Use year question...

[ktbugsmom]

I am sure this has been asked MANY times before - but here it is again. I have convinced my DH to buy into DVC (yeah!!!) - so now I get to figure out where to buy, how many points to buy and what use year might be best for us. We will either buy BCV or a re-sale at BWV and can afford 150-200 points. So - two issues are solved. That leaves use year... My husband is in the education field (college administration) - so we will have to travel either in December/January or spring break which is usually March/April. We probably won't go much in the summer - since we live in Wisconsin, and want to get out of the cold. I know there is this 6 month banking of points issue... but for the life of me - can't figure out what the deal is. If I buy August use year - what does that do for me?

Thanks in advance for all of your help. This board is tremendous. I am so excited to buy into DVC! 40 more years of Disney memories - here we come!

 

[CarolMN]

Use year (as you probably already know) is the month that your points are renewed each year. It also determines your banking deadlines. It ONLY becomes important if you have to cancel a vacation and are unable to reschedule it before the end of your use year.

If you purchase an August use year, you will have until January 31 to bank 100% of your current use year points. You could bank 50% of them if you did it by April 30 and 25% if you did it by May 31. You cannot bank any points in June and July if you have an August use year.

An August use year would work well for your December/January vacations. If you had to cancel your vcacation, you would have until the following July 31 to reschedule your vacation or you would have until the following January 31 to bank all (or a portion of your points) into the next use year.

A March or April vacation COULD be a problem. If you had to cancel after January 31 (but before the 30 day deadline, when the points would go into a holding account) you could only bank 50% of your points because the 100% deadline would be passed. So you would have to use some of your points before July 31 to avoid losing them. In this situation, some Members rent the points and others use them for one of the non-DVC options.

AGAIN, keep in mind that use year only matters if you have to cancel a vacation. Hopefully, you will not be in this position very often, if ever.

HTH. Good luck finding the resale that will be right for you!

 

[Mouse Ears]

If you plan ahead and don't have to cancel trips, then use year is not a big deal. Where it makes the difference is if you have to cancel a trip. If you cancel between 30 and 1 day before, then your points are put in a 'holding' status and can only be used for reservations up to 60 days out. If you cancel more than 30 days out your points are returned with no consequence.

So, if you travel mostly in Dec/Jan or Mar/Apr, then I would recommend a December use year if you are concerned about cancelling. That will give you until the end of May to bank 100% of your points if you cancel your trip more than 30 days out. And, if you cancel at the last minute, you will have through the following November to use your 'holding' points.

One other thing to consider is that with BCV, they are offering earlier use year (ie. February) and if you buy now you can get points from Feb 2002 and only pay dues starting from July 2002 (when resort opened). This is like getting some dues-free points and maximizes the number of points you will have available. I am planning on a Feb use year at BCV and will bank the points so that we can overspend for the next couple years (I'm not too worried about cancelling).

I am not yet a member, but asked these same questions, so hopefully I have it right. If not, someone will surely set me straight.

M.E.

 

[Mouse Ears]

I need to learn to type (and think) faster!

M.E.

 

[Laurabearz]

We love our December UY and we travel at the same times you want too.... Banking deadline of 100% is in May....

However a Dec UY plays tricks on yer mind.... meaning your 2002 December points are good for Dec 2002 to November 2003 so most of your 2002 UY is in 2003...... Other than that glitch to the senses it works out great for us.

Have fun finding that perfect contract!