Use Year - Why 2 months before expected USE?

[BoardwalkSuzy]

I've read more than a few times (even from a DVC guide) that the best use year is about 2 months prior to your favorite time to travel. Why is it not the month of the actual intended travel?

Say favorite times to travel are July - Dec, so should you really get a May use year? Why not a July use year, or June? Not sure which of those might not exist - know that there are only 8 available use years (4 are missing).

Just wanted to know what the benefit was of having a UY prior to actual intended travel dates? If need to cancel a trip, don't see how that would help, as it seems you would have actually 2 less months to work with in order to rebook your trip.

Many say the UY becomes irrelevant, but more than a few say 2 months prior best. What is the reason for the 2 months prior as being better?

 

[chalee94]

I've read more than a few times (even from a DVC guide) that the best use year is about 2 months prior to your favorite time to travel. Why is it not the month of the actual intended travel?

i'd agree that if you always travel in december, then a december UY is ideal.

Just wanted to know what the benefit was of having a UY prior to actual intended travel dates? If need to cancel a trip, don't see how that would help, as it seems you would have actually 2 less months to work with in order to rebook your trip.

yep - cancellation is the big issue with UY...and having a UY month which is the same month as you travel gives you the most time to recover if you have to cancel.

no idea why people would say 2 months prior is best.

 

[BoardwalkSuzy]

I've read more than a few times (even from a DVC guide) that the best use year is about 2 months prior to your favorite time to travel. Why is it not the month of the actual intended travel?

i'd agree that if you always travel in december, then a december UY is ideal.

Just wanted to know what the benefit was of having a UY prior to actual intended travel dates? If need to cancel a trip, don't see how that would help, as it seems you would have actually 2 less months to work with in order to rebook your trip.

yep - cancellation is the big issue with UY...and having a UY month which is the same month as you travel gives you the most time to recover if you have to cancel.

no idea why people would say 2 months prior is best.

Good to see your post. We plan to travel December, maybe sometimes as late as end of April, probably never during summer as don't like weather over 80 degrees too much - I live in San Francisco for that very reason. I've been to DL and WDW in Dec, and it was great - perfect weather, along with a little rain but that's OK. I picked Dec use year, as to me that made sense but DVC guide said I made mistake - think she was trying to sell me something that she had to offer, and just had to say something.

 

[wdrl]

I've read more than a few times (even from a DVC guide) that the best use year is about 2 months prior to your favorite time to travel. Why is it not the month of the actual intended travel?

Say favorite times to travel are July - Dec, so should you really get a May use year? Why not a July use year, or June? Not sure which of those might not exist - know that there are only 8 available use years (4 are missing).

Just wanted to know what the benefit was of having a UY prior to actual intended travel dates? If need to cancel a trip, don't see how that would help, as it seems you would have actually 2 less months to work with in order to rebook your trip.

Many say the UY becomes irrelevant, but more than a few say 2 months prior best. What is the reason for the 2 months prior as being better?

I'm not sure why a UY two months prior to your intended travel times would be recommended by anyone. If you normally travel in July through December, the best UY for you is June (there are no UYs starting in January, May, July, or November). A June UY's banking deadline is January 31st of each year, which should be well after your normal vacation times. Thus if you have to postpone a trip, you'll have the flexibility of banking your current year's points into the next Use Year.

 

[chalee94]

I picked Dec use year, as to me that made sense but DVC guide said I made mistake - think she was trying to sell me something that she had to offer, and just had to say something.

unless you might travel in nov (thanksgiving) on occasion, i don't think that would be a mistake.

i hate summertime in orlando as well so i picked an oct UY. traveling in july-aug-sept just will not happen if i can help it...

 

[bwvBound]

I wanted a DEC UY. I had done my research and knew what I wanted. We always travel in January and every few years visit in Dec. I had NO reason for any UY other than Dec.

After go'rounds with my guide, I was assigned an Oct UY.

Turns out, I love it. Guess my guide knew better than I that I might someday be interested in F&W and other events offered through the Fall season. Perhaps this is a trend: folks currently interested in {events A, B and C} may someday want to visit additional events {D and E} during nearby time periods.

 

[Chuck S]

I have a June use year, and travel in June and November, December or January. It hasn't been a problem.

 

[5forDiz]

Good to see your post. We plan to travel December, maybe sometimes as late as end of April, probably never during summer as don't like weather over 80 degrees too much - I live in San Francisco for that very reason. I've been to DL and WDW in Dec, and it was great - perfect weather, along with a little rain but that's OK. I picked Dec use year, as to me that made sense but DVC guide said I made mistake - think she was trying to sell me something that she had to offer, and just had to say something.

December UY should work fine for travel December through April; your banking deadline will be July 31. If you needed to cancel trip it still leaves you within the banking window should you have any points that could be banked and also plenty of time until end of UY (November 30) to reuse points. idk why guide would say December is mistake sounds like you have better understanding of picking Use Year.

 

[3happydancers]

So, for my family who would travel August, October and December, what would be the best use year? Right now we have December and it has not been a problem.

 

[Sandisw]

So, for my family who would travel August, October and December, what would be the best use year? Right now we have December and it has not been a problem.

I would say that an August UY would have been a better one as it puts all those travel within those first 8 months so any cancellations would allow points to still be banked. And, if you wanted to make changes to a trip that lowered the points needed, you would also still be able to bank.

Now, those Oct trips are outside that window so not much time to use up points if you change or cancel.

 

[Sandisw]

I've read more than a few times (even from a DVC guide) that the best use year is about 2 months prior to your favorite time to travel. Why is it not the month of the actual intended travel?

Say favorite times to travel are July - Dec, so should you really get a May use year? Why not a July use year, or June? Not sure which of those might not exist - know that there are only 8 available use years (4 are missing).

Just wanted to know what the benefit was of having a UY prior to actual intended travel dates? If need to cancel a trip, don't see how that would help, as it seems you would have actually 2 less months to work with in order to rebook your trip.

Many say the UY becomes irrelevant, but more than a few say 2 months prior best. What is the reason for the 2 months prior as being better?

Not sure, but possibly because having a UY that is a few months before, you will have flexiblity if you have to alter the start of your trip to start in a month prior.

We travel, for the most part, in August. However, instead of an Aug UY, we got a June UY, because we knew that there could be years where we might need to start a trip in late July (which is happening this year due to lower airfare and wanting to get a 2nd trip in before the AP expires).

But, if you know you will never travel in November, then Dec UY is fine. If, however, you think there is a chance to go right after Thanksgiving, then getting Oct UY might work out better.

Good luck!

 

[3happydancers]

I would say that an August UY would have been a better one as it puts all those travel within those first 8 months so any cancellations would allow points to still be banked. And, if you wanted to make changes to a trip that lowered the points needed, you would also still be able to bank.

Now, those Oct trips are outside that window so not much time to use up points if you change or cancel.

Got It!

Unfortunately it is what it is now. At the time of purchase, I did inquire but was told that December was all that was available. Maybe I should have been more insistant.

 

[PoohNFriends]

I think I'm understanding all this stuff fairly well but please clarify for me. Right now it's just the 2 of us and we would probably go most often between October and April. Obviously, things might change in the future, especially when kids come along, but as of now an October UY would be best for us now? What would be our 2nd and 3rd best UY?

Thanks!

 

[Sandisw]

I think I'm understanding all this stuff fairly well but please clarify for me. Right now it's just the 2 of us and we would probably go most often between October and April. Obviously, things might change in the future, especially when kids come along, but as of now an October UY would be best for us now? What would be our 2nd and 3rd best UY?

Thanks!

Yes, Oct UY would work well for trips you mention, but also cover the holidays and any spring breaks you might want to go when you have kids.

The other option would be April UY, which would still cover your April and Oct trips now, but also cover the summer months, and even Dec trips (since the banking deadline is Nov 30th) when you have kids. However, it would leave any Jan, Feb, or Mar trips vulnerable.

I guess I would think about later down the roads whether or not the summer months, with kids, would be beneficial. If so, then I might go with April UY instead.

Good luck!

 

[staceymay00]

I think I'm understanding all this stuff fairly well but please clarify for me. Right now it's just the 2 of us and we would probably go most often between October and April. Obviously, things might change in the future, especially when kids come along, but as of now an October UY would be best for us now? What would be our 2nd and 3rd best UY?

Thanks!

We have kids in school and picked October UY. We like going to FL when the weather is not so hot and humid. We mainly stick to my kids' breaks during the school year for trips, such as Thanksgiving week, Winter Break in Dec/Jan and Spring Break in April. Once the kids are grown we will still want October UY in order to travel during the cooler months.

Now if you end up with kids in a school district that offers very few breaks an October UY will not work so well. You may need to visit during the summer in that case and a different UY would be better. The problem I see with April UY is if you end up in a school district with spring break in March and you want to go to WDW for spring break. Maybe December UY could be another option if you don't mind Oct and Nov becoming riskier travel times if you had to cancel. I think if Oct UY works best for you right now I'd just go with that.

 

[chalee94]

we would probably go most often between October and April.

if you mean that you would most likely never travel between may and september, i would probably suggest oct as ideal, then sept or aug.

 

[PoohNFriends]

Thanks for info so far

One follow-up question - IF I decide to go directly thru Disney and am firm on an Oct UY, will I for sure be able to get it?

Thanks again!

 

[rlovew]

Thanks for info so far

One follow-up question - IF I decide to go directly thru Disney and am firm on an Oct UY, will I for sure be able to get it?

Thanks again!

It depends on what is available and how long you are willing to wait. When points are assigned to a resort they have a specific use year- so that cannot be changed- they need to have the points at the resort you want in the use year you want available. If it is a newer resort they should have some available unless they have sold out that entire use year. At an older resort they may have to wait to ROFR another contract to get your points.

 

[dbs1228]

When we bought in Feb (while vacationing for 10 nights at Disney) we bought 2 contracts and we were orginally told it would be a March UY for 1 and Aug UY for the other but at the time we knew nothing about UY. Our guide came back to us and asked if we would like an Aug UY for both that way we would have more time to use 2009 points.(he acted like he was doing us a favor) We went ahead with the Aug UY for both but what bothers me is that we were with our guide for over 2 hours and he knew we traveled EVERY FEB. for the past 15 or so years and never did he mention the upside or downside of UY. We were told all the UY means is that then new points become available, old ones expire if not used or banked and so on.

I am glad we ended up with Aug UY since we will probably never travel June, July or Aug. With that being said my daughter is looking to use some points for an Aug trip! lol

Kids are getting older and we just found out that our school system has decided not to give a Feb break next year (a 4 day weekend instead) so that really may put a damper on Feb trips in the future. So I guess for us too it worked out for the best and going forward I can see our travel times changing due to all different schedules but I still do not have any desire to travel in the summer months.