Let’s Talk Use Years

When you join the Disney Vacation Club program, your head spins with excitement as you anticipate decades of thrilling Disney visits. However, something you’re probably not considering is your Use Year.

That’s the thing about Use Years. You’ll never realize how much they matter until you notice you have the wrong one. At that point, you’ll always receive your precious DVC Points at a less helpful time of the year, which is less than ideal. So, let’s talk about Use Years and which ones are the best. 

Why the Right Use Year Matters  

When I joined DVC, I bought a contract based on price more than anything else. I had just gotten healthy after a prolonged illness and held quite a bit of medical debt at the time. So, I was highly budget-conscious, something many of you know all too well. Fortunately, that hasn’t deterred us from joining this wonderful program.

Still, the first time I realized the flaw with my Use Year was about 18 months after I joined. For some of you, it probably happened sooner. However, I purchased a loaded contract with DVC Points immediately available. So, I could book right then and again soon afterward.

Alas, the calendar rolled over into the following year, and that’s when I thought, “Wait a minute…” As you can probably guess, my first contract included a December Use Year. While some members receive their annual allotment as early as February, mine don’t arrive until my Christmas tree is decorated. 

Why is this a problem? The two times of year when I’m most likely to travel to Disney are mid-May and late October through the first week of November. So, DVC deposits my points into my account too late to matter for May, as I’m well inside the seven-month window. Conversely, I don’t need the 11-month window for late October.

My Home Resort for that contract is Disney’s Old Key West Resort, which almost always has availability at the seven-month window. So, I’m getting my points at a time when they’re least useful to me. Anyone with a bad Use Year can relate. 

To a larger point, should I cancel my late October/early November visit late in the process, I’m good and truly doomed. I’ll be within my 30-day period for the November portion of my trip, meaning my DVC Points will go into a Holding Account. For me personally, my initial Use Year was disastrous. 

That’s the interesting part of this conversation, though. Let’s say that you also like to travel to Disney around Halloween. However, your DVC contract is at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas. In that scenario, a December Use Year is extremely valuable. You get your DVC Points just in time to book one of those coveted Room Types for your trip. So, everything’s relative with Use Years.

Which Use Years Are the Best?

Let’s presume that some Use Years innately have more value, though. We know this is true due to the way that Disney crafts its annual calendar. We can tell the most popular visitation periods from the price of admission tickets and the cost of the DVC Points Chart.

Once we factor in decades of DVC trends, we can draw a few conclusions. The reality is that Disney theme parks experience their largest crowds in March, April, October, November, and December.  That’s a combination of Spring Break, Easter, and the end-of-year holiday season. 

Presuming that you travel consistently and follow the same patterns as the average Disney tourist, you should target February or March as your Use Years for annual Spring Break and Easter trips.

This suggestion is a bit messy because Spring Break weeks differ across North America. As an example, our local school district’s Spring Break is three weeks later than the school system two miles from here. The same statement applies to Easter, which fluctuates depending on the calendar year. Of course, you can tell when Easter will be each year. Spring Break depends entirely on the whims of school superintendents and school boards.

Still, by choosing a February or March Use Year, you’re covered. Your annual allotment will pop into your account just when you need the DVC Points each year. Should you need to cancel, you won’t be subject to Holding Account restrictions, either. You’ll have the rest of the year to use your points and most of the year to Bank them. 

October, November, and December visits are easier to anticipate. We know the general range for these holidays, even if Thanksgiving and Hanukkah fluctuate a bit each year. 

This knowledge allows us to make a more informed choice about Use Years to target. I’d recommend August, September, and October. December is also a solid choice for anyone who frequently spends the end-of-year holidays at Disney. 

However, there’s a danger to it in that you may want to mix things up by visiting in November sometimes. If so, you’re facing the same frustration I did with my first contract.  That’s a realistic scenario in that when you cannot be at Disney at Christmas/New Year’s, Thanksgiving works as a viable substitute. 

Meanwhile, a Use Year of August, September, and/or October gives you plenty of time to choose the best time to visit. You get your choice of EPCOT festivals, the Halloween and Christmas decorations, and all the seasonal events. Should you not get to visit, you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to book or Bank your points. 

I’ve not mentioned summer since it’s fallen back a bit in popularity in the 2020s. Still, I’ll tell you that if you’re a parent of school-aged children and know you’ll visit a lot then, your Use Year choices are straightforward. Choose April or June for the same reasons I’ve enumerated about other dates. 

Your points will enter your account at the perfect time each year. Just be aware that your kids won’t be in school forever. Conversely, your DVC contract will last until 2042 or longer. So, the best Use Year for you right now won’t necessarily be your preferred choice in a decade. Don’t worry, though. Should you get stuck with a Use Year you don’t like, you can always buy a complementary contract later.

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