What is the benefit of having multiple contracts?

[Dean]

Since small contracts go so quickly...and some never even get posted...how/where do you find them?

Get on the wait list with all the brokers you can contact. Then when you find the right one, simply proceed and let the others know as soon as your far enough along to be sure you're set.

 

[Nanajo1]

There are three basic things that can occur, all depending on what you purchase and how you purchase.

2. Add-On Contracts, the smaller unbrella under the big unbrella. You only have one membership number, but several Add-on contracts
You purchase a June OKW contract, and later add-on a BWV contract, and later an SSR contract. You now have 3-contracts, but only one Membership Number. These all have the same base contract number but with different contract extensions. Example: 12345.000, 12345.001, and 12345.002.

Bill,
You did a great job of explaining the whole contract thing. I'm going to save it for future reference. Regarding the smaller umbrella mentioned above am I correct in thinking all the add-ons must be in the same UY to have the same number? If I missed this somewhere I apologize.

 

[spiceycat]

dvc is very careful to only sell you your use years.

they refused to sell me one and instead were going to put me on a waiting list. but I went with another resort that had points for my use years.

some people here have reported they got another use year.

so if you don't get replies - start another post with that question.

 

[Caskbill]

Bill,
You did a great job of explaining the whole contract thing. I'm going to save it for future reference. Regarding the smaller umbrella mentioned above am I correct in thinking all the add-ons must be in the same UY to have the same number? If I missed this somewhere I apologize.

Yes all Add-On's will have the same use year, regardless of resort. There are only two ways to get a different use year.

1. Purchase a new minimum contract (150) points direct from Disney, and qualify that you want a specific Use Year. In this case it's not an add-on at all, but a totally new membership. You will get a 2nd, new membership number.

If you purchase less than 150 points, it will automatically be an add-on. You MUST get your current use year.

2. Purchase resale for the other Use Year you want. Again, this will be a new membership number.

Note: If you purchase resale something that is the same as your current Use Year, it's BEST to have it put on as an add-on to your current contract. (Due to advantages in mixing points for reservations, and determination of banking percentages) Disney may not do that automatically. In such a purchase you would want to notify your Broker about your current contract and have them make sure Disney puts it in as an Add-On and not as a new membership.

 

[trpscooby]

I am also interested in the benefit of having multiple contracts, so I hope no one minds if I have a question!

Quote:
Originally Posted by JimC
Bill, it is my understanding that under your first scenario points can be transferred from one membership number to another. So within the 7 month booking window (11 months if same resort but different use years) you could achieve what you describe in your second scenario - albeit in a more cumbersome way.

Originally Posted by Caskbill
That's true Jim, but I was just trying not to make the scope of the answer too broad.

Yes, with two membership numbers you can transfer points between them, but only in one direction within a given year. You can also make separate reservations with them, and then link the two reservations so it 'behaves' like one reservation.

One reason to have add-on's at multiple resorts is for the 11-month window advantage when you bank/borrow points from year to year.
09-20-2005 11:56 AM

So does this mean that if I had 2 separate contracts I could transfer points from one the other so I would have enough points to book at 11 months at my preferred resort? For example, if I had 150 SSR pts and 100 BCV points, but need 200 pts for my stay at BCV. So could I transfer some of my SSR pts to my BCV contract and make my ressie at 11 months?
Hope this makes sense!
Rox

 

[JimC]

I am also interested in the benefit of having multiple contracts, so I hope no one minds if I have a question!


So does this mean that if I had 2 separate contracts I could transfer points from one the other so I would have enough points to book at 11 months at my preferred resort? For example, if I had 150 SSR pts and 100 BCV points, but need 200 pts for my stay at BCV. So could I transfer some of my SSR pts to my BCV contract and make my ressie at 11 months?
Hope this makes sense!
Rox

The transferred points should retain their original characteristics. You should only be able to use the transferred SSR points at BCV at the 7 month window. Some have posted that this does not always work as intended and they have managed to do what you ask.

 

[spiceycat]

No you can't do that.

only the points for THAT resort can be used at the 11 month time.

so you can use your BCV, then the other points must be borrowed or as had been noted you use your other resort at 7 month time.

 

[CarolMN]

The transferred points should retain their original characteristics. You should only be able to use the transferred SSR points at BCV at the 7 month window. Some have posted that this does not always work as intended and they have managed to do what you ask.

I doubt MS will allow a transfer of points between contracts owned by the same member unless a reservation is actually being made. There's no other legitimate reason to transfer points between contracts owned by the same member. Since the CM would know the points the member wanted to transfer were not eligible for the 11 month booking window, I doubt such a transfer would be allowed.

I really don't think the computer "glitch" referred to can be exploited to get an advantage the member is not entitled to have unless the transferred points come from another member.

Best wishes -

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yes all Add-On's will have the same use year, regardless of resort. There are only two ways to get a different use year.

1. Purchase a new minimum contract (150) points direct from Disney, and qualify that you want a specific Use Year. In this case it's not an add-on at all, but a totally new membership. You will get a 2nd, new membership number.

[snip]

Bill, when we bought our 150 point add-on contract direct from Disney, we were given the same use year and member number. Would we have had to request a different use year if we wanted that? It's a moot point, because I like having both contracts the same. I was just curious.

 

[trpscooby]

JimC, spiceycat, and CarolMN, thanks for your replies. They were extremely helpful!

 

[spiceycat]

Disney assumes you want the same use year - it makes kepting up with the points easier.

so yes if you wanted another use year you would have to ask - also I think you would get a new member number to go with that purchase.

 

[Dean]

So does this mean that if I had 2 separate contracts I could transfer points from one the other so I would have enough points to book at 11 months at my preferred resort? For example, if I had 150 SSR pts and 100 BCV points, but need 200 pts for my stay at BCV. So could I transfer some of my SSR pts to my BCV contract and make my ressie at 11 months?
Hope this makes sense!
Rox

There are really two answers. The rules say transferred points retain their original use year and home resort and that is the way they should be handled. However, the computer system can not track home resort once transferred and it appears it can't track use year of the transferred points well either. Thus the end effect is that in most cases the points assume the use year and home resort of the destination contract. That may be to your advantage or disadvantage depending on the resort and points involved. You can force them to manually track the points and use year but since you have to do it manually, you can't do the 11 month window day by day type reservations. DVC has been quoted as "working" on this problem since at least 1999, nothing has changed and I doubt it ever will but in theory it could change Monday. I would think that to track them separately they'd have to create a totally different add on type contract in the system for each different resort/use year that was transferred. The easiest thing would be to prevent transfers however I don't think they legally could do this. All they could do would be to enforce the no payment for transfers (which I think is enforceable) however that move would still allow this type of transfer along with only a couple of others.

Carol, DVC looks at multiple contracts owned by an owner as an in between status (not linked together). In most situations they treat them as if they were totally separate members and allow all of the other intricacies including transfers. In addition they will at times allow transfers of banked or borrowed points for a specific reason on a case by case basis. But you lose the combined points accounting for banking purposes and the seamless use for reservations of different home resorts inside the 7 month window.

 

[iankh]

I have different contracts, 2 different UYs, and 2 different membership numbers. Whenever I call MS I am essentially 2 different people. I actually find it quite advantageous in many respects.

 

[Dean]

I have different contracts, 2 different UYs, and 2 different membership numbers. Whenever I call MS I am essentially 2 different people. I actually find it quite advantageous in many respects.

I totally agree. IMO, the biggest advantage is choosing the use year to use for any given trip. I almost always use the use year with the most time remaining thus giving me more options if I have to make changes or cancel.