How does the point system work?
You use the points to book accommodations. The number of points needed depends on the time of year and the size of accommodation required. You buy a set number of points. You are assigned a use year. This is the time when your points are recycled.

For example, my use year is August and I have 200 points. Every August I will receive 200 points. You can only bank 1 year and you can borrow 1 year. So if I have not used any of my points from the previous year, on August 1st, I have 400 points. If I chose to borrow from the next year at this time, I have 600 points I can use.

When does it finish?
All resorts except for Saratoga Springs currently finish in 2042. Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa in 2054, Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas in 2057 and Bay Lake Towers in 2060.

What is my "Use Year"?
When you purchase vacation points in the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) you will be assigned a "use year." This is a very important date for members, so make sure you make note of it. Your use year is not necessarily the same month as when you make your purchase (typically it is a few months before you purchase), but it is your "anniversary" date. It is the month of each year when you will receive your new annual allotment of points. If your use year is June, you will receive your yearly allotment of points each June. Also, the dates you must bank unused points and can borrow points are determined by your use year.

How many points do I need?
This is a personal decision, based on your vacation needs and your budget. Will you be vacationing once a year, once every other year, or three times in one year? Do you need a grand villa or are you looking for a comfortable studio? What time of the year will you most likely be visiting (off season or Christmas)?

For example:
- The points for a Beach Club studio range from a weekly low of 107 points to a weekly high of 181 points.
- The points for a Beach Club 1 bedroom range from a weekly low of 197 points to a weekly high of 362 points.
- The points for a Beach Club 2 bedroom range from a weekly low of 271 points to a weekly high of 467 points

Can I Purchase Point Add-Ons?
At some point, while enjoying all the vacation possibilities, you may want to increase your point allotment of Vacation Points. Depending on inventory available at the time, your added ownership interest may or may not have the same Use Year, or even be at the same resort. If it happens that your add-on points are at a different resort than your Home Resort or have a different use year, it is important to remember this when making reservations and banking or borrowing points.

Minimum purchases of Add-on Points (or Additional Ownership Interests) may change from time to time and may differ from one resort to another. Currently the minimum purchase amounts for all resorts are 25 points for cash purchases and 50 points for financed purchases. Your Vacation Club Guide will be happy to answer your questions and help you through your purchase.

Can Disney increase the number of points needed for my trip?
The total yearly number of points for a resort can not change for the life of the timeshare (year 2042). However, the weekly amount can change. For example, Easter and Spring Break are not the same time each year so one year the extra points that are needed for this time of year could be in April and the next year it could be in March.

Disney can also reallocate point costs across specific days, so the total number of points required for a week in a given season can change. For example, Disney recently raised the per-night point costs for weeknight stays and lowered the per-night costs for weekend stays at most DVC resorts to help even out supply and demand.

Generally if you go to Disney during a non peak time and stay in the same type unit, your points needed will not change for the life of the timeshare.

What about the maintenance fees?
There are yearly maintenance fees. Fees for Disney Vacation Club are calculated after the annual condominium meetings and before the end of the year. These can fluctuate but have stayed close to the same amount each year. Each resort has different maintenance fee structures. The cheapest is currently Old Key West and the most expensive Vero Beach.

In late December you will get a proposed budget and a dues statement.  The dues are not based on the use year but rather the calendar year and are due January 15.  Your dues payment can either be paid in a single lump sum payment or in monthly installments.  It needs to be noted that the monthly payment method can only be done via direct payment from U.S. bank accounts.

What are the Pros & Cons?
Disney Vacation Club should not be viewed as an investment. Rather looked at as pre-purchasing your vacation for the next 40 years. While there is currently a strong resale market this may not always be the case. There are some great properties to choose from and while Walt Disney World is the main attraction there are other Disney Vacation Club sites and a whole range of options around the world that you can swap to for that special vacation. Visit the Member Getaways page here for more details.

How does Banking and borrowing points work?
Disney Vacation Club is quite flexible in that you have the option of using more or less than your annual points by doing a little planning ahead.

You are allowed to "bank" one year's worth of points. That means if you don’t use all of your points in one year, you can save the remainder for use in the next year. You must pay attention to the calendar though, because you can only bank 100% of your points if you do so by a certain date.

Borrowing means just that. You may have a big vacation planned that requires more points that your annual allotment. With a little planning, you can "borrow" points from the following year's allotment and use them a little early. When your new use year comes along, you will only get the remaining points (those not borrowed) into your bank.

Banking and borrowing require close attention to the dates assigned to your "use year". If you do not bank unused points by a certain date (see your current Member Guidebook) then you may loose some of them.

 What is a Home Resort?
When you purchase Disney Vacation Club you have a home resort. Your home resort is the resort at which you purchased your interest (Old Key West, Boardwalk Villas, Vero Beach, Hilton Head Island, Villas at Wilderness Lodge and Beach Club Villas). If you want to stay at that resort you can book up to 11 months in advance. To stay at other Vacation Club resorts you can book up to 7 months in advance. This means you have a 4 month advance window of opportunity at your home resort. If where you stay is important to you then you should buy points at the location you most want to stay at.

What are Grand Villas?
With the exception of the Wilderness Lodge and the Beach Club Villas, all of the Disney Vacation Club resorts have grand villas available. Reservations are needed as soon as possible because they book quickly. All of the grand villas have 3 bedrooms. The master bedroom has a king size bed. The other 2 bedrooms have 2 queen beds in each. All bedrooms have separate baths. Each villa has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, sleeper sofa in the living room.

Can we Pool Hop?
Disney Vacation Club members can enjoy the variety of themed pools at the Disney Resorts during their stay. Members are permitted to "hop" to any resort pool while they are a guest at a DVC resort. Exceptions are Stormalong Bay at the Beach & Yacht Club Resorts (unless you are staying at that resort or in the Beach Club Villas) and the Animal Kingdom Lodge pool (again, unless you are a guest of that resort).

You must be prepared to present your room key card to any attendant on duty. This will identify you as a Vacation Club member currently staying at the resorts.

Pool hopping may be suspended or limited during busy seasons or other times at the discretion of the resort. It is wise to call ahead before going to another resort's pool to make sure pool hopping is permitted that day.

Is Housekeeping available?

For stays of 7 days or less:
 The Disney Vacation Club resort will provide a "Trash and Towel" service on the 4th day of stay.
Housekeeping will:
Empty the trash and put new liners in the trash bins
Provide fresh bathroom linens
Replace facial tissues, paper towels and toilet paper
Replace coffee, sugar, cream and sweeteners
Replace dish washing liquid, dish washing detergent, sponges and laundry detergent.

For stays of 8 days or more:
The Disney Vacation Club resort will provide Full Cleaning on the 4th consecutive day.
Housekeeping will:
Provide all the services in "Trash and Towel"
Change the bed linens
Vacuum and dust the home
Clean the bathroom
Clean the kitchen/kitchenette and wash the dishes

What are my Grocery Shopping options?
Having a Disney Vacation Club unit has many benefits. One is that you have the facilities to make any or all of your meals right there in your villa! Traveling by plane makes bringing groceries to Walt Disney World difficult at best. New Transportation Security Administration regulations prohibit packing food in your checked luggage. But you do have several options available to you.

Use Disney Vacation Club:
Disney Vacation Club has grocery lists specific to each resort available on their web site. Simply print out their form, check off what you need and mail or fax it to the location on the form and your groceries will be delivered to you after 5pm on the day of your arrival. Prices are included on the form and there is a $5.00 service charge for all orders.

Towncar service from the airport:
Most of them will allow a 15-30 minute grocery stop, if arranged when making your reservation. You may be limited to specific stores along the route. Make your list before you arrive so you can quickly move through the store in the allotted time. Visit INTERCOT's Premier Sponsors Page for Towncar options.

If you are renting a car you have nearly limitless options. You can choose to shop when and where you like.
See Info Central for a selection of nearby grocery stores.

How do you keep track of Points?
The Staff has devised a Disney Vacation Planning Spreadsheet to assist you in tracking your points. There is also an example available to use as an aide and to help you familiarize yourself with the point system.

Other Related INTERCOT Topics:
Disney Vacation Club Resorts & Information Pages
Disney Vacation Club Forum