Use year

Same use year is nicer, but it is not a deal-breaker. At 7 months you can still use both contracts for bookings, but i don't transfer the points.

With two contracts, the points show up as two separate contracts on your member login. You switch between them on the website. It is one login, not two different sites. The 11-month booking window still works the same way for each contract. What changes is that you manage them separately. Not as big a deal if you use them differently too, like fall travel vs spring travel or Cali vs Florida resorts.

We have two contracts that we have to keep separate (different names on the title), and we have still been able to put together complicated, larger stays using both without calling Member Services to transfer points. The main extra work in your case (if you go two use years) is keeping track of two sets of banking deadlines and expiration dates and booking larger bookings than one contract can handle.

Where the same use year actually helps is when you are a few points short the other contract points are right there ready to book (if 7 months or less out assuming different resorts). But if you have different use years, booking what you can from contract A and borrowing points from next year on contract A i think is easier than using the one-time transfer between contracts, It happens without calling member services and if you transfer points between contracts you cannot undo it or do it again as there is a one time a year limit. A same resort split stay avoids that problem. though with different use years For example: You don't have enough points on contract A to complete the booking ( have already borrowed all of next year’s points on contract and still need a handful more to finish a 5 day booking in this example. If both contracts were all in same use year they would all be right there at 7 months like one pool..

What we do to get around this problem is a same resort-split stay instead of transferring points, book one night fewer on the contract A (first 4 days), then book that extra night on contract B. And if you are still only a few points short on a trip, one-time-use points (up to 24) are always an option ( i have heard with two separate UY contracts a minor benefit you could even buy 48 OTU points).

Once your plans are settled, then can call member services at some point once the trip is a sure thing and ask member services to mark it as continuous stay over multiple reservations so you don't have to move rooms that 5th day so they don't overlook same people staying. I dont' think they can guarantee it but usually not a problem.

Bottom line: Definitely easier if you can keep it same use year, especially if your eyes glaze over when people start talking about banking deadlines, holding points and OTU points, you probably will prefer not to have the hassle. But if you are used to the dvc system and dont' mind the extra book keeping two UY could be done. But if you are not in a rush, more February contracts for the resorts you want should come up, especially around the start of the year. . One other thought, is February working well for you? a lot of people buy just want Disney offers at the time and don't know what use year they want, but your travel plans may make a different use year better for you in which case it may not be as bad to have a different use year as well if you are ok with a little more complication.