Use year questions!

[Elephantay]

We are thinking of adding on via resale, currently own direct with a September use year. We love split stays and like to travel March-May, or maybe September. We've loved October but it's been so crowded and that's a huge consideration factor for us.
I think the same UY would be easiest, but am reading it doesn't matter too much? Should I only look at resale for September? Likely purchasing BC, BLT, or GF.

 

[LittleBitGoofy]

Yep, same UY is the way to go for ease of use.

 

[ShaneDJ]

Keep the same Use Year with all of your contracts. It greatly simplifies things.

 

[Elephantay]

September feels tricky for us. We don't want or need the 11 month window for August so haven't really found it helpful. And we don't plan to travel during the busy holiday season.

 

[eticketplease]

September feels tricky for us. We don't want or need the 11 month window for August so haven't really found it helpful. And we don't plan to travel during the busy holiday season.

Use year isn’t about the 11 month window.

You can utilize the 11 month window with any use year for any month.

Use year you want to pick will contain the 8 months that you are most likely to travel so in case you have to cancel you still have time to bank the points during that first 8 months from when your use year starts.

Since you like to travel in October, March-May October would be best as October banking deadline is 5/31

You also mentioned possibly going in September so if that was the case September would be better but you won’t have the safety net if something happens where you have to cancel a May trip as September’s banking deadline is April 30th.

Since it is so close I would do as others suggested and stick with September as this will make things much easier to manage. You will also be able to pool points easier at the 7 month mark if you are purchasing a different resort than what you currently own.

 

[Wedgeout]

I’d embrace my UY and only add on to same membership. Go September!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Having the same UY has so many advantages from a planning standpoint. The biggest question I would see with a Sept UY is how does the 4/30 deadline work for you for banking points?

 

[eticketplease]

Having the same UY has so many advantages from a planning standpoint. The biggest question I would see with a Sept UY is how does the 4/30 deadline work for you for banking points?

Of course they could be like most of us where we have already borrowed all of next year’s points and bought OTUP so it wouldn’t matter in that case

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I am definitely a borrower! Only banking we've done in past 15 years was during Covid - for different reasons......

 

[Elephantay]

Use year isn’t about the 11 month window.

You can utilize the 11 month window with any use year for any month.

Use year you want to pick will contain the 8 months that you are most likely to travel so in case you have to cancel you still have time to bank the points during that first 8 months from when your use year starts.

Since you like to travel in October, March-May October would be best as October banking deadline is 5/31

You also mentioned possibly going in September so if that was the case September would be better but you won’t have the safety net if something happens where you have to cancel a May trip as September’s banking deadline is April 30th.

Since it is so close I would do as others suggested and stick with September as this will make things much easier to manage. You will also be able to pool points easier at the 7 month mark if you are purchasing a different resort than what you currently own.

I'm confused by this...but honestly confused by how it would work for getting a harder to book resort like the ones I mentioned, at 11 months. That would be an advantage, wouldn't it? It's why we are considering adding on to a different resort.
For example, if we want to stay at BC in May, we can't book until 7 months out now, which affects availability. So if we bought at BC, we could book in April, so isn't it better to get my points then, especially if I am borrowing?
And how would that work with my September points at a different resort?

I appreciate the help! We bought direct 20 years ago and don't have a guide ao I'm reading a lot

 

[Elephantay]

Having the same UY has so many advantages from a planning standpoint. The biggest question I would see with a Sept UY is how does the 4/30 deadline work for you for banking points?

I don't know! It seems early to do it but I understand its the same time frame as other use years lol
Just seems weird to decide we won't want to go all summer - we have had many August trips.
So I guess, it's fine?

 

[Sandisw]

Use year isn’t about the 11 month window.

You can utilize the 11 month window with any use year for any month.

Use year you want to pick will contain the 8 months that you are most likely to travel so in case you have to cancel you still have time to bank the points during that first 8 months from when your use year starts.

Since you like to travel in October, March-May October would be best as October banking deadline is 5/31

You also mentioned possibly going in September so if that was the case September would be better but you won’t have the safety net if something happens where you have to cancel a May trip as September’s banking deadline is April 30th.

Since it is so close I would do as others suggested and stick with September as this will make things much easier to manage. You will also be able to pool points easier at the 7 month mark if you are purchasing a different resort than what you currently own.

Actually, all but the last few days of May trips are covered with a Sept UY because of the holding penalty.

As long it is at least 31 days out, you would still be in the banking deadline if you have to cancel May.

 

[Sandisw]

I'm confused by this...but honestly confused by how it would work for getting a harder to book resort like the ones I mentioned, at 11 months. That would be an advantage, wouldn't it? It's why we are considering adding on to a different resort.
For example, if we want to stay at BC in May, we can't book until 7 months out now, which affects availability. So if we bought at BC, we could book in April, so isn't it better to get my points then, especially if I am borrowing?
And how would that work with my September points at a different resort?

I appreciate the help! We bought direct 20 years ago and don't have a guide ao I'm reading a lot

You get the 11 month advantage based on the home resort but the UY doesn’t play a role.

Anyone owning BCV who wants to travel in May can book 11 months out in June, regardless of UY.

If you have a Sept UY, or an April UY, the booking date is the same…borrowng happens only if yu want points from the UY after the trip happens.

For example, if you bought BCV with an April UY, and wanted to book May 2026, you’d be allowed to use banked 2025, 2026, and borrowed 2027 when you call in June 2025, as that trip falls in the April 2026 UY.

Now let’s say you buy it with a Sept UY…now you can use banked 2024, 2025, or borrowed 2026 points when you call in June to book since the two falls in a Sept 2025 UY.

UY really is more about maximizing your flexibility if you have to change or cancel.

Keeping one allows you to use all contracts at 7 months for a single trip if you own different resorts.

Different UY means two memberships and you can’t combine points for a single reservation without a transfer. So, need to consider how you use it.

If you like split stays or plan to use the new points on their own, it’s less important to keep the same one.

 

[Chili327]

We are thinking of adding on via resale, currently own direct with a September use year. We love split stays and like to travel March-May, or maybe September. We've loved October but it's been so crowded and that's a huge consideration factor for us.
I think the same UY would be easiest, but am reading it doesn't matter too much? Should I only look at resale for September? Likely purchasing BC, BLT, or GF.

September feels tricky for us. We don't want or need the 11 month window for August so haven't really found it helpful. And we don't plan to travel during the busy holiday season.

I'm confused by this...but honestly confused by how it would work for getting a harder to book resort like the ones I mentioned, at 11 months. That would be an advantage, wouldn't it? It's why we are considering adding on to a different resort.
For example, if we want to stay at BC in May, we can't book until 7 months out now, which affects availability. So if we bought at BC, we could book in April, so isn't it better to get my points then, especially if I am borrowing?
And how would that work with my September points at a different resort?

I appreciate the help! We bought direct 20 years ago and don't have a guide ao I'm reading a lot

I think the bigger question is are you going to use the points from both contracts on the same trip?
That’s where it gets to be more of a hassle, but if you are going to use your Sept points for your Sept-Jan trips and use the new contract for March, April, May, then it could be fine to have different use years.

 

[matt_in_nh]

September feels tricky for us. We don't want or need the 11 month window for August so haven't really found it helpful. And we don't plan to travel during the busy holiday season.

Use year is a personal choice there is no one beat use year. But with any use year you get 11 month benefit for all months. You book based on points you will have at the time of the reservation. It does not work the way you describe which would be very limiting.

 

[Elephantay]

I think the bigger question is are you going to use the points from both contracts on the same trip?
That’s where it gets to be more of a hassle, but if you are going to use your Sept points for your Sept-Jan trips and use the new contract for March, April, May, then it could be fine to have different use years.

Yes, we do split stays and so we are thinking it would be nice to have two resorts.

 

[Elephantay]

I'm thinking to follow everyone's advice that say keep the same use year! And finding a guide sounds like a good idea too
Thanks!

 

[eticketplease]

I'm confused by this...but honestly confused by how it would work for getting a harder to book resort like the ones I mentioned, at 11 months. That would be an advantage, wouldn't it? It's why we are considering adding on to a different resort.
For example, if we want to stay at BC in May, we can't book until 7 months out now, which affects availability. So if we bought at BC, we could book in April, so isn't it better to get my points then, especially if I am borrowing?
And how would that work with my September points at a different resort?

I appreciate the help! We bought direct 20 years ago and don't have a guide ao I'm reading a lot

I think @Sandisw already has explained it pretty well already.

Again the Use Year is the month when your points are loaded into your account and then you have a year to travel from that time or 8 months to bank your points.



The 11 month window does not matter what use year you have it is to give you an advantage at booking your home resort before those who own at other locations.
If you own OKW you might want the 11 month window to book the best point value for Grand Villas before someone who owns BCV could book it.
If you own BWV you might book a Standard or Boardwalk view studio during Food & Wine at 11 months before it opens up for others at 7 months.

Lots of people own at multiple resorts so they have multiple 11 month windows.
You may want to own at BCV/BWV/RIV for Food & Wine trips with easy access to International Gateway but then own at a MK resort such as BLT/BRV to do the Christmas Party or MNSSHP.

If you buy a different location only the points owned at each resort can be used at 11 months. However if you have them all in the same use year, you will easily be able to combine them at 7 months to perhaps get a larger accommodation or stay longer without having to do a split stay.

The 11 month window your points do not have to be loaded into your account yet to book.
For example with your September use year if you wanted to travel on October 1, 2026 you could book at your home resort as early as November 1, 2025 even though your not in your September 2026 use year. This is because the date of travel (October 1, 2026) occurs during your September 2026 use year timeline (9/1/26 - 8/31/27)

Looking at the chart below the first column shows when the trip you are planning takes place, the middle column shows when you can book at your home resort for that period and the last column shows when you can use your points to book elsewhere.

 

[Chili327]

Again the Use Year is the month when your points are loaded into your account and then you have a year to travel from that time or 8 months to bank your points.

Yes, very important to not misunderstand, causing all kinds of hassle.

To simplify… 11-months only relates to when you want to travel.
Use Year is only when points are loaded.

If you want to travel in March, you can book it in April of the previous year. Regardless of when your use year is. Having a March Use Year is great for travel in March, but completely unrelated to booking.

 

[Sandisw]

Just to add something small but important. Your account has all your points already. They don’t get deposited each year.

The UY just tells you when a new set becomes available for stays. It seems like semantics but sometimes this confuses people.