The players: dh, myself and dds 3.5 and 16months. We plan on one more if we are fortunate enough to have a third child. Dh and I are 32 and 31.
We have been to Disney twice in the last 1.5 years, and have already scheduled our Sept trip for this year.
We stayed at AKL the first trip, and CSR the second. CSR was fine, but we decided that we like the deluxes better overall.
We initially were holding back on DVC because if we became a family of 5, we would have been limited to a 2 bedroom after all the kids are above the age of 3, which meant big points.
We have considered buying a small resale contract somewhere between 60-75 points. We have considered this for several reasons:
1. We could swing the $6-7000 now, not 15-16000 which we would need if we bought through Disney with the minimum 160 point contracts. And MF are less too.
2. The weekend point requirements seem to be what add a lot to the overall point requirements for a weeks stay. We would be fine staying at a mod or, gasp, a value for a night or two and then transfering to DVC for 5 nights to save points.
75 points should get us enough points for 5 weeknights a studio yearly until our youngest (if we have a third) is three, or a 1 bedroom every other year.
3. With the ability to stay in a 1 bedroom at AKLV with 5 people, it makes it much more tempting to buy in for a family of 5.
4. The smaller point contracts seem easier to sell down the road if needed, although we wouldn't plan on it.
5. I don't see us going more than once a year for a week at most given we live up north, and between airfair and park tickets, it gets too expensive.
6. I crunched the numbers for the possible trips we would take over the next 8-10 years, and it seems that DVC even with MF would pay for itself during that time. Then we'd get to vacation for many more years for the cost of MF.
Now my fears:
1. When the kids get bigger, are they still going to like Disney? I thought at least with a small contract, we could bank and borrow and go every third year, and vacation somewhere else to expand their horizons rather than vacationing at the same place yearly.
But really, is this just a phase we are in, that we'll outgrow? I hate to spend all this money and decide in a few years that we'd rather vacation somewhere else.
2. With a small contract, are we going to be too limited. I tried to crunch the number for points needed, and ~150 for 5 nights in a one bedroom seems to be enough every other year.
3. By buying resale somewhere in the next year, we realistically won't be able to buy in at AKLV. Since we are really hoping to utilize the 1 bedroom with 5 people at AKLV, is it dumb to buy somewhere else, or do you think that after the new building is done, several years out, availability won't be a huge issue at 7 months out?
4. How are the studio's really. They seem to be like normal hotel rooms which is what we stay in now anyway. Are the pull out beds comfortable, or are we subjecting our kids to torture by making them sleep on a couch rather than just booking a normal hotel room with 2 beds if we didn't own DVC. Are the rooms similar in size to a typical hotel room? Meaning are the studios at VWL similar in size to a hotel room at WL?
And finally some random questions:
1. How much are typical closing costs?
2. I keep hearing that it isn't worth it to use your points for non DVC vacations. Are there people out there that use them that do feel it is worth it?
3. I keep trying to figure out how use year is important. Could someone please explain it to me again. Right now we seem to be going in Sept because school isn't a big issue yet, but our times may change as the kids are further into school.
4. I know about the TTS, are there any other good resale places out there?
Thanks for listening to me ramble. Really, any comments or suggestions are appreciated.
Jen
We have been to Disney twice in the last 1.5 years, and have already scheduled our Sept trip for this year.
We stayed at AKL the first trip, and CSR the second. CSR was fine, but we decided that we like the deluxes better overall.
We initially were holding back on DVC because if we became a family of 5, we would have been limited to a 2 bedroom after all the kids are above the age of 3, which meant big points.
We have considered buying a small resale contract somewhere between 60-75 points. We have considered this for several reasons:
1. We could swing the $6-7000 now, not 15-16000 which we would need if we bought through Disney with the minimum 160 point contracts. And MF are less too.
2. The weekend point requirements seem to be what add a lot to the overall point requirements for a weeks stay. We would be fine staying at a mod or, gasp, a value for a night or two and then transfering to DVC for 5 nights to save points.
75 points should get us enough points for 5 weeknights a studio yearly until our youngest (if we have a third) is three, or a 1 bedroom every other year.
3. With the ability to stay in a 1 bedroom at AKLV with 5 people, it makes it much more tempting to buy in for a family of 5.
4. The smaller point contracts seem easier to sell down the road if needed, although we wouldn't plan on it.
5. I don't see us going more than once a year for a week at most given we live up north, and between airfair and park tickets, it gets too expensive.
6. I crunched the numbers for the possible trips we would take over the next 8-10 years, and it seems that DVC even with MF would pay for itself during that time. Then we'd get to vacation for many more years for the cost of MF.
Now my fears:
1. When the kids get bigger, are they still going to like Disney? I thought at least with a small contract, we could bank and borrow and go every third year, and vacation somewhere else to expand their horizons rather than vacationing at the same place yearly.
But really, is this just a phase we are in, that we'll outgrow? I hate to spend all this money and decide in a few years that we'd rather vacation somewhere else.
2. With a small contract, are we going to be too limited. I tried to crunch the number for points needed, and ~150 for 5 nights in a one bedroom seems to be enough every other year.
3. By buying resale somewhere in the next year, we realistically won't be able to buy in at AKLV. Since we are really hoping to utilize the 1 bedroom with 5 people at AKLV, is it dumb to buy somewhere else, or do you think that after the new building is done, several years out, availability won't be a huge issue at 7 months out?
4. How are the studio's really. They seem to be like normal hotel rooms which is what we stay in now anyway. Are the pull out beds comfortable, or are we subjecting our kids to torture by making them sleep on a couch rather than just booking a normal hotel room with 2 beds if we didn't own DVC. Are the rooms similar in size to a typical hotel room? Meaning are the studios at VWL similar in size to a hotel room at WL?
And finally some random questions:
1. How much are typical closing costs?
2. I keep hearing that it isn't worth it to use your points for non DVC vacations. Are there people out there that use them that do feel it is worth it?
3. I keep trying to figure out how use year is important. Could someone please explain it to me again. Right now we seem to be going in Sept because school isn't a big issue yet, but our times may change as the kids are further into school.
4. I know about the TTS, are there any other good resale places out there?
Thanks for listening to me ramble. Really, any comments or suggestions are appreciated.
Jen
If you are able to afford without stretching it a smaller contract then I say go ahead and buy that now, but realize that it is a real possibility that you may want or need to add on later. 
She seems to think that since the points are there anyway, we should just try the new vacation AND do Disney next summer. Remember that you can always try Vero or Hilton Head if they do "outgrow" WDW. But if they are like most DVC children, an add on will be more likely for you than a total loss of interest.
DD, like her mother, is a 
freak, so she continued her visits. 
Now he returns once a year and enjoys Disney again, taking his friends with him. And DD has introduced her DH to the magic of WDW. 
It was like they were little kids again! 
Our family trips to WDW are very, very special.
)
