Transferring points

igrsod

DIS Veteran
Joined
May 11, 2010
I am thinking of getting a second contract, as I understand, if it has a different use year, then I will end up needing separate accounts for each contract???
How easy is it to transfer points between contracts? Is it a big pain... enough that I should only consider same use year. I don't mind maintaining 2 contracts (I seriously love all the Disney planning), so that isn't a problem for me.
Looking for some guidance.
 
Buy in a different use year and you will have two separate member numbers. You will be able to find both together in one online account on the member site but each is treated as a separate membership.

You will not be able to combine the points from both use years to reserve any single night absent a transfer. For a single trip, your options will be to either transfer points from one use year to the other before reserving, allowing you to use the points together, or, alternatively, reserve some nights with one use year and the remaining nights with the other and then contact MS and have it link the reservations. Note, that if you go the transfer route, it is easy to do via contacting MS but you lose the ability to make the reservation on line at 8 a.m. eastern because the transferred points will not be shown in the use year account into which they were transferred (that is simply a Disney computer inadequacy not a rule), and thus to make a reservation using transferred points you will have to wait until 9 a.m., when MS phone lines open. If you go the route of making two separate reservations and then linking the reservations, each of the two reservations will have its own 11 month or 7 month out reservation start date

Each use year will have its own banking date, its own annual budgets and statements provided, and dues will need to be paid separately. If you set up monthly dues payment via your checking account, each will be withdrawn separately.

I have two use years and have never had any problems as a result and the additional tracking and other work required is not that much more than having one use year.
 
Buy in a different use year and you will have two separate member numbers. You will be able to find both together in one online account on the member site but each is treated as a separate membership.

You will not be able to combine the points from both use years to reserve any single night absent a transfer. For a single trip, your options will be to either transfer points from one use year to the other before reserving, allowing you to use the points together, or, alternatively, reserve some nights with one use year and the remaining nights with the other and then contact MS and have it link the reservations. Note, that if you go the transfer route, it is easy to do via contacting MS but you lose the ability to make the reservation on line at 8 a.m. eastern because the transferred points will not be shown in the use year account into which they were transferred (that is simply a Disney computer inadequacy not a rule), and thus to make a reservation using transferred points you will have to wait until 9 a.m., when MS phone lines open. If you go the route of making two separate reservations and then linking the reservations, each of the two reservations will have its own 11 month or 7 month out reservation start date

Each use year will have its own banking date, its own annual budgets and statements provided, and dues will need to be paid separately. If you set up monthly dues payment via your checking account, each will be withdrawn separately.

I have two use years and have never had any problems as a result and the additional tracking and other work required is not that much more than having one use year.
Thank you for this. It seems like the different use years can have some challenges, but nothing that can't be dealt with, especially if the right contract comes up for sale.
 
IMO, the big disadvantage is that transferred points do not show online and require a call to MS to use. If you need those points to get one of the "on the dot at 8 AM at 11 months" reservations, it can easily mean a need to waitlist. Thus, for us, we would only get another use year if we planned to use the contracts separately and without plans to ever combine points for the same reservation. (For example, use one contract in an odd year and the other in even years).

If you don't have a problem getting what you want at 11 months, then two memberships just requires a bit of extra tracking..
 


I have 3 UY's and thus 3 memberships. However, each one has enough points in them that I use them on their own without having to deal with transfers. That does mean that sometimes I am in borrowing mode with one while I have current UY points in another. But, the reason I don't do the transfer option is because, as Carol mentioned, I'd then have to go through MS to book, and I don't want that hassle. IMO, the only reason to get a different UY is if you want to have it so that it meshes with your travel plans better. It is doable, but there are times I have to sit down and figure it all out to make sure that I don't lose any!!
 
I have 3 UY's and thus 3 memberships. However, each one has enough points in them that I use them on their own without having to deal with transfers. That does mean that sometimes I am in borrowing mode with one while I have current UY points in another. But, the reason I don't do the transfer option is because, as Carol mentioned, I'd then have to go through MS to book, and I don't want that hassle. IMO, the only reason to get a different UY is if you want to have it so that it meshes with your travel plans better. It is doable, but there are times I have to sit down and figure it all out to make sure that I don't lose any!!
I figure most times I will just keep them separate, but knowing me, I will probably have times where I might need a few to complete a reservation. I'm not the 8 am 11 month on the dot kind of booker. Most times we go at off times and I don't actually care where we stay... all the resorts are great. I just take what's available.
 
I figure most times I will just keep them separate, but knowing me, I will probably have times where I might need a few to complete a reservation. I'm not the 8 am 11 month on the dot kind of booker. Most times we go at off times and I don't actually care where we stay... all the resorts are great. I just take what's available.

That is good! At least you go in with a plan and it can always be adjusted if it’s not working the way you think!
 


We have two use years. For the first time in 15+ years we did have an issue. We booked our stay 11 months out with one contract and needed to add days from the other contract. It’s a big trip with lots of family. We needed to borrow points from the other contract. Since banked/borrowed points can’t be transferred, it was starting a new reservation not adding on to the original.
 
Remember that you cannot borrow transferred points. You can bank or use current year transferred points. So if you have a trip planned for Sept 2020 and are transferring Dec 2020 points, you can't use them for a reservation before Dec 1, 2020.

Also, you cannot transfer banked or borrowed points.
 
It have had to do this a few times. Book some nights on one membership and the rest on the other. Once it did, I just contacted MS and had them note on each one that it was the same group and we had no trouble when we checked ink. Just reminded them of it at check in.
 

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