Wonderful Use year issue......

[Kim Gillihan]

So, I decided that June is really as close to perfect for us as you can get.... travel when school is out.. thanksgiving, christmas, summer... I can see some spring break in there as well..

June covers most of our travel times.

There are 2 contracts that have same resort but split smaller points so buy 2 small vs. 1 big which I like for resale etc. But, they are October and December UY....

So, October is worse cause have bank by May which is horrible for summer travel. December is bad for Thanksgiving travel....

The first contract that got taken was for April, do december was my bad month...risky month.

I know I should just wait for June, right??..

AHHH

 

[supersnoop]

I know I should just wait for June, right??..

Yup.

 

[ELMC]

I think you know the answer. On top of the banking and availability issues you mention, there's also the issue of potentially having to cancel a vacation after the banking window. If you had to do so you could conceivably lose the points.

 

[mustinjourney]

How likely will you have to cancel a trip?

If not likely, then UY is not nearly as important as you might think.

 

[LAX]

How likely will you have to cancel a trip?

If not likely, then UY is not nearly as important as you might think.

I don't think anyone really plan on cancelling trips. It's kind of like asking someone how likely they are to file a claim when deciding whether they should purchase travel insurance. Thus, picking an UY that fits a particular travel pattern is often thought of being free "insurance." It can be the difference between losing points and banking them for future use. If one travels regularly in November, buying a contract with a December UY is not a smart choice even if one ends up not cancelling any trip down the road.

LAX

 

[mustinjourney]

I don't think anyone really plan on cancelling trips. It's kind of like asking someone how likely they are to file a claim when deciding whether they should purchase travel insurance. Thus, picking an UY that fits a particular travel pattern is often thought of being free "insurance." It can be the difference between losing points and banking them for future use. If one travels regularly in November, buying a contract with a December UY is not a smart choice even if one ends up not cancelling any trip down the road.

LAX

true -- but there are certain people that cancel things often. I have a good friend that backs out of vacations all the time. Some type of drama inevitably pops up in their life. So if that is something that happens to you, then yes, UY would be very important.

I am not one of those people, so for me it is not that big of a concern.

If I had a job like a litigation attorney, then I would worry about cancelling trips since their schedules are at the whim of the court docket.

If you have to cancel a trip due to a completely unforeseen issue such as a death in the family, loss of job, etc... there's a decent chance you could sweet talk the CM into bending the rules a little. I've read reports of that happening. Sure, you can't count on it, but there is also a cost associated with waiting for the perfect contract.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

.

If you have to cancel a trip due to a completely unforeseen issue such as a death in the family, loss of job, etc... there's a decent chance you could sweet talk the CM into bending the rules a little. I've read reports of that happening. Sure, you can't count on it, but there is also a cost associated with waiting for the perfect contract.

Or not - one really can't assume that points will be given back. I've actually experienced 2 deaths in the family just prior to trips. One my mother who was going with us and the other my brother. After I called when my mother passed I got no points back and a "have a magical day" before hanging up. No points back either when my brother passed. Thankfully I have "good" UY's for our travel and had no issues using the points at a later time.

 

[Dean]

So, I decided that June is really as close to perfect for us as you can get.... travel when school is out.. thanksgiving, christmas, summer... I can see some spring break in there as well..

June covers most of our travel times.

There are 2 contracts that have same resort but split smaller points so buy 2 small vs. 1 big which I like for resale etc. But, they are October and December UY....

So, October is worse cause have bank by May which is horrible for summer travel. December is bad for Thanksgiving travel....

The first contract that got taken was for April, do december was my bad month...risky month.

I know I should just wait for June, right??..

AHHH

Waiting for June will be your best decision IMO even if it's a little more pp or you get less total points, it sounds like it'd be worth it.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Or not - one really can't assume that points will be given back. I've actually experienced 2 deaths in the family just prior to trips. One my mother who was going with us and the other my brother. After I called when my mother passed I got no points back and a "have a magical day" before hanging up. No points back either when my brother passed. Thankfully I have "good" UY's for our travel and had no issues using the points at a later time.

Wow! thats horrible.. I am so sorry for your losses.. I have also lost my everyone... actually, hopefully you haven't. Everyone meaning my Mom, dad and only brother, thank goodness for my son, husband, and other close family and friends. But, back on topic, that is horrible they would't give your points back.. Anyway, We don't usually cancel... but stuff can happen as you and I know.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Waiting for June will be your best decision IMO even if it's a little more pp or you get less total points, it sounds like it'd be worth it.

Yes sir, I am waiting. have passed on several otherwise good contracts for me!!

 

[Kim Gillihan]

How likely will you have to cancel a trip?

If not likely, then UY is not nearly as important as you might think.

We are not likely, only in emergency... I want to be as safe as possible though.. but I hear ya!! I am sure 99% of the time I would be just fine, probably worrying for nothing.

 

[kboo]

Hang in there! I am rooting for you!

BTW, we are thinking if we get add-on-itis later to get a different use year and a wholly different resort. And, ideally, use the points from different UY to book vacations for different times. So our 1st contract is Feb UY, since we are looking mainly at February and April school vacations and/or late August (mine and ODD's birthdays). Since the last day to bank is 8/31, Feb or Mar would have been perfect. Then, if we think we may want to go for a short trip in the fall (Jewish holidays in Sept/Oct), T-giving (YDD's birthday) or Xmas someday, maybe we wait until we get an EP resort with Aug - Oct UY. I told DH about the add-on plan and he was like, "whoa....! Let's close on our first contract and use it and see how we like it first!" Of course, one of our 2018 trips is going to be Thanksgiving 2018, right before YDD turns 3. Oh well...

 

[Nie0214]

Hang in there! I am rooting for you!

BTW, we are thinking if we get add-on-itis later to get a different use year and a wholly different resort. And, ideally, use the points from different UY to book vacations for different times. So our 1st contract is Feb UY, since we are looking mainly at February and April school vacations and/or late August (mine and ODD's birthdays). Since the last day to bank is 8/31, Feb or Mar would have been perfect. Then, if we think we may want to go for a short trip in the fall (Jewish holidays in Sept/Oct), T-giving (YDD's birthday) or Xmas someday, maybe we wait until we get an EP resort with Aug - Oct UY. I told DH about the add-on plan and he was like, "whoa....! Let's close on our first contract and use it and see how we like it first!" Of course, one of our 2018 trips is going to be Thanksgiving 2018, right before YDD turns 3. Oh well...

This is our plan too.

We're closing on 100 Oct BLT for fall/winter vacations (Christmas on the monorail and right next to MK basically!). We were debating a 25pt direct add-on for bonuses, then said.. "Well how about we do 50 direct at AK with an April use year for spring/summer trips" and now that's turned into "50 direct at AK is ridiculously overpriced, let's buy 100 AK Mar/Apr resale in two years and just add on 25 direct to our BLT this year".

 

[Kim Gillihan]

you guys have good plans, I have just read so much on here about how much of a nightmare it is to manage, but I guess not if you plan to use total points, if you keep them separate.... but I need my total amount if I do end of buying 2 for bigger groups every now and then..... I like the idea in general though!!

 

[Nie0214]

you guys have good plans, I have just read so much on here about how much of a nightmare it is to manage, but I guess not if you plan to use total points, if you keep them separate.... but I need my total amount if I do end of buying 2 for bigger groups every now and then..... I like the idea in general though!!

I'm a project manager by day so dates and timelines are no big deal to me.

We're planning a 4/5 night with the extended family in early Dec 2018, so we will blow through points with bank and borrow for that trip. But that's an anomaly and won't be the norm.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I'm a project manager by day so dates and timelines are no big deal to me.

We're planning a 4/5 night with the extended family in early Dec 2018, so we will blow through points with bank and borrow for that trip. But that's an anomaly and won't be the norm.

Thats awesome!