that when you make that reservation, DVC takes into account the # of points you'll have at the time of the trip?

Sorry I'm just trying to wrap my head around this!!

That's essentially correct. Just forget about the whole "only having received Aug 2010 points". You actually receive all your points when you purchase but only a certain number - ie your contract point total - are available for use in a single 12 month period. But, then you can extend the time you have to use a years points by banking then into the next UY. And of course borrowing allowed you to use the next UY points sooner than normal.

When you're a DVC member you'll be able to see on your online account your points for the upcoming years. They are already there and don't just appear on your anniversary date.

In order to do your reservation you will have had to bank your 2010 points prior to reserving. At that point make certain they used the banked points first, then current year points and then borrow any additional that you need from 2012.

 

[bumbershoot]

...so does that mean that when you make that reservation, DVC takes into account the # of points you'll have at the time of the trip?

Yes.

 

[LisaS]

You're saying that despite the fact that in November 2010, at the 11-month mark, I've only received my August 2010 points (100), I can make a reservation for October 2011 using 300 points from 2011 and 2012 as well??

Your points do not drop into your account on the first day of each UY, they are already there but with "use by" dates attached to them. You can change the "use by" dates by banking or borrowing points.

When you call in Nov 2010 to make a reservation for Oct 2011 the only points that are valid for that stay are your Aug 2011 points which are in your account and which are valid for stays from 8/1/2011 through 7/31/2012. If you have Aug 2010 points left in your account, you can bank them into your 2011 UY which changes their "use by" dates from 8/1/2010-7/31/2011 to 8/1/2011-7/31/2012 and now they can be used for your Oct 2011 trip too.

If you needed more points, your Aug 2012 points are already in your account but aren't valid for your travel dates until you borrow them. Borrowing those points changes their "use by" dates from 8/1/2012-7/31/2013 to 8/1/2011-7/31/2012, making them valid for your dates of stay.

You say that the August 2011 points don't just show up in the account on August 1st so does that mean that when you make that reservation, DVC takes into account the # of points you'll have at the time of the trip?

They are in your account. They don't magically appear on Aug 1st, they are already there but with "use by" dates on them. Member Services (and you, when you look at your points online) will see how many points you have available in each Use Year. The only points you can use to make the reservation are the ones that are in the same UY as the dates of stay. Those will be the points that were in that UY allotment to start with, those you bank from a prior UY, and those that you borrow from the next UY.

 

[chalee94]

just remember that use year has nothing to do with when you can call to make the reservation.

use year tells you when the pts are valid (as lisa says: "use by" dates) and when your banking deadline is. that's all.

 

[Imagineer5]

Yay! I understand!! I didn't realize that when you go to your account online you see all your points for each year and can borrow points into a UY without it being that time...I'm glad because I was getting nervous that I could only go in October with a November use year which isn't even a possibly UY! hahaha Looks like the "going every 3 years" is definitely doable as long as every 3 years is enough (which for me, it's not, but for DH it's too much... )

 

[thepops]

Also, you don't need to bank or borrow the entire year's points. If you need to only borrow 75 points from that 3rd year, that's all you borrow. (those additional 25 could be used during their normal timeframe or banked forward a year).

 

[crisi]

Also, you don't need to bank or borrow the entire year's points. If you need to only borrow 75 points from that 3rd year, that's all you borrow. (those additional 25 could be used during their normal timeframe or banked forward a year).

Though with three year trips, that leads to "wasted points."

Every third year is a little tough to do without some points going to waste or not having quite enough points. Because if you have "extra' points from that use year you borrowed from, you can only bank them forward one year - into the every other year. You have a lot of risk if they reallocate points, if you take a "different" vacation like moving a season, or deciding to stay at a resort that has a higher point rate. Very little flexibility unless you are willing to "waste" points (which you can rent or transfer to someone else, but it tends to be a very small amount you are talking about which might be difficult to get rid of).

Every other year works great and has a lot of flexibility to it.

 

[Sandisw]

One thing that helped me when I bought was to first figure out the UY that my trip would happen. Once I knew that, I knew that I could "pay" for it with points banked from the previous UY, current UY points, and borrowed points from the following UY.

As long as those points would be available at the time of travel, then I knew I was all set.

So, with that, your Oct 2011 trip happens in your 2011 UY (assuming August). That means you can "pay" for it with banked 2010 points, 2011 points, and borrowed 2012 points.

When you call at the 11 month window to book (November 2010), MS will do the same thing, look at your account, and book the trip for you.

The biggest piece is that you have to bank the points before the reservation can be made. It can be done in the same call, but you have to do it before they can hold and reserve the room. If you are trying for a difficult room, you can always call the day before, bank the points, and then call right at the 11 month window.

Good luck!

 

[Imagineer5]

Thanks again!!!

The booking every 3 years idea is more for DH so that he doesn't feel "overwhelmed" by disney. I can see that happening once and then adding more points to go every other year once I've convinced him it's absolutely necessary! I think it'll be easier to convince him when we have kids, too.

We'll finally be staying at a DVC resort next year, so after that we'll have a much better idea for what we think of becoming members...still trying to become debt-free before we start paying for things like this, but it only makes sense in the long run to buy in!

 

[DenLo]

Thanks again!!!

The booking every 3 years idea is more for DH so that he doesn't feel "overwhelmed" by disney. I can see that happening once and then adding more points to go every other year once I've convinced him it's absolutely necessary! I think it'll be easier to convince him when we have kids, too.

We'll finally be staying at a DVC resort next year, so after that we'll have a much better idea for what we think of becoming members...still trying to become debt-free before we start paying for things like this, but it only makes sense in the long run to buy in!

Perhaps when you stay a DVC resort next year, you can spend more time at the resort, go to the pool, rent some boats, dine at other resorts, or if he plays golf, do a round, and use the spa or workout facilities. And then perhaps he'll realize that buying at DVC is more than just going to the parks. It can be a relaxing vacation. Many DVCers don't spend everyday at the parks. Often they will buy a 10 day ticket and use it over three or four years.

Good Luck. I hope it works out for you. It is a big decision that both you and your spouse will need to agree on.

 

[PKS44]

Not to confuse you just when you are getting the hang of things, but there is one other trick that even DVC does not talk about. Using up to 4 years worth of points...to do this you have to have your vacation straddle your Use Year.
If you had a August Use Year that would mean vacation starts at the end of July and extends into August...then use any amount up to 3 years worth of points before August 1 and then tap into the 4th year starting on Aug 1. Or use one year's worth in July and then on AUg 1 up to 3 more years.

 

[bumbershoot]

The biggest piece is that you have to bank the points before the reservation can be made. It can be done in the same call, but you have to do it before they can hold and reserve the room. If you are trying for a difficult room, you can always call the day before, bank the points, and then call right at the 11 month window.

Good luck!

You can also bank online. Immediate!

 

[DVCGeek]

but there is one other trick that even DVC does not talk about. Using up to 4 years worth of points...to do this you have to have your vacation straddle your Use Year.

Interesting point and yet another fine option to play with. I've done one split month stay and have another booked already... Neither crosses July/Aug, (Aug UY here coincidentally) but maybe someday...

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Not to confuse you just when you are getting the hang of things, but there is one other trick that even DVC does not talk about. Using up to 4 years worth of points...to do this you have to have your vacation straddle your Use Year.
If you had a August Use Year that would mean vacation starts at the end of July and extends into August...then use any amount up to 3 years worth of points before August 1 and then tap into the 4th year starting on Aug 1. Or use one year's worth in July and then on AUg 1 up to 3 more years.

Yep - that is a nice tidbit that isn't real well known. However I would like to point out that it is also a very high risk reservation should a person need to cancel the reservation. You could potentially lose those 3 years worth of points b/c of using them right at the end of your UY.

Just something else to keep in mind.

 

[Dean]

Thanks again!!!

The booking every 3 years idea is more for DH so that he doesn't feel "overwhelmed" by disney. I can see that happening once and then adding more points to go every other year once I've convinced him it's absolutely necessary! I think it'll be easier to convince him when we have kids, too.

We'll finally be staying at a DVC resort next year, so after that we'll have a much better idea for what we think of becoming members...still trying to become debt-free before we start paying for things like this, but it only makes sense in the long run to buy in!

Every 3 years is workable but dangerous IMO. Combined with a UY that isn't the best, it's a recipe for losing points periodically IMO. I'd be more comfortable with an EOY plan.