Considering Purchasing SSR

[DisneyMountainWoman]

I want to double check if our plan sounds good. We want a good value.
We are looking at resale with SSR, we like how it is one of the cheapest and annual fees is more reasonable. Also like that it is walking distance to DS and has a ton of pools. We want to travel thanksgiving break. I am looking at the points for it, it is at 111 for the week for the studio. So we would only want to do this every other year, so we could bank it for the following year. So in theory we would need 56 point package, correct? Are we factoring in everything correctly? Can I get a package that small? How long does it take for us to pay break even in the contract? What is the price per point I should be looking for? We would be paying in cash, not getting a loan since it is small enough.

 

[jbreen2010]

Great choice at SSR!!

A few thoughts I have (and again these are just some of my personal observations/thoughts):

1. You can try to buy a direct 56 point contract from DVC.. DVC does tend to re-shuffle points per night here and there. I wouldn't bank on the fact that you would need exactly 111 every other year - could be 113 or 109...BUT, one thing I would point out is that you can buy a 50 point contract and then buy one-time use points to get the few extra points that you needed. (So for example, say that you had a 50 point contract and you bank your points and then every other year, you need 111 points - you can use your 100 points and then buy 11 points. I think it's about $19 per point - so an extra $209). You can certainly buy however many points though you want direct form DVC for your contract, so go for 56 if that's what you want!

2. You should be able to get a package that small. They will need to set a "use year" for you. I would think if you planned to go every year thanksgiving break that you would want a August or September use year. You have - I think it's 8 months- to decide if you're going to use your points in that use year or bank them. If you do August or September use year, you could potentially have until say march/april to decide if you wanted to use your points that year or bank them. (just incase you were looking to do a smaller trip every year or what not)

3. The break-even math is something you'd have to figure out on your own. You can lookup the rack rates as if you were going to pay cash for your resort if you really wanted to try to calculate a "break-even". After buying the points and the annual dues, it should be cheaper than the rack rates...I just can't speak to how much.

4. If you're buying resale, it varies. SSR can go for as low as $100 or less....but I saw a 50 point contract the other day listed for like $144/point. If you're buying resale, be aware that if you buy direct from DVC, I think SSR is about $165/point...and you get to pick exactly the size you want and use year. If you buy resale, you pay what you pay for exactly that contract.

Good luck with your purchase!!

 

[MICKIMINI]

I just bought a 50 point SSR for $110 with 67 2021 points and 50 2022 points. Most 50 SSR's are in the $130 range. I have quite a few contracts and have been doing this since 1996. For us this is just an "extra" contract, not a part of our planned vacations. Buying too few points is worse than buying more IMO.

I would look for a bigger contract as DVC has been shuffling the deck lately with points and there are threads here with discussions. You should IMO buy a buffer of at the very least 10-20%. I would look for a 100 point contract. Closing costs aren't much different for that spread. The more points in the contract, the less price PP. If you get a loaded contract you can get up to two years points useage for free or rent at about $15 each. Here is a estimate of 100 points vs 50 points resale and 100 points vs 50 points direct. This assumes you are buying a contract with two years past points. The bigger contract gives you more points and therefore assumes you rent them to offset your purchase bringing your per point cost down to $75 PP + closing/MF's.

Lots of assumptions here, but I run the numbers with each potential purchase. I hope this helps a bit!

100 points at $105 or $10,500 plus $650+/- closing, plus 1 yr MF's $700 /- for a total of $11,850

Rent 200 points @ $15 for $3000 Your net cost is about $8,850 vs Direct $17,500+/-

vs

50 points @ $130 or $6,500 plus $500+/- closing, plus 1 yr MF's $350+/-

Use 100 (2 yrs) points (loaded) saving $700 (assumes seller paid MF's) Net cost about $6,750 vs Direct $9,200+/-

 

[Sandisw]

Remember, that the number of points for any specific dates can change to a degree as they balance the charts against demand. Calendar changes can also be a factor.

So if it’s 111, give your self a small cushion just in case those specific dates are adjusted.

As a new owner, it may be difficult to get Disney to sell you less than 100 points as that was the last reported minimum.

For resale, you’ll have a harder time finding a contract that might give you what you need.

What might be an option is to find and buy a 50 point resale and then once a member, add in the minimum of 25 direct with them. That gives you 75... which is extra but maybe that just means a larger room or different category? Or just allow a few nights resort only trip on the off year?

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

A lot of you mention buy more price per point is cheaper and also points could change on my weekly? What do you do with the extra little points? Like what it if it is not enough to even do one extra night? Does it just get wasted?

 

[MICKIMINI]

You can bank current use year points up to 8 months into your use year. That gives you an extra year to use them. At this time you are allowed to borrow 50% of next years points.

No points should be wasted. If all else fails, you can buy up to 24 "one time" use points from DVC @ $20 each. I have never wasted a single point in 25 years!

 

[Lorana]

If it’s 111 points and you’re going every other year, I’d look for at least 60-65 points for a small buffer, but probably 100 to give you a safety net. You can always bank points into the following year, but you could also rent those points out that you don’t use. Let’s say you only rented out 80 at a conservative $15/point; that’s $1200 towards offsetting your annual dues. Your annual dues are $699.26 and probably around $730 the following year, so about $1429.26. That almost pays for 2 years of your dues. So the extra points give you a buffer if Disney increases point costs for Thanksgiving week, and can reduce the cost of annual ownership.

 

[chalee94]

A lot of you mention buy more price per point is cheaper and also points could change on my weekly? What do you do with the extra little points? Like what it if it is not enough to even do one extra night? Does it just get wasted?

DVC really is a better fit for people who go every year (sometimes several times per year).

One option is to try to get one time use (OTU) pts to add an extra night. This is only an option at the 7 month window.

Another option is to transfer the handful of extra points that you don't use. (Another owner might need them - but the rules are that you can only transfer one time per UY and you can only transfer current UY pts, so there are limitations.)

Banking and borrowing only allow you to move pts forward or back one Use Year. If you only plan to visit every other year, then that won't do much to help you.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

DVC really is a better fit for people who go every year (sometimes several times per year).

One option is to try to get one time use (OTU) pts to add an extra night. This is only an option at the 7 month window.

Another option is to transfer the handful of extra points that you don't use. (Another owner might need them - but the rules are that you can only transfer one time per UY and you can only transfer current UY pts, so there are limitations.)

Banking and borrowing only allow you to move pts forward or back one Use Year. If you only plan to visit every other year, then that won't do much to help you.

I would love to go every year, but my husband is not ready for that, Every other year is our compromise. As I get older I want the nicer resorts and I want hot tub. So that is why we started looking at DVC.

 

[Brian Noble]

I think every other year is doable, and I agree that having a bit of a cushion makes sense. Say you went with 65ish:

Year one: book (65+borrow 46)
Year two: bank 19 points into following year.
Year three: book (19 banked + 65 + borrow 27)
Year four: bank 38 points into following year.

...and so on. Eventually you will stop needing to borrow, at which point you can take a longer trip, splurge on a 1BR, or try a different resort that requires more points.

 

[RoseGold]

I agree with some of the posts here that this is a lot of trouble and expense to go every other year.

Closing costs and broker fees can really eat into the value of a contract this small.

Maybe still a good idea for you if you plan to hold a long time.

 

[sethschroeder]

We want a good value.

Is that why you are choosing SSR based on the deal? It sounds like you like the resort as well which is important.

it is at 111 for the week for the studio.

111 though is like Friday to Friday or Saturday to Saturday. For me I prefer to travel at least Saturday to the following Sunday.

In addition if you are only looking at 7 days then owning at like BWV or BRV are great options as well with a slightly better location IMO. Just remember points can change and you saw a ton of dates changing the point requirements this last year with the new point charts.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Is that why you are choosing SSR based on the deal? It sounds like you like the resort as well which is important.



111 though is like Friday to Friday or Saturday to Saturday. For me I prefer to travel at least Saturday to the following Sunday.

In addition if you are only looking at 7 days then owning at like BWV or BRV are great options as well with a slightly better location IMO. Just remember points can change and you saw a ton of dates changing the point requirements this last year with the new point charts.

I like in theory, never stayed since the price is high when you are doing not through dvc.... I also love Disney Springs. Big resorts do not bug me. I also like the pools which my son likes. But it does seem to be a good value, compared to the other DVC which my husband likes.

I did not realize the week price was that way, good to know.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

I think every other year is doable, and I agree that having a bit of a cushion makes sense. Say you went with 65ish:

Year one: book (65+borrow 46)
Year two: bank 19 points into following year.
Year three: book (19 banked + 65 + borrow 27)
Year four: bank 38 points into following year.

...and so on. Eventually you will stop needing to borrow, at which point you can take a longer trip, splurge on a 1BR, or try a different resort that requires more points.

Ohh nice thank you for the math!!

 

[sethschroeder]

I like in theory

Which is fine I would suspect 98% of DVC purchases were made prior to ever staying there and probably 75% of them without ever having been to the resort.

The good thing is that SSR is also the most suggested sleep around contract to purchase and use elsewhere. So you really can't go wrong.

compared to the other DVC which my husband likes.

What resort does he like? Also when do you normally visit is it during spring break time?

 

[smisale]

remember to buy where you want to stay yes SSR has the the lowest rate but with a small contact AKV for example is maybe 2 dollars a point difference on 60 points that 120 dollars more . Also you want more points then you need small contacts cost more and if you have add-on-itis your gonna pay more in the long run. Also get what you can afford with out financing them the biggest savings of all Good Luck

 

[gdrj]

A lot of you mention buy more price per point is cheaper and also points could change on my weekly? What do you do with the extra little points? Like what it if it is not enough to even do one extra night? Does it just get wasted?

We have never had points go to waste- not that it cant and does happen. We personally do a lot of split stays. We might stay at BLT for 3 or 4 days and BWV the remaining. BLT is more points per night, so I might stay standard room at BWV, or value room at AKL. As others said point charts can and have adjusted on seasons. I think most people here will say a regret was not buying enough points! Of course I’m not talking about those with 500 or 1000 points.

Our original contract was 150 points gave us approx enough puts for 2BR at BWV everyother year. We bought another 160 at Poly. (By the way the BWV was in late 90s).

Things we have done to stretch points include using a offsite hotel on arrival day, if arriving on a Fri or Sat late in the day, where points are most expensive.

You can be creative on how you use your points. We have had other family members join us where we would get them a studio, or use a 2BR instead of a 1 BR or studio. The flexibility is nice. I just wouldn’t purchase down to the exact point.

 

[starfrenzy]

AKL is my personal favorite but remember dues at SSR are lower so that does come into the calculation for lowest cost.

 

[gisele2]

I think really small contract can be pricey. I would by a little more to make sure you have a buffer . You have to budget the annual dues also because they will cost more on the long run , than your initial payment .

 

[4luv2cdisney]

Personally, I would not want to deal with renting out a handful of points. I would not buy much of a cushion for an every-other-year trip but rather buy as close to exact as you can knowing OTU points are an option. Especially if looking to stay at SSR where the 7 month window isn't usually a problem.

DVC will sell you 50 points as a new owner at SSR. I'd probably buy 55 or 60 in your case. If you are buying direct, this is one advantage. You actually could buy exactly 56 if you so choose.

Best UY for November trips is Oct, followed by Sept and then August. Oct and Sept are harder to find on resale. So, August is still a good choice.

ETA: A rule restricting borrowing like what is currently in place can significantly throw off your plans. We expect this to be temporary but who knows.