Introduction
The details of Disney Vacation Club can be confusing if you are new to the concept of DVC. Even experienced owners often have misconceptions about the way DVC works. One particularly misunderstood concept is the DVC use year. This article will explain use year and answer common questions, while also providing some tips about how you can optimize your DVC ownership.
Basics of a DVC Use Year:
The confusion of DVC use year starts with the name itself. Use “years” are defined by the month that your points are loaded each year. This leads to sentences like: “my DVC use year is February”. Since when is February a year?!
Think about it this way: the calendar year starts in January. So if I am talking to the year 2024, it is understood that I am talking about the 12 month period that starts January 1, 2024.
Use years also refer to 12 month periods that start on the first of the given month. The key difference is that this month is not January. For example, if you have a June use year, your 2024 points are available for 12 months between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025.
How to Choose a DVC Use Year
There are a few considerations when deciding on a DVC use year. Firstly, if you are buying direct from Disney, it is ideal to choose a use year that has not already passed so that Disney will give you the extra points. For example, if you buy a February use year contract in January, you will get your full allotment of points immediately and then get them again on February 1st!
Another important consideration is when you plan on taking vacations. It is best to use your points within the first 8 months of your use year. This will allow you maximum flexibility, as you will always be able to cancel your trip and then bank the points if needed. The banking deadline is 4 months before the next use year. Again taking February as an example, you would ideally use those points in February through September. If something happens and you need to cancel that trip, you will always have the ability to push those points into next year. So if you know the timeframe that you’ll always be taking your Disney trips, this could weigh in to your use year choice.
Should I Have the Same Use Year if I Buy Multiple Contracts?
Many or most DVC owners decide to purchase multiple contracts. It’s so common that owners have come up with the term “add-on-itis” to describe the feeling in wanting more points. There are some advantages to keeping the same use year, but there are also advantages to multiple use years.
If you keep your same DVC use year across multiple contracts, you will keep the same member ID. This makes it easier to combine points for a single reservation without calling member services. It also makes sure that you have maximum flexibility with your points because you won’t need to transfer from one member ID to another when combining points.
On the other hand, you may prefer to have multiple use years. This could allow you to always stay within the 8 month window before your banking deadline while planning trips any time of year. For example, if you have February and June use years, you could use your February points for a trip in the spring and your June points for a trip during the holidays.
Another added bonus of multiple use years is the opportunity to buy more single time use points from Disney. Each use year will correspond to a different member ID, and each member ID is entitled to purchase up to 24 additional single time use points per year. These can be a great option if you find yourself a bit short but don’t want to borrow from future years. You may be able to leverage these points to add an extra night or bump up to a more desirable view!
The final reason to consider multiple use years is waitlists. Each membership ID can join two wait lists at a time. So having multiple use years means that you can join more waitlists. This can be a great way to get into rooms away from your home resort.
Conclusion
Use year is a pretty simple concept once you understand it fully. There are some important considerations to make when choosing a use year. Once you have a use year, there are pros and cons to adding another contract with the same use year. Let us know in the comments below: what is your use year?
