Will the new banking rules RUIN your DVC?

[JimMIA]

According to info in the upcoming Fall issue of Vacation Magic, DVC is changing the banking rules. The new plan is apparently 100% banking for the first eight months of your UY, but then nothing at all in the final four months.

I'm sure many will consider that a plus, because we will have two additional months to bank everything.

However, I'm looking at it as the father of two adult daughters, with four school-aged grandchildren, and I'm starting to think that September and October UYs will NOT work at all for families with school-aged kids under the new plan.

My daughters are limited to visiting WDW during the summer school break and holidays...and we have an October UY. We usually take 3-5 day trips, and we bank late in the UY to avoid losing points...so the 25% and 50% banking options are very important to us.

With the new plan, however, if they have to cancel a summer trip -- bye, bye points! We won't be able to bank them, and unless I can take over the trip (unlikely), we will lose the points.

I'd be interested to see how other members think this change will affect their families.

One thing for sure -- UY will now matter. It will no longer be something you just "work around." Any family with school-aged kids would be nuts to buy a September or October UY in the future...IMHO.

What do you think?

 

[Dean]

As I said on the other thread, I think it's a wash overall. But there will be some that it helps and some that it hurts as is the case anytime there is a change of this nature. To me it's likely neutral.

 

[Safari Queen]

We almost always plan 2-3 trips 11 months in advance and bank right after. Worst case, we borrow for a last minute trip. So no, we don't care. Simpler is better to me.

 

[BeccaG]

My daughters are limited to visiting WDW during the summer school break and holidays...

First as a school teacher I want to thank you and your daughters for not traveling in the school year. I am a teacher and I appreciate that you respect the learning that goes on during the relatively limited time we have students in the classroom. (No flames intended for folks who choose to pull their kids out, just appreciate JimMIA's commitment in this way .

Regarding banking I see what you are saying, this is kinda a double edge sword. I like the extra time to bank but with your well argued point I am glad I have a February UY, this will be better off for me and my one day school attending children. I wonder why they did this? How will this change benefit DVC?

 

[Caskbill]

While the change gains 2 additional months for the 100% window, it loses two months we currently have. A 50% window month, and a 25% window month.

I see this as a problem for some waitlists. Specifically waitlists for reservations scheduled near the end of your use year.

Suppose you use 75% of your points and have 25% remaining. In the current situation you could wait up to 2 months before the end of your use year before cancelling the waitlist, getting your points back, and still bank them.

Under the new plan in the same situation you'd have to make that decision up to 4 months ahead, or risk that if the waitlist didn't come through, you'd wind up losing points.

Using Jim's example of a September UY, suppose someone wants a July 4th reservation and gets waitlisted. If the reservation was only 25% or less of their total points (and they didn't already have points banked), they could wait all the way up to June 30th (only 4 days from their waitlisted reservation) for the waitlist to come through, and if it doesn't, they could still bank the points.

Under the new rule, They would have to decide by the end of April whether or not to cancel the waitlist if they want to be able to bank those points if the waitlist doesn't come through.

It's not just the summer months, there are equivalent examples for all use year's.

Someone with a December UY is waitlisted for F&W in October. Currently they could wait to the end of September before cancelling a waitlist and banking those points. Now they would have to decide by the end of July whether or not to cancel the waitlist, or risk being unable to bank the points if the waitlist does not come through.

Someone with a February UY waitlisted for a Christmastime (December) vacation previously could have waited to the end of November before cancelling the waitlist. Now they'd have to decide by the end of September to either cancel the waitlist or risk losing points.

Keep in mind that while the 25% window doesn't seem like it'd be enough points for many vacations, for someone with 400 points, that's a 100 point vacation.

 

[JimMIA]

While the change gains 2 additional months for the 100% window, it loses two months we currently have. A 50% window month, and a 25% window month.

I see this as a problem for some waitlists. Specifically waitlists for reservations scheduled near the end of your use year.

Suppose you use 75% of your points and have 25% remaining. In the current situation you could wait up to 2 months before the end of your use year before cancelling the waitlist, getting your points back, and still bank them.

Under the new plan in the same situation you'd have to make that decision up to 4 months ahead, or risk that if the waitlist didn't come through, you'd wind up losing points.

Using Jim's example of a September UY, suppose someone wants a July 4th reservation and gets waitlisted. If the reservation was only 25% or less of their total points (and they didn't already have points banked), they could wait all the way up to June 30th (only 4 days from their waitlisted reservation) for the waitlist to come through, and if it doesn't, they could still bank the points.

Under the new rule, They would have to decide by the end of April whether or not to cancel the waitlist if they want to be able to bank those points if the waitlist doesn't come through.

It's not just the summer months, there are equivalent examples for all use year's.

Someone with a December UY is waitlisted for F&W in October. Currently they could wait to the end of September before cancelling a waitlist and banking those points. Now they would have to decide by the end of July whether or not to cancel the waitlist, or risk being unable to bank the points if the waitlist does not come through.

Someone with a February UY waitlisted for a Christmastime (December) vacation previously could have waited to the end of November before cancelling the waitlist. Now they'd have to decide by the end of September to either cancel the waitlist or risk losing points.

Keep in mind that while the 25% window doesn't seem like it'd be enough points for many vacations, for someone with 400 points, that's a 100 point vacation.

Thanks Bill. One of the many things I enjoy about you is that you occasionally reassure me that I'm sane. Mostly. Sometimes.

(although I must admit that I am deeply troubled by Sammie's recent info on the cameras covering the balconies at AKV...and will never stay there!)

 

[squirrlygirl]

It won't ruin it for me since it's all new to me anyway

But I have to wonder if my guide knew it was changing when we bought recently He suggested a June use year for us instead of the February they were actively selling so that our forseeable vacation times (late summer, mid-Nov. break, Thanksgiving, or Christmastime) would all fall in the first half of our UY.

If it weren't for the wonderful information I learned on here, I wouldn't have known to even ask! So thank you to everyone

 

[diznyfanatic]

<snip>...(although I must admit that I am deeply troubled by Sammie's recent info on the cameras covering the balconies at AKV...and will never stay there!)

What did I miss here? Is this the same thing as the signs in the AKL rooms that say they monitor balconies for animal safety so to be sure to close your drapes as you could be "exposed" during suveillance????

I haven't had time to digest the ramifications of the new banking rules for our August UY yet. I have a feeling it's going to bother me even more than the supposed new $95 exchange fee to stay at a non-DVC WDW resort.

 

[snappy]

Thanks Bill. One of the many things I enjoy about you is that you occasionally reassure me that I'm sane. Mostly. Sometimes.

(although I must admit that I am deeply troubled by Sammie's recent info on the cameras covering the balconies at AKV...and will never stay there!)

I did not see Sammie's info. Could you elaborate or provide the link to his post. I was really hoping to stay at AKV at some point if not buy a few points. To say you will never stay there, it must be a big issue.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I am sure it will help some people.
2) I am sure it will hurt some people.
3) I am sure it will not matter to most people.

4) In our case, it is a good thing.
5) We have February UY, and don't go Sep-Oct-Nov-Dec
6) Since we take kids out of school, Feb-Mar works well.

 

[Sammie]

In the credit card theft thread someone commented that Disney resorts have cameras that monitor the balconies and patios so it would not be possible for someone to enter a room thru the sliding door without security knowing it.

ChuckS stated that no, actually they did not have cameras on the outside of the buildings that would monitor the patios and balconies.

And I stated he was correct, except for AKL. They installed survellience cameras that do scan the balconies for the protection of the animals. Their concern being that a guest or child would throw something into the animal area that could harm them.

Then Jim, funny guy that he is, asked were the cameras there to monitor the animals outside or inside the rooms.

Now back to the discussion at hand and my apologies for going off topic.

 

[OneMoreTry]

this is even more of an incentive for me, with an Oct use year, to pull kids out of school.

 

[DMKEDM]

hey, Jim: We have a Feb UY...if you run into problems w/your Oct UY, let me know and we can "swap" points (or swap making reservations for each other)...

I'm like a bunch of other posters...I haven't yet gotten out of using and borrowing so banking hasn't been an issue yet...the only times I've banked were when I added on very late in my UY and did the "when-you-buy-the-points-banking-waiver" deal...bought an add-on Jan 20 (11 days from the end of my UY) and banked those points; just did it again w/an add-on I did last month...so, I'll have time to get used to the new rules (assuming that by now I "finally" have enough points! Only time will tell that...I have a really virulent case of chronic addonitis!)...that, I suspect, will be the biggest problem...rules changes for people who are used to the way the rules used to be...

It does raise a question, though: is there any way Disney might be persuaded to swap UYs (assuming availability of points) w/people who are negatively impacted by this change? It might be worth asking...

And I also missed the Sammie post about cameras on the balconies at AKV...that would keep me out, too...no way I'm staying anywhere where I'm "camera'ed" !!! I'd sell my DVC before I'd put up with that!

 

[keishashadow]

nutz, missed the original thread

we bought our Oct. resale, since it would allow us to bank any last min. cancelled June trip

went back & looked at the few years we've been members, have always banked 100%/or whatever we had leftover @ 6 months...guess it's just another hope to jump thru

 

[JimMIA]

What did I miss here? Is this the same thing as the signs in the AKL rooms that say they monitor balconies for animal safety so to be sure to close your drapes as you could be "exposed" during suveillance????

I haven't had time to digest the ramifications of the new banking rules for our August UY yet. I have a feeling it's going to bother me even more than the supposed new $95 exchange fee to stay at a non-DVC WDW resort.

 

[diznyfanatic]

In the credit card theft thread someone commented that Disney resorts have cameras that monitor the balconies and patios so it would not be possible for someone to enter a room thru the sliding door without security knowing it.

ChuckS stated that no, actually they did not have cameras on the outside of the buildings that would monitor the patios and balconies.

And I stated he was correct, except for AKL. They installed survellience cameras that do scan the balconies for the protection of the animals. Their concern being that a guest or child would throw something into the animal area that could harm them.

Then Jim, funny guy that he is, asked were the cameras there to monitor the animals outside or inside the rooms.

Now back to the discussion at hand and my apologies for going off topic.

Thanks Sammie, I figured that was probably it. When we stayed at AKL a year and a half ago, that sign in our room was one of the first things we noticed so we made sure closing our drapes was the first thing we did when we got ready in the mornings!

 

[JimMIA]

hey, Jim: We have a Feb UY...if you run into problems w/your Oct UY, let me know and we can "swap" points (or swap making reservations for each other)...

No problem -- just Western Union me the money! (Sorry...sometimes I just have no restraint!)

And I also missed the Sammie post about cameras on the balconies at AKV...that would keep me out, too...no way I'm staying anywhere where I'm "camera'ed" !!!

Me either. I know my Veranda Rights!

And no security camera is going to take them away from me. Our forefathers died for our Veranda Rights! (didn't they? )

 

[DMKEDM]

Not to turn this into a private exchange between JimMIA & me (I got scammed because I was dumb enough to use Western Union and Jim was a major prince about helping me out!!)...but I simply cannot resist responding to this post...I'm almost blind I'm laughing so hard! Veranda rights?!!!???

Happy day to all! Dani

 

[wdw4us2]

According to info in the upcoming Fall issue of Vacation Magic, DVC is changing the banking rules. The new plan is apparently 100% banking for the first eight months of your UY, but then nothing at all in the final four months.


However, I'm looking at it as the father of two adult daughters, with four school-aged grandchildren, and I'm starting to think that September and October UYs will NOT work at all for families with school-aged kids under the new plan.

My daughters are limited to visiting WDW during the summer school break and holidays...and we have an October UY. We usually take 3-5 day trips, and we bank late in the UY to avoid losing points...so the 25% and 50% banking options are very important to us.


I'd be interested to see how other members think this change will affect their families.

One thing for sure -- UY will now matter. It will no longer be something you just "work around." Any family with school-aged kids would be nuts to buy a September or October UY in the future...IMHO.

What do you think?

As another family who does not pull their kids out of school for WDW trips, (must be something with FL parents) I am concerned. Our use year does start in September and this will affect us especially concerning summer trips.

I guess we will just have to deal with it.

 

[WebmasterDoc]

I view this change as a loss of flexibility in the DVC program. It will primarily affect those who must cancel a reservation - especially on short notice - but does simplify the banking policy on the other hand ("dumbing down" of the deadlines).

In our personal situation we will not be affected since we have multiple Use Years and have the luxury of being able to choose which contract to use when making reservations, but the examples given where early fall Use Years can affect summer travel plans are well noted.