How may points do we need?

[crisi]

Since you are going every other year, which is what we do so I have a lot of experience, I'd buy half the point requirement to stay in a two bedroom at your target time (Christmas is more expensive than September) for your target stay (seven nights, four nights, ten nights). As you learn the system, you may need to rent points from another member or direct from Disney, but you may not. If you find yourself needing more points regularly, do a small add on.

We have a small amount of points, but it's enough to put us in a two bedroom every other year for a week. Sometimes we scrimp and take shorter trips in smaller cheaper units, and are able to splurge with three years of points. But we've yet to run short. We like to travel with friends, but have discovered that although we treat with the room, Disney is still an expense many of them choose not to budget for, so unless we are willing to pay for airfare and park tickets, we often end up alone even when we wanted to invite people.

[heartsy77]

Originally Posted by belias21

WOW! What a legacy to leave... So sorry for your loss and that you can't enjoy the membership with him.
Eternally grateful to him and all of our brave service men and women for their service.

Yes it is a very fitting gift. My son was a person who made everyone smile and he thought this would be a gift he could give us and future generations of our family. What a sweet goofy kid he was.

[a742246]

Your son was a great man.

I would let faith handle it. Go with the best deal possible. I think 300 points is more readly available. Thus giving you a better deal.

Remember every time you go, you will be saluting him and if there is an afterlife he will salute back.

My heart is with you!

[joelp]

One other thing to consider: moving forward, the maintenance fees for DVC will cost considerably more than the up-front costs, and the more points purchased, the higher the MF costs ... and MF costs can vary significantly between home resorts.

Second, you didn't say if your were thinking of buying direct from Disney or resale - that will make a big difference in your up-front costs (and give you more options on how to use to points).

Third - where you stay will make a difference. For example, I took a quick look at the points charts, and the "most expensive" weekly rates for the DVC Resorts seem to fall into three groups for a 2BR -

1 - about 400 points: SSR, HHI, OKW

2 - about 500 points: AKV, BCV, BWV, VB, VWL

3 - about 600 points: Aulani, BLT, VGC

So it looks like you would need at least 250 points to cover most of the resorts, going every 2 years ... with 300 points covering them all ...

3BR GVs run about 1000 points for the "most expensive" week, so 300 points would not be enough for the "most expensive" weeks ...

Considering you'll want to make sure you "get what you want" for your larger family trips, choosing your Home Resort and having that 11-month booking window is also an important consideration.

So - as a few others have recommended - sit down and compare a number of scenarios (resorts, time of year, # bedrooms, etc.) and see what works out best.

This is a great gift of "pixie dust" from your son, and will bring many wonderful times for you and your family ...

[heartsy77]

Originally Posted by joelp

One other thing to consider: moving forward, the maintenance fees for DVC will cost considerably more than the up-front costs, and the more points purchased, the higher the MF costs ... and MF costs can vary significantly between home resorts.

Second, you didn't say if your were thinking of buying direct from Disney or resale - that will make a big difference in your up-front costs (and give you more options on how to use to points).

Third - where you stay will make a difference. For example, I took a quick look at the points charts, and the "most expensive" weekly rates for the DVC Resorts seem to fall into three groups for a 2BR -

1 - about 400 points: SSR, HHI, OKW

2 - about 500 points: AKV, BCV, BWV, VB, VWL

3 - about 600 points: Aulani, BLT, VGC

So it looks like you would need at least 250 points to cover most of the resorts, going every 2 years ... with 300 points covering them all ...

3BR GVs run about 1000 points for the "most expensive" week, so 300 points would not be enough for the "most expensive" weeks ...

Considering you'll want to make sure you "get what you want" for your larger family trips, choosing your Home Resort and having that 11-month booking window is also an important consideration.

So - as a few others have recommended - sit down and compare a number of scenarios (resorts, time of year, # bedrooms, etc.) and see what works out best.

This is a great gift of "pixie dust" from your son, and will bring many wonderful times for you and your family ...

Thanks so much! We are leaning towards 300 points for SSR. Not resale only because I want the kids to have more options for their families in the future.

[spruce]

We bought enough for a
1br during magic season for 6 nights OKW. This gives a day of rest after traveling before work. Our first add on covered Fri and Sat in a studio during magic season or as a buffer for point increases BWV. The next add on gives us the 11 month booking Window to enjoy SAB at BCV for a couple of days a year as we love a pool day there. Our last add on added to BWV. Total across the 4 is 378 points which gives a lot of vacation time and is sometimes hard to use it all unless we go for bigger rooms. In 2 weeks we have a bwv gv and 2 studios for 5 nights, blt studio for 1 night and a bwv 1br for 2 nights and still have, I think, over 150 points left from 2 years of points. Figure out your optimal trip length and room size, split it in half and add 10% for eoy trips and you'll be fine. One note though, we never followed our original point plan opting for mostly studio's unless we planned a large gathering like this year. Good luck.

[DizBub]

Originally Posted by heartsy77

Thanks so much! We are leaning towards 300 points for SSR. Not resale only because I want the kids to have more options for their families in the future.

Sounds like a plan! If you are going to buy direct I suggest buying late in your desired Use Year and see if they will give you this years' points so you can start off with double points. They should allow you to bank those points right away if you don't want to use them immediately. At least this would give you extra value for the price you will pay buying direct.

Good luck and please come back and let us know what you end up doing.

[pilferk]

Originally Posted by heartsy77

I've studied the points charts and I can't decide. Right now we go to WDW every 2 years. We either go w/ a large group ( this time 8 people) or just 4 of us.
We generally go in off times. I want to have ability to go w/ as many people as we want.
I want 300 but DH thinks it's overkill.
Money is not an issue as we will be paying cash.

I'd say, if you're going every other year, for about a week, you'll likely be in good shape at 180-200 points. That would get you a 2BR for a week every other year (360 to 400 pts), during anything but the busiest seasons. Exactly how many would depend on where you usually want to stay. More points if you want to stay for longer periods of time (and considerably more if you want to stay in GV's most trips).

You can bank extras and maybe take a longer trip some years OR take another trip with a smaller group (studio) every so often.

[crisi]

Originally Posted by heartsy77

Thanks so much! We are leaning towards 300 points for SSR. Not resale only because I want the kids to have more options for their families in the future.

Those points won't go very far for non-DVC options. DVC is the best value for DVC options - cruising on points is expensive! Adventures by Disney is expensive! As far as trading somewhere other than Disney through RCI, that's available if you buy resale or direct. Make sure to review the point charts for these "more options."

[pilferk]

Originally Posted by crisi

Those points won't go very far for non-DVC options. DVC is the best value for DVC options - cruising on points is expensive! Adventures by Disney is expensive! As far as trading somewhere other than Disney through RCI, that's available if you buy resale or direct. Make sure to review the point charts for these "more options."

I agree.

RIGHT NOW, the retail options aren't worth the premium retail price. They're things I likely wouldn't use, anyway (they're not why we bought our membership)...and I'd sooner rent my points and pay cash for those things, anyway.

AT SOME POINT, that might change, and there might be more restrictions/less options for those buying resale....but like it did prior, I'd expect people who already bought re-sale would be grandfathered in to the old rule set, and only new closings would be effected by them.

[heartsy77]

Originally Posted by crisi

Those points won't go very far for non-DVC options. DVC is the best value for DVC options - cruising on points is expensive! Adventures by Disney is expensive! As far as trading somewhere other than Disney through RCI, that's available if you buy resale or direct. Make sure to review the point charts for these "more options."

Good point. I just received the points book and i'm not sure direct is worth it after all.
Plus we could get the home resort we really want.

One question my DH had: if you buy a resale contract do you only buy the years the seller has left or do they stay the same for the length resort contract?
You guys are so much help TIA

[KAT4DISNEY]

Originally Posted by heartsy77

Good point. I just received the points book and i'm not sure direct is worth it after all.
Plus we could get the home resort we really want.

One question my DH had: if you buy a resale contract do you only buy the years the seller has left or do they stay the same for the length resort contract?
You guys are so much help TIA

Each resort has a specific end date. Whether you buy direct or buy resale all the contracts end at that date.

OKW is the one oddball because they offered an extension. It was originally to end in 2042 and you will find lots of contracts resale with the end date because many did not extend. However if you bought direct from Disney it would be the extended end date of 2057.

OKW non extended, BWV, BCV, VWL, VB and HHI all end in 2042.

SSR in 2054

AKV and extended OKW end in 2057

BLT and VGC in 2060.


I don't know if you saw my post on point recommendations but if you stick with your every other year visit, assuming non-peak time, you'll be swimming in extra points if you buy 300 or even 270.

[heartsy77]

Originally Posted by KAT4DISNEY

Each resort has a specific end date. Whether you buy direct or buy resale all the contracts end at that date.

OKW is the one oddball because they offered an extension. It was originally to end in 2042 and you will find lots of contracts resale with the end date because many did not extend. However if you bought direct from Disney it would be the extended end date of 2057.

OKW non extended, BWV, BCV, VWL, VB and HHI all end in 2042.

SSR in 2054

AKV and extended OKW end in 2057

BLT and VGC in 2060.


I don't know if you saw my post on point recommendations but if you stick with your every other year visit, assuming non-peak time, you'll be swimming in extra points if you buy 300 or even 270.

Yes I did see your earlier post. THANKS!

[Dean]

Originally Posted by heartsy77

I've studied the points charts and I can't decide. Right now we go to WDW every 2 years. We either go w/ a large group ( this time 8 people) or just 4 of us.
We generally go in off times. I want to have ability to go w/ as many people as we want.
I want 300 but DH thinks it's overkill.
Money is not an issue as we will be paying cash.

I'll take a contrarian view to many here. I would buy no more than you need. Since you're looking at EOY for a 2 BR part time and less at others, I'd buy what you need for the highest season you go with essentially no margin. Magic is 315 for a week so for a week in a 2 BR at SSR, other resorts will get you up to a max of around 465. To me, that's 150-230 points a year used EOY. It makes no sense to buy extra, you can always add on later. The yearly fees are the big long term expense anyway and DVC is famous for high fees.

[Airb330]

Originally Posted by Dean

I'll take a contrarian view to many here. I would buy no more than you need. Since you're looking at EOY for a 2 BR part time and less at others, I'd buy what you need for the highest season you go with essentially no margin. Magic is 315 for a week so for a week in a 2 BR at SSR, other resorts will get you up to a max of around 465. To me, that's 150-230 points a year used EOY. It makes no sense to buy extra, you can always add on later. The yearly fees are the big long term expense anyway and DVC is famous for high fees.

+1

I strongly agree with KAT4DISNEY as well and everyone else who said "look at the points chart" and to buy resale. This is a big purchase; do some research, and please keep coming back and keeping us posted so we can all continue to help.

That is very sweet your son wanted your family to take amazing Disney trips together, but don't rush into anything. I thank you and your son for his service and am sorry for his loss.