Understanding Use Year - Updated 5/31/2012

[lark]

Originally Posted by 5forDiz

BLT points may not be used for any reservations that are BEFORE the official opening of BLT Resort ( iirc BLT will open beginning of August 2009 ). So therefore you could not book a stay for June 2009. Same goes for any points from a DVC resort that has not yet opened.

But to answer your question - let's say the points were from SSR then yes you could do what you are stating above and yes MS would borrow from 2011 Use Year 130 points that would be required to cover reservation for July 2010 ( because 2011 Use Year allotment of pts may be borrowed into 2010 UY to be utilized for stays between 6/1/2010 - 5/31/2011 ) and yes MS will borrow from 2011 Use Year points when you call to make July 2010 at 11 month window.

Best wishes

Thanks so much. Yes, actually I should have been more clear. I was going to use the 50 points in June not for BLT but a different resort. Thanks very much for the answer. This is exactly what I needed.

[5forDiz]

Originally Posted by lark

Thanks so much. Yes, actually I should have been more clear. I was going to use the 50 points in June not for BLT but a different resort. Thanks very much for the answer. This is exactly what I needed.

BLT points cannot be used at ANY resort prior to BLT opening - sorry, my post should have made this clearer.

This is DVC policy - it has to do with reciprocity (spelling ?); if you used BLT points at SSR for example then an SSR owner must be able to use their SSR points at BLT so since that isn't possible until BLT opens that is why BLT points are not usable for a stay at any resort prior to the opening of BLT.

Good luck.

[lark]

Originally Posted by 5forDiz

BLT points cannot be used at ANY resort prior to BLT opening - sorry, my post should have made this clearer.

This is DVC policy - it has to do with reciprocity (spelling ?); if you used BLT points at SSR for example then an SSR owner must be able to use their SSR points at BLT so since that isn't possible until BLT opens that is why BLT points are not usable for a stay at any resort prior to the opening of BLT.

Good luck.

Aha -- that is very important information. Thanks.

In addition to reciprocity, I suppose that only makes sense, since owners of BLT points aren't required to pay MFs until opening.

[rmonty02]

I do believe I'm understanding the UY and its correlation with the banking deadline, cancellation issues and the holding account thing. I was wondering about borrowing pts. Is there a time frame from when you receive your points that you can ask to borrow next years points? When would it be too early or too late to borrow? With a June UY for example.

[Sandisw]

Originally Posted by rmonty02

I do believe I'm understanding the UY and its correlation with the banking deadline, cancellation issues and the holding account thing. I was wondering about borrowing pts. Is there a time frame from when you receive your points that you can ask to borrow next years points? When would it be too early or too late to borrow? With a June UY for example.

You don't actually ask to "borrow" points. When you call to make a reservation, MS will borrow points if you need them to make the reservation.
They will use any banked points you have 1st, then they will use "current year" points, and if you are still short, they will borrow exactly what you need.

Of course, once you borrow, those points can not be returned to their UY so even if you cancel 31 days or more out, those points will still have to be used before the UY ends.

For example, if you have a June UY with 160 points. You want to go in July, 2010 and will need 200 points. In August 09, you call to make the reservation. Since the trip happens in your 2010 UY, they will use all of those points (160) and "borrow" 40 points from 2011, into 2010 to complete the reservation.

If you had to cancel that July reservation, the 2010 points would be put back without restrictions (and you could still bank all 160), but the 2011 points (40) that were borrowed would still need to used for vacations from June 1st 2010 until May 31st, 2011.

[chalee94]

Originally Posted by rmonty02

I do believe I'm understanding the UY and its correlation with the banking deadline, cancellation issues and the holding account thing. I was wondering about borrowing pts. Is there a time frame from when you receive your points that you can ask to borrow next years points? When would it be too early or too late to borrow? With a June UY for example.

Borrowing is only done when you are making a reservation and need the points.

If you have a June UY, and you want to make a reservation for your 2009 UY (June 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010)…

Let’s say you bought a resale last year which was stripped and would not receive any points until the 2010 UY (June 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011). You still could have called on July 1, 2008 to book a reservation at your home resort for June 1, 2009 by borrowing from your 2010 UY.

Or if you waited for a while and decide at the last minute on May 28, 2010 or so to see if there is availability on May 30, 2010, you could still borrow from your 2010 UY to make that reservation.

[rmonty02]

Originally Posted by chalee94

Let’s say you bought a resale last year which was stripped and would not receive any points until the 2010 UY (June 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011). You still could have called on July 1, 2008 to book a reservation at your home resort for June 1, 2009 by borrowing from your 2010 UY.

I see. This 2008 scenario answers my question. So, I suppose I'll only have to worry about borrowing points on my 2060 reservations when I'll not have any more points to borrow from. (At least on this '09 contact)

[rmonty02]

Originally Posted by Sandisw

Of course, once you borrow, those points can not be returned to their UY so even if you cancel 31 days or more out, those points will still have to be used before the UY ends.

I will definitely make a note of this. You guys have been sooo helpful. Thx.

[Nanabug02]

I'm normally pretty sharp, but for some reason I am having trouble grasping what my best UY would be. Can someone help, please?

We normally go in May, June and October. What would be the best use year for these travel dates and why?

Thanks so much!!!!

[Sandisw]

Originally Posted by Nanabug02

I'm normally pretty sharp, but for some reason I am having trouble grasping what my best UY would be. Can someone help, please?

We normally go in May, June and October. What would be the best use year for these travel dates and why?

Thanks so much!!!!

March or April would be best for your travel times. You get 8 months after your UY to bank any points. If you ever have to cancel a trip more than 31 days in advance, you want to be within this banking window to give you flexibility with what to do with the points.

For March, you would have until the end of October to bank points, and until November if you choose an April UY.

Just remember, your UY does not affect when you can book. You can always book starting 11 months before check in date at your home resort and 7 months from check in date at the other DVC resorts.

[CarolMN]

Originally Posted by Nanabug02

I'm normally pretty sharp, but for some reason I am having trouble grasping what my best UY would be. Can someone help, please?

We normally go in May, June and October. What would be the best use year for these travel dates and why?

Thanks so much!!!!

Originally Posted by Sandisw

March or April would be best for your travel times. You get 8 months after your UY to bank any points. If you ever have to cancel a trip more than 31 days in advance, you want to be within this banking window to give you flexibility with what to do with the points.

For March, you would have until the end of October to bank points, and until November if you choose an April UY.

Just remember, your UY does not affect when you can book. You can always book starting 11 months before check in date at your home resort and 7 months from check in date at the other DVC resorts.

February would also work for those travel times. The banking deadline for February use years is the end of September.

If you do not cancel a reservation at least 31 days in advance, the returned points go into the "holding account" and cannot be banked anyway. So the latest you could cancel an October vacation would be sometime in September (or possibly the very end of August if your check in date was October 30 or 31).

Note that holding account points carry booking restrictions (can't make a reservation with them that begins more than 60 days in the future), so members really try to avoid late cancellations.

[jenharring]

ok I know this is an old post, but hopefully some one can help me. If we plan to go 2x a year. Once for a short trip in Febuary and then a week to 10 days in May when would a good use year be for us. Thanks
We will using a studio in Feb and a 2 bedroom in May. What is the mim amount of points we would need?

[chalee94]

ok I know this is an old post, but hopefully some one can help me. If we plan to go 2x a year. Once for a short trip in Febuary and then a week to 10 days in May when would a good use year be for us.

a feb UY would be ideal. but stay away from the summer months like jun and aug and any other UY would probably work fine.

We will using a studio in Feb and a 2 bedroom in May. What is the mim amount of points we would need?

there are point charts for the different resorts linked above - you can calculate how many pts you need at your favorite DVC resorts and go from there.

[jenharring]

thanks as it looks we will need around 275 points or so. Depending on if we go in jan or feb. thanks so much

[DVCGeek]

Originally Posted by jenharring

thanks as it looks we will need around 275 points or so. Depending on if we go in jan or feb. thanks so much

Don't forget to add in some extra points because the charts can and have changed (compare 2009 and 2010s to get a feel for what kind of thing MIGHT happen again!)