Buy more points or buy transfer points when need more?

[Kim Gillihan]

So, I am waiting on closing paperwork on my AKV 180 contract.. some know my saga!! So excited, but I started out wanting more like 300 points so I can bank and borrow to get a grand villa or 2 2 bedrooms on occasion to take family and friends.... So, I was going to get another contract most likely bay lake for about 150 points for flexibility etc. Well, I think in general 180 points will work for us for the most part I can see us going every other year and if that's ends up being the case, that's plenty... but I won't be able to do my grand villa etc.... so I thought about the option of transferring points, I am not sure its possible to rent them.. I guess it could be, so that's my question.. should I buy another contract like I originally wanted or is it better to transfer or rent points on occasion? And how easy or hard will that be? Also, its expensive too.. so if I do that 3 times that adds up to be like 9k... so seems would be better just to buy contract in long run. So, that's my dilemma..

Thanks so much! KIM

 

[disneynutz]

I would buy the points and not transfer. Transferring has issues and per DVC rules, you aren't allowed to exchange money for them. I would wait until you get your AKV points and use them to stay at other resorts prior to deciding on where to buy.

Bill

 

[Marionnette]

So, I am waiting on closing paperwork on my AKV 180 contract.. some know my saga!! So excited, but I started out wanting more like 300 points so I can bank and borrow to get a grand villa or 2 2 bedrooms on occasion to take family and friends.... So, I was going to get another contract most likely bay lake for about 150 points for flexibility etc. Well, I think in general 180 points will work for us for the most part I can see us going every other year and if that's ends up being the case, that's plenty... but I won't be able to do my grand villa etc.... so I thought about the option of transferring points, I am not sure its possible to rent them.. I guess it could be, so that's my question.. should I buy another contract like I originally wanted or is it better to transfer or rent points on occasion? And how easy or hard will that be? Also, its expensive too.. so if I do that 3 times that adds up to be like 9k... so seems would be better just to buy contract in long run. So, that's my dilemma..

Thanks so much! KIM

Transfers take a level of trust similar to when you rent. When you transfer points in, you won't be able to see them online unless you transferred in the same resort and UY that you own. Since they aren't visible online, you would need to call MS to make any reservation using those points. If you're trying for a hard-to-get GV, that could put you at a disadvantage.

However, buying a contract for the purpose of being able to book a GV every once in a while means that you will end up with surplus points on a regular basis. You will have to pay MFs on those points every year even if you are not using them that year. You will likely end up in a situation where you need to rent out the points. I suggest that you take a couple of Disney vacations using your new membership. Get a feel for how you are going to use it because you can read a lot here but until you put it into practice for yourself, you really don't know how you're going to use your points. If you decide that you want more points at a later date, you can purchase another contract. My inclination would be to purchase one with the same home resort and UY if your ultimate goal is to be able to reserve a GV. If your goal is to be able to alternate stays in different resorts each year, then get a different home resort with the same UY (so you can combine points at 7 months) and then accept that you will most likely be staying in an SSR or OKW GV.

 

[CarolMN]

While I admire your generosity & desire to take family and friends, I have to wonder if you already pay for a portion of their vacations when they travel with you? Is it worth paying ~ $800 (120 points * $6.59) more every year going forward to be able to do that? And that $800 will increase every year going forward.

Will your friends & family be able to afford all the other costs of a Disney vacation - transportation, tickets, food, etc., or will you also take care of those costs for them?

My advice is to live with your 180 AKV points for awhile. Let some of the excitement we all felt upon purchase fade a bit. No need to make a decision on more points now. Instead, estimate how much the extra points would cost and start putting the monthly equivalent away in a savings account of some sort. See how it fits with your lifestyle & if, after the initial excitement fades, you still want more points (for yourselves or to invite others), you'll have a chunk of the money required and you'll already know what lifestyle differences you'll face giving more to the mouse.

Good luck - (and welcome home just a little early).

 

[Deb & Bill]

Small transfers can be hard to get. If a member is doing a transfer, they want to transfer a bunch of points, like a whole year's worth to make it worth their while. You can only transfer in or out once a year and a small transfer uses up the opportunity to transfer them all.

In our twenty years of DVC ownership, we've gotten a GV once, right after HS graduation to take our son and some of his friends. We've done a two bedroom two times, once with grandparents and once with the same running friends who have since bought their own points. When we brought someone along it was one extra person as a buddy for our son when he was younger (usually a cousin) and they fit in the room we were already booked into. You'll hear horror stories of members using three year's worth of points to bring lots of family along and then the family cancelling at the last moment when they couldn't afford the airfare or park admission or one of the kids in the family had football camp or cheerleading camp to go to (which they knew about at the time the reservation was offered). They think nothing of cancelling at the last minute because it's just your timeshare which is "free".

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Small transfers can be hard to get. If a member is doing a transfer, they want to transfer a bunch of points, like a whole year's worth to make it worth their while. You can only transfer in or out once a year and a small transfer uses up the opportunity to transfer them all.

In our twenty years of DVC ownership, we've gotten a GV once, right after HS graduation to take our son and some of his friends. We've done a two bedroom two times, once with grandparents and once with the same running friends who have since bought their own points. When we brought someone along it was one extra person as a buddy for our son when he was younger (usually a cousin) and they fit in the room we were already booked into. You'll hear horror stories of members using three year's worth of points to bring lots of family along and then the family cancelling at the last moment when they couldn't afford the airfare or park admission or one of the kids in the family had football camp or cheerleading camp to go to (which they knew about at the time the reservation was offered). They think nothing of cancelling at the last minute because it's just your timeshare which is "free".

Wow, that is horrible!! This is really close family and I would hope once I explain the situation that would not happen.. but that is a concern!!

 

[Kim Gillihan]

While I admire your generosity & desire to take family and friends, I have to wonder if you already pay for a portion of their vacations when they travel with you? Is it worth paying ~ $800 (120 points * $6.59) more every year going forward to be able to do that? And that $800 will increase every year going forward.

Will your friends & family be able to afford all the other costs of a Disney vacation - transportation, tickets, food, etc., or will you also take care of those costs for them?

My advice is to live with your 180 AKV points for awhile. Let some of the excitement we all felt upon purchase fade a bit. No need to make a decision on more points now. Instead, estimate how much the extra points would cost and start putting the monthly equivalent away in a savings account of some sort. See how it fits with your lifestyle & if, after the initial excitement fades, you still want more points (for yourselves or to invite others), you'll have a chunk of the money required and you'll already know what lifestyle differences you'll face giving more to the mouse.

Good luck - (and welcome home just a little early).

Great advice.... um, yes they will be able to afford the rest, but I hear your concerns!! I don't need to make any decsions for a while we are looking at going end of 2019... so I will have some time... Thanks so much!

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Great advice.... um, yes they will be able to afford the rest, but I hear your concerns!!

Transfers take a level of trust similar to when you rent. When you transfer points in, you won't be able to see them online unless you transferred in the same resort and UY that you own. Since they aren't visible online, you would need to call MS to make any reservation using those points. If you're trying for a hard-to-get GV, that could put you at a disadvantage.

However, buying a contract for the purpose of being able to book a GV every once in a while means that you will end up with surplus points on a regular basis. You will have to pay MFs on those points every year even if you are not using them that year. You will likely end up in a situation where you need to rent out the points. I suggest that you take a couple of Disney vacations using your new membership. Get a feel for how you are going to use it because you can read a lot here but until you put it into practice for yourself, you really don't know how you're going to use your points. If you decide that you want more points at a later date, you can purchase another contract. My inclination would be to purchase one with the same home resort and UY if your ultimate goal is to be able to reserve a GV. If your goal is to be able to alternate stays in different resorts each year, then get a different home resort with the same UY (so you can combine points at 7 months) and then accept that you will most likely be staying in an SSR or OKW GV.

Yes, that's pretty much why I started rethinking.. paying mait fees etc. I will do lots of thinking... I don't have to make decision now.. so we should be able to make at least one trip.. planning trip end of 2019 with family so I have time. To have flexibility for my family as far as booking different resort, I would be fine with staying in GV at SSR or OKW on occasion, that seems ok to me... so if you can get GV at those but the issue is travel around Christmas... can you still get those then?

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I would buy the points and not transfer. Transferring has issues and per DVC rules, you aren't allowed to exchange money for them. I would wait until you get your AKV points and use them to stay at other resorts prior to deciding on where to buy.

Bill

Thanks Bill!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yes, that's pretty much why I started rethinking.. paying mait fees etc. I will do lots of thinking... I don't have to make decision now.. so we should be able to make at least one trip.. planning trip end of 2019 with family so I have time. To have flexibility for my family as far as booking different resort, I would be fine with staying in GV at SSR or OKW on occasion, that seems ok to me... so if you can get GV at those but the issue is travel around Christmas... can you still get those then?

Getting anything at seven months out at Christmas or the first two weeks of December is tough. You might get a few nights, but not the ones you want.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Getting anything at seven months out at Christmas or the first two weeks of December is tough. You might get a few nights, but not the ones you want.

OK.... Thank you!!

 

[Marionnette]

Yes, that's pretty much why I started rethinking.. paying mait fees etc. I will do lots of thinking... I don't have to make decision now.. so we should be able to make at least one trip.. planning trip end of 2019 with family so I have time. To have flexibility for my family as far as booking different resort, I would be fine with staying in GV at SSR or OKW on occasion, that seems ok to me... so if you can get GV at those but the issue is travel around Christmas... can you still get those then?

Refer to drusba's post in this thread. It's pretty current info and it will help you assess whether you stand a chance of securing a GV at 7 months or less for travel around Christmas. IMO, you need to own where you want to stay and have a sufficient number of points at that resort if you want to book a GV at Christmas. Owning enough points at multiple resorts isn't going to work.