Use Year Dilema

[pinnocchiosdad]

I am looking to buy AKV this week with a use year date of 10/1. I have been told that an October anniversary is a bad idea if I usualy travel in July-September (because if I cancel a trip it will be to late to bank my points and I will lose them). Does this sound right to everyone?

 

[castleri]

That is the advice I have seen here often so you may want to reconsider and look for an earlier Prior to the dates you like to travel UY contract. I had to cancel reservations and ended up with them in holding but because they were April UY and the reservation was for Sept I had until March 31 to use them since they couldn't be banked. Had they not been holding points I would have been able to bank them but had they been in an October UY I would have had to use them or lose them. The best UY seems to be one that is right before the times you want to travel.

 

[CarolMN]

Yes, if you think you might have to cancel a July, August or September trip after May 31, an October use year means you cannot bank the points and have to use them before the end of September (or they are forfeited).

A June trip isn't a problem as long as you cancel at least 31 days in advance. If you cancel on time, you'll still have time to bank. If you cancel any trip 30 days or less before arrival, the points go into holding status and in addition to booking restrictions, holding points expire at the end of the use year.

For anyone who may not know, use year has nothing to do with when you may call to make a reservation. No matter what use year you have, you can always call 11 months prior to check out for a home resort and 7 months prior to check out for a non home resort.

In general (if you have a choice), it's best to get a use year that is no more than 6 or 7 months prior to the time you usually travel. Keep in mind that over the course of your membership, your travel patterns may change. A use year that starts out "perfect" may not be so perfect later.

 

[Dean]

I'd insist on a UY that was shortly prior to your travel, Maybe April or June in your situation, even Feb and March would be OK. I currently feel strongly enough that I'd get a different home resort or wait for 2009 points to do so.