More newbie questions

[aurorafan]

So we are now seriously considering becoming members (which is both exciting and scary at the same time!) and I had some questions:

1) I've seen some people say they pay their maintenence fees with their Disney Visas--do you mean you charge it to your card or that you use your rewards points?

2) We would probably go with AKV--what is the difference between the value and standard accomodations? Is it just that the values don't have the sleeper chairs? I do know that those 2 categories are not savannah views.

3) How hard is it to get into BCV or BWV at non-peak times (i.e. not Christmas, F&W or F&G but other times) at the 7 month window? We can only afford the initial 160 pts. right now but eventually would like to add on at one of these, in the meantime I'm wondering if we should even factor in trying to get the 7 month ressies...

4) When I spoke with a guide today she said she may have some Feb. UYs still available, depending on when we decided to buy. For the next 2 years we would probably travel in either Oct. or the first of Dec.--would Feb. be a good UY for that? I'm a bit confused about UY and its significance :confused:

I think that's all for right now, but I'm sure I'll come up with more later ;).

TIA!

[FiggyFan]

Here is what I can tell you:

1) I think you can do either. We tend to use our Disney Visa charge card to charge our dues, but you should be able to use your reward points also. We usually use our reward points to pay for APs and this can be done on DIsney's web site.

2) I'm not sure - perhaps someone else can help.

3) I've done BCV at less than 7 months a few times for August - twice I have been waitlisted, and ended up getting in both times.

4) Use year determines when you get a new block of points each year, and when your banking deadline is. With a February use year, you will get your 160 points on February 1st, and must use or bank them by the following January 31st. The deadling to bank points is 120 days prior to February 1st, or around October 1st.

If you are travelling in October or early December you will either be borrowing points from the upcoming use year, or using points towards the end of the current use year. The only possible drawback is that if you have to cancel a trip for some reason, it may be too late to bank the points, and there won't be much time left before the points expire. If you had a September or October use year instead, you would have plenty of time to either reschedule the trip or bank the points.

Good luck with your decision!

[DVC Mike]

We would probably go with AKV--what is the difference between the value and standard accomodations? Is it just that the values don't have the sleeper chairs? I do know that those 2 categories are not savannah views.


VIEWS

There are two defined views at AKV: Savanna and Standard. Savanna is a view of one of the savannas. Standard is a view of the “pool, garden or parking lot”. While Savanna View or Standard View is confirmed at the time of reservation, note that Standard View room view preference requests are noted but not guaranteed.


BOOKING CATEGORIES

There are four booking categories at AKV: Value, Standard View, Savanna View and Concierge.

(V) Value: (Jambo House only). Smaller rooms with either a Savanna view or a Standard View (which means pool, garden or parking lot) except that there are no "garden" views at Jambo House, just pool and parking lot. So a Value villa can have a view of the Sunset Savanna, the pool or the parking lot. A Value 1-BR only sleeps 4, versus 5 in all the other 1-BRs.

(S) Standard View: Larger than Value, with a Standard view (pool, garden or parking lot). At Jambo House only, all of the rooms in this booking category have a pool view. All of the Jambo House rooms facing the parking lot are smaller so they are classified as Value rooms. At Kidani Village, the Standard View villas will have a view of the pool, a garden area or a parking lot.

(SV) Savanna View: Larger than Value, with a view of a savanna (approximately 80% of all rooms have a Savanna View; All Grand Villas have a Savanna View)

(C) Killimanjaro Club Concierge: (Jambo House only). Larger than Value, with Concierge services and either a Savanna or Standard View (but no parking lot or garden views, just pool view). Only 5 Concierge units exist; they are all 2-BR lockoffs, for a maximum of 10 rooms if broken up into 1-BR and Studios. Unlike all other DVC accommodations, these rooms get daily housekeeping service and evening turndown with chocolates.

[aurorafan]

Here is what I can tell you:

1) I think you can do either. We tend to use our Disney Visa charge card to charge our dues, but you should be able to use your reward points also. We usually use our reward points to pay for APs and this can be done on DIsney's web site.

2) I'm not sure - perhaps someone else can help.

3) I've done BCV at less than 7 months a few times for August - twice I have been waitlisted, and ended up getting in both times.

4) Use year determines when you get a new block of points each year, and when your banking deadline is. With a February use year, you will get your 160 points on February 1st, and must use or bank them by the following January 31st. The deadling to bank points is 120 days prior to February 1st, or around October 1st.

If you are travelling in October or early December you will either be borrowing points from the upcoming use year, or using points towards the end of the current use year. The only possible drawback is that if you have to cancel a trip for some reason, it may be too late to bank the points, and there won't be much time left before the points expire. If you had a September or October use year instead, you would have plenty of time to either reschedule the trip or bank the points.

Good luck with your decision!

Thanks! I figured I could use my Visa points for food/APs/etc. but it would be cool (and maybe help convince hubby ;)) if we could use them for the maintenence fees as well :).

So can I ask for a certain UY when we buy or will I just have to take what they're giving?

[aurorafan]

VIEWS

There are two defined views at AKV: Savanna and Standard. Savanna is a view of one of the savannas. Standard is a view of the “pool, garden or parking lot”. While Savanna View or Standard View is confirmed at the time of reservation, note that Standard View room view preference requests are noted but not guaranteed.


BOOKING CATEGORIES

There are four booking categories at AKV: Value, Standard View, Savanna View and Concierge.

(V) Value: (Jambo House only). Smaller rooms with either a Savanna view or a Standard View (which means pool, garden or parking lot) except that there are no "garden" views at Jambo House, just pool and parking lot. So a Value villa can have a view of the Sunset Savanna, the pool or the parking lot. A Value 1-BR only sleeps 4, versus 5 in all the other 1-BRs.

(S) Standard View: Larger than Value, with a Standard view (pool, garden or parking lot). At Jambo House only, all of the rooms in this booking category have a pool view. All of the Jambo House rooms facing the parking lot are smaller so they are classified as Value rooms. At Kidani Village, the Standard View villas will have a view of the pool, a garden area or a parking lot.

(SV) Savanna View: Larger than Value, with a view of a savanna (approximately 80% of all rooms have a Savanna View; All Grand Villas have a Savanna View)

(C) Killimanjaro Club Concierge: (Jambo House only). Larger than Value, with Concierge services and either a Savanna or Standard View (but no parking lot or garden views, just pool view). Only 5 Concierge units exist; they are all 2-BR lockoffs, for a maximum of 10 rooms if broken up into 1-BR and Studios. Unlike all other DVC accommodations, these rooms get daily housekeeping service and evening turndown with chocolates.

Thanks! I know there's no way to know for sure, but does it seem like the point costs will stay relatively the same for Kidani, or will those be more? I understand that the values are only available in Jambo House :).

[DVC Mike]

Thanks! I know there's no way to know for sure, but does it seem like the point costs will stay relatively the same for Kidani, or will those be more? I understand that the values are only available in Jambo House :).

The point costs will be the same.

[FiggyFan]

So can I ask for a certain UY when we buy or will I just have to take what they're giving?

You can ask your guide what use years are available. If you have a preference, I'm sure they will try to accomodate you. When we made our initial purchase, we didn't know any better, so we just took the use year we were offered (August) . It has worked out fine for us.

BTW, when you decide to add on (most people will tell you it is "when", not "if") you want the same use year for all of your points.