What is the advantage of use year? (I'm counting on Granny to know this...)

[tinkrbells]

We will be faxing in our information tomorrow to buy into the DVC. The DVC rep told me that our renewal time for points would be in April. Is there an advantage of having a certain month for when you get your point allotment?
What does it all mean?!?

Thanks!

tinkrbells

 

[DVCJman]

The "use year" is just the month that you receive your annual allotment of DVC points....that month also dictates what months then become your "banking months" for saving points to use into the next year if you wish.

The month has nothing really to do with your ability to make a reservation for the current year or into the next year, as long as you would have available points to use or to borrow....your month doesn't regulate your 11 or 7 month windows, which are set by the date to which you wish to make a reservation.

I think the use months are used by DVC to spread out the issuing of points so it is not all done at one time. Different months are used at different times during sales...my month is October, but I usually go to WDW in the summer and HH in the winter.

 

[WebmasterDoc]

Another use year consideration is that if you have to cancel a reservation in Feb or March- those points will still have to be used by March 30.

If you normally travel in the summer or fall- an April use year will work well.

Enjoy!

 

[drusba]

Use year determines when your points are issued each year (first day of use year) and by when you must bank them. You have until the end of the 6th month of your use year to bank 100% of total annual allotement of points. From the beginning of the 7th month to the end of the 9th month you can bank up to 50% of the total and by the end of the 10th month 25%. Understand that means if you bank 50% by the end of the 6th month you can bank no more thereafter; likewise if you have banked 25% by the end of the 9th month you can bank none in that 10th month.

Use year has nothing to do with when you can go (anytime of year) or when you can call to make ressies (always 11 months in advance at home resort, 7 at others). The only impact use year can actually have relates to your canceling a trip and that impact results from the banking deadlines.

Assume you have a Feb use year, meaning it runs from Feb 1 to Jan 31 and you schedule a trip for late Jan at the end of your use year using pointts issued in that use year. Something happens and you need to cancel at the beginning of December. When you do so you will be beyond all banking deadlines and thus you won't be able to bank any of those points and they must be used by the end of Jan.

Now assume you have a December use year and schedule that Jan trip. That trip is now at the beginning of your use year. If you cancel in early December you will still be able to bank all the points or have 11 months to use them (your choice).

As a result, if you have a usual time of year that you go then some recommend that you get a use year starting month that is no more than 6 months before the time you usually go. Thus, if you must cancel you will always have time to bank all points.

 

[Dean]

I think use year is more important than most people on this board seem to think. If you have a work or family situation where you're likely to need to change plans within 6 months prior to your trip, it can be important because it may set you up where you can't bank points if you cancel you're trip. As we all get older, I think there are likely to be more and more situations that arise. For others, it might not be very important at all.

 

[tinkrbells]

I do understand now. Thank you all for taking the time to explain it to me. We did not have the chance to talk to any of the DVC people on our last trip to Disney. So none of these things have been explained to us over a "sales pitch". We were not even considering DVC when we went last Feb., because we thought it wasn't affordable. Now we realize how affordable DVC really is and how much $$$ we will save. The best part is we can always stay at our favorite resort!

We look forward to being a new DVC family!

tinkrbells

 

[Granny]

tinkrbells.....thank you for your confidence in my knowledge. As Webmaster Doc and others will tell you, I am not the most knowledgeable person on these boards.

Your question was responded to by, IMHO, some great resources on this board. I am passionate but too often incorrect....I'm trying to keep my responses in the opinion category where I can't do as much harm!!!

However, I will tell you that you are on the right track if you are a WDW lover who thoroughly enjoys being on-site on a regular basis. Keep asking the questions....you've come to the right place.

Congratulations on your decision!!!