Use year question

[Otootles]

Sorry, I must be dense regarding UY. Our school system gets out in the middle of may. If I want to purchase DVC so we can take 1 week at the end of May each year. What would be my best UY option? Thanks to all for input

 

[chalee94]

april.

please read the "understanding UY" thread to get more information.

 

[disneynutz]

April UY.

You will need to bank your points by the end of November or use all of your points by the end of March.

 

[drusba]

Actually you are fine with any use year from Dec through Apr. Consider the hypothetical: "I want to go now in May but years from now I will probably want to go _____ (fill in the time)." If your answer is something like Jan or Feb then look for a Dec use year. If your answer is Sep to Nov then get March or April.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

An April UY is good for vacations starting on April 1 - March 30 of any given UY. This UY gives you the most flexibility if you have to cancel a trip, as you'll have through March 30 to re-book a vacation. Or, you can bank those points into the next UY. Something to consider if you only travel once per year, though, is that if you bank points with an April UY, you'll have to travel before March 30, or you'll lose those points.

For example, if let's say you buy 250 points today and you make a reservation for this coming May (2009). The reservation you make is 210 points. Assuming you don't use the remaining 40 points, you would bank them into the next UY so you don't lose them. The banked 40 points would now be good for vacations from April 1, 2009 - March 30, 2010. Basically, you would have to travel again before (or rent the points) May 2010, or you would lose the points.

You may want to consider a Sept UY. With Sept, your points would be deposited every Sept. You would be able to travel on those points from Sept 1 through Aug 31 of any given year. You would be able to bank up to 100% of those points through April 30. If you do not bank by April 30, you would still have through Aug 31 to book a stay and use those points. This would allow you some flexibility once your kids get involved in school activities, too.

The downside of traveling in the last few months of your UY is that if you have to cancel your vacation and can't reschedule, you will lose those points. I worry much less about having to cancel my vacations than I do having a UY that dictates my travel. We have an Aug UY and like to travel in Aug. When I bank points, it forces us to travel in July because our banked points expire July 31. If I had an Oct UY, I wouldn't have the issue, because they would expire at the end of August instead.

Just as an FYI, when points are deposited does not impact when you can make reservations. At your home resort, you can book stays 11 months out and 7 months out for all other resorts.

 

[Otootles]

I dont know why I dont get this, but it seems like if I had a June UY then when I got my points in June I could book right then for the following May(11month from then. I really feel like a knucklehead because I dont understand. I promise I'm not usually this dense

 

[RobDoc]

I dont know why I dont get this, but it seems like if I had a June UY then when I got my points in June I could book right then for the following May(11month from then. I really feel like a knucklehead because I dont understand. I promise I'm not usually this dense

Use Year has nothing to do with when you can make a reservation - it simply determines the Use period for the points each year. You can make a May reservation in June regardless what your Use Year may be.

The ONLY problem with a June Use Year for May trips is in the event of a cancellation. If you had to cancel that trip anytime past January 31, you'd still need to use the points before May 31 since they could no longer be banked. If you cancelled the reservation within 30 days of arrival you'd still need to use them by May 31.

I'd agree that a Use Year of Dec/Feb/Mar/Apr (there is no May Use Year) would give you the flexibility you'd want for trips in May. IMO, June would be the last USe Year you'd want for May trips for the reasons stated. It would not serve as any advantage in making a reservation.

 

[Otootles]

I soooo appreciate this discussion board and the sound advice from all of you seasoned dis'ers.