Advice - Purchasing DVC - Family of 4

[DisneyMomof2Girls]

Hi all! We are Annual Passholders from KY, family of 4 (girls 4 and 11) and currently visit 4 times a year. Typically, we visit 5-7 nights for Spring Break, 10-11 nights in June or July, 5-7 nights in October or November and my husband and I visit 2-4 nights in early December for our anniversary. As you can see from my signature line, we love the deluxe resorts and have the goal of staying at each one, but we do love Coronado Springs Resort for our "budget trips" or during our park heavy days during our split stays (we love split stays!). So that's our Disney life in a nutshell!

We've been thinking of buying DVC for a while now, especially for the benefits and perks - AP discount, Moonlight Magic, etc. Since the perks are very important to us, we do not want to purchase from a third-party resale market so would purchase direct from Disney. I am not 100% sold on RIV given the price so thinking of purchasing at one of the older resorts perhaps. Would purchasing a small 75 point contract for the perks be pointless given our vacation frequency? Based on above, I would love advice on how many points might be best for us to start out, which resort might be a good fit as our home resort, and which month would be best for our use year?

I would appreciate any advice a seasoned DVC owner could provide. Thank you!

 

[JETSDAD]

Just one note, it requires 100 points direct for benefits, not 75. For the number of nights you're wanting you'll need a fair number of points so I would probably look at buying 100 direct and the rest resale. Where you buy really is just a personal preference and you should buy where you want to stay or, at the very least, where you don't mind staying if you can't switch at 7 months.

 

[Matty B13]

DVC has a wide range of resorts to choose from, so you might want to rent out some reservations at a few of the resorts you think you might like.

Or...... you could just buy enough points at SSR for 1 bedroom units and take your chances at the 7 month mark.

You should really take at least a month of reading the forums here and learn how the system works before making a purchase. Make sure you know what UY means and how it effects the way you make reservations.

 

[BillPA]

So you say you go for 22-27 nights a year. You will need many DVC points. A studio will be typically 15-18 points a night, so look for 330-486 points.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

Hi all! We are Annual Passholders from KY, family of 4 (girls 4 and 11) and currently visit 4 times a year. Typically, we visit 5-7 nights for Spring Break, 10-11 nights in June or July, 5-7 nights in October or November and my husband and I visit 2-4 nights in early December for our anniversary. As you can see from my signature line, we love the deluxe resorts and have the goal of staying at each one, but we do love Coronado Springs Resort for our "budget trips" or during our park heavy days during our split stays (we love split stays!). So that's our Disney life in a nutshell!

We've been thinking of buying DVC for a while now, especially for the benefits and perks - AP discount, Moonlight Magic, etc. Since the perks are very important to us, we do not want to purchase from a third-party resale market so would purchase direct from Disney. I am not 100% sold on RIV given the price so thinking of purchasing at one of the older resorts perhaps. Would purchasing a small 75 point contract for the perks be pointless given our vacation frequency? Based on above, I would love advice on how many points might be best for us to start out, which resort might be a good fit as our home resort, and which month would be best for our use year?

I would appreciate any advice a seasoned DVC owner could provide. Thank you!

It is now 100 point minimum for perks.

I don't think it would be pointless at all. Obviously you are positioned to take full advantage of Direct perks. So, buy 100 points direct now and figure out your add-ons as you go.

Honestly, since you don't seem to have a favorite resort and like split stays, I'd just buy SSR. Cheapest buy in, low dues, and then roll the dice at 7 months for variety! If you're planning on one bedrooms, you've got a good shot at trying them all if you're flexible.

I don't think there's a perfect UY for you. The biggest factor in UY is if you cancel a trip. So, I'd probably say March UY (assuming Spring break is March). That way your most "at risk" trip is your shortest December trip. OR start with March for your March - July trips and consider a different UY (October) for the other trips. That's 2 memberships and maybe not ideal, but some people do this.

Also, if you start SSR Mar UY and get rolling, you may decide you DO have a favorite resort and want points at a different home resort for your favorite.

Life changes. People change. You don't have to have your plan written in stone today.

Start small and build up. You're going to need a LOT of points. I wouldn't jump in with that many as a new member.

 

[skippytx]

Buying 100 direct points looks like it would make sense for you. You definitely visit often enough the DVC discounts will pay off much faster than someone who visits less often. Unless you're planning on buying 400+ points though, you'd only be using your points for your one of your shorter trips of the year.

A March use year would probably work best for you. Not sure what resort to recommend as it's mostly personal preference. I love BLT, but many hate it. The RIV is actually really nice, I visited it last week and was pretty impressed with it. Saratoga will be the most "economical" choice to buy into.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

Maybe you can call today and get SSR March UY with 2019 points!! You'll have up to 300 points to get started with!

Not likely, but one can dream!

Also, want to add: If you really love Coronado, you can still stay there sometimes! It actually may be a great way to keep things flexible and ease into building up your membership. Pay cash for some parts of your trip and stay wherever you like. We love POR, so I get it!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Wherever you buy, that's probably where you will be staying for your Oct/Nov and early Dec trips. Those are hard to book at seven months out at a non-home resort. If you don't want to stay at the same resort for both of those trip, consider buying two different resorts (the ones you really like). If you want the DVC perks, you'll need to buy 100 points direct. Buying sold out resorts direct can be extremely expensive compared to resale.

 

[DisneyMomof2Girls]

It is now 100 point minimum for perks.

I don't think it would be pointless at all. Obviously you are positioned to take full advantage of Direct perks. So, buy 100 points direct now and figure out your add-ons as you go.

Honestly, since you don't seem to have a favorite resort and like split stays, I'd just buy SSR. Cheapest buy in, low dues, and then roll the dice at 7 months for variety! If you're planning on one bedrooms, you've got a good shot at trying them all if you're flexible.

I don't think there's a perfect UY for you. The biggest factor in UY is if you cancel a trip. So, I'd probably say March UY (assuming Spring break is March). That way your most "at risk" trip is your shortest December trip. OR start with March for your March - July trips and consider a different UY (October) for the other trips. That's 2 memberships and maybe not ideal, but some people do this.

Also, if you start SSR Mar UY and get rolling, you may decide you DO have a favorite resort and want points at a different home resort for your favorite.

Life changes. People change. You don't have to have your plan written in stone today.

Start small and build up. You're going to need a LOT of points. I wouldn't jump in with that many as a new member.

Thank you! This really helps!

 

[4luv2cdisney]

Another thought, don't buy direct at a 2042 exp resort. Your direct benefits will end with that expiration. So, that narrows it down some, too!

 

[DisneyMomof2Girls]

Just one note, it requires 100 points direct for benefits, not 75. For the number of nights you're wanting you'll need a fair number of points so I would probably look at buying 100 direct and the rest resale. Where you buy really is just a personal preference and you should buy where you want to stay or, at the very least, where you don't mind staying if you can't switch at 7 months.

Thanks! I must have read an old post on the 75 point perks. Appreciate the update.

 

[Lumpy1106]

My advice;
Get the DVC Calculator App and determine how many points you need for each of your typical trips. I would then buy (1) direct contract (min 100 points) for one of those trips, then a separate resale contract for each of the other trips, matching use year for all contracts. The reasons I would do it this way are;

1. Smaller contracts are easier to sell
2. If you decide you are going to go less often it will be easier to reduce your points based on your actual intended use

Be sure and consider MF's with the price per point for each resort. MF's will dominate your costs in the long run and should no be overlooked.

 

[TraderSamWDW]

Basesd on what you are saying a few things come to mind.

1. You need a lot of points! - I would buy 100 Directly from Disney to get the perks and the rest on the resale market. You could be talking about at least a 10K difference in price.
2. You do not have to buy one resort. If I were you I would buy 2 or even 3, depending on your taste.
3. @Deb & Bill is spot on about your fall stays, you will almost certainly be staying at your home resort for them. I like AK, WL and GF the most in December for decoration purposes but that is just me.
4. There really is no one good UY for you. The majority of your points will be used earlier in the year, so I would say March. But thats not the best for november and december. If you buy multiple resorts, Id probably do 2 UYs myself. Some people find that a pain, I do not - but thats up to you, you have 2 banking deadlines.
5. If you do go with a combo of Direct and resale points at the same resort, buy the resale ones first. Disney can match UY since they can changes a points UY. It could be a lot harder to find the right contract on the resale market if you need a specific UY.
There are charts, I think DVCnews.com has them that show points in each UY by resort. Might be a good reference.

If you do buy a lot of points from Disney, break them up into smaller contracts.

A family of 4 can stay in any studio, so resorts is all preference.

Buy the direct points at a newer resort so they dont expire in 2042.

 

[DaveNan]

If those patterns hold, DVC makes sense.

The 2042 resorts would expire when your DD's are 26 and 33ish. I would not want all of my points in those, but since you seems to like the Epcot area, some points there may make sense.

SSR points could possibly be used for your spring break and definitely you summer trip to stay elsewhere. Your fall and Dec trips need to be planned at 11 months and expect to stay in your home resort.

I would start slow. Look for a resale contract with 150-200 points, but fully loaded. That would give you a chance to book two to three trips and get a feel for what you really want. Then I would look to add the 100 point contract somewhere you know you are going to want to stay and get the direct benefits.

That add some other resorts resale based on you preferences. I own at 3 resorts, each with different UY. It is not a problem for us because we like split stays and each contract has enough points to book separate reservations. We own at BWV and AKV, which we use for home resort stays. Most of my points are at SSR. We stay there some, but I can schedule our trips around availability and we book some 1BR and 2BR, so we have stayed at almost every resort with our SSR points. It is not possible to stay in non-home studios most of the year, and impossible during peak DVC times (which is not what most folks traditionally this of as peak times).

This will give you a good idea as to what availability is like

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-bd-charts-september-2019-2-bd-added.3689931/

 

[DisneyMomof2Girls]

Basesd on what you are saying a few things come to mind.

1. You need a lot of points! - I would buy 100 Directly from Disney to get the perks and the rest on the resale market. You could be talking about at least a 10K difference in price.
2. You do not have to buy one resort. If I were you I would buy 2 or even 3, depending on your taste.
3. @Deb & Bill is spot on about your fall stays, you will almost certainly be staying at your home resort for them. I like AK, WL and GF the most in December for decoration purposes but that is just me.
4. There really is no one good UY for you. The majority of your points will be used earlier in the year, so I would say March. But thats not the best for november and december. If you buy multiple resorts, Id probably do 2 UYs myself. Some people find that a pain, I do not - but thats up to you, you have 2 banking deadlines.
5. If you do go with a combo of Direct and resale points at the same resort, buy the resale ones first. Disney can match UY since they can changes a points UY. It could be a lot harder to find the right contract on the resale market if you need a specific UY.
There are charts, I think DVCnews.com has them that show points in each UY by resort. Might be a good reference.

If you do buy a lot of points from Disney, break them up into smaller contracts.

A family of 4 can stay in any studio, so resorts is all preference.

Buy the direct points at a newer resort so they dont expire in 2042.

That was our thought - first amount from Disney and the rest from resale (whether it be Disney resale or third party TBD). We love GF in December and will likely change our December 2020 trip to GF from Gran Destino Tower, but we are awaiting AP discounts.

Thank for you the advice. All very helpful.

 

[TraderSamWDW]

That was our thought - first amount from Disney and the rest from resale (whether it be Disney resale or third party TBD). We love GF in December and will likely change our December 2020 trip to GF from Gran Destino Tower, but we are awaiting AP discounts.

Thank for you the advice. All very helpful.

There is no Disney resale. Its all third party. Anything bought from Disney is "Direct" even if it is sold out resorts (perhaps that is what you mean) - and you will pay a premium for sold out resorts. VGF direct from Disney is like 240 a point! third party resale in the 165 range..
One note - VGF is not easy to get in December even at 11 months! Studios are very tough!
I would only buy 100 points from Disney, unless you are buying Riviera.

If you buy a resale contract first (third party), Disney can match the UY (They are allowed to move points between Use Years) If you buy from Dinsey first, then you have to find a contract at the resort you want, correct size and match the UY. Its probably easier to buy resale FIRST, then direct from Disney to add on.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I was going to say the same a TraderSamWDW. Buy resale first and then DVC will match your UY. Otherwise, you'll want to match the UY you get from DVC and it could be tough.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would also say that unless you are used to planning 11 months out consistently and have stayed in a DVC unit before, buy one resale contract to start. Skip the "perks" and find out if the booking window and the unit type work for you.

If you start with direct then sell because you find it doesn't, you will take a big loss on most resorts. If you start with resale, you will take a smaller loss or break even (minus dues).

 

[DisneyMomof2Girls]

I would also say that unless you are used to planning 11 months out consistently and have stayed in a DVC unit before, buy one resale contract to start. Skip the "perks" and find out if the booking window and the unit type work for you.

If you start with direct then sell because you find it doesn't, you will take a big loss on most resorts. If you start with resale, you will take a smaller loss or break even (minus dues).

We consistently plan 11 months out due to my husband's work schedule and the school calendar so that part won't be an issue. We definitely plan to stay in a few of the DVC units soon to see which we like best, if even for a one night each/split stay to check them out.

 

[sethschroeder]

Why not buy points for just the summer trip to start? You can use them anytime but think about it from the summer when it's easier to sleep around.

Your call though but it's a huge purchase all at once.