When are point taken from your account

[allgair]

Hi all,

I have been reading all of your stuff for sometime we were in FL this past week and took the tour. On tuesday we go all of our info in our box from DVC. But I have one question which, When do they take the points out for for stay -- at the time of the reservation of the first check in date?? The real reason I am asking is our use year would be set for Aug we typically like to travel in Sept, Oct, Nov and some times in Jan and Feb. I want to make sure whe get the most out of our points.


Thanks for the Help

Ken

 

[dvcmomdeh]

I believe that it is an immediate transaction.

 

[CarolMN]

August is a very good use year for travel in the months you mentioned.

Your points are considered "used" when you make the reservation. However, you can always call to make a reservation 11 months ahead of check out (for a home resort reservation and 7 months ahead of check out for a non-home resort reservation). You don't have to have the points actually in your account when you call to make a reservation - you just have to have unused points coming that will valid for the dates of your stay.

To help keep things straight, make yourself a little chart like this:

2005 use year points are good for reservations between 8/1/2005 and 7/31/2006.
2006 use year points are good for reservations between 8/1/2006 and 7/31/2007.
2007 use year points are good for reservations between 8/1/2007 and 7/31/2008.
etc.

You can move points between use years by banking and borrowing. You can only borrow from one use year ahead and you can only bank one use year ahead.

HTH.

Best wishes -

 

[Beca]

Points are "allocated" when you make your ressie. Now, if you have to cancel, they are returned to your account with no penalties, except in the following circumstances:

1) you are less than 31 days from check-in (they go into holding account, unless is is the day of check-in, at which time they are forfeited).

2) they are "borrowed" points, at which time they remain borrowed, and cannot be returned to your original uy.

If you travel Sept-Dec., an Aug uy would be great for you. Remember, a uy does affect when you can make ressies. Every DVC member can make ressies for a specified day at their home resort on the SAME day...no matter when your uy is. UY's only affect:

1) when the points are deposited into your account
2) your banking deadlines

Here's the catch that people forget...the points do not actually have to "be" sitting in your account to make a ressie...member services sees on the computer that you will get them, and can allocate them even though they are not in your account yet.

It's really crazy to figure this all out at first, but once you get it down, it is really simple.



Beca

 

[RobDoc]

As noted, the points are allocated at the time the reservation is made, but they are not debited from your account until the day of check in. Up until the arrival date you will have the ability to regain the use of those points. If cancelled 31 or more days- they are returned to your account to use for another reservation or banked (based on normal deadlines). If cancelled 30 days of less prior, they go into the Holding Account with it's own restrictions.

From an accounting view, think of it as writing a check. The funds remain in your account until the check is cashed- even though you may have already deducted the amount in your check ledger. In the case of DVC, it isn't cashed until arrival day. The points can be returned to the account until that time to be used for a different purpose.

 

[justjudy]

I'm glad somebody asked this question. I was just wondering about something along these same lines. So, if you had "X" number of points that had to be used by, say, September of this year or you would lose them, can you use those points now to make ressies even though the travel won't take place until next January, or must the travel actually take place before the points expire. Sorry for sounding like the accounting idiot that I am!

 

[Beca]

I'm glad somebody asked this question. I was just wondering about something along these same lines. So, if you had "X" number of points that had to be used by, say, September of this year or you would lose them, can you use those points now to make ressies even though the travel won't take place until next January, or must the travel actually take place before the points expire. Sorry for sounding like the accounting idiot that I am!

No, points must be used before they expire. Just remember, the points will magically "disappear" from DVC's computer on their expiration date, whether they are "holding" a ressie or not. Points must be used for travel dates during the times they are good, but you do not have to wait until the travel dates "officially begin" to start making ressies.



Beca

 

[TammyAlphabet]

To me, it is kinda like spending all the money in my checking account before I get paid.....

 

[justjudy]

Thanks, everyone -- it's kind of what I suspected, but I wanted to be sure. I've been going back and forth with myself about a particular resale contract -- great number of points, but more per point than I really wanted to spend. Since there is no way we can use the expiring points before they disappear I've just saved us a boatload of $$$. Ahhhh, well, the hunt continues.....