100 - 100 -100 Strategy

[Shawn]

I know some folks on here must be doing this, so I'll ask how it's working.

I'm in the process of getting my first DVC contract (100 pts at VWL). I was going to get another 200 at SSR, but am rethinking and am considering doing 100 at SSR and another 100 somewhere else.

The reasoning is:

1) We frequently do vacation over Christmas break, so having the 11 month window at various resorts should help a lot during vacations at that time of year.

2) I can either bank/borrow and use 300 points a year at one resort or

3) for longer trips, I could spend 6 days at one resort and 5 at another and have home resort advantage at each.

4) I've saved up the cash for this first purchase, and if I work at it I could save up the cash for each of the additional 100 point contracts each year. That is, I'm buying one contract now, in the Fall of 2005. I could buy my next 100 point contract in the Fall of 2006, and the next in the Fall of 2007. This allows me to purchase with cash rather than debt. If I had to purchase a 200 point contract next, I would have to either wait 2 years or go into debt.

I welcome any insights or comments, good or bad on this strategy.

-Shawn

 

[DVCLiz]

Sounds like a great plan to me!!!! I have two contracts of 165 points each (just happened to be the amount I needed for five days at HH, and the second contract came up as a resale for the same amount of points) at HH and BCV. I can use my 11 month window at both resorts, and could bank or borrow to have a longer stay every other year at each as well.

And you've got to love that not being in debt part!!!!

Once you're a DVC member, you can access the "pool" of sold-out points and purchase 100 as they become available at your designated resort. Otherwise, the initial minimum purchase would be 150 points, which would put you over your desired limit.

Have a great time!!!

 

[JimMIA]

I know some folks on here must be doing this, so I'll ask how it's working.

I'm in the process of getting my first DVC contract (100 pts at VWL). I was going to get another 200 at SSR, but am rethinking and am considering doing 100 at SSR and another 100 somewhere else.

The reasoning is:

1) We frequently do vacation over Christmas break, so having the 11 month window at various resorts should help a lot during vacations at that time of year.

Well...it gives you more options if you don't mind moving as you describe below. Some people enjoy doing that, others don't want to move. 200 points in one resort would allow you to make a longer reservation in one resort at the 11-month window.

2) I can either bank/borrow and use 300 points a year at one resort or

Not exactly. That would be banking year 1 into year 2, and then borrowing year 3 into year 2...so you would only be able to do this every three years. Or you could either bank or borrow one year's worth of points every other year.

3) for longer trips, I could spend 6 days at one resort and 5 at another and have home resort advantage at each.

Right, assuming they had the same, or close to the same, use years. The use year would not have to be exactly the same, because the 11-month window is really 4 months long.

The other option is, if you were going at some other time of the year, you could book one big trip at any resort using all your points at the seven-month window.

I welcome any insights or comments, good or bad on this strategy.

The only negative I see is that you would have 200 points, but would not have the full 11-month window for all of those points at one resort. Having the dual 11-month windows offsets that to some degree; whether that's the best strategy for your family, only you can tell.

You'd have two contracts to keep track of, but that's not rocket science.

 

[JimMIA]

Or you could either bank or borrow one year's worth of points every other year.

This is what a lot of people with multiple resorts do.

For example, say you buy SSR and VWL, because you love VWL at Christmas.

Year One, you use your regular SSR points and 100 borrowed points from Year Two for a 200 point stay at SSR. You bank your VWL points into Year Two.

Year Two, you use the regular VWL and banked points for a 200 point trip to VWL. You don't have any SSR points to bank because you've already borrowed them.

Year Three, you use regular points and borrowed points from Year Four for a 200 point trip to SSR...and bank your Year Three VWL points.

And so on...

 

[CarolMN]

This every other or every third year thing all sounds good, but I often wonder how people actually manage those 3 contracts to avoid losing points - I can't believe they have a vacation every third year that uses exactly 300 points (just using numbers from OP's example. COncept is the same no matter how many points are involved).

Managing all those banked and borrowed points (that expire at the end of the use year) must be tricky. Either people somehow rent out the stray points or just resign themselves to losing a few points every year. Either solution would make me nuts!

FWIW, it sure is a lot easier to manage one contract, at one resort and visit once or twice a year. My opinion. Yours may differ.

Best wishes -

 

[erikthewise]

This is a fine plan if you're prepared to do some serious point-juggling from time to time. Things never work out quite as smoothly as we plan. If you use the 100 now-100 banked-100 borrowed strategy, and your stay does not use precisely 300 points, you need to know what you're doing.

Don't be afraid to ask the experts here (not including myself) when the time comes. Do NOT assume Member Services will allocate your points in the way you wish -- you must tell them precisely which points to use, then double-check occasionally.

When it comes time to buy the third batch of points, consider just adding on to one of the existing contracts.

 

[TnRobin]

The reasoning is:

1) We frequently do vacation over Christmas break, so having the 11 month window at various resorts should help a lot during vacations at that time of year.

-Shawn

You will have an 11 month booking window with 100 points at different resorts. The points must be used at thier home location to get the 11 month booking advantage.

 

[Shawn]

Thank you for the input. The comments on varying use years, and the juggling and possible losing of points were things I had not yet considered.

I was thinking along the lines of using the points at each resort every 3 years using banked/current/borrowed points which woul allow 300 points in one resort at the 11 month window.

Another potential drawback I thought of after my original post, was that it wouldn't allow for over 300 points at the 11 month window -- so while a one bedroom will be fine for most trips, if I wanted a two bedroom for an extended trip or (heaven forbid) a grand villa then I would not have enough points available at 11 months out to make the reservations.

If I had 200 points at another resort, it would allow more points for longer trips (without moving) or larger trips (when we need more rooms).

-Shawn

 

[dvc_john]

I own at all 7 DVC resorts, and, for me, it hasn't been a problem at all. I've owned since 1993, with add-ons over the years. And I have yet to lose or rent a point. I do have the advantage of being retired, thus very flexible with lots of free time. But I have been able to get EVERY reservation I've ever wanted, whether it's a standard view BWV on New Years Eve, BCV at Food and Wine, VWL at Christmas, HH in summer, or VB in winter. And I've never had to waitlist. I usually combine multiple resorts on one trip, eg OKW and VB, or VWL and HH. And I can make all my reservations at one time.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

I own at all 7 DVC resorts, and, for me, it hasn't been a problem at all. I've owned since 1993, with add-ons over the years. And I have yet to lose or rent a point. I do have the advantage of being retired, thus very flexible with lots of free time. But I have been able to get EVERY reservation I've ever wanted, whether it's a standard view BWV on New Years Eve, BCV at Food and Wine, VWL at Christmas, HH in summer, or VB in winter. And I've never had to waitlist. I usually combine multiple resorts on one trip, eg OKW and VB, or VWL and HH. And I can make all my reservations at one time.

DVCJOHN,
I am just curious if you have ever needed a Grand Villa. My original plan was to do something similiar to what the original poster plans. I have already purchased a 50 point OKW and plan on buying a couple more. This would also make it easier to give to my 3 children. Then I strated thinking about the future and grandchildren -lol-have a ways to go but...and getting one of those Grand Villas.

How important is the 11 month window when booking a Grand Villa, especially at OKW where the points needed are almost 50% lower than the other resorts?

 

[dvc_john]

Ordinarily, I don't need a GV. The only time I stayed in one was on my brother's points! But with banking and borrowing, a 100 points at OKW could get you 6 days in a GV in adventure or choice seasons, and 5 days in dream or magic. I don't know how important the 11 month window is for a GV overall, but I would think because of the higher points, weekends in a GV at 7 months would be fairly easy.

 

[twotoohappy]

I like the idea. I have 2 resorts with multiple contracts. (VWL - 100, 100, 30 and BCV 150, 45). It works out fine for me using 2 use years. If I was short in one VWL then I could transfer over a couple of points from the other use year. The DVC planner I got off the boards here was a great help. I'd try to keep to the same use year to make life easier. I couldn't get a 100pt add on for BCV for my use year (Feb), so I went with a new contract (Dec) and a 150pt contract.

The bonus with multiple contracts is that if you need to sell, you can sell one of the contracts. If you bought a 200pt contract from Disney, you'd have to sell it as a 200pt contract. You couldn't sell part of it.

Good luck!

 

[Laurabearz]

I have 2 use years and 3 home resorts. There is a bit of juggling of points but we really love having the 11 month window at 3 resorts. We have lost a total of 6 points in the 2 1/2 years we have been members. (points lost have all been holding points that we couldnt use, from a late cancelation we couldnt avoid)

Even if you opt to do 100 at one and 200 at another, you can still split the 200 into 2 100 point contracts to keep on your suggested schedule.

Maybe do the 100 points at a resort without GV's such as VWL, BCV or BWV (both great for F&W and the F&G, the 11 month window is key) and the 200 at SSR or OKW...

Have fun finding that perfect combo!!

 

[Shawn]

Even if you opt to do 100 at one and 200 at another, you can still split the 200 into 2 100 point contracts to keep on your suggested schedule.

Maybe do the 100 points at a resort without GV's such as VWL, BCV or BWV (both great for F&W and the F&G, the 11 month window is key) and the 200 at SSR or OKW...

That is what I'm thinking of doing now. I am in the middle of the 100 at VWL, which I'm excited about. I'm thinking that next year I'll get 100 at SSR (or possibly OKW). Then the year after that, I can decide whether to get the final 100 also at SSR or if I want to go for a third resort. I'll have time to figure it out with this approach.

Since my original post, I've been thinking that having 200 at one resort and 100 at another would perhaps be better, since for longer stays, or 2-bedroom reservations, 200 points gives me more points at the 11 month window. The 200 / 100 strategy may be better for my family when we (hopefully) invite grandma to come with the family.

Thanks for those who mentioned that having 200 points spread out across two 100 point contracts, not only fits into my budgeted buying schedule (ie 100 points a year without taking on debt) but also provides a bit more flexibility in the future if I want to sell some, but not all, of my points.

-Shawn