What to do with 26 points?

[Granny]

Due to some changes in family circumstances, our vacation habits will be changing somewhat. No problem, as we usually plan pretty far out.

However, I do have 26 points that are banked and have to be used before October 1, 2006. We don't plan to take a trip before then due to those changes I mentioned.

So my first thought is renting....but of course, what can you rent with 26 points?

And I don't want to borrow points from the next year just to have enough to make a reservation to rent.

I thought about Concierge Collection with something closer to home, but that will require me to use more than 26 points too.


So what would you do with such a small number of expiring points?

 

[cruise-o-matic]

I'm sure some nice member would love to have you transfer them to their account....It would be like renting w/o the hassle of trying to procure a reservation and most importantly, once the points are out of your account, you are not responsible for them anymore....

Then again, you could find yourself sneaking in another vaca and wind up borrowing from your next UY.....

 

[spiceycat]

I might rent them - remember Sept is one of the few months left where DVC definitely has room.

that is not so for Oct, Nov, Dec.

you can stay at OKW for 3 nights on 24 points studio.

HH you can do 4 nights in a studio here for Dec. (if there is still availability)

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

Yep. I would either see about renting them to another member for cash or maybe see if you could work out a deal with someone you trust who may be a little short this year who transfers points back to you the following year.

 

[vascubaguy]

I'm sure some nice member would love to have you transfer them to their account....It would be like renting w/o the hassle of trying to procure a reservation and most importantly, once the points are out of your account, you are not responsible for them anymore....

Then again, you could find yourself sneaking in another vaca and wind up borrowing from your next UY.....

Can you transfer out banked points? If so that would be the ideal thing to do (rent them to another DVC member).

 

[JohnNJ]

Granny:

If I understand correctly, you can't transfer the points because they're banked. It looks like you have an October use year, so the points would have to be used between October 1, 2005 and September 30,2006.

You could use some of your regular '05 points or borrow some '06 points to make a full five day studio reservation of 60 points at OKW, for example, and offer that for rent. That way you don't lose the 26 but you may come up short later. You could always rent transfer points from another member later, if necessary, using the money you make now, to make you "whole" again.

Just a thought.

 

[KelNottAt]

Can you give them to a family member as a gift? Christmas? Birthday? Graduation?

Even though you won't be travelling, maybe someone you love could make use of a WDW getaway.

 

[jodifla]

We're in the same boat! We have 20 points.....not sure if we'll use some more points to turn it into a concierge night, or give a gift of a couple studio nights to a friend.

 

[vascubaguy]

Hi FRIENDS!!!!

I wouldn't mind having a few nights in a studio!!!

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

You could rent out the points as a night or two reservation. A DVCer could then link those nights to an exsisting reservation of their own.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Bank them. If you cannot, can you sell them on the boards or give them to a friend.

 

[Dean]

You can't transfer or bank them. If you can't work out a use yourself such as squeezing a trip in, there are other alternatives. You could rent them for just 2 or 3 nights as JF suggests, you might have to borrow a few other points to do so. You could rent a larger group of points by borrowing from your following use year. You might be able to work with anther member who could use them now and then transfer points to you in the future. You could use them for the CC, DCL, DC but you'd likely need to add points to do so as well. And you could book with II but again, you'll need a min of 106 (? exact number) points for a studio.

 

[hawkeye]

Dean,
I was a bit confused by your reply, but I am curious because I too am in the same boat. We just joined SSR this year. I banked my 200 pts from from 2005 (feb uy). I then made a ressie for April 2006 using the banked points. But I only used 189 points from the bank. We only take one trip a year so I won't be using them and I don't want to use any of my 2/2006 points which I will bank for 2007. (The plan is a big trip some time in the future). I guess the question is, what can I do with the 11 pts. I don't want to go through the hassle of renting them (from everything I've read here). I would be happy to transfer them to a fellow DVC member for cash or a promise of a return favor in the future. Is there a clearingg house or a board for us to do this? Thanks

Also thanks for all the questions, threads and advice. I read the boards every night since we joined and have benefited greatly from your sage wisdom.

 

[Dean]

Dean,
I was a bit confused by your reply, but I am curious because I too am in the same boat. We just joined SSR this year. I banked my 200 pts from from 2005 (feb uy). I then made a ressie for April 2006 using the banked points. But I only used 189 points from the bank. We only take one trip a year so I won't be using them and I don't want to use any of my 2/2006 points which I will bank for 2007. (The plan is a big trip some time in the future). I guess the question is, what can I do with the 11 pts. I don't want to go through the hassle of renting them (from everything I've read here). I would be happy to transfer them to a fellow DVC member for cash or a promise of a return favor in the future. Is there a clearingg house or a board for us to do this? Thanks

Also thanks for all the questions, threads and advice. I read the boards every night since we joined and have benefited greatly from your sage wisdom.

You can't transfer them. You could try to rent them but you don't want to do that. You could look for a Concierge Club Option that would work but you'd have to use more than the 11 points. In your situation and with the limitations you've imposed on yourself, I'd go to the Rent/trade board and offer them for rent for $100 or to another member to use maybe for a studio in return for the same option for your next visit. All other options would require you using some, maybe a lot, of the rest of your 2006 points. You could also offer them for a charity like Make a wish, others have posted info about that direction previously but I'm not sure if it would work out in this situation.

You could use your one time exemption and bank them but I wouldn't for just 11 points. Or you could just let them go which seems the only real option you're left yourself unless you can work out a trip before the end of your use year in Jan, 2006. Frankly, I think the save points for a big trip is far over rated, you never know what will happen. And worst case scenario is you could always rent points and have them transferred to your account for a future trip if you needed extra. Or you could get cash rooms through MS and have the ressies linked to your points reservation.

IMO, most people limit themselves far too much in this situation, but it is your right to do so.

 

[ant3838]

I just booked a trip and had a few points left over. I asked Member services if I could transfer them and the answer was no for banked points. Another interesting perk coming up totally unrelated - I asked if they offer meal plans and they said it is something in the works. Years ago before I was part of DVC I bought a meal plan and had great expensive dinners - well worth it just the meals at Fulton's and Flying Fish alone were worth havingnthe plan.
Ann

 

[Bojo]

Going in a different direction, and I don't want to hijack this thread but, I would still love to see an option to use points for park passes as well as a meal plan. Think of all the add-ons that would be made!

 

[crisi]

I just booked a trip and had a few points left over. I asked Member services if I could transfer them and the answer was no for banked points. Another interesting perk coming up totally unrelated - I asked if they offer meal plans and they said it is something in the works. Years ago before I was part of DVC I bought a meal plan and had great expensive dinners - well worth it just the meals at Fulton's and Flying Fish alone were worth havingnthe plan.
Ann

That's been "in the works" since they announced the plan. Some people have doubts if "in the works" means "we are actively doing something" or "we have it on our to-do list - down at the bottom - where we will never get to it."

 

[Dean]

That's been "in the works" since they announced the plan. Some people have doubts if "in the works" means "we are actively doing something" or "we have it on our to-do list - down at the bottom - where we will never get to it."

My interpretation of phrases like "we're working on it", is that DVC hasn't a clue about whatever the topic is. It's a pat response that essentially mean's we'll call you, don't call us and not much different than "I'll respect you in the morning".

Plus even if they did add it, I doubt it will last very long and it's possible the price will be higher than is currently quoted though I believe I saw the price for 2006 has already been increased to $37.99 per adult instead of the $35. Remember that one of the benefits that Disney gets is that they are renting out a room at a price far higher than they would have without the dining benefit. It's a specialty item that I suspect only a small percentage of members would take advantage of over time.

 

[disneyberry]

[SIZE=+0]Granny, I would just rent them. You do have over 1 year to do that, so it shouldn't be a problem at all to find a renter who might want only 26 points.

During Dream Season (1st half of Feb, all of May, early Jun, and late Aug), you can book 2 nights in a BCV/VWL/BWV-Pref Studio for exactly 26 points. Or Magic Season works for 2 nights in a SSR Studio.

As weird as it may seem, there are some folks who might only want to rent that small an amt of points. 4 years ago, we tried out DVC ourselves for the first time by renting 2 nights in a Studio from someone. I'm sure there'll be takers if you post them up for rent. You'll probably help another family decide to join. Heh.

Good luck![/SIZE]

 

[Granny]

Sorry it took me so long to check on my thread....a busy Friday and Saturday!!

Thanks so much to everyone for all the great advice. Frankly, I never thought I'd be in this position since we do plan out in advance, and in general I'm usually in more of a borrowing mode than a banking mode.

This is one of the risks of the "bank one contract, borrow on the other" strategy that we've been using for a few years now.

Very good discussion points raised by all. I hadn't thought about making a short reservation that someone could add on to another one.

And maybe I'll find a member who is just a little short on a planned vacation.


As always, you guys are the best! Thanks again for all the information and advice.