Can the points for a specifuc season ever go up?

[luv2sleep]

If a studio is 168 points in the highest season, can that ever go up? Am thinking of adding on so I always have the required points for an 11 month mark Christmas stay if I want one. Should I get more than a total of 168 just in case?

 

[Breyean]

If a studio is 168 points in the highest season, can that ever go up? Am thinking of adding on so I always have the required points for an 11 month mark Christmas stay if I want one. Should I get more than a total of 168 just in case?

Yes. They will have to lower points somewhere else within the year to keep the same total, but they have done reallocations like this a couple of times in the past.

For example, we stayed at VGC in 2010 before we actually bought there. I still have the old points chart right here. Then when we went to buy in 2011 we were looking at that points chart while deciding how many to buy and our guide had the 2011 chart showing the changes.

For example, a studio, by season, in 2010/2011 was 129/129; 143/148; 195/194; 227/224. A 1 bedroom was 238/235; 290/291; 390/388; 463/462.

You get the idea. Not big changes, but a couple of points could make a big difference if you buy exactly what you think you'll need.

Same thing happened a few years ago with my OKW points. When we bought in 1993, 230 was1 week in a 1 bedroom during Magic Season. Now I think it's 222 points for that week.

I've read that's when Disney sold a lot of the smaller add on contracts of 25-50 points to members who's seasons went the other direction and the wound up needing more points than they originally bought.

If you can afford it, I'd say round up a few points to be on the safe side.

 

[tinkfan]

yes, as previous poster said, they have done some minor changes over the years. I would definately buy a few more than the exact amount needed or you might find youself always borrowing if thats the dates you desire.

 

[luv2sleep]

Thank you! Very helpful!

 

[Dean]

If a studio is 168 points in the highest season, can that ever go up? Am thinking of adding on so I always have the required points for an 11 month mark Christmas stay if I want one. Should I get more than a total of 168 just in case?

I think it's unlikely premier season points will go up so you likely don't need a cushion in this situation unless possibly one is targeting S-F and I think that is a minimal risk. The real risk is you change and decide you want a larger villa.

 

[abner1776]

Not only can DVD change the allocation from season to season, but a few years ago DVD changed the points needed for F-S and S-T. This was done because of the large disparity between points needed for a Fri/Sat stay and a Sun-THurs stay. THey were seeing people(like me) booking Sun-Thurs trips and skipping the high point nights of Fri and Sat.

Now the disparity is far less and more in line with what it should be.

 

[jerseyduke]

Not only can DVD change the allocation from season to season, but a few years ago DVD changed the points needed for F-S and S-T. This was done because of the large disparity between points needed for a Fri/Sat stay and a Sun-THurs stay. THey were seeing people(like me) booking Sun-Thurs trips and skipping the high point nights of Fri and Sat.

Now the disparity is far less and more in line with what it should be.

This was the biggest change. The "week" was still basically the same number of points, it was just split up differently.

They can not change the total number of points, so if 1 week goes up 5 points, they have to lower another week or weeks a total of 5 points. A few extra points, like 10%, is a good idea. You can always bank them and tack on an extra day every few years if you do not need them, otherwise you will have to borrow

 

[crisi]

If your vacation changes every year, you can use banking/borrowing and the ability to "rent" a few points from Disney (only at the seven month window) to get the vacation you want without necessarily having a cushion. If you find yourself in a perpetual hole by borrowing, then add points. Or, do a cash stay the year you have few points, or take a non-Disney vacation, or rent points from another member that year.

 

[luv2sleep]

If your vacation changes every year, you can use banking/borrowing and the ability to "rent" a few points from Disney (only at the seven month window) to get the vacation you want without necessarily having a cushion. If you find yourself in a perpetual hole by borrowing, then add points. Or, do a cash stay the year you have few points, or take a non-Disney vacation, or rent points from another member that year.

But unfortunately those can't be used until the 11 month mark and I'd only need the extra points for times like Christmas that has to be booked at 11 mos to get.

 

[crisi]

But unfortunately those can't be used until the 11 month mark and I'd only need the extra points for times like Christmas that has to be booked at 11 mos to get.

In your OP, you implied this wouldn't be your regular trip - this would be a sometimes trip. When this is your sometimes trip, plan to have enough points at eleven months to make it. Rent points from Disney at seven months when your trip is a low demand sort of trip to balance it out.

We managed to get two two bedrooms on our 150 point contract by planning. It used up almost three years worth of points, but since we knew we'd be doing it, we made sure we'd have points from both the previous and the following year available.

 

[luv2sleep]

In your OP, you implied this wouldn't be your regular trip - this would be a sometimes trip. When this is your sometimes trip, plan to have enough points at eleven months to make it. Rent points from Disney at seven months when your trip is a low demand sort of trip to balance it out.

We managed to get two two bedrooms on our 150 point contract by planning. It used up almost three years worth of points, but since we knew we'd be doing it, we made sure we'd have points from both the previous and the following year available.

Oh. Wow. That takes a lot of planning. I hadn't considered buying points to save current points. Great idea. Thanks!

 

[crisi]

Oh. Wow. That takes a lot of planning. I hadn't considered buying points to save current points. Great idea. Thanks!

IF you are only going to need extra points once in a while - banking and borrowing around is a way better idea than having "extra" points. Not that most of us won't find a way to use extra points - but that in itself can be a dangerous proposition Having extra points that "need" to be used can mean suddenly $800 in airfare disappearing from your budget for a Food and Wine weekend

 

[Dean]

Oh. Wow. That takes a lot of planning. I hadn't considered buying points to save current points. Great idea. Thanks!

Such is the nature of timeshares. Either you learn and use the system and win or others win at your expense.