DVC Point fail

[MinnieVanMom]

Well I just learned the hard way that I can't use my DVC point at Disneyland Paris the last four months of my use year.

I hope that others who didn't know also learn from my post. Right when I think I had the borrow, bank and entire process figured out I learned something new the hard way.

Now we are scrambling for a cheap hotel offsite.

 

[lodge]

Well congrats on going to Paris!!! Wow!

 

[DizBub]

Well I just learned the hard way that I can't use my DVC point at Disneyland Paris the last four months of my use year.

I hope that others who didn't know also learn from my post.

The good ol' Rule of 4. This had me totally confused for the longest time because our guide kept stressing it before we bought. Then I figured out it didn't really matter for us as we don't ever intend to use our points outside of DVC. My daughter ran into this when they went to DL and there was no room at VGC and had to pay to stay at DL Hotel.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Couldn't you have used them if you have booked before 4 months out?

 

[MinnieVanMom]

I don't know if you can book for a stay before the 4 months but then stay in the 4 months or not.

We have AP's to DLP as we are now expats and still have our AP's to WDW which is where DS wanted to go but the airfare would just kill us.

So now I am trying to find a hotel on the cheap but still within standards.

I have learned so much and just grateful that my points were purchased resale before the change and I can use them just not on the last 4 months. Who knew??

 

[CarolMN]

Couldn't you have used them if you have booked before 4 months out?

Yes, she can use her points to stay at the DLP during the last 4 months of her use year if she actually makes the reservation before the end of the 8th month of her use year.

Either she got a misinformed CM or more likely, called too late to make the reservation for that particular stay.

OP - Many of us (including me) learned this lesson the hard way. But now you know.

 

[WebmasterDoc]

Just to clarify a bit more - If you have a June Use Year, you cannot make a reservation for a non-DVC stay during dates from February - May if you are calling during those months. If you make the reservation in January or earlier you can certainly reserve for those stays even at 11 months (there is no 7 month window).

This does not apply to World Passport Collection stays which may be made at any time based on availability. The reason for the policy is that DVC must turn around and use the points from the non-DVC stay for a cash reservation and they want/need more than 4 months to do so before the points expire.

As long as you make the reservation between 11 months and 5 months DVC points may be used for stays during the last 4 months of your Use Year - based on availability.

 

[magicaldisney]

Well I just learned the hard way that I can't use my DVC point at Disneyland Paris the last four months of my use year.

I hope that others who didn't know also learn from my post. Right when I think I had the borrow, bank and entire process figured out I learned something new the hard way.

Now we are scrambling for a cheap hotel offsite.

We never intended to use our points outside of WDW. Could you please explain, elaborate, just in case we were to start thinking of this as a possibility? We have both points that were purchased direct through Disney but added though resale. I understood there were some restrictions on the resale points, but I don't know what the 4 month rule is all about. Is it only for resale points or all points?

 

[DebbieB]

We never intended to use our points outside of WDW. Could you please explain, elaborate, just in case we were to start thinking of this as a possibility? We have both points that were purchased direct through Disney but added though resale. I understood there were some restrictions on the resale points, but I don't know what the 4 month rule is all about. Is it only for resale points or all points?

Resale points purchased 3-21-11 or after cannot be used for The Disney Collection at all.

For all others, you must book a Disney Collection hotel before your banking deadline for a stay in the last 4 months of your use year. This does not apply to Disneyland.

 

[uwate]

Sorry this happened to you. Thanks for posting this, I learned something today. I imagine its the same for DisneySea in japan, where I was going to try to book something there for my family one day.

 

[bumbershoot]

My daughter ran into this when they went to DL and there was no room at VGC and had to pay to stay at DL Hotel.

DLH doesn't participate in the Rule of 4. They could have used their points there last minute at the end of their UY. If they bought resale since the rules changed, that might have stopped them from using the points there, but the Rule of 4 doesn't apply for DLH and PPH.

We never intended to use our points outside of WDW. Could you please explain, elaborate, just in case we were to start thinking of this as a possibility? We have both points that were purchased direct through Disney but added though resale. I understood there were some restrictions on the resale points, but I don't know what the 4 month rule is all about. Is it only for resale points or all points?

You can't book most non-DVC resorts during the last four months of your use year if the stay will also occur during the last four months of your use year. You can book before the 4 months and stay inside of the last 4 months, though. It's just not *both*. And it's only for certain levels of resorts.

 

[magicaldisney]

DebbieB and Bumbershoot, thanks for clarifying things for me!

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Yes, she can use her points to stay at the DLP during the last 4 months of her use year if she actually makes the reservation before the end of the 8th month of her use year.

Either she got a misinformed CM or more likely, called too late to make the reservation for that particular stay.

OP - Many of us (including me) learned this lesson the hard way. But now you know.

Yes, called yesterday for a reservation 2 weeks from now in my 11 month of my use year. Fail across the board but I am calling it a learning experience.

We got a nice apartment hotel with great rating that is new is Serris and we will have our car. There is a huge mall with a grocery store that is open late and we can save on food by making a hot breakfast and packing snacks.

I still don't know about the handicap parking in Serris or most of France but I plan to see if they have a tourist office that I can write.

I think in the end using DVC point is not a cost effective means of payment for any hotel at DLP. I would next time consider renting out points to raise revenue to then pay cash for a stay.

We also get a great % off with our DLP AP's and that helps with room cost.

 

[CarolMN]

Yes, called yesterday for a reservation 2 weeks from now in my 11 month of my use year. Fail across the board but I am calling it a learning experience.

We got a nice apartment hotel with great rating that is new is Serris and we will have our car. There is a huge mall with a grocery store that is open late and we can save on food by making a hot breakfast and packing snacks.

I still don't know about the handicap parking in Serris or most of France but I plan to see if they have a tourist office that I can write.

I think in the end using DVC point is not a cost effective means of payment for any hotel at DLP. I would next time consider renting out points to raise revenue to then pay cash for a stay.

We also get a great % off with our DLP AP's and that helps with room cost.

I also think using points for DLP may not be a very good value. I recently read that cash guests at DLP get tickets included, but points guests do not.

Glad something worked out for you. In the end, off site may be a better choice than points at DLP.

Have fun!

 

[Dean]

There's a 2 BR at the Marriott starting march 3 on II right now if you know anyone that's a member and the dates work out for you.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

We have AP's to DLP now as we are expats but not having to buy park tickets helps everyone. I didn't like it before when we had to buy them.

I have stayed at the DLH for two nites and it was nice but I think for us, it was still just a hotel. Not nearly as magical as hearing welcome home.