Use Year Questions...

[mrsgoose8]

So we are still a ways off from buying any more points, but I'm just sort of thinking for the future.

We have a December UY at AKV. This has worked fine for us, BUT we do travel year round (as of now).. I planned out our trips (I think) so that even if we cancel we should be ok.
Jan 2014 (used)
June 2014 (in my still bankable time)
Dec 2014 (new UY, but using pre banked points)

Now we won't usually go that often (sadly!) but this year we worked in an extra trip bc of hubby's work schedule.

Anyway, if we go year round, would it be worth having an "opposite" UY so that the whole year would be covered? I hope that makes sense. I want to make sure I am understanding

I do know our plans may stick more to the school year as our kids get older. I also know we will go ourselves sometimes so I'm sure we will "need" more points

 

[disneynutz]

Only you can decide if it's worth it. Have you read here about having more than one UY? Do you now the limitations?

Bill

 

[Dean]

So we are still a ways off from buying any more points, but I'm just sort of thinking for the future.

We have a December UY at AKV. This has worked fine for us, BUT we do travel year round (as of now).. I planned out our trips (I think) so that even if we cancel we should be ok.
Jan 2014 (used)
June 2014 (in my still bankable time)
Dec 2014 (new UY, but using pre banked points)

Now we won't usually go that often (sadly!) but this year we worked in an extra trip bc of hubby's work schedule.

Anyway, if we go year round, would it be worth having an "opposite" UY so that the whole year would be covered? I hope that makes sense. I want to make sure I am understanding

I do know our plans may stick more to the school year as our kids get older. I also know we will go ourselves sometimes so I'm sure we will "need" more points

This is one of those "it depends" situations. However, unless you have a specific reason to do so, it's usually best to keep them the same. The main reason to buy a different UY is that you have SPECIFIC trips where a different UY would be best or your current UY is not a good choice for you (basically the same). However, it's not that big a deal as long as the additional contract you're buying easily stands alone. As a rule, I would not for smaller contracts unless you really need something different for some reason such as a specific time or year or there is a better UY for you in general AND you plan to sell your current contract. IMO UY has potential value which can be up to a full years worth or points for some and zero for other, it seems you're closer to the latter. Thus for you the best deal in a different UY MIGHT be worth it if there were a reason difference. One of the advantages of Dec if you were looking now is you should have enough time to find the right loaded contract and close and bank any points.

 

[kimmharris]

Can someone explain why UY matters? If one should treat the points like they are already there when making a reservation, then why does it matter when they are put into your account? We haven't purchased yet, but this is one of those things I am not clear on. Why does UY matter?

 

[SugarLoaf]

Can someone explain why UY matters? If one should treat the points like they are already there when making a reservation, then why does it matter when they are put into your account? We haven't purchased yet, but this is one of those things I am not clear on. Why does UY matter?

Use year matters when cancelling a reservation. For example, if you were to have an October use year, and had a vacation planned for September that you found out you had to cancel in the months June-September leading up to your trip, those points couldn't be banked, and you'd only have till the end of September to use them.

Whereas if you had a September use year, and a trip planned for September, and found out you had to cancel, you would have till the end of April to either decide to use them in the current year, or bank them into the following year.

 

[mrsgoose8]

Use year matters when cancelling a reservation. For example, if you were to have an October use year, and had a vacation planned for September that you found out you had to cancel in the months June-September leading up to your trip, those points couldn't be banked, and you'd only have till the end of September to use them. Whereas if you had a September use year, and a trip planned for September, and found out you had to cancel, you would have till the end of April to either decide to use them in the current year, or bank them into the following year.

That's my understanding. Which is why I think if I am going to buy another large contract 100pts or more it would be the opposite UY.

 

[kimmharris]

Use year matters when cancelling a reservation. For example, if you were to have an October use year, and had a vacation planned for September that you found out you had to cancel in the months June-September leading up to your trip, those points couldn't be banked, and you'd only have till the end of September to use them.

Whereas if you had a September use year, and a trip planned for September, and found out you had to cancel, you would have till the end of April to either decide to use them in the current year, or bank them into the following year.

Thank you for trying to explain it, but I'm afraid I still don't understand. Is this all in the same year or different years?

 

[disneynutz]

Thank you for trying to explain it, but I'm afraid I still don't understand. Is this all in the same year or different years?

The points have to be available in your account for the dates of your reservation.

You have 8 months from the beginning of your UY to bank points or you lose them.

If you need to cancel a reservation and you are in the 8 months, you can bank the points to save them.

If you cancel in months 9 - 12, you have to use the points before the end of the UY or you lose the points.

Bill

 

[Dean]

That's my understanding. Which is why I think if I am going to buy another large contract 100pts or more it would be the opposite UY.

It creates another level of accounting and aggravation, personally I wouldn't do it to simply have options later without a specific situation and plan. I think you need to be north of 200 on both contracts to make this reasonable just to have options. There are a couple of issues you may not have considered. One is that previously DVC combined points in a single master for banking issues and the second that currently transferred points cannot be seen or used online. I think there are many situations where it's reasonable but it is concerning to me to see something do it just for future potential benefits.

 

[maburke]

It creates another level of accounting and aggravation, personally I wouldn't do it to simply have options later without a specific situation and plan. I think you need to be north of 200 on both contracts to make this reasonable just to have options. There are a couple of issues you may not have considered. One is that previously DVC combined points in a single master for banking issues and the second that currently transferred points cannot be seen or used online. I think there are many situations where it's reasonable but it is concerning to me to see something do it just for future potential benefits.

There's also the fact that if your points are all the same UY and titled the same, they are treated as subcontracts of the same master contract and you can combine the points for a single reservation. (If they are different resorts, you can still do this, but only after the 7 month mark.) If you have different UYs, they are always different master contracts, and you have to transfer between them or separate the reservation into whole nights to make separate reservations with each contract.

All of our contracts have the same UY, and we like it that way.

 

[mrsgoose8]

Oooh, see I don't think I fully understood that before. That might not be worth the hassle to me!

Of course, it's all relatively moot until at least next year but at least now I'm going to have a much better understanding by then about what is going to be the best!!! Thanks y'all! Big help!