Deciding on # of points

[kaffinito]

You could even do a 200 point, a 50 point and a 25 point for a total of 275. Then if you decide you're good with 250 you could sell the 25 pointer in a snap. It doesn't cost anything extra to do it that way - it's just more docs to sign as they do a contract for each one.

Perfect advice! I think this is the way for me to go with this. What you said makes a lot of sense to me - thanks!!

 

[crisi]

I've been reading this thread to find out how many points we should buy as well. Thanks to the OP for posting it - lots of good info on here!

If I read you guys right, then you should buy based on where and when you want to stay, then figure in how you would like to stay, right? So for us, I want to take one 7-8 day trip with my two boys, one of them a teen so we would need a one or two bedroom. For my trips with DH, he wants to go outside of DVC to go to other places using RCI, although he would love it at HHI once I get him there.

So I am looking at 250 pts for BLT for our trips. This should give us enough for one trip with the boys in a 1 bdr (at BLT every other year) and one trip with DH in a studio (as long as we do HHI and not RCI every other year). Will this give us enough points, or did I aim too high or low?

If I were you, I'd buy points to go to Disney as often as you want to go to DISNEY - if that is every other year, buy the minimum number of points now and see how that works for you. If you want to go other places, either buy a better and cheaper trader, or plan on paying cash (there are lots of great deals to be had in travel). Disney's HHI property is not great HH property (its off the beach) although its a perfectly nice resort. Disney is an expensive timeshare and it isn't a great trader.

If you are serious about a timeshare lifestyle - join and read the timeshare users group before making any timeshare investment. DVC is for those serious about a Disney lifestyle.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

If I were you, I'd buy points to go to Disney as often as you want to go to DISNEY - if that is every other year, buy the minimum number of points now and see how that works for you. If you want to go other places, either buy a better and cheaper trader, or plan on paying cash (there are lots of great deals to be had in travel). Disney's HHI property is not great HH property (its off the beach) although its a perfectly nice resort. Disney is an expensive timeshare and it isn't a great trader.

If you are serious about a timeshare lifestyle - join and read the timeshare users group before making any timeshare investment. DVC is for those serious about a Disney lifestyle.

To give you a good example, I just booked a studio in November '09 for HHI for $82.50/night! Definitely try member cash rates first to see if you will indeed be traveling outside of Disney!

 

[rkwier]

This was our thought process - We knew that we wanted to have enough points to stay in a 1 BR for one week each year. I put the point values into a spreadsheet so it would be easier to compare, using standard views to compare "apples to apples." We started with the 160 base and looked at where we could stay and when. Then we went up from there in ~20 point increments to see what would be available to us. We ended up with 225 points because we felt that this would give us a number of options.

 

[kaffinito]

This was our thought process - We knew that we wanted to have enough points to stay in a 1 BR for one week each year. I put the point values into a spreadsheet so it would be easier to compare, using standard views to compare "apples to apples." We started with the 160 base and looked at where we could stay and when. Then we went up from there in ~20 point increments to see what would be available to us. We ended up with 225 points because we felt that this would give us a number of options.

That's what I did too. I figured out how long I would want to stay, then punched in numbers using Caskbills DVC Planner to find out how many points I would need for which times of the year in which resorts. I did it based on a 1 brd as well, but also had to factor in a 5 day trip in a studio with just DH. It got pretty hairy, but I finally got it narrowed down. When I purchased I ended up buying one 200 pt chunk and two 25pt units. That way if I overbought (HA!) I could easily sell of of the 25 pointers. (Thanks Anal Annie! )