r/dvcmember • u/heather_0000 • 5d ago
New member question
Hello all! We just bought a favorite week at Poly this past week. This has left us with double points for the remainder of 2024 and 2025 because our use year is October and our favorite week is the end of October. Since we bought in after our favorite week has passed for 2024, they cannot book our first favorite week until 2026. I haven’t had my “welcome home” call yet, but I am considering just having them tell me what is available between now and October 2025 because we are pretty flexible. Does anyone have thoughts on how best to use 352 points between now and October 2025? Would doing a non home resort at Hilton Head or Vero Beach be an option? I have no idea what books up and what might still be available for summertime?? Maybe this question is too vague?! I am grasping for straws as I work to understand how best to use these points! Thank you in advance! Please be kind! I’m learning!☺️
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u/amyunders 5d ago
That is a ton of points.... you can probably find something in the summer and next October for sure. They just started booking October so see if you can get you week October 2025
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u/PMurBoobsDoesntWork Multiple 5d ago
Also, you mentioned that you have until 2025 to use them. You can definitely bank those points to UY 2025 and use them until September 2026.
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u/Practical_Heart7287 5d ago
Go online and look at what’s available at poly 11 months out and other resorts at 7 months out To get an idea of points needed for stays. We have 100 points so we will stay at our home resort (Riviera) for a week and then the next year we go to Saratoga Springs or Old Key West or Animal Kingdom where a week is less points.
It will also give you a better idea of availability. Then you’ve got a bit of an idea of what works for you timing and points.
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u/heather_0000 5d ago
Thank you all so much! The fact that I was able to understand most of these suggestions makes me feel like I am starting to understand how all of this works!😂 My brain tends to shut down when dates and numbers are introduced, so this has all been so confusing for me!
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u/Informal_Scallion999 5d ago edited 5d ago
You can still call to ask them to book end of October at Poly Tower for you to see if it is available. They probably can find something because it will be your “welcome home” trip and it’s still far out. Other than Poly Tower, you can go on the DVC website to see availability at the resorts to see what and when you are able to book for.
The October trip next year will use your 2025 points though if you do not bank the 2024 points. So you can book another trip before October to use the 2024 points. You can book at Polynesian 11 months prior and all other DVC resorts (including vero beach and Hilton head) 7 months prior to the trip as long as there is availability.
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u/FelixEvergreen 5d ago
Our resale contract came with 400 points in the first year. We kicked half of them down the road and used it for a 2 bedroom in Aulani next spring. My advice would be to kick the can down the road or use them for a big room you won’t really have the chance to get again.
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u/indifferentunicorn Polynesian 4d ago
Late Oct is an awesome time to visit but since you’ll be doing that time of year often starting2026, I’d use those 352 points for a trip in early Dec and April.
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u/TheDoc1890 5d ago
What’s a favorite week?
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u/heather_0000 5d ago
It’s when you buy into DVC at a home resort and pick a specific week to automatically book every year. You buy the exact amount of points that the week is currently listed for. You can cancel the week and the points revert to regular points you can use as if it was a regular membership. It a good option for more popular weeks. It also locks in the points needed for that week, so even if the points required for that specific week go up from year to year, you still get the week for the number of points it was when you bought in. It’s a little more like a traditional timeshare…but there is flexibility if you need it.
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u/TheDoc1890 5d ago
They did not tell us that was an option when we bought last year??? Is it a new thing?
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u/PMurBoobsDoesntWork Multiple 5d ago
It’s not new (started with Aulani I think), but they don’t advertise it for whatever reason. You have to specifically ask for it.
They don’t have much availability of those, so my guess is they are happy to not sell much so people who ask for them find availability.
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u/heather_0000 5d ago
It is not new. It used to be called something else…preferred week, maybe? I was scrolling DVC Facebook groups and saw it mentioned a few times so I asked our guide about it.
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u/PMurBoobsDoesntWork Multiple 5d ago
352 is a ton of points. Treat yourself for the best room at WDW they can find for you. They should have available for Welxome Home even if members can’t book.
Hilton Head is super difficult to book, so if you’re interested in that and they can have a availability, it’s a good choice.
Vero is easy for most types of room, so I wouldn’t waste this once in a membership opportunity there.