Use Year Question

[Mich Mouse]

Hi,

If I was to purchase SSR in the Fall of 2006, I would be immediately credited with points to make reservations?

Then the follwoing Fall I would receive a new years allotment? IS this correct?

We will likely plan vacations for August. I've read about booking, and having to cancel, and then losing points. How would I prevent this from happening? If I had a Fall contract would I need to use them by the end of the calendar year? That would not be good since I am a teacher and do not have much vacation time between Sept-December.

Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreicated.

 

[RobDoc]

If you purchase thru DVC directly, you will receive all points in your current Use Year. Typically, DVC will sell new contracts with a Use Year a few months "old". At this time I'd expect they are selling contracts with a Use Year sometime bewteen March and June. (Perhaps someone can offer a current comment about what Use Year is being sold.) If you have a preference, you can always request that Use Year.

Regardless, Use Year has nothing to do with when you may travel- it just determines your banking deadlines and when points will expire if not used.

If you cancel a reservation, the points wil be retuned to your account to be used for another reservation or banked into the following Use Year (subject to banking deadlines). If you cancel within 30 days of arrival the points will have more restrictions. As long as your Use Year ends far enough into the future, you should have no problem finding another use for the points.

If you have a June Use Year, you will receive your points each year on June 1 and they are good until the next May 31. If you bank them, you will have an addidional year to use them.

Enjoy!

 

[tkd lisa]

Right now, SSR is selling December use year because that section isn't yet completed. They can't sell use for something that isn't done. They expect it to complete by mid October at the latest, but are hedging their bets by giving new buyers December use year.

For this reason (you don't actually HAVE points at closing), they are offering a matching amount of builders points good for this year only (i.e. I got 150 Dec 05 use year points). Since I'm already past the 1/2way point, I have until December to decide to use or bank all of them (they're waiving the limit on banking points late).

At least that's the way my paperwork reads.

 

[Mich Mouse]

Right now, SSR is selling December use year because that section isn't yet completed. They can't sell use for something that isn't done. They expect it to complete by mid October at the latest, but are hedging their bets by giving new buyers December use year.

For this reason (you don't actually HAVE points at closing), they are offering a matching amount of builders points good for this year only (i.e. I got 150 Dec 05 use year points). Since I'm already past the 1/2way point, I have until December to decide to use or bank all of them (they're waiving the limit on banking points late).

At least that's the way my paperwork reads.

How would this effect our August vacations? Purchasing now gives a December 2005 use year date? My concern is the ability to use points if vacations need to be cancelled. (Thinking ahead as this happened once before but we were not DVC members, and had until five days prior to arrival to get a refund.) So if I had a December 2005 use year and cancelled a trip in August, I would need to use the points by the following December, only giving me four months? Is this correct? I am really trying to get this all before making a purchase since I am a HS teacher, and my ability to travel is dictated by the school calendar. If I vacationed in August what would be the best use year/month? Does any of this make any sense?

Thanks for your help!

I am way confused.

 

[RobDoc]

Yes, if you cancelled an August trip, the points would need to be used (or banked) by the end of November.

If you purchase now and get a December Use year you would be able ot bnk those points to use next year and will also get another point allotment on December 1.

I would still ask about another Use Year, if that is a concern for you. I can't believe they are only selling buildings not yet completed - but if that's the case, December should still work for you. If you are certain you will ONLY travel in August each year for the next 40 years- then a June or August Use Year would work well. Again - Use Year will only come into play if you need to cancel appointments frequently.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Mich Mouse]

How does banking points work if you cancelled an August vacation less than 30 days prior? When can you have access to the banked points again, and when do they expire?

Alos, If I bought a December use year now, then I receive the full points for 2006, and then more for 2007? That sounds like a better deal than getting a January use year.

 

[RobDoc]

If you cancel any reservation within 30 days of arrival, the points go into the "Holding Account" - which means they may only be used for a reservation made within 60 days of arrival. In addition, "Holding Account" points cannot be banked and will expire at the end of your Use Year. If your Use Year ends shortly after the cancelled reservation, you may have difficulty using those points. If you have several months, there is more opportunity to reuse the points before they expire.

Cancellation 31 or more days in advance will return the points to your account with no restrictions- except for normal banking deadlines.

Most members are not likely to need to repeatedly cancel reservations within 30 days - so this probably hsould not be a major concern. It is wise to understand how the program works though.

If you purchase right now with a December Use Year, the contract would come with the 2005 points current and you'd then get another allotment of points in December 1, 2006 (and again on December 1, 2007 ... 2008 ... 2009 ...etc.). There are no January, May, July or November Use Years.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

I was under the impression that it is a good idea to have a use year that is right before the times when you normally travel. The reason for this is because if for some reason you have to cancel 1. you have more time to use those points and 2. you will have more of an opportunity to bank those points if you can't use them that year. Of course, this all revolves around if you have to cancel or not. If you don't usually cancel, then I can see where it might not be problem.

I would think a June use year would work best if you normally travel in August. However, those extra points would be very tempting.