Use Year Importance?

[maryisme]

Hi everyone,
Would someone please explain the importance of a use year. I don't see the benefits of one month over another. Please excuse my ignorance .
Once again, much thanks.
Mary

 

[Richyams]

You are absolutely right. There is no reason to have one use year month over another. It has nothing to do with making reservations at all, nothing.

The only concern for use year is canceling. If you have a June use year and you usually vacation in May, and aunt Sally comes down with the gout and you have to cancel you vacation to be with her....those points need to be used by the end of May, Aunt Sally's gout may not have popped up early enough for you to bank any points at all.

Now, if you have an April use year and Aunt sally needs you, as long as she lets you know more then 30 days before your trip, cancelling that trip still leaves you with all year to bank or use your points.

The ONLY consideration for use year has to do with cancelations. In general, a use year slightly before your usual vacation period is best....but it has never really been a factor in my 9 years of membership.

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs", Karl Marx, pretty sick, huh?

 

[PamOKW]

The only time it matters is if you have a reservation that is close to the end of your Use Year (or beyond the banking deadlines) and you have to cancel. For example, you have an April Use Year and you have a reservation in March at OKW. You find out in February you can't make the trip. You are now past the banking deadlines and also into the 60 day period where you can't use the points anywhere except at DVC resorts. These points will have to be used by the end of March.

If you have a certain time of year that you always vacation it would be helpful to have a Use Year that "matches". For the April Use Year, a regular vacation in May gives you plenty of flexibility if you have to cancel, you'd still have all the options open to you.

 

[BobH]

I have heard people say that if you travel at the same time every year you might want your use year to be slightly ahead of this. For example some one traveling in the fall might find an August September use year good because they would be getting points a month or two before needing them.
I am not certain it is all that critical as long as you make sure you remember to bank your points or use them before your time periods are up.
For example I have a June use year. I have to remember that I can bank 100% up to the end of November. 50% up to the end of February and 25% up to the end of March. I know you can't bank anything in the last 60 days of the use year, and there may be restrictions on what you can get for reservations in your last 60 days. Maybe someone else can shed light on the last 60 days.
I think planning how to use your points is more important than your use year. Good Luck!

 

[drusba]

As noted the only impact is on the possibility of having to cancel a trip and then being unable to bank your points if you do so because you may be beyond banking dates at time of cancellation. Even that outside possibility is avoided by getting a use year that begins anywhere from 1 to 6 months before the time of year you usually go. Use year has no impact on when you can go (any time of year) or when you can call to reserve (11 months in advance at home resort, 7 at others).