Buying direct- additional points?

[mindymouse1]

I have been trying to read as much as possible about DVC. I am about to purchase direct and am having a hard time understanding why everyone buys at many different resorts? I understand buying more points resale for less $ per point but what is the benefit of several resorts if you can only book at your 'home' resort 11 mo out? Can you book the other resorts at their 11 mo dates also?

 

[disneynutz]

You can book home resorts at 11 months and others at 7. If you want to get the resort and room category that you want, the best plan is to buy your favorite resorts and book at 11 months. Booking at 7 months you could be disappointed.

Bill

 

[mindymouse1]

Thank you. I understand that part but if I were to buy an additional contract at BLT could I then book at BLT 11 months out also? Even though My home resort is the Poly?

 

[Dean]

I have been trying to read as much as possible about DVC. I am about to purchase direct and am having a hard time understanding why everyone buys at many different resorts? I understand buying more points resale for less $ per point but what is the benefit of several resorts if you can only book at your 'home' resort 11 mo out? Can you book the other resorts at their 11 mo dates also?

You need to understand enough to answer these questions for your situation yourself, until you are that informed, you are not ready to buy. As noted, you can only use points for THAT resort at 11 months out and combine them at 7 months assuming they are under one master contract (same UY, titled the same). I would almost never suggest someone new to DVC buy multiple resorts going in. Even if that appears to be the best long term plan, formulate it on paper and implement it one piece at a time unless one finds a single owner selling multiple that you can buy as a set with essentially one closing. Then adjust the plan as you have more knowledge and experience.

Most new buyers should be looking at resale possibly with a 25 point retail add on to be qualified for perks/discounts. The ONLY times it's reasonable to look at retail as a new buyers are for smaller contracts (50 or below normally) or something available from Disney but not resale. The latter is either a new resort (Copper Creek) or hard to find high end options. 100% of the time it's a bad choice to buy retail to have the exchange options of DCL, Disney Collection and the like. The first question is whether DVC makes sense (pay cash, willing to pay more for on property, Ok with the limitations of a timeshare, use ONLY for DVC resorts), after that it's deciding on home resort, use year and # of points. Usually one needs a cushion of points (10-20%) compared to what you calculate. 20% or higher for studios lower season (maybe even more if a cheaper specialty view like AKV value) and maybe less or none for a 2 BR Magic/Premier season).

 

[Dean]

Thank you. I understand that part but if I were to buy an additional contract at BLT could I then book at BLT 11 months out also? Even though My home resort is the Poly?

Yes but only with those resorts with those points, some do this with banking/borrowing to get multiple options 11 months out. Usually that's best when one owns a larger bucket of points. 50/50/50 at 3 resorts is usually a bad plan but 150/150/150 can be a good choice depending. If yo provide more specifics of your thoughts and planning, we can offer additional insight.

 

[disneynutz]

Each contract that you buy is your home resort, not just the first contract.

Bill

 

[mindymouse1]

Ok Thank you both. I don't think I asked the question how I meant it to sound. But now I know that each contract can book out 11 months not just your initial home contract. I really have been reading as much as possible and could not find that answer. My long term plan would be 200 or more points at several resorts since that is the case. I appreciate the answers.

 

[disneynutz]

I suggest that you decide on which resort is your favorite and use those points to stay at all of the DVC resorts. Only then will you learn which you want as additional home resorts and which you can pass on. We made the mistake of buying resorts that we ended up not really being that interested in. Most can be booked at 7 months for the occasional visit if we get the urge.

Bill

 

[TiggerBouncy]

We own 2 resorts (BLT and AKL). We have a greater stake in BLT.

We can book either BLT or AKL 11 months out. HOWEVER, only the points we actually have in AKL can be booked 11 months out. Our BLT points are subject to the same 7 month restriction and vice versa (our AKL points can only be used in BLT within the 7 months). You CAN use them both for one room, but only if that room as availability at 7 months out. You can book your 11 month out points, then if there is still room buy more nights with your 7 month points. They hotel will do their best to keep you in the same room. For this reason, our BLT points are more valuable to us since AKL often has availability 7 months out while BLT rarely does.

Another reason people buy different resorts is they bought at different times. You can't get BLT points direct - except for the occasional points that Disney has because of ROFR. That's actually how we managed to get our hands on some AKL points; Disney ended up with them back in inventory which we snagged while on a cruise. So we did not PLAN to have 2 resorts, but when we went to buy more, that was what we could get.

 

[Dean]

I suggest that you decide on which resort is your favorite and use those points to stay at all of the DVC resorts. Only then will you learn which you want as additional home resorts and which you can pass on. We made the mistake of buying resorts that we ended up not really being that interested in. Most can be booked at 7 months for the occasional visit if we get the urge.

Bill

I would agree For 200 I wouldn't go above 2 resorts. I'd plan my "ideal situation" and proceed with the first purchase then see how things go. Assuming 200 is ideal and gives one sufficient wiggle room for reallocations, not being able to get a studio at times and other variables, one would end up looking something like this for 2 resorts. 100 to 150 at one and 50-100 at another. That might be a 100 pt resale first then a 75 resale then a 25 retail or a 150 resale and 50 retail or something similar.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Ok Thank you both. I don't think I asked the question how I meant it to sound. But now I know that each contract can book out 11 months not just your initial home contract. I really have been reading as much as possible and could not find that answer. My long term plan would be 200 or more points at several resorts since that is the case. I appreciate the answers.

Having 200 points spread out several resorts won't give you much at any of them in the 11 month home priority. Just verifying that you completely understand that it's only the points you own at the resort that you can use to book at that resort at 11 months. So, if you have 50 at BLT and 150 at PVB you can only use those 50 points at BLT at the 11 month window. The 150 could only be used at PVB during the 11 month window. You would be waiting until the 7 month window to use all 200 at say BWV, or to use the 150 PVB at BLT.

 

[mindymouse1]

Thank you all so much for your advice. I will be studying this thoroughly. I know for sure that I want my first points to be at the Polynesian. I have wanted to stay there ever since I was a child. I am planning to buy 200 at the Poly and possibly another 200 somewhere else eventually. I was only looking at direct but now I feel like I should do more research on that aspect. I am a single mom and this is really helping to have some advice. Thank you all.

 

[disneynutz]

Thank you all so much for your advice. I will be studying this thoroughly. I know for sure that I want my first points to be at the Polynesian. I have wanted to stay there ever since I was a child. I am planning to buy 200 at the Poly and possibly another 200 somewhere else eventually. I was only looking at direct but now I feel like I should do more research on that aspect. I am a single mom and this is really helping to have some advice. Thank you all.

Sometimes wanting is better than having. We really wanted AKV, bought direct as a founder, now we don't really stay there much and have sold most of our AKV contracts. If we had stayed there first we probably would not have bought there.

Bill

 

[Wakey]

Hi Mindy. I agree you are not ready to buy, don't jump in yet, this is a lot of money. Do a few month's of research, including resale market (Which on a 160 pointer could save you over $12k), booking patters (your likelihood of booking resorts you want at 7 months out) etc. Read the posts on here and other boards. Read articles on sites such as DVC Info.
I spent over 6 months researching first and glad I did. An educated buyer is a happy owner. Don't get buyer's remorse.

 

[Dean]

Thank you all so much for your advice. I will be studying this thoroughly. I know for sure that I want my first points to be at the Polynesian. I have wanted to stay there ever since I was a child. I am planning to buy 200 at the Poly and possibly another 200 somewhere else eventually. I was only looking at direct but now I feel like I should do more research on that aspect. I am a single mom and this is really helping to have some advice. Thank you all.

I would not buy Poly simply because you think you want to stay there. I would do a private rental and try out the resort and system before proceeding. IMO buying Poly retail without being absolutely sure and without the experience to base that choice on is a bad plan 100% of the time.

 

[littlestar]

I would rent DVC points and try out the different resorts you are interested in. Case in point: I thought I wanted to own at BLT, but after staying there I hated the noise from the pool area - disturbs the grandbabies' naps (and mine, too). I would not have known this unless I stayed there first.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thank you all so much for your advice. I will be studying this thoroughly. I know for sure that I want my first points to be at the Polynesian. I have wanted to stay there ever since I was a child. I am planning to buy 200 at the Poly and possibly another 200 somewhere else eventually. I was only looking at direct but now I feel like I should do more research on that aspect. I am a single mom and this is really helping to have some advice. Thank you all.

As others have mentioned do take the time to investigate DVC more including resale. If you've never stayed at PVB or even a Poly hotel room and end up deciding that you like another property even better that's a premium you don't need to pay and the most expensive way to find that out. Renting points or at least staying in the hotel there first would likely be a very good idea. Also at certain times of the year it's fairly easy to stay at locations other than your home resort. Assuming that DVC makes sense for you in general starting with a resale purchase and checking out a few of the resorts might make the best financial sense.

 

[wnielsen1]

I'm playing devil's advocate today. Mindy, if you know you want to buy at the Poly and you can live with any fallout if it turns out that it is not what you expected, then call DVC right now and get the process started. You should do what makes you happy. Not everything is a financial decision. If it was, well, there are inexpensive hotels available on I-drive.

 

[kboo]

I'm playing devil's advocate today. Mindy, if you know you want to buy at the Poly and you can live with any fallout if it turns out that it is not what you expected, then call DVC right now and get the process started. You should do what makes you happy. Not everything is a financial decision. If it was, well, there are inexpensive hotels available on I-drive.

Except 200 points Poly direct is a lot of $, especially when you haven't stayed on rented points. We just bought BLT after staying at both the CR and BLT, and still a lot of hemming and hawing. As the kids get older I see us wanting to stay in the Epcot area more, and possibly liking VGF more when we don't need easy stroller access to MK.

 

[wnielsen1]

Except 200 points Poly direct is a lot of $, especially when you haven't stayed on rented points. We just bought BLT after staying at both the CR and BLT, and still a lot of hemming and hawing. As the kids get older I see us wanting to stay in the Epcot area more, and possibly liking VGF more when we don't need easy stroller access to MK.

It's a lot of $ to you and me. How do you know it's a lot of money for the OP? I have never stayed at the Poly either. Do I feel like I need to stay there if I was going to buy DVC there? No, I don't! You don't need to research everything fully, you just need to research it to your own comfort level.