Use Year and 8 Month Limit on Banking Question

[Jannino]

We are still looking to take the plunge into DVC but have a question regarding the new 8 month limit on banking points rule.

Since out kids are still in school, our vacation to WDW would be either the last week of August or the last week of November/first week of December. Assuming we need to cancel at the last minute for whatever reason, what would be the best use year to have?

The way I see it, if we cancel at the end of August we would need to have a use year of January through July in order to bank all the points and not lose any. If we cancel at the end of November/ early December, we would need to have a use year of April through October in order to bank all the points and not lose any.

Therefore it sounds like we need a use year of April through July.

Is this correct?? I'm I missing anything here??

 

[Caskbill]

In your situation, June or August would be best. (There are no July Use Year months). But anything from Apr to August is OK.

Remember, if you cancel, it must be 31 days or more prior to checkin. If you cancel less than that, points go into holding and cannot be banked at all.

With a June use year, for example, the last banking date would be Jan 31st. This covers all your planned vacation dates.

You do not want Sep because it doesn't cover your August dates. Likewise you do not want Oct or Dec.

February is bad because the 8-month window goes to the end of Sep, which does not cover your Nov or Dec dates (nor does it cover any October dates should you ever want to vacation at that time.

Likewise March does not cover your Nov or Dec dates .

Note there are only 8 Use Year months, not 12. (Jan, May, Jul, Nov are not used as use year months.)

 

[drusba]

You are counting right for 8 month period. June or August would be ideal and April would still do the trick (there is no May or July use year). August is fine if you go in August because it is first month of use year (points are issued Aug 1) and thus if you use the particular use year's points and then cancel you would still have seven months after date originally scheduled for the cancelled trip to bank.

You should understand that you cannot "cancel at the last minute" and still bank. If you cancel 31 days or more before date of arrival your points go back to your account as they were and you can bank. However, if you cancel 30 days or less before arrival date (a "last minute" cancellation) points go into a "holding account" and cannot be banked regardless of whether you are within banking window and those points must be used before end of use year and you can reserve with holding account points only by calling to make a ressie 60 days or less before date of arrival.