For those of you with a family of 5, how many points do you have and how many times do you go?

[CATANDSAL1009]

For those of you with a family of 5, how many points do you have and how many times do you go? I currently purchased 200 points at Saratoga Springs and 160 points at BLT. We would often do 2 bedrooms. I did look at the points and how many points we will need and it seems like we really won't have much of an issue, but I guess that all depends how long we stay and if we bring extended family with us.TIA

 

[Matty B13]

Depending on if you want to switch out at the 7 month mark for VGF or RIV, their 2 bedrooms are point hungry at between 400 - 500 points depending on when you go.

We have enough to go to VGF every other year in a 2 bedroom. We have taken my parents on 3 trips so far and a 2 bedroom with 3 young kids and 2 grandparents isn't to bad for space.

 

[Lorrie7249]

for some perspective....
Our family is new to DVC (July 2020) and started with 200 at CCV. Points were banked so we had double that for our Dec 2020 trip - used all but 79pts (which we then banked forward) and stayed 8 nights (2 nights 2BR BW, 2 nights 1BR VGF, 4 nights 2BR RIV).

In Feb 2021, we purchased additional 200 pts at RIV (which came w/ add'tl banked 200pts) and we have 8 nights booked for Dec 2021 (2 nights 2Br BC, 3 nights 2Br RIV, 3 nights cabin CCV) - that will leave us with 141 to bank for next year.

So, we've been able to do fairly well with ~400 pts to work with, going in lower pt season and getting mostly 2BR for our family of 5. With that first DVC trip, we were able to confirm that 1BR is a bit tight for our family (me, hubs and 3 teen sons) - mostly because of the bathroom and bed sharing situation in the smaller rooms.

 

[CATANDSAL1009]

for some perspective....
Our family is new to DVC (July 2020) and started with 200 at CCV. Points were banked so we had double that for our Dec 2020 trip - used all but 79pts (which we then banked forward) and stayed 8 nights (2 nights 2BR BW, 2 nights 1BR VGF, 4 nights 2BR RIV).

In Feb 2021, we purchased additional 200 pts at RIV (which came w/ add'tl banked 200pts) and we have 8 nights booked for Dec 2021 (2 nights 2Br BC, 3 nights 2Br RIV, 3 nights cabin CCV) - that will leave us with 141 to bank for next year.

So, we've been able to do fairly well with ~400 pts to work with, going in lower pt season and getting mostly 2BR for our family of 5. With that first DVC trip, we were able to confirm that 1BR is a bit tight for our family (me, hubs and 3 teen sons) - mostly because of the bathroom and bed sharing situation in the smaller rooms.

That's really helpful! We have 3 kids too and I've been watching so many video room tours on you tube and can't see a 1 bedroom working well in the near future. We are really new to DVC's... we just got it this year. We have 160 banked points from 2020 for BLT and also 200 points banked from 2020 on Saratoga. I'm hoping to stretch them out as best as possible. How did you feel doing the split stay?

 

[kilik64]

We are a young family of if 5 (7, 2, and 1 will be ages when we go first time with dvc in march) and we have 160 for now. We're cheap so doing studios (BLT and SSR split stay) for this first trip. With that leaving 49 points left over, the plan is to do a trip with both grand parents next year doing 3 studios at ssr in march again. Cheaper than getting a 2 bed room and everyone can have their own space.

After that trip, its trying for 5 person studios at 7 months with the fallback being 1 bedroom at SSR (which for same time period on current charts is 155 for 5 nights). Since we plan to go yearly at this point, we are thinking 5-6 nights depending on what we get at 7 months will be long enough each trip.

Once they get older could see the need for more points, but would only look to add 50 or so really.

 

[hoperunner]

We have three now adult sized children (18, 15, 13). We have 200 points at Poly, and are in the process of finishing up an additional 160 purchase at SSR. Until just our last trip we had always done a deluxe studio and felt it was enough room.

When we originally purchased, we thought 2 trips per year in a studio with 200 points was enough. As the kids have gotten older we've dropped to usually 1 weeklong trip during spring break. We've also realized we need a 1 BR with adult sized kids and that's why we've added on, plus our oldest plans to go to college in central Florida (final destination to be determined).

We hope that the 360 per year will allow us to have 1 full family weeklong trip per year (in a 1 BR, location depending on availability and points) plus 1-2 potentially shorter trips where we go to visit our son in school (these may or may not include our younger children).

 

[Lorrie7249]

That's really helpful! We have 3 kids too and I've been watching so many video room tours on you tube and can't see a 1 bedroom working well in the near future. We are really new to DVC's... we just got it this year. We have 160 banked points from 2020 for BLT and also 200 points banked from 2020 on Saratoga. I'm hoping to stretch them out as best as possible. How did you feel doing the split stay?

Split stay was ok. We wanted to try several different resorts, so it was partially by design for our first DVC trip last year. On the one hand, we especially liked organizing our park days staying at the resorts that were close by (e.g. HS for BW, HS and EPCOT with RIV, MK with VGF). On the other hand, it was a bit much moving twice within one trip, and would prefer moving just once. This upcoming trip, i have a waitlist to attempt to reduce the number of moves (trying for all BC or all RIV prior to the cabin reservation). We did get pretty lucky in Dec 2020 since our rooms were ready by the time we were going to leave parks and luggage transfer worked quite well. But we would def prefer to limit to one move within a trip...I had originally planned this upcoming Dec trip with just one continuous stay, but my eldest's college changed their normal schedule for the semester and I had to grab what i could with the limited availability left -- live and learn.

 

[ldo]

We have 3 kids and did 1 BR (AKV, OKW) with extra chair bed until youngest 2 were in HS. If we only have 4, we still do 1BR with extra pulldown/chair bed. We have 200 points. That's fine for a 5-7 day trip each year, maybe banking/borrowing a bit. If we need a bigger space, we stay at Marriott/Hilton 2 BR.

 

[CATANDSAL1009]

Split stay was ok. We wanted to try several different resorts, so it was partially by design for our first DVC trip last year. On the one hand, we especially liked organizing our park days staying at the resorts that were close by (e.g. HS for BW, HS and EPCOT with RIV, MK with VGF). On the other hand, it was a bit much moving twice within one trip, and would prefer moving just once. This upcoming trip, i have a waitlist to attempt to reduce the number of moves (trying for all BC or all RIV prior to the cabin reservation). We did get pretty lucky in Dec 2020 since our rooms were ready by the time we were going to leave parks and luggage transfer worked quite well. But we would def prefer to limit to one move within a trip...I had originally planned this upcoming Dec trip with just one continuous stay, but my eldest's college changed their normal schedule for the semester and I had to grab what i could with the limited availability left -- live and learn.

I'm thinking to do a split stay next year. I'm hoping not to splurge on points so soon. lol. The day you moved to another hotel, did you have anything lined up that day?

 

[sethschroeder]

Can't imagine 3 kids in less than a 2BR.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

We have 380 points and do 8 days in a two bedroom each year at BWV. We go for Wind & Dine race weekend.

We did a 1 bedroom once when there were only 4 of us. Oldest DS came form the last 3 nights only. It was way too tight for me. Especially only one bathroom.

DH and I like our privacy and I don't want kids sleeping all over the living room/kitchen area. Would never stay less than a two bedroom again with all 5 of us. I am old and need my space.

 

[CATANDSAL1009]

We have 380 points and do 8 days in a two bedroom each year at BWV. We go for Wind & Dine race weekend.

We did a 1 bedroom once when there were only 4 of us. Oldest DS came form the last 3 nights only. It was way too tight for me. Especially only one bathroom.

DH and I like our privacy and I don't want kids sleeping all over the living room/kitchen area. Would never stay less than a two bedroom again with all 5 of us. I am old and need my space.

That's fantastic!! I'm happy I watched videos bc it would be very crammed and I rather everyone have their own bed. Afterall, we're on vacation. Are all 380 points you have at BWV?

 

[wfjny]

Well, we were a family of 5 when we bought 250 points at BLT back in 2009.

We would very often bring other friends/family with us. For our typical week vacation, we would do 6 nights in the 2 bedroom suite.

With my oldest now married and starting her own family, we are down to 4, with one in college. With only 3 or 4 now typically get a studio, often at Saratoga.

But we did have a great time at the tree house villas back in June. That was a bigger trip, with 8 of us...

 

[Lorrie7249]

I'm thinking to do a split stay next year. I'm hoping not to splurge on points so soon. lol. The day you moved to another hotel, did you have anything lined up that day?

Lined up in terms of dining reservations or park reservations? Yes. We did... for us, most of our days were park days. the only non park days we had were day of arrival and and departure. For our dining reservations, i tried to arrange those in the park or at the resort we were heading to. hope that helps

 

[pineapplepalms]

We have 3 young kids from infant to 5 years old, so we’ve only done 1 trip as a family of 5 at VGC and haven’t yet brought all 3 to WDW. We have 1465 points across 5 resorts and prefer to book 2BRs, so the points go pretty quickly. I figure typical usage would be 2 weeks at WDW plus either a longer stay at Aulani or 2 shorter stays at VGC (we’re in CA). Sometimes we might do a 3BR or cabin stay. With 5 weeks of vacation plus holidays a year, that would mean 3 or so weeks at Disney destinations and 2 weeks elsewhere. At least, that’s the plan if life cooperates… with the pandemic we haven’t traveled much and are banking a lot of points. Most of the time we go just us, but occasionally will go with extended family/friends. We do fine in a 1BR (we have one booked at VGC next year since I happened to luck into the availability), but we prefer the space of the 2BR. The kitchen and washer/dryer are really key for us so we don’t usually book studios.

Some points were direct but most were bought resale before the 2019 restrictions, so I feel fortunate that we can use all our points to book at any of the resorts. I don’t really see us adding on, with the slim possibility of adding on at the upcoming DLT.

 

[twoj]

We started with 400 and have added on 2 more times and currently have 3 contracts. We really opt for the 2 bedroom units and sometimes grab a grand villa with another family.

it will all depend on how you like to travel. We really wouldn’t book studios unless we are just staying 1-2 nights before a cruise. I really like all of my kids to have a bed so the 2 bedroom works best. With the new pill down beds, I might book 1 bedrooms more. Riveria was amazing when we stayed in the 1 bedroom for sleeping but lacked 2shower/bathrooms.

 

[partyoffive]

We are a family of 5, all of us are adults now. We originally bought 400 points at OKW back in 1994. Our oldest was 6 months old. We usually get a 2 bedroom, even when the boys were young we tried to get 2 bedrooms. We really liked having our own space and the extra bathroom was pretty necessary.

In the early days we would go once a year because of school. They didn't want the aggravation of making up the work. Now we go twice a year if we can, usually because it's very hard finding dates that everyone can get away at the same time. So we have trips with different family members. Sometimes it's just the 2 of us.

Best purchase we ever made!!

 

[crisi]

We are a family of four (kids grown now) but always did two bedrooms. Every other year for somewhere between four and six days - we had too many points with 150. Sometimes we would get a Grand Villa just to use points and/or bring friends or family. But we designed our DVC life to allow for us to take vacations other than at WDW.

 

[quandrea]

860 points. Family of five. We usually get one bedrooms. Have had a two bedroom a couple of times. The odd studio when the whole family isn’t travelling. We use them all. Travel every year. (Except during Covid).

 

[zachatak]

Family of 5 (daughters 10, 12 and 18) but the oldest just moved off to college. We take anywhere from 4 to 8 trips per year but some of those are long weekends- just my wife and I. We started with 2 resale contracts (430 pts) in 2016 (we slid in on the day before they killed the perks for resale so we have a blue card). We've sold 1 of those contracts and picked up 3 more since then for a total of 900 pts. We typically let our friends rent about 300 of those to help offset maint fees and go on trips with us with their family of 5. We are ruined now and don't care for studios unless it's just me/wife or we go to the Poly.