I think I have most of the basics of making DVC reservations figured out, but wondering now about the more esoteric conditions–ones that I hope don’t happen.
For all my previous trips I always got separate room reservations and park tickets. The neat part was that if some “life happens” event came up, everything was fully refundable up to five days in advance. Nice feeling and luckily a trigger I’ve never had to pull in a couple decades of Disney trips.
With a DVC reservation outside the banking deadline I figure no big deal, If >30 days no issues, if <30 days some “holding account” weirdness I need to figure out. For >30 days those points are again available to be used or banked if I can’t go for a while. My main question is what if that reservation is inside the banking deadline? Is it “use it or lose it” for which the only realistic option would be to sell them or something?
if you’re inside that 30 day, Banking window, the points go into what is called holding. This is a specific category of points that can only be booked from 60 days before arrival and must be used before the end of your use year, they expire thereafter.
Also, as an aside, park tickets are never refundable if you purchase them separately. They are only refundable. Is there within a package and protected by that 30 day cancellation policy and full refund of your deposit. Just wanted to make sure you were clear on that.
If you can inside the banking deadline but outside the holding window you are correct that they become use or lose. You can rent them or put them into Interval International. (Don’t ask why I know this…) This is why buying the right use year is often more important than some people think.
Prior to owning DVC, my mindset was very similar to yours. I always booked with maximum flexibility “just in case”.
Unfortunately, DVC is not that, but I think you will get used to it and how best to use it. Your planning horizon gets much longer, both because of DVC availability and banking deadlines.
For you, I strongly recommend not getting into a situation where you always need to borrow points. I never thought I would, but here I am! Once you start borrowing you have even less flexibility. I like to hold reservations for a “maybe” trip which you definitely cannot do when borrowing. Also, say you book a BLT at 11 months and then want to move to BCV, BWV or BRV at 7 months. If you had to borrow all of your points to book that reservation, any points you get back from that cheaper reservation are now stuck in that use year.
Note, if you used a combination of borrowed and current UY points, Disney will always use the borrowed points first and give back current UY points which then can be banked if in the banking window.
@melcort10 : OK, thanks for confirming. While I kinda knew a good use year would be handy, I didn’t realize how useful until later. My use year is August and I normally travel in September, so I’m in good shape. I did check with a buddy that I can make reservations based on points I don’t own yet, but will by the time of the reservation, so hopefully I have max flexibility. Bummer you had to find this this out directly.
@heathernoel : Yea, I do get that impression DVC and “spur of the moment” are not exactly made for each other! If I don’t have a trip fully planned down to the rides 6 months in advance something is wrong! It has always being worried about circumstances outside my control that luckily haven’t happened.
OK on the warning about borrowing. I’m not to that level yet, just trying for the simpler stuff first. I can see things getting pretty complicated if you let them!
