Use year question, need some advice

[Natterjack9]

Hi all. I am an owner at SSR, and love the DVC . We have always booked at SSR when we were visiting, but I am now trying to book a big family trip for NEXT EASTER (2012) and have a question. The issues are about use years and then booking at a different resort, since we would really like to try something different.

First of all, my use year is August, so I am still in the August 2010 use year. I purchased points during what would have been the 2009 use year and had them transferred into my account from another DVC member. Can I purchase points and have them transferred into my account now (we are way short on points for the trip we want to take in 2012)? Does the once per year transfer issue count per calendar year or use year ?

Secondly, I have 17 points that are set to expire at the end of July (use year) becuase they were what was left over from what was transferred. Can points from my 2010 use year be used for a trip that isn't going to happen until the 2011 use year?

Finally, I need to get about 225 points for the family reunion / vacation we want to do. What is the best way to do that? Do I have to watch the use year? Again, if I get them now and book at the 11 month window (which is May) I will be in my Aug. 2010 use year, but the trip will be in the 2011 use year. Do the points have to be 2011 use year points, or if I get points that are 2010 UY at SSR can they be used for the trip next April, even though the UY will be expired.

Thanks for the help. I appreciate any input you guys can give me.

 

[Natterjack9]

Oh, I forgot to add. To make matters worse we are trying to get into a different resort to try something new. I was told by many DVC veteran members to book at SSR first under the 11 month window, then when the 7 month window pops open try to transfer the reservations to the other resort. That would be fine with me, but I need to get the total points first. So I really need some guidance on how all this works. If everyone wanted to just stay at SSR there wouldn't be an issue, just what I need to know about the UY above. Thanks!!!

 

[WDWBlue]

Hi all. I am an owner at SSR, and love the DVC . We have always booked at SSR when we were visiting, but I am now trying to book a big family trip for NEXT EASTER (2012) and have a question. The issues are about use years and then booking at a different resort, since we would really like to try something different.

First of all, my use year is August, so I am still in the August 2010 use year. I purchased points during what would have been the 2009 use year and had them transferred into my account from another DVC member. Can I purchase points and have them transferred into my account now (we are way short on points for the trip we want to take in 2012)? Does the once per year transfer issue count per calendar year or use year ?

Secondly, I have 17 points that are set to expire at the end of July (use year) becuase they were what was left over from what was transferred. Can points from my 2010 use year be used for a trip that isn't going to happen until the 2011 use year?

Finally, I need to get about 225 points for the family reunion / vacation we want to do. What is the best way to do that? Do I have to watch the use year? Again, if I get them now and book at the 11 month window (which is May) I will be in my Aug. 2010 use year, but the trip will be in the 2011 use year. Do the points have to be 2011 use year points, or if I get points that are 2010 UY at SSR can they be used for the trip next April, even though the UY will be expired.

Thanks for the help. I appreciate any input you guys can give me.

first question: I think the transfer rule applies to a calendar year. Someone should come along with a more definitive answer.

Second: The 17 points probably have to be used before August 1st. Because they are from a 2009 use year, I don't think they can be banked. Again, hopefully someone will have a more definitive answer.

Third: The transferred points are supposed to retain home resort and use year restrictions. That didn't awlays happen in the past, but I think they (member services) have a better handle on it now. So, the points would have to expire after your 2011 trip.

I always get confused about the ability to bank transferred points. I think you can. Hopefully someone will come along with better answers, I don't think I helped much!

 

[WDWBlue]

Oh, I forgot to add. To make matters worse we are trying to get into a different resort to try something new. I was told by many DVC veteran members to book at SSR first under the 11 month window, then when the 7 month window pops open try to transfer the reservations to the other resort. That would be fine with me, but I need to get the total points first. So I really need some guidance on how all this works. If everyone wanted to just stay at SSR there wouldn't be an issue, just what I need to know about the UY above. Thanks!!!

Any transferred points should retain their original home resort reservation status. So you would have the extended booking window at whichever resort you got points transferred from.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It's one transfer in or out per UY - not calendar year.

When you book your trip does not matter but when the points are available to use is. If you have 2010 points that can be banked into your 2011 UY then you could use them for the reservation. You will have to pay attention to the transferred points UY and make certain they will be valid for the time of your stay. It would be possible to transfer points into both your 2010 UY and your 2011 UY. You could bank the 2010 points into 2011 and end up using points from both transfers for the reservation. This might help you out if you are having trouble finding enough points during the one UY.

Transferred points retain their Home resort and UY so you need to pay attention to that as well.

 

[Natterjack9]

Thanks, Kat. So essentially the 17 points that I have that are going to expire on July 31st can't be used for a trip in April 2012. The 225 points that I need to get have to be in a UY that includes April 2012, whether that is by me buying them and banking them, or being valid then. Am I correct?

 

[KingRichard]

I'm completely new to DVC, but you should borrow your future points before buying someone else points I would think?

 

[Natterjack9]

You are absolutely correct, your highness . However, the 225 that I need does include borrowing from the next use year, in fact it includes me borrowing the entire amount allotted for the use year. If this works it's going to be a huge family trip with everyone going, including 4 that have never gone before. That's why I really need to get my stuff lined up to make sure this happens..

I may be able to get the points from family members, but if I can't does anyone have any idea how hard it is to buy points to use?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks, Kat. So essentially the 17 points that I have that are going to expire on July 31st can't be used for a trip in April 2012. The 225 points that I need to get have to be in a UY that includes April 2012, whether that is by me buying them and banking them, or being valid then. Am I correct?

Since they are 2009 UY points it sounds like they've been banked once and no, they can't be banked again and can't be used for the 2012 reservation.

And yes, the 225 need to be valid for the dates of your trip in April 2012. That can including banking. Just remember that transferred points can be banked but the cannot be borrowed.

 

[kristenrice]

I don't know if it will help, but here is our similar scenario.

We are planning a trip in June 2012 that will use 400 points. Since my parents have offered to pay for everything, we are going to transfer in all 400 points without using our own. We've known an owner for about 5 years now and he is "selling" (not that we are paying for transferred points) us all 400 points. He has a June UY at OKW but ours is February at AKV. Here's how it plays out...

1) This past December, he transferred 230 of his 2011 UY points (yes, technically a year ahead) to our account. Although they are in my account, they are still OKW points with a June UY and I could not use them for a reservation that starts before June 1, 2011. Transferred points cannot be borrowed.

2) In June of this year, he will transfer 170 points from his 2012 UY to our account and I will bank the points from 2011. Then, in July, we will make our reservation at OKW using those 400 points.

The transfer rule applies to the UY of the points involved. So, my transfers were 1 transfer *in* for 2011 and another transfer *in* for 2012. The date of the transfer is irrelevant because it refers to the points. So, I cannot transfer any points in or out with a 2011 or 2012 UY.

It was very difficult to get MS to wrap their head around the concept that transferring 2012 UY points in 2011 was NOT borrowing! I had to explain that I can't wait until June 2012 to transfer in the points that I need for a vacation that takes place in June 2012. After a few calls, I finally got someone who understood what I was trying to do.

 

[palaemon]

I don't know if it will help, but here is our similar scenario.

We are planning a trip in June 2012 that will use 400 points. Since my parents have offered to pay for everything, we are going to transfer in all 400 points without using our own. We've known an owner for about 5 years now and he is "selling" (not that we are paying for transferred points) us all 400 points. He has a June UY at OKW but ours is February at AKV. Here's how it plays out...

1) This past December, he transferred 230 of his 2011 UY points (yes, technically a year ahead) to our account. Although they are in my account, they are still OKW points with a June UY and I could not use them for a reservation that starts before June 1, 2011. Transferred points cannot be borrowed.

2) In June of this year, he will transfer 170 points from his 2012 UY to our account and I will bank the points from 2011. Then, in July, we will make our reservation at OKW using those 400 points.

The transfer rule applies to the UY of the points involved. So, my transfers were 1 transfer *in* for 2011 and another transfer *in* for 2012. The date of the transfer is irrelevant because it refers to the points. So, I cannot transfer any points in or out with a 2011 or 2012 UY.

It was very difficult to get MS to wrap their head around the concept that transferring 2012 UY points in 2011 was NOT borrowing! I had to explain that I can't wait until June 2012 to transfer in the points that I need for a vacation that takes place in June 2012. After a few calls, I finally got someone who understood what I was trying to do.

If calendar year doesn't matter, then why couldn't both ('11 & '12) UYs be transferred in Dec? Why did they have to be transferred separately?

 

[Natterjack9]

Good question, I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks, Kat. So essentially the 17 points that I have that are going to expire on July 31st can't be used for a trip in April 2012. The 225 points that I need to get have to be in a UY that includes April 2012, whether that is by me buying them and banking them, or being valid then. Am I correct?

Your Easter 2012 trip falls in your 2011 UY since you have an August UY. You would have to have 2011 points transferred into your 2011 UY. But if they are Jan-April 2011 points, they would have to be banked to use them. Transferred points retain their home resort, UY and used deadlines. So be careful. You can't borrow transferred points, but you can bank them.

 

[kristenrice]

If calendar year doesn't matter, then why couldn't both ('11 & '12) UYs be transferred in Dec? Why did they have to be transferred separately?

I think I meant that the calendar year doesn't matter as far as the "one transfer per year" goes. I think the '12 points couldn't be transferred because we were still in the 2010 UY. I don't think that you can do anything with points that are still two years away. I'm not certain....just speculating.

 

[palaemon]

I think I meant that the calendar year doesn't matter as far as the "one transfer per year" goes. I think the '12 points couldn't be transferred because we were still in the 2010 UY. I don't think that you can do anything with points that are still two years away. I'm not certain....just speculating.

I understand what you're saying. I was under the impression that (or hoping that) you could transfer OR have transferred points from 2010, 2012, and/or 2012. As long as it's 2010->2010, etc.

For a future trip, I'd like to be able to do this in order to have enough for a GG. Or even for a trade - My 2011 for your 2012, etc.