Save/Borrow feature of DC legacy points

[dougp26364]

I'm not certain I'm thrilled about the save/borrow option for points. According the the online VC, if I save points to the next usage year, I must use them in the year to which they've been saved . IOW, if I save 2013 points for 2014 I must use them for 2014 bookings. If I see something I want or change my mind and want to book something for 2013, to bad, they belong to 2014 after having saved them.

Fortunately, as I understand it, I don't have to make a decision on saving points until 6 months before the end of my usage year, which in my case I believe to be June 30th of 2013. I'll have long made decisions before that date becomes an issue. In fact, I'll probably be looking for a June 2013 reservation in May or June of 2012. It would only become an issue if I have to make a request and wait.

Still, this is different than our other two programs (HGVC and DRI) where I can save and borrow back the same points at will. In those programs if you're unsure, it's just as well to save those points early, then borrow them back. With DRI there hasn't been a charge but, with HGVC they hit you with a small fee. That fee of course delays my decision on saving vs holding/reserving.

Just one more set of rules that differs from the other programs to remember for the future. It would be easier if I didn't have to worry about what year which points could be used in. Having points relegated to being used in one specific year can almost require a spread sheet just to keep track of what you use where and, makes you have to pay attention to what set of points is being used to make a reservation, since undoing mistakes can be difficult sometimes.

 

[SueDonJ]

I'm not certain I'm thrilled about the save/borrow option for points. According the the online VC, if I save points to the next usage year, I must use them in the year to which they've been saved . IOW, if I save 2013 points for 2014 I must use them for 2014 bookings. If I see something I want or change my mind and want to book something for 2013, to bad, they belong to 2014 after having saved them.

Fortunately, as I understand it, I don't have to make a decision on saving points until 6 months before the end of my usage year, which in my case I believe to be June 30th of 2013. I'll have long made decisions before that date becomes an issue. In fact, I'll probably be looking for a June 2013 reservation in May or June of 2012. It would only become an issue if I have to make a request and wait.

Still, this is different than our other two programs (HGVC and DRI) where I can save and borrow back the same points at will. In those programs if you're unsure, it's just as well to save those points early, then borrow them back. With DRI there hasn't been a charge but, with HGVC they hit you with a small fee. That fee of course delays my decision on saving vs holding/reserving.

Just one more set of rules that differs from the other programs to remember for the future. It would be easier if I didn't have to worry about what year which points could be used in. Having points relegated to being used in one specific year can almost require a spread sheet just to keep track of what you use where and, makes you have to pay attention to what set of points is being used to make a reservation, since undoing mistakes can be difficult sometimes.

Wow, HGVC and DRI do sound much more lenient. Marriott is very similar to DVC in that there are banking and borrowing restrictions as far as deadlines and Use Years, and, once banked or borrowed the points effectively change their Use Year and cannot be changed back.

One work-around for the particular situation I bolded above - you're correct, if you bank your 2013 points into the 2014 (1/1-12/31) Use Year then you won't be able to bring them back into the 2013 Use Year. You will have to use them in some way for a 2014 reservation or they will expire on 12/31/14. BUT ... if you bank them into 2014 and later see a 2013 interval that you'd like, you could borrow your 2014 points into 2013 (in accordance with any deadlines, of course). So then your 2013 banked points become effectively 2014 points, and your 2014 borrowed points become effectively 2013 points. Of course this means you'd have to commit to converting your Weeks to DC Points in both 2013 and 2014, but it might be an option.

 

[dougp26364]

Wow, HGVC and DRI do sound much more lenient. Marriott is very similar to DVC in that there are banking and borrowing restrictions as far as deadlines and Use Years, and, once banked or borrowed the points effectively change their Use Year and cannot be changed back.

One work-around for the particular situation I bolded above - you're correct, if you bank your 2013 points into the 2014 (1/1-12/31) Use Year then you won't be able to bring them back into the 2013 Use Year. You will have to use them in some way for a 2014 reservation or they will expire on 12/31/14. BUT ... if you bank them into 2014 and later see a 2013 interval that you'd like, you could borrow your 2014 points into 2013 (in accordance with any deadlines, of course). So then your 2013 banked points become effectively 2014 points, and your 2014 borrowed points become effectively 2013 points. Of course this means you'd have to commit to converting your Weeks to DC Points in both 2013 and 2014, but it might be an option.

The rub there is I must commit my 2014 week to points in order to to borrow from that year. That's not something I want to do yet since, under normal circumstances, I can often do better dealing in weeks rather than points. While I like to plan ahead I don't want to attempt to plan that far ahead just yet.

I really don't care for trying to juggle DC points. They system is not as user friendly as I'd like it to be, although it's much better for me now that owners can reserve online. I like to be able to shop options and think about them, then come back and book what I've decided on, assuming it's still available of course.

 

[SueDonJ]

The rub there is I must commit my 2014 week to points in order to to borrow from that year. That's not something I want to do yet since, under normal circumstances, I can often do better dealing in weeks rather than points. While I like to plan ahead I don't want to attempt to plan that far ahead just yet.

I really don't care for trying to juggle DC points. They system is not as user friendly as I'd like it to be, although it's much better for me now that owners can reserve online. I like to be able to shop options and think about them, then come back and book what I've decided on, assuming it's still available of course.

Understood. There aren't many solutions that don't create another problem. But another solution for that particular situation might be that as a DC Member, you can rent 2013-usage points from another DC Member (through Greg's site ) and with those points transferred into your account you would have control over whatever reservations you'd want to make with them (as opposed to non-DC Members only being able to "rent" reservations over which the DC Member retains control.)

Of course there you might run into having too many vacations for your schedule, unless you turn around and rent something you own to someone else. I agree, lots of thinking and juggling doesn't make this simple.

 

[dvc_john]

Note: With HGVC, you have to pay a fee to bank points. ($69 if done online, $89 if done on phone.) With Marriott and DVC, there is no fee to bank. That's why I always use up my HGVC points. If I have a small amount left over, I just borrow enough additional points (complimentary) to add a day to an existing reservation.

 

[NJMOM2]

...Having points relegated to being used in one specific year can almost require a spread sheet just to keep track of what you use where and, makes you have to pay attention to what set of points is being used to make a reservation, since undoing mistakes can be difficult sometimes.

That is why I created a spread sheet to keep track of my points and ideas for future travel plans. It was they only way I could keep it straight and I don't have nearly as many points as you have.

 

[GregT]

That is why I created a spread sheet to keep track of my points and ideas for future travel plans. It was they only way I could keep it straight and I don't have nearly as many points as you have.

I have a cool spreadsheet too.......It is set up to go out years and years and years.

Marriott tab....HGVC tab....Starwood tab....Worldmark tab....Disney tab...

It's fun stuff.

Best,

Greg

 

[dougp26364]

Note: With HGVC, you have to pay a fee to bank points. ($69 if done online, $89 if done on phone.) With Marriott and DVC, there is no fee to bank. That's why I always use up my HGVC points. If I have a small amount left over, I just borrow enough additional points (complimentary) to add a day to an existing reservation.

I made note of that in paragraph number 3. What I did not make note of was that HGVC has a cheaper membership fee than Marriott and a point is a point with HGVC. HGVC charges ala carte fee's, Marriott gives you fewer points than is required to reserve the same week at your home resort.

Every points based system has some sort of fee, be it in points, membership fee's or ala carte fee's. They all take something from their members as a price for the flexablity. Essentially they all have some sort of skim somewhere in their system, it just depends on the tolerance to each systems skim.

 

[RBERR1]

That is why I created a spread sheet to keep track of my points and ideas for future travel plans. It was they only way I could keep it straight and I don't have nearly as many points as you have.

You need to have a spreadsheet to keep track of it. I know I used it when planning strategy around mix of DC pts and II to book my trips while making sure I am leaving nothing on the table especially if I may require banking to make it all work.