Use Year for VDH

[NowISeeYou]

I will be buying VDH when it goes on sale to newbies May 30. For at least next 10 years plan to go every October during kids’ fall break. Should I get an October Use year? Or is there a better month?

 

[got4boys]

That would work, but you would also have to think - is October the only month you will go? With the October use year, points have to be banked by May 31 if you know you are not going to use it.

The question is will you travel between May 31 and October 1 at all?

 

[CarolynFH]

I will be buying VDH when it goes on sale to newbies May 30. For at least next 10 years plan to go every October during kids’ fall break. Should I get an October Use year? Or is there a better month?

You might want to consider September, if your trips might start in late September and continue into early October. August would also work for October visits and would allow a trip that started at the end of August and extended over Labor Day weekend, for example.

This thread https://www.disboards.com/threads/understanding-use-year-updated-february-10-2021.1942668/ might be helpful to you.

 

[NowISeeYou]

Unlikely to travel June, July, Aug or Sept. Might go during rodeo week in Feb or Spring break end of March.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I will be buying VDH when it goes on sale to newbies May 30. For at least next 10 years plan to go every October during kids’ fall break. Should I get an October Use year? Or is there a better month?

If you plan on consistently traveling in October, then I'd get a December UY. That way, if something goes sideways (as they can), you'll have until July 31st to cancel and bank points without issue. With an October UY, you'd need to be sure you're going before May 31st in order to cancel and bank without issue.

Inside the banking window you can still transfer to RCI, or possibly rent the points out, but if you're consistent in when you travel, then it makes most sense to give yourself as much time to cancel and bank as possible, even if you never need to.

 

[kucanhead]

If you plan on consistently traveling in October, then I'd get a December UY. That way, if something goes sideways (as they can), you'll have until July 31st to cancel and bank points without issue. With an October UY, you'd need to be sure you're going before May 31st in order to cancel and bank without issue.

Inside the banking window you can still transfer to RCI, or possibly rent the points out, but if you're consistent in when you travel, then it makes most sense to give yourself as much time to cancel and bank as possible, even if you never need to.

If they travel in October and had an October use year, they'd have until May 31st the FOLLOWING year to bank. With a December use year, they'd have to bank by July 31st that same year. With an October use year, they could cancel an October visit up to 31 days in advance and still have plenty of time to schedule a new trip or bank into the next use year.

 

[CarolynFH]

If they travel in October and had an October use year, they'd have until May 31st the FOLLOWING year to bank. With a December use year, they'd have to bank by July 31st that same year. With an October use year, they could cancel an October visit up to 31 days in advance and still have plenty of time to schedule a new trip or bank into the next use year.

I agree. A December UY would not be good. In general it’s best to avoid traveling routinely during the last four months of a UY. Stated another way, if someone will routinely travel the same time of year, that time should come as early in the UY as possible.

Unlikely to travel June, July, Aug or Sept. Might go during rodeo week in Feb or Spring break end of March.

In that case I agree that October would be a good UY for you - with that caveat about possibly wanting to start a reservation on September 29 or 30th, for instance.

 

[lilsonicfan]

If you plan on consistently traveling in October, then I'd get a December UY. That way, if something goes sideways (as they can), you'll have until July 31st to cancel and bank points without issue. With an October UY, you'd need to be sure you're going before May 31st in order to cancel and bank without issue.

I think you’re thinking about this incorrectly.

We bought a March UY and plan to travel in March, or June-August primarily. Let’s say I book my next trip for Mar 15-22, 2024. That would use my 2024 UY points. If I cancelled that trip before Feb 13, 2024, the points would just go back to my 2024 UY. I could then use them before Feb 28, 2025, or else I could bank them by Oct 31, 2024.

But let’s say instead that I use my March UY contract to travel primarily in January (similar to what you’ve advised OP). So I book a trip for Jan 15-22, 2024. That trip is in my 2023 UY. If I cancel it, even with more than 31 days in advance, those points will still expire by Feb 29, 2024, and unless I cancel by Oct 31, those points won’t be available to me to bank.

 

[Sunnyore]

Like others have said, October, Sept and Aug are all great options for you. The only other thing to take into consideration is if you ever plan to add on resale, I think Oct is not a popular month (less common uy for sale). If you only add on direct then it’s not a big deal.

 

[NowISeeYou]

Like others have said, October, Sept and Aug are all great options for you. The only other thing to take into consideration is if you ever plan to add on resale, I think Oct is not a popular month (less common uy for sale). If you only add on direct then it’s not a big deal.

Good point, I will likely buy resale points in the future. Sept might be a safer choice then

 

[lilsonicfan]

Good point, I will likely buy resale points in the future. Sept might be a safer choice then

Based on resale listings right now, Feb and December are the most popular, followed by June and August. The rest aren’t vastly different in terms of numbers.

 

[upritbass]

Unlikely to travel June, July, Aug or Sept. Might go during rodeo week in Feb or Spring break end of March.

Tucsonan! Growing up, I never knew there was such a thing as President’s Day.

 

[vacay77]

Unlikely to travel June, July, Aug or Sept. Might go during rodeo week in Feb or Spring break end of March.

Are you from Tucson? If so, I am too - gotta love rodeo break!

We use our VGC points mostly for our fall break - and we have a Feb use year. So far, it’s worked out well for us. But we’ve never used them for rodeo break so I’m not sure I would go with a Feb use year if that’s when I planned to go.

 

[NowISeeYou]

Are you from Tucson? If so, I am too - gotta love rodeo break!

We use our VGC points mostly for our fall break - and we have a Feb use year. So far, it’s worked out well for us. But we’ve never used them for rodeo break so I’m not sure I would go with a Feb use year if that’s when I planned to go.

Yes we are from Tucson. Went to Disneyland last year during rodeo break and it was super busy and I felt rushed. Saw a ton of people from Tucson while there . I know fall break will be busy too but at least we will have more time.

 

[upritbass]

Yes we are from Tucson. Went to Disneyland last year during rodeo break and it was super busy and I felt rushed. Saw a ton of people from Tucson while there . I know fall break will be busy too but at least we will have more time.

How could you not be from Tucson? It's the only city in the USA that has a school vacation because of the Rodeo. I was in the Parade 4 times (2x Palo Verde HS marching band, 2x Sahuaro HS marching band).

 

[vacay77]

Yes we are from Tucson. Went to Disneyland last year during rodeo break and it was super busy and I felt rushed. Saw a ton of people from Tucson while there . I know fall break will be busy too but at least we will have more time.

October is busy but it's such a great time to visit! And like you said, you'll have more time We enjoy our fall break at Disneyland, especially because it usually falls in one of the lower tiers, points-wise. And it's also fun if you want to go to Oogie Boogie Bash during one of the nights.

How could you not be from Tucson? It's the only city in the USA that has a school vacation because of the Rodeo. I was in the Parade 4 times (2x Palo Verde HS marching band, 2x Sahuaro HS marching band).

This is embarrassing to admit but I think I've only been to the rodeo once.

 

[NowISeeYou]

October is busy but it's such a great time to visit! And like you said, you'll have more time We enjoy our fall break at Disneyland, especially because it usually falls in one of the lower tiers, points-wise. And it's also fun if you want to go to Oogie Boogie Bash during one of the nights.


This is embarrassing to admit but I think I've only been to the rodeo once.

Looking forward to Oogie Boogie this October, it will be our first! We have never gone to any rodeo events in the decade we have been in Tucson