Use Year Question for 2008 and Forward Rules

[Jannino]

OK - I searched the last month for post regarding my question and I could not find an answer. So I'll ask here even though I'm sure it will be answered in record time.

If I have an October use year, then in 2008 and later I have until 8 months from the use year or May 31st of the following year to bank 100% of my points. My question is in regard to the remaining 4 months (i.e. June, July, August and September). What percentage of my points can I bank in these months?

Thanks

 

[AKV707]

We can't bank any points after the 8th month. For example, I have a June UY and I have until Jan. 31 each year to bank any points. After that, no banking.

 

[Jannino]

So you can bank 100% of your points for the first 8 months but 0% afterwards? So for an October use year, you have until May 31st to bank the points or else you lose them completely. You really need to take use year into account before buying into DVC. I guess this is why most people were upset about when the new rules went int effect.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[Caskbill]

So you can bank 100% of your points for the first 8 months but 0% afterwards? So for an October use year, you have until May 31st to bank the points or else you lose them completely. You really need to take use year into account before buying into DVC. I guess this is why most people were upset about when the new rules went int effect.

Thanks for the quick response.

Just to clarify, you don't 'lose them completely' if you don't bank them. You can still use them before they expire. That's still a 4-month window to do something with them before they are 'lost'.

 

[Jannino]

Let let me make sure I understand this correctly by using an example.

If I had a March use year, my baning window would be March 1 to October 31. I must cancel a trip at least 31 days prior to check-in in order to bank the points so if you had a trip planned for late November (say check in is Nov 30), I would have to cancel it by October 31 in order to bank the points as I would still be in my 100% banking window. In other words, a March UY covers me for trip cancellations for travel dates of March 1 - Nov 30, provided I cancel at least 31 days prior to check in.

If I cancel between 30 days and 1 day prior to check in (in my example above that would be November 1 to November 30), my points go into "holding" and cannot be banked. They can only be used to make a reservation 60 days or less in advance. So I would only be able to use my points up until Feb 28 of the following year.

If I cancel on/after myr check-in date, I forfeit all of the points.

Is this scenario correct for a March UY?

Thanks.

 

[RobDoc]

Let let me make sure I understand this correctly by using an example.

If I had a March use year, my baning window would be March 1 to October 31. I must cancel a trip at least 31 days prior to check-in in order to bank the points so if you had a trip planned for late November (say check in is Nov 30), I would have to cancel it by October 31 in order to bank the points as I would still be in my 100% banking window. In other words, a March UY covers me for trip cancellations for travel dates of March 1 - Nov 30, provided I cancel at least 31 days prior to check in.

Correct.

If I cancel between 30 days and 1 day prior to check in (in my example above that would be November 1 to November 30), my points go into "holding" and cannot be banked. They can only be used to make a reservation 60 days or less in advance. So I would only be able to use my points up until Feb 28 of the following year.

True but this is not a change from the original policy either. The issue here is the "Holding Account" points which have their own set of rules.

If I cancel on/after myr check-in date, I forfeit all of the points.

On arrival day the points are considered "used" and will not be returned to the account at all. You can't really even "cancel" a reservation on or after the arrival date since the points have already been applied to the reservation.

The biggest factor I see with the change is that members have gained an additional 2 months to bank more than 50% of the points in our contract ... and members have lost 2 months to bank up to 25% of our points. IMO, it mostly affects only times when reservations must be cancelled within 4 months of the end of the Use Year - and only those reservations made using current points, since banked points couldn't be re-banked and borrowed points could not be banked anyway.

Some will find the new policy to benefit their specific situation and others may find it to be more harsh than before - but mainly only cancellations will be affected.

 

[browniemtb]

I personally do not see what the serious issue is here. Basically you lost the ability to bank 50% to 25% closer to you UY. But have gained a longer time period to bank 100% of your points.

Now issues of cancellations can happen with reservations beyond the banking window. Didn't those problems exist with the old system? Also as one poster said you don't lose your points you will have to make provisions to use, rent or transfer them before the end of your UY.

DVC is about planning even though problems can occur I still feel UY has no true bearing on the program itself. Just my imput.......many DVC veterans may feel differently but for me and my family it gives us extra time before we make that decision to bank.

Brownie

 

[Jannino]

WebmasterDoc:

Thanks for the info. Although you bring up a good point with banked and borrowed points that I did not consider when canceling a reservation. I have another question about this and once again I'll use an example to ask it.

If you have an April use year and you plan a trip for late November (say 11/30 to 12/4 just to make it simple), but you had to borrow 100 points from the prior year (make this prior year 2008 to simply the question using the new rules), use all 100 of your points for the current year (2009) and borrow 100 points from the next year (2010).

If you cancel 31 days or more from the 11/30 check in date (say on 10/15):

- You can bank all of your current year (2009) points since an April use year allows you to bank current year points from 4/1 to 11/30 (or 8 months from the beginning of your use uear).
- What happens to the previously banked points from 2008 in this situation?
- What happens to the borrowed points from 2010 in this situation?


If you cancel less than 31 days (say on 11/15):

- Your current year points go into a holding account and cannot be banked and can only be used to make a reservation for 60 days or less in advance and must be used by March 31st.
- Does your stay have to be finished by March 31st or does the first day of your stay have to be by March 31st?
- What happens to the previously banked points form 2008 in this situation?
- What happens to the borrowed points from 2010 in this situation?

Thanks again !!!

 

[browniemtb]

Rules as I understand them, correct me WebmasterDoc, please, if I don't understand.

Cancel a reservation prior to the 31 day mark and prior to the banking deadline: All points will be put back into your account with the considerations that any banked or borrowed points will have to be used by UY end.

Cancel a reservation prior to the 31 day mark but after the banking window: All points go back in the account with the considerations now that all the points, bank, borrowed, or current have to be used by UY end.

Cancel a reservation after the 31 day mark: Banking rules do not apply, all points bank, borrowed, or current will be put into a holding account and will have to be used by UY end.

Yes?No?

Brownie

 

[Jannino]

It is safe to say that once you bank or borrow points that they have to be used by UY end??? It's clear that banked points from the prior UY must be used but not sure if borrowed points can be returned

1) prior to the 31 day mark of an existing reservation and before the banking deadline?

2) prior to the 31 day mark of an existing reservation and after the banking deadline?

3) after the 31 day mark (1 to 30 days before and existing reservation)?

 

[DebbieB]

Borrowed points cannot be returned, they must be used by the end of the use year borrowed into.

 

[RobDoc]

If you cancel less than 31 days (say on 11/15):

- Your current year points go into a holding account and cannot be banked and can only be used to make a reservation for 60 days or less in advance and must be used by March 31st.
- Does your stay have to be finished by March 31st or does the first day of your stay have to be by March 31st?
- What happens to the previously banked points form 2008 in this situation?
- What happens to the borrowed points from 2010 in this situation?

Points from the current Use Year (whether banked, borrowed or current may be used for dates thru the end of the Use Year - in this example March 31 for an April Use Year. Those points could not be used for any dates after 3/31. Banked and borrowed points are governed by the Use Year into which they were moved - and would also expire on March 31.

It is safe to say that once you bank or borrow points that they have to be used by UY end??? It's clear that banked points from the prior UY must be used but not sure if borrowed points can be returned

1) prior to the 31 day mark of an existing reservation and before the banking deadline?

2) prior to the 31 day mark of an existing reservation and after the banking deadline?

3) after the 31 day mark (1 to 30 days before and existing reservation)?

Points banked or borrowed MUST be used during the Use Year into which they were moved. They cannot be banked - in either case - and will expire at the end of that Use Year. In the example above, where 2008 points were banked, 2009 points were used for a reservation during that Use Year and 2010 points were borrowed for the same reservation - if that reservation were to be cancelled all points used would be retunred to the account - but only the current (in this case , 2009 points) could be banked into 2010. The previously banked and borrowed points MUST be used during the 2009 Use Year or they would expire. (Perhaps they could be banked into the World Passport Collection for a future exchange.)

Borrowed points made available from a cancelled reservation cannot be banked anc cannot be returned to their original Use Year. They cannot be banked, cannot be moved back to their original Use Year and cannot be transferred (banked points cannot be transferred either).

The only options for these banked and borrowed points would be to use them to make a reservation - either at a DVC resort, World Passport Collection, Disney Collection or Concierge Collection. If the cancelled reservation had been a Disney Collection or Concierge Collection resort, the points would also only be able to be used for one of those options and NOT for reservations at DVC resorts.