Use year question, favorite trips are Boo Bash and holidays

[mattw0640]

Hi there! We're saving up for our first DVC purchase and doing all the research we can. I was trying to wrap my brain around which use years we should target. Our favorite events are the Boo Bash (especially in October) and the holidays. We like the Arts Festival and Food & Wine, too.

I've seen where people recommend use years where your vacations will fall inside the bank period, so if you have to cancel, you get your points back. If I understand correctly, then we should try to get June (October through December are in the bank period) or April (October and November are in the bank period). August is an option but we'd be getting new points just two months before October, so most of the rooms would be taken by then.

Am I on the right track?

Thank you!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

For fall trips, you are going to be best off with an August or September UY.

It is not just the Anking deadline, but making sure that if points land in holding you have as much time as possible to make that work.

August will work. You can always book 11 months out so long as the points will be available at the check in date. UY is just the date when the points become eligible as payment, not a booking date.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I’d suggest a September UY. (Or August if you plan to visit early October and think you might want to overlap slightly from September.)

You won’t be delayed in booking an October trip with a September UY. It just means the points pull from a different UY. You can still book when the 11 month window opens at your home resort.

 

[Sandisw]

As mentioned, it’s all based on travel for booking. I’d go with Aug or Sept

For example, say you want to go in October 2023. In November 2022, you can book that trip regardless of your UY.

If your UY was Aug, that trip would be in your 2023 UY so you could use banked 2022, 2023 and borrow up to 50% of 2024 points to book it.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

August is an option but we'd be getting new points just two months before October, so most of the rooms would be taken by then.

That's not how it works. You can book October 2023 trips with August 2023 points starting November 2022.

You don't need to wait to "get" the points in order to book reservations.

 

[karen4546]

We travel mostly in the Fall. I originally wanted a December UY- I don’t know why -

when we did our tour in May 2019, our guide asked our favorite travel season and We said we enjoy Epcot during F&W and AKL is our favorite resort.

He suggested August UY and AK Kidani village- being a newbie, I said I wanted Jambo and he said “okay”…. Of corse we can book Jambo but our contract has Kidani. Like I said, we were newbies.

we (well member services really) booked our welcome home at BCV for September 2019 - magically we got 2 studios for 5 nights for that welcome home. We received 2018 and 2019 pts when we purchased.

our AKV contract buy in was 100 pts but we added on 25 more in September 2019. We have saved enough in our vacation budget to buy 150 more (resale) but putting the brakes on for a while. Resale prices have really jumped in price.

August UY has worked great for us. And, DVC has given us the opportunity to book 2 br villas, value studios, club level studios at AKV, studios at BCV, BWV, CCV, and POlynesian villas.

 

[CarolMN]

I've seen where people recommend use years where your vacations will fall inside the bank period, so if you have to cancel, you get your points back. If I understand correctly, then we should try to get June (October through December are in the bank period) or April (October and November are in the bank period). August is an option but we'd be getting new points just two months before October, so most of the rooms would be taken by then.

Am I on the right track?

As previous posters say, you have some misconceptions regarding use year and booking. Spend some time with this thread to clear them up.

Understanding Use Year

 

[mattw0640]

(etc.)

Thank you! This paragraph from the post you linked addresses what I’m concerned about:

ADVICE: If you travel about the same time of the year on a regular basis, it's best to choose a use year that falls no more than 7 or 8 months prior to that time. Keep in mind that your travel pattern may change over the course of your ownership. What starts out as a "perfect" use year may end up to be not so perfect.

We think most of our trips will be in the October-December time frame. That means that we should think about these use years:

March - October is the last month of the bank period
April - October and November are the last months
June - October through January are the last months

I’m going to run through a worst-case scenario to see if I’ve got it.

• Let’s say that today, 6/12/22, we bought a contract with 150 points and a June use year. No points were banked from 2021.
• The end of this year’s looking busy, so we bank 2022’s points into 2023.
• In November 2022, we make a reservation worth 300 points at our home resort for October 2023.
• In September 2023, something comes up at work and October is out. We can reschedule for November through January.
• BUT previous plans that we’ve made for 2023’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s are in the way. We can’t go until February 2024, which is outside the bank period. We decide to roll the dice and plan a February trip.
• But then a close relative has a baby on New Year’s Day and wants us there for the christening, which is on the first day of our trip in February!
• We cancel again and all the points go into the holding account. We now have until May 2024 to use the points or lose them.
• It goes off without a hitch and it’s a magical time and we’re laughing about it years later.

 

[Sandisw]

Thank you! This paragraph from the post you linked addresses what I’m concerned about:

ADVICE: If you travel about the same time of the year on a regular basis, it's best to choose a use year that falls no more than 7 or 8 months prior to that time. Keep in mind that your travel pattern may change over the course of your ownership. What starts out as a "perfect" use year may end up to be not so perfect.

We think most of our trips will be in the October-December time frame. That means that we should think about these use years:

March - October is the last month of the bank period
April - October and November are the last months
June - October through January are the last months

I’m going to run through a worst-case scenario to see if I’ve got it.

• Let’s say that today, 6/12/22, we bought a contract with 150 points and a June use year. No points were banked from 2021.
• The end of this year’s looking busy, so we bank 2022’s points into 2023.
• In November 2022, we make a reservation worth 300 points at our home resort for October 2023.
• In September 2023, something comes up at work and October is out. We can reschedule for November through January.
• BUT previous plans that we’ve made for 2023’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s are in the way. We can’t go until February 2024, which is outside the bank period. We decide to roll the dice and plan a February trip.
• But then a close relative has a baby on New Year’s Day and wants us there for the christening, which is on the first day of our trip in February!
• We cancel again and all the points go into the holding account. We now have until May 2024 to use the points or lose them.
• It goes off without a hitch and it’s a magical time and we’re laughing about it years later.

Almost. Since your banking window is January 31st.. that Feb trip could be safe if you cancel 31 days out before you end up with holding.

But, if not, then yes, points expire end of May.

Take that same scenario though with a September UY and you now have until August to use the points if they end up in holding..or bank them if you cancel 31 days ahead.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

We think most of our trips will be in the October-December time frame.

That means you should think about an August or September UY. Do not get a March UY when you travel mainly October-December. I say this as an owner with a March UY that now predominantly travels December and March, but used to travel October-December. September would have been a far better choice for me.

 

[BillPA]

If you have, plan on having any kids, you may want a June UY so you can book summer trips and have time to reschedule or bank if something comes up.

 

[Madame]

The 4 months preceding your use year should be the months you are *least* likely to travel. We have an Aug UY & are least likely to travel April-July (inclusive).

We vacation Aug/Dec/Mar which makes an Aug UY perfect since the banking deadline is the end of March. For us, taking a trip during April-July is risky since any points will expire July 31 if we cancel that trip.

 

[arich35]

The 4 months preceding your use year should be the months you are *least* likely to travel. We have an Aug UY & are least likely to travel April-July (inclusive).

We vacation Aug/Dec/Mar which makes an Aug UY perfect since the banking deadline is the end of March. For us, taking a trip during April-July is risky since any points will expire July 31 if we cancel that trip.

So confusing lol. Seems like there are a lot of things to take into consideration

 

[mattw0640]

Everyone, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This was confusing the heck out of me and I finally get it. Now to keep saving up and dive in!

 

[PinkPixel]

That's not how it works. You can book October 2023 trips with August 2023 points starting November 2022.

You don't need to wait to "get" the points in order to book reservations.

Can you also book this same trip with Oct UY 2023 points in November 2022?

 

[Sandisw]

Can you also book this same trip with Oct UY 2023 points in November 2022?

Yes. The easiest way for me when I first became a member was to think about the UY of the trip. Then I know I can book it using banked points from the UY before the trip, points from the UY of the trip, and borrow points from the UY after the trip to finish the reservation.

An October 2023 trip is in the Oct 2023 UY. When you call in November 2022 to book it, you can used banked 2022, 2023, and borrow 2024 to complete it.

The only requirement is to make sure you bank your 2022 UY points first if you want to use them. If you are not ready, you can book with the 2023 UY points and then when you do bank any leftover 2022 points…if you had them…you’d then modify the trip to reallocate the banked points into it.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Can you also book this same trip with Oct UY 2023 points in November 2022?

Yes.

 

[PinkPixel]

The 4 months preceding your use year should be the months you are *least* likely to travel. We have an Aug UY & are least likely to travel April-July (inclusive).

We vacation Aug/Dec/Mar which makes an Aug UY perfect since the banking deadline is the end of March. For us, taking a trip during April-July is risky since any points will expire July 31 if we cancel that trip.

If you booked a trip for the week April 20th (after banking deadline of March 31st, but canceled more than 30 days in advance, you points wouldn't be bankable but you would have until July 31st to complete the trip? (3 months)

 

[sethschroeder]

So your favorite trips now are that but what will happen in the future? I am in the minority and I suggest UY based on when you will never travel. You want the least likely chance you will ever travel to be the 2-3 months prior to your UY so you always have flexibility to cancel and bank your points.

Additionally doesn't sound like it applies but people looking for hard to get rooms like value rooms at AK I suggest giving yourself walking room so you can keep trying for a room and then walking the reservation to the final booking date you want.

 

[Madame]

If you booked a trip for the week April 20th (after banking deadline of March 31st, but canceled more than 30 days in advance, you points wouldn't be bankable but you would have until July 31st to complete the trip? (3 months)

If canceled before the banking dead of Mar 31 AND more than 30 days out, those points are still bankable (even though the trip was scheduled for after the deadline.

If you cancel Mar 30th for an Apr 20 trip the points go into holding, are usable only up to 60 days out and cannot be banked, despite being canceled before the banking deadline- both things are in play and need to be managed carefully. Those points would expire July 31.