Additional COVID-19 Point Management Policies Clarified

While the latest correspondence from Senior VP Terri Schultz laid out the general framework for Disney Vacation Club's point COVID-19 point adjustments, a variety of other situations also must be addressed. DVC has done so via a set of Frequentely Asked Questions on the members-only website. 

Some of the most common scenarios impacting members will be addressed in the following manner:

• April and June 2019 points can be banked into their 2020 Use Year, extending their life for another 12 months.
• April and June 2018 points which were previously banked into 2019 will be extended for an additional 6 months.
• In order to qualify for the adjustments above, points had to have been used for a reservation between March 12 and the eventual resort reopening, and the reservation must have been cancelled after February 29.
• Points from all 2019 Use Years can currently be banked--ignoring the typical 8 month rule--provided they were used toward a trip after March 12 which was cancelled after February 29.
• Any one-time-use points purchased for a cancelled trip (see dates above) can be refunded by calling Member Services.
• Borrowing is limited to 50% of the points on each DVC contract until further notice. Exceptions are for borrowing which has already occurred and waitilists created before April 24, 2020.
• RCI deposits made after March 12 involving points from a June Use Year can be reversed.

See below for the full text of the FAQ:

Disney Vacation Club Temporary Policy Updates – Frequently Asked Questions

How is Disney Vacation Club addressing expired Vacation Points that were used for reservations during the closure?

We know that some Members booked Disney Vacation Club Resort stays during the closure period using Points that are set to expire this year. 2019 Use Year Points for April and June that are set to expire in 2020 and that were used for these reservations will be extended for one year from the current expiration date. 2018 Use Year Points for April and June that were banked into 2019 and used for these reservations will be extended for 6 months from their current expiration date.

• This temporary policy only includes expiring Points that were used to book a stay between March 12 and the end of the closure period and that involve a reservation cancelled after February 29.
• Members with later Use Years should follow normal banking guidelines to bank their current Use Year Vacation Points. If a reservation was cancelled due to the Resort closure after the Member’s banking window, an exception will be made to bank the allotted Points associated with that reservation.
• One-Time-Use Points remaining from a cancelled reservation can be refunded upon request.
• In addition, to better support Member availability, Disney Vacation Club is not eligible to use the 6-month extension on previously banked developer Points.

In light of this and to help with Resort availability in the coming year, Members who want to borrow Points to complete a reservation will temporarily only be able to borrow up to 50 percent of their future Use Year Points per contract, as permitted by Home Resort Rules and Regulations. Doing this will help manage inventory and accommodate more Members who want to schedule their vacations once the Resorts reopen. This temporary policy applies to all Disney Vacation Club reservations and exchanges. Points already borrowed for a stay outside the closure period will be honored, even if they are above the 50 percent threshold. Members who book a new reservation or multiple reservations online, borrowing more than 50 percent of their Vacation Points per contract, will have their reservation(s) exceeding the 50 percent maximum cancelled automatically within 7 days.

Additionally, this temporary policy also excludes borrowed Vacation Points that would be applied to matched waitlists that were created prior to April 24 if the reservation requires more than the 50 percent threshold. We will continue to monitor our inventory and re-evaluate, with the goal of returning to our standard policy as soon as it is appropriate to do so.

How is Disney Vacation Club addressing expired Reservation Points used for a Disney Collection or Concierge Collection exchange that was cancelled due to a Resort closure?

Disney and Concierge Collection Reservation Points from April and June 2019 Use Years that have expired or will expire during the closure period will be moved into the next Use Year as Reservation Points. Additional Use Year will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Members with cancelled Disney Cruise Line voyages or Adventures by Disney trips due to the closure have been offered their choice of a full refund, the ability to rebook a new cruise/trip with additional credit or the option to “park” their cruise/trip for a later date.

What reservations does this temporary policy regarding expiring Points apply to?

This temporary policy only includes expiring Points that were used to book a stay between March 12 and the end of the closure period and that involve a reservation cancelled after February 29. Members who did not have a reservation booked during the closure period are not eligible to have their Points extended.

How will this impact Members Annual Dues?

While lower operating costs are anticipated for each condominium association because of the closures, there are many unknowns ahead as the Resorts are returned to operation. Our commitment to Guest and Cast safety remains our top priority, and changes may be implemented to the way we operate, which may add some new costs. Given the unique circumstances of this situation, the proposal is to issue a credit to Members in mid-December as part of the distribution of Annual Dues Statements for 2021, if their association has an operating surplus (as opposed to rolling all surpluses into reserves).

Why is Disney Vacation Club temporarily updating policies?

Our team at Disney Vacation Club is deeply appreciative of the patience and understanding shown by our Members—and the helpful feedback and kind thoughts shared with our Cast. Looking ahead to better days, our team is committed to keeping Members informed and creating additional flexibility in Membership given the unique circumstances of this crisis. We are now taking actions that go beyond the temporary updates to our cancellation policy introduced earlier.

What if I deposited Points into RCI® so that they would not expire?

Members with a June Use Year who have made deposits into the RCI system since March 12 will be able to reverse that action and withdraw their Points. Members with previously booked RCI reservations that have been cancelled during the closures can continue to use those Points within the RCI system until they expire.

What policies did you previously announce?

Until a decision is made about when Resorts will reopen, all reservations scheduled for arrival during the closure time will be automatically cancelled by Disney Vacation Club on a week-by-week basis.

• Annual allotment Vacation Points returned due to a cancellation of a Disney Vacation Club Resort reservation will not be placed in a holding account and will be returned to the current Use Year.
• When a reservation involving borrowed Points is cancelled, the borrowed Points will be returned to the Use Year they were borrowed from. Members should allow for up to 15 business days for this process to be completed.
• Banked Points will be returned as banked Points into the current Use Year.
• Reservation Points returned due to a cancellation of a Disney Collection or Concierge Collection Resort reservation will be returned as Reservation Points to the current Use Year.
• One-Time-Use Points will be returned to the current Use Year as One-Time-Use Points.

Will this impact future inventory constraints?

Members who want to borrow Points to complete a reservation will temporarily only be able to borrow up to 50 percent of their future Use Year Points per contract, as permitted by Home Resort Rules and Regulations. Doing this will help manage inventory and accommodate more Members who want to schedule their vacations once the Resorts reopen. This temporary policy applies to all Disney Vacation Club reservations and exchanges.

Additionally, apart from the situations mentioned above where Vacation Points will be extended, all Vacation Points banking rules apply and extensions to banking deadlines will not be provided. These rules remain in place to ensure that the Membership as a whole avoids future inventory constraints.

How long will the Disney Vacation Club Resorts be closed?

As a result of this unprecedented pandemic and in line with direction provided by health experts and government officials, all Disney Vacation Club Resort properties will remain closed until further notice.

I purchased Travelex Insurance and made a claim due to my cancelled reservation. Am I eligible for the Points extension?

Members who made a claim with Travelex for their expired Points are still eligible for the Points extension, provided they meet the criteria listed above.

When my reservation was cancelled, my borrowed Points were returned to their original Use Year, but One-Time-Use Points that I purchased expired or are still showing in my current Use Year.

Please contact Disney Vacation Club Member Services to have One-Time-Use Points refunded