Deciding on # of points

[aurorafan]

We did look at where/when we'd want to go etc., but for us it came down to how many we could afford . The 160 minimum was what we could comfortably pay off reasonably soon so that's what we went with .

As others have said you find yourself right away wanting more! DH decided to use our points in Jan. for his solo trip to see a friend who lives in FL, and this was after I'd already made ressies for my friend and I to go in Jan. (I figured I did all the research/cost calculations etc. for DVC--I could use some of the points for myself ). Those 2 trips showed us that we need more points if we're going to be using them for more than just family trips .

I'd say start off with what you can comfortably afford, even if it's less than you'd like to have ideally. As others have said it's very easy to add on, not so easy to get rid of points . Ultimately I'd like to add on anywhere from 75-100 pts. at AKV and then add on about 80 at BCV . If down the road our vacationing habits change we can easily get rid of the smaller AKV contract .

 

[ChesapeakeTechie]

Here's my $.02 - we are a family of 5. Two parents & (1) 3 yo and (2) 18 month olds. We bought resale 120 DEC UY pts @ SSR knowing that we would head to WDW or DL about every other year. So it made sense and was what we could comfortably afford. First trip in Oct 2008, 2BR SSR for 4 nights (116 pts borrowed against Dec 2008) with friends. It was plenty big for the 8 of us (4 adults & 4 kids). We could have also done OKW for 5 nights but wanted to check out SSR for the first time and it was GREAT! So now I've got 4 points to bank (2008 UY) that we can use (for how long will they stay banked)?
Our next trip won't be until after Dec 2009, so I think we should have the 4 pts from 2008, and the 120 pts from 2009 available. We could also borrow some against 2010 if needed.
Now some questions...if we do decide that we need more points, the only reason the same resort matters is for the booking window correct, and the only reason the UY maters is for when I get my points allocation and for banking and borrowing consistancy?
Are there any spreadsheets or good sites to help me track all of this?

Thanks!!

 

[dd08]

aurorafan (buy what you can comfortably afford) and crisi (buy what's best for YOU, not what others say) give the best advice.

We bought the minimum (160 pts) at AKV because of both. We will comfortably pay off the contract by the end of '09, we like AKL, with the developer points we are able to take my family to SSR, then bank our '08 use year to take her family in '10. This covers both sides and let's us share. After this first share we won't have that "need" to share as much.

 

[crisi]

Now some questions...if we do decide that we need more points, the only reason the same resort matters is for the booking window correct, and the only reason the UY maters is for when I get my points allocation and for banking and borrowing consistancy?

Thanks!!

Both - as well as dues - i.e. if you don't like BWV there isn't a lot of reason to pay high dues.

Remember that you can't combine points from two resorts more than seven months out (i.e. owning 25 BCV points does not let you use your 120 SSR points at 11 months). Some people like having more than one resort - some people find managing more than one resort or use year a lot of bother.

Caskbill has a nice DVC points tracker.

 

[bangzoom6877]

The first thing we knew was that we wanted to to go WDW every other year, 10 nights per trip, in the summertime (July is when we always take our big vacation...we are teachers and have small children). We decided that even before considering DVC. We also knew we wanted to be able to walk to at least one theme park. We LOVE the Epcot area. So that narrowed it down to BCV and BWV. We looked at points charts for both resorts. We saw that it would be less points to stay in standard view rooms at BWV, while it was the same point values to stay in preferred view at BWV or any room of the same size at BCV. We also saw that BWV resales were affordable to us while BCV was slightly higher than we wanted to pay.

We first considered staying in a studio for every trip, as this would be comparable to a regular hotel room. Then we figured, this is DVC and one of the most attractive things about it is the ability to stay in a large enough accommodation where we could stay up later than our kids! They are now only 3 and 1, so we have several years until they are staying up later than us, and even then a 1-BR will come in handy. So we did the math by looking at points charts, factoring in borrowing and/or banking, and we saw that it would cost us 294 points to stay in a 1-BR standard view at BWV for 10 nights any time in the month of July.

After doing all that research, we decided that we would buy a 150-point resale contract at BWV. We were not in a huge rush to find what we wanted and were willing to wait if necessary since our first trip "home" will be in July 2010, keeping up with the every other year thing (we just went this past July). We also noticed that should we change our minds in years to come and decide to go every summer instead, we could do so in a studio and we would be willing to do this in order to go more often if that is what we so choose at that time. We also took into consideration that this contract does not expire until the year 2042, and my youngest son will be 18 in 2025. Assuming the kids will "outgrow" going to WDW by the time they are each 18, DH and I would be enjoying our DVC membership for the remaining 17 years of the contract. That was also fine with us. We will be retiring in the year 2032, giving us 10 nice years (if fate permits!) to enjoy our membership before it expires, and allowing us the opportunity to go to WDW during times of year when it is a lower points cost, staying in a studio at our home resort (fewer points and all we would need then), and go twice a year for nice vacations once we are retired.

Anyway, all of what I said above factored into our purchase of 150 BWV points! We are very happy with our purchase and the only thing I don't like is that I still have to wait close to 8 more months to book our next Disney trip!

Another tip: consider the Use Year that is best for you. We have an April UY which worked great for our July trips over the next several years.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

The first thing we knew was that we wanted to to go WDW every other year, 10 nights per trip, in the summertime (July is when we always take our big vacation...we are teachers and have small children). We decided that even before considering DVC. We also knew we wanted to be able to walk to at least one theme park. We LOVE the Epcot area. So that narrowed it down to BCV and BWV. We looked at points charts for both resorts. We saw that it would be less points to stay in standard view rooms at BWV, while it was the same point values to stay in preferred view at BWV or any room of the same size at BCV. We also saw that BWV resales were affordable to us while BCV was slightly higher than we wanted to pay.

We first considered staying in a studio for every trip, as this would be comparable to a regular hotel room. Then we figured, this is DVC and one of the most attractive things about it is the ability to stay in a large enough accommodation where we could stay up later than our kids! They are now only 3 and 1, so we have several years until they are staying up later than us, and even then a 1-BR will come in handy. So we did the math by looking at points charts, factoring in borrowing and/or banking, and we saw that it would cost us 294 points to stay in a 1-BR standard view at BWV for 10 nights any time in the month of July.

After doing all that research, we decided that we would buy a 150-point resale contract at BWV. We were not in a huge rush to find what we wanted and were willing to wait if necessary since our first trip "home" will be in July 2010, keeping up with the every other year thing (we just went this past July). We also noticed that should we change our minds in years to come and decide to go every summer instead, we could do so in a studio and we would be willing to do this in order to go more often if that is what we so choose at that time. We also took into consideration that this contract does not expire until the year 2042, and my youngest son will be 18 in 2025. Assuming the kids will "outgrow" going to WDW by the time they are each 18, DH and I would be enjoying our DVC membership for the remaining 17 years of the contract. That was also fine with us. We will be retiring in the year 2032, giving us 10 nice years (if fate permits!) to enjoy our membership before it expires, and allowing us the opportunity to go to WDW during times of year when it is a lower points cost, staying in a studio at our home resort (fewer points and all we would need then), and go twice a year for nice vacations once we are retired.

Anyway, all of what I said above factored into our purchase of 150 BWV points! We are very happy with our purchase and the only thing I don't like is that I still have to wait close to 8 more months to book our next Disney trip!

Another tip: consider the Use Year that is best for you. We have an April UY which worked great for our July trips over the next several years.

Welcome Home neighbor!! Great resort pick...you will love it!

 

[logan115]

But if I bought a resale contract for 50 pts at BCV with my annual points expiring in say Jan 2010, then "rented" 100 pts from another BCV owner with points that expired in Jan 2010, could I book a 150 pt trip at BCV 11 months out ?

If yes, I'm assuming this only works if I find an owner that has points at the same resort that would still be valid for the time of my trip.

Thanks

 

[BWV Dreamin]

But if I bought a resale contract for 50 pts at BCV with my annual points expiring in say Jan 2010, then "rented" 100 pts from another BCV owner with points that expired in Jan 2010, could I book a 150 pt trip at BCV 11 months out ?

If yes, I'm assuming this only works if I find an owner that has points at the same resort that would still be valid for the time of my trip.

Thanks

Those "rented" points would need to be transferred into your contract...otherwise you would need to ressie with each set of points and "link" the reservation.

 

[logan115]

Those "rented" points would need to be transferred into your contract...otherwise you would need to ressie with each set of points and "link" the reservation.

Thanks - now all I need to do is put together the numbers to convince my wife that with a 5 yo son and 9 week old daughter we should buy DVC

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[logan115]

One last question (apols if this if off topic) - Does anyone know where I can find a list of the annual fees by resort ?

Thanks in advance

 

[BWV Dreamin]

One last question (apols if this if off topic) - Does anyone know where I can find a list of the annual fees by resort ?

Thanks in advance

Go to the top of this forum page.....under the "Timeshare Store" logo you will see a link for DVC resales....they list the MF's/point for each resort except BLT.

 

[zalansky]

Its also easy to get the DVC bug in a big way - and buy a lot of points - then have your travel habits change - your kids end up in school so you go less often - or they leave for college so its fewer people - or you get "Disney'd out" and decide to take other vacations more often.

You can suppliment points with cash stays or renting from other members pretty easily. If you have too many points - it may (or may not be) a bigger deal to get rid of the points than it is to have too few.

And if you consistantly have too few - as people have said, its easy to add on.

I totally agree with this! We got serious addonitis and added twice in a year. already I am getting Disney'd out and want to do different vacations with our kids now that they are getting older and easier to travel with. We put too many eggs in the Disney basket.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I totally agree with this! We got serious addonitis and added twice in a year. already I am getting Disney'd out and want to do different vacations with our kids now that they are getting older and easier to travel with. We put too many eggs in the Disney basket.

Now, I am hoping not to get flamed here. I think all of this "passing DVC down to the kids" stuff is over rated. I mean, how does everyone know their kids will want DVC? This seems to be the big reason for "addonitis". My kids vaguely know about Disney, they did not "grow up" on it like I did. So all of this adding on points, and all of a sudden after 3 or 4 trips, well the kids are "burnt" out of Disney. We bought DVC only our adult travels in mind, and if my young adult kids want to use it, great its there for them. I would never put a financial burden on them.....

 

[shayla]

We thought 200 was a good #. So far it has worked out for us but sometimes when we go outside of the Disney Resorts we never have enough. Especially if you would like to try the Cruise Line or Adventure Club. We figured if we purchased 100 or 150 and saved them for two years we still would not have enough for some vacations but with 200 we can almost make it stretch. Either way, you will enjoy many resorts with at least 150 and you can always borrow and buy some extra on this site.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Now, I am hoping not to get flamed here. I think all of this "passing DVC down to the kids" stuff is over rated. I mean, how does everyone know their kids will want DVC? This seems to be the big reason for "addonitis". My kids vaguely know about Disney, they did not "grow up" on it like I did. So all of this adding on points, and all of a sudden after 3 or 4 trips, well the kids are "burnt" out of Disney. We bought DVC only our adult travels in mind, and if my young adult kids want to use it, great its there for them. I would never put a financial burden on them.....

I'm in that camp too! I have told them what is available, and my oldest (soon to be 40) isn't interested in either the points or the maintenance fees. Our youngest (soon to be 34) is, but might not be able to afford those fees when the time comes.

I figure I am buying and owning DVC for US. That includes our "kids" when they want to go, but I'm not so worried about passing it down anymore. That's one of the reasons I didn't extend the OKW contracts.

 

[logan115]

Go to the top of this forum page.....under the "Timeshare Store" logo you will see a link for DVC resales....they list the MF's/point for each resort except BLT.

thanks dreamin

 

[kaffinito]

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?

 

[Anal Annie]

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?

I think 250 is a good starting point (that's what we have) but it depends on the seasons you're looking to go in and what view you're hoping to get etc. 250 pts. will go further at other resorts that are less point intensive like AKV or SSR.

250 pts. would be enough at BLT for a 1 bedroom standard view every year in the "Dream Season" if you wanted to go every year (of which there is only going to be 11% std. view tho). If you want a 1 bedroom with a MK view even in the lowest season (Adventure) it would take 270 pts for a full week. 360 for a 1 bedroom if you go during the summer. The MK views are only 20% of the resort. The majority of the villas will be Lake View (69%) so I would probably base my point predicitions on LV just because they will be the easiest to get. Of course those point requirements fall inbetween the others.

If you wanted to trade out you're pretty much looking at a min. of 160 pts. which would leave you with 90. That's more than enough left for 6 n in a studio at HHI in "Dream Season" and 2 pts. shy of being able to do 6 n in "Premier". (Note that HHI is very hard to get during the summer (Premier Season) if you don't own there.)

We tend to have park intensive days so the views are not as impt. to us as is being frugal with our points. We rarely take time to just sit and relax and enjoy the view. That's because we either only get down there once a year so we feel we have to use our time in the parks to get our moneys worth for the tickets OR we only get down there for short 3-4 n trips and have very little time to waste. Since we spend little time in the villa and are just a family of 3 we use studios as we don't feel that we need to waste our points on the extra space or for a full kitchen. I am also not about to do major cooking or do laundry on vacation so having the kitchen & washer / dryer in the unit is also not a big deal for me. If it can't go in the toaster or the microwave I am not interested in it! So you also need to consider how you spend your time at the World when you go and if you will use these features.

I have made so many spreadsheets with diff. scenarios for our 250 points....I am a points miser! We could do just one trip at SSR in a 2 bedroom or a THV for 6 n in July OR we could maximize and go to BLT over MLK weekend (for 4 n) in a LV studio, then do 6 n in July in a studio at SSR (or 7 n at the end of Aug) and still have enough pts. for 5 n in an OVI room at VB and STILL HAVE a few pts. left to bank. Now if only we had that much time off and could afford to GET there that often! You still have to plan very carefully with only 250 pts. to maximize your use but you CAN stretch them pretty far.

 

[kaffinito]

250 pts. will go further at other resorts that are less point intensive like AKV or SSR.

250 pts. would be enough at BLT for a 1 bedroom standard view every year in the "Dream Season" if you wanted to go every year (of which there is only going to be 11% std. view tho). If you want a 1 bedroom with a MK view even in the lowest season (Adventure) it would take 270 pts for a full week.

So maybe 275 pts would be good.

With one trip to SSR on developers points, then I could wait until 7 months out and get a room at HHI in March for myself and DH in a studio, and bank the rest of of the points for next years trip which we could have at BLT. We like to go at the very end of August/ beginning of September, so the points fit nicely. I was thinking about taking the major trip with the kids once a year and alternating between AKV and BLT for points. Between the major summer trip with the kids, and the early spring trip with DH, I should be able to really stretch those 275 pts.

Humm. I would hate to buy more than we need, but would also hate to underbuy and then have to go to DH and ask for an add-on. I think it's time for another spreadsheet!

 

[Anal Annie]

So maybe 275 pts would be good.

With one trip to SSR on developers points, then I could wait until 7 months out and get a room at HHI in March for myself and DH in a studio, and bank the rest of of the points for next years trip which we could have at BLT. We like to go at the very end of August/ beginning of September, so the points fit nicely. I was thinking about taking the major trip with the kids once a year and alternating between AKV and BLT for points. Between the major summer trip with the kids, and the early spring trip with DH, I should be able to really stretch those 275 pts.

Humm. I would hate to buy more than we need, but would also hate to underbuy and then have to go to DH and ask for an add-on. I think it's time for another spreadsheet!

I think there's a lot you can do with 250 pts. - but you may have to sacrifice something sometimes (like getting a LV instead a MK view) or a studio rather than a 1 bedroom. Stick with your first instinct FOR NOW and try it out for awhile and see how your plans shake out. You can always try for a DVC member cash discount for one or two nights or do a small add-on. Well, I guess no, you can't do a small add-on at BLT after Jan. 14. Open up your Excel and plan out a few scenarios on a spreadsheet to see. That's the best way to estimate. You can also buy in odd lots too. You don't have to stick to 250 or 275. If you find with your spreadsheet that you need 267 then you can certainly buy that way too.

ALSO, one other tip since you're unsure...break up your contracts into 2 or 3 smaller ones. That way they're easier to re-sell if you decide that you've over bought. (You cannot break up a contract to re-sell it - you have to sell all or nothing!) So for ex. - our first Master Contract is for 200 points and then we did a 2nd Master for 50 points. That way if our travel habits change and we decide we have too many points we can sell off the 50 pointer. The smaller contracts sell easier and quicker on the re-sell market as a lot of people who didn't buy enough are looking for those for add-ons. After Jan. 14 the smaller size contracts at BLT will be extremely rare to see on the re-sell market so they will probably be valuable and will snatched right up. 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.