Adding on... Same resort or mix it up?

[DisneyDaze36]

We are considering buying more points but have a few questions before doing so.
1. Would you recommend adding points on to your existing resort (our current home resort is SSR, 160 points, June use year) or buying into a different resort?
2. If buying at a different resort, do you generally pick the same use year month? Does it make any difference whatsoever?
3. What are the advantages/disadvantages of owning at multiple resorts?

We do realize that any purchase into a sold out resort would require buying through resale. We don't have major concerns related to this as we have no time constraints on this purchase.

Any information you can provide is greatly appreciated.

 

[Tara]

We are considering buying more points but have a few questions before doing so.
1. Would you recommend adding points on to your existing resort (our current home resort is SSR, 160 points, June use year) or buying into a different resort?
2. If buying at a different resort, do you generally pick the same use year month? Does it make any difference whatsoever?
3. What are the advantages/disadvantages of owning at multiple resorts?

We do realize that any purchase into a sold out resort would require buying through resale. We don't have major concerns related to this as we have no time constraints on this purchase.

Any information you can provide is greatly appreciated.

1. That's difficult to answer since it's highly personal - do you find yourself needing/wanting more points at your home resort for trips during times that are harder to book? Do you want to have home resort booking advantage at another resort?
2. If you buy through Disney, you will have the same UY unless you buy a new master contract. If you did that, it would have to be for the 160 minimum buy-in.
3. Disadvantage - you can't combine points until 7 months prior to the stay you want to book.

 

[Sandisw]

I think it would also depend on the size of the contract you are considering.
Having two home resorts gives you the 11 month booking advantage at each resort, but only with the points for that resort.

The bigger the add on contract, the more flexibility you will have of taking advantage of booking at that home resort.

As far as UY, you definiately want the same one. When they are different, you can not even combine the points at 7 months unless you complete a transfer as each would be considered a separate master contract. You would also end up with two member #'s when you have two UY's. For some, this is no big deal, but for others, it is.

If you are happy with SSR and are currently getting rooms at other resorts without any issues, then I would say add on at SSR since the deals right now are pretty good.

But if you really want to be able to book another resort 11 months out, then I would say go for a new home resort. I have heard of people who have two home resorts and then, instead of split stays, using banking and borrowing to alternate where they stay each trip.

Good luck with your decision!!!

 

[Tink&PirateMama]

Well... I don't know much, as we're new, but I have been thinking about this for the future. We are new owners of 170 SSR points (resale purchase), and have debated if it is worth it to either do split stays or bank/borrow to have more points at another resort. So far, there aren't any reasons to do that... but we are waiting til we've experienced a bit more to make that decision!

I would think that if you have been really happy with your situation now (or want to book THV's, which take a good amount of points), SSR add on would be wise (unless you really want to own somewhere like AKV for the concierge, or whatever else you really love). So assuming you want to do SSR, with the prices of SSR resale, ofcourse it makes sense to do that insetad of buying through dis. The thing that seems tricky to me with resale add on, is making sure you get the same use year AND member info... because otherwise I believe you have to transfer to have the reservation all together with the points. Someone on the boards explained this to me, and it's all still a little fuzzy, LOL! I just know if we went resale again for an add on, I'd really want to make sure this was clear. I assume disney would do it easily buying through them, it seems automatic. If you are adding on at another resort and buying resale, I guess it doesn't really matter much, but having a similar banking deadline would make sense, so get the same use year ideally.

 

[5forDiz]

We are considering buying more points but have a few questions before doing so.
1. Would you recommend adding points on to your existing resort (our current home resort is SSR, 160 points, June use year) or buying into a different resort?
2. If buying at a different resort, do you generally pick the same use year month? Does it make any difference whatsoever?
3. What are the advantages/disadvantages of owning at multiple resorts?

We do realize that any purchase into a sold out resort would require buying through resale. We don't have major concerns related to this as we have no time constraints on this purchase.

Any information you can provide is greatly appreciated.

1. Many buy at other resorts to bank &/or borrow and have 11 month HR advantage at additional resort(s) EOY or ETY. Really is up to you where you think you may like more points, either your present HR or other(s).

2. If buying via resale market you may pick another Use Year (month) but then you will have 2 separate contracts - your SSR contract with June UY and your resale add-on with different UY and if this is case then in order for you to use points from these 2 contracts together you will have to transfer points from one contract to another and you are only permitted one transfer between contracts per Use Year ( so transferring add-on points to SSR contract will use the transfer option for both that first SSR contract you own and the add-on contract in that single transfer transaction ). Also, if points are from 2 different HR's they cannot be combined for a reservation until 7 months before check-in date you want ( doesn't matter if its tranfer of points - this rule still applies that points from different HR's cannot be combined until 7 month window ).

You can find a resale with same Use Year as your SSR contract and as long as it is written up exactly the same as your SSR contract ( owners names, etc.) and you & your resale broker alerts Disney that this is an add-on to your SSR contract then it will be treated as an add-on and not as a stand alone 2nd contract that you own.

If you purchase add-on points through Disney they will automatically list that add-on as an add-on to your SSR contract and will give you same Use Year as your SSR contract (you can buy the add-on pts from different HR but UY (month) will be same as your SSR contract).

***BTW, yes you CAN purchase ANY dvc resort direct through Disney as an add-on but you may be waitlisted for awhile until Disney acquires the number of points you want at the particular resort you want to add-on at ( could be short wait of couple weeks to sometimes couple months ).

Add-ons purchased through Disney presently have no closing costs/fees.

~ Purchasing add-on via resale will have closing costs/fees so you will want to take this into consideration when weighing a small add-on via resale - - will what you pay in closing costs/fees via resale market make price all that much different than purchasing your add-on directly thru Disney ? ~
Add-on purchase w/Disney are 25 pt minimum paying cash and 50 pt minimum purchase if you want Dis financing ( and you may purchase any # of pts from 25 and up w/cash, ie 27, 32 etc. and if financed any # 50 pts or higher ) Take a look at dvcnews.com where current incentives for add-on purchases thru Disney are listed ( depending upon which resort you're considering and amount of points you may qualify for incentives ).

Best wishes

 

[sanbornangel]

We have been owners at SSR (190 points through Disney) for 3 years. We just added on SSR 140 points through resale (huge savings) and got the same UY. It made things simplier for us...same contract end date (although my children will be taking advantage of the last several years ). We are looking forward to staying at Tree House Villas and bringing the whole family. Our sons are in the service and both live in different states. This decision was based on our ability to get bigger units so that we can bring our kids (and grandkids). Up to this point DH and I usually stay in a studio. Two weeks until we get home

 

[DVC Mike]

Is SSR is your favorite resort, or you would always be happing staying there, then perhaps you should consider adding on there.

However, if you'd rather have a guaranteed shot at another resort, then I'd add on there.

 

[islandtimect]

Subscribing. This is very helpful.

 

[DVC4me4Ever]

I say add on to where you want to stay and get the 11 month booking window. Even though I say that there have been times I have added on just to increase my overall 'point pot' but mostly where I would want to stay.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

I think it is a good idea to add on a different resort, but you must add enough points that allow you to be there at least every three years (by banking and borrowing).

That way you can be able to book at 11 mos. window in your favorite resorts.

As an example: We own at BLT 250 points to get a 2 BR every other year, and as we are not interested in any other WDW DVC resort, we are thinking on GCV, in an add-on that allow us to stay there every three years, that way we could vacation one year to WDW and the other to DL.

But if you are looking to grow you contract (you could think on it as your family is growing or if you like to be able to invite family or friends), then you must make the add-on on your own resort.

 

[Mlissa88]

Subscribing to this thread - thank you to the original poster and those who have answered....my husband and I were discussing points last night and trying to decide if we should buy at two resorts or just go with a larger amount of points at one...so this thread is very helpful!

 

[senecabeach]

IMHO....
A so called booking advantage to some.... is a managing nightmare to others.
I have ALL my pts + add on's in 1 resort (BCV). At the 11th month I can use "ALL" my pts. to make a reservation @ the BCV or I can wait till the 7th month and use "ALL" my pts. to make ressies....anywhere else.. Borrow once, bank once and its soooo easy managing used/available points.

Lets take a 175 / 50 point split ...make believe 175 are AKV and 50 are BLT available 2009 pts. same UY.

I want a ressie @ AKV..
Lets use Disney's middle of the road "Dream Season", arrive Sat May 16th and depart Sun May 24th and we want a 1 bdrm @ AKV (8 nights).

The required point stay for this is 242 pts. SO.......I don't have enough pts. at my 11th month in my 2009 AKV account.
I cant borrow from my BLT points till the 7th month. Hummm.....
I need to borrow from my 2010 AKV points to make and get this confirmed 11th month ressie.
OK...I borrowed 67 pts. from 2010 AKV pts. for my ressie and now have 108 pts., 2010, AKV available.
Oh.......I also have 50 BLT, 2009 pts. to either use or "Bank".
Get the idea???
For me..a managing nightmare !!!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We've become grandparents since joining DVC. Since '06 we've brought our extended family to WDW for two 5-7 day vacations each UY. We've found it convenient to own at more than one resort and we're able to book our family members at the desired resort at 11 month out. (We definitely wanted the dedicated BCV 2 bedrooms with 2 Q's in the second bedroom, and so BCV was our newest addition to "home resorts" in '07. )We bank and borrow and alternate resorts and it's worked out very well for us. Sometimes I've added addtional rooms for friends at 7 months out, but in those cases, I usually had booked something for these friends before hand, so they would be at WDW even if not at the same resort. So far, I've been able to move the 1-2 studios to "our" place, but I haven't always been able to get the desired type of room, eg. savannah view, Kidani (Jambo had been available, but we're in Kidani).

Bobbi

PS. Because of the addition of DGC, we've more DVC points than we ever anticipated, and we've added on mostly 25 -50 points at a time.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Given your relatively small number of points, I'd probably say you should add on at your current home so you can have access to all the points at the same time. On the other hand, if you really want another home resort, then look very carefully at the number of points you think you might need for an every third year reservation there, and purchase accordingly.

That was our thinking back when we first bought in '97. We purchased an original contract of 230 points. It didn't take long before we realized that wasn't enough points, and by the time we wanted to purchase an add on, BWV had opened, and we had a choice of where to buy those points. We determined that we wanted the ability to use all 380 at the same place and at the same time, so we added on at our original (OKW then DVC) resort. Fast forward to the announcement of AKV, and we KNEW we wanted to have at least some home resort advantage there, so we added on a 69 point contract with the intention of using it every 3rd year.

 

[dcfromva]

We are considering buying more points but have a few questions before doing so.
1. Would you recommend adding points on to your existing resort (our current home resort is SSR, 160 points, June use year) or buying into a different resort?

It would depend on why you are adding on. Do you need more points to get your desired category of room? Do you have a favorite resort? Do you want to get the best price on points?

2. If buying at a different resort, do you generally pick the same use year month? Does it make any difference whatsoever?
3. What are the advantages/disadvantages of owning at multiple resorts?

Most of the advantages/disadvantages have already been discussed although I haven't seen this one mentioned. DVC recently put restrictions on the Wait Lists. You can only have up to two active wait list requests per Membership per Use Year. So, you could have 1,000 points with the same UY at multiple resorts and your limit is 2 active WLs. On the other hand, you could have 5 resorts with different UYs and have up to 10 active WLs (the restriction being up to 2 per any given UY).

We do realize that any purchase into a sold out resort would require buying through resale. We don't have major concerns related to this as we have no time constraints on this purchase.

You could also purchase from Disney, but in general I think the resales are more cost effective.