Did you have a plan when you bought?

[arthur06]

I was wondering if/who had a plan when they bought? Or did you just buy at the time and decided add-ons, new resorts and whatever later. Here is my plan, let me know what you think??? Is it practical???

A little background. I am 29, DW is 26, DS7, DS2, DS2months. I think that family vacation are important and vital to escape everyday reality. We are not wealthy by any means, but reasonably comfortable for our lifestyle. My wife finally said tonight that we could do it when the time is right (she thought 6-12 months, i thought tomorrow...LOL)

I want to buy initially a 100 point resale this year, hopefully at BWV o AKL. BWV being the first choice for me! HUGE Epcot lover! I want a June UY. I figure we could travel during summer vacations. Also, would love to go to F&W. My kids and wife's b-day's are Oct, Dec, Jan, and Feb. All within the 8 month window? Make sense so far.

In about 2 years I would like to do a 100 point add on at the other resort that I did not initially get.

And about 2 years after that another 100 point contract at VWL or BLT.

That way each son gets a 100 point contract when we pass.

But I am sitting here wanting a GCV of maybe 50 points for a 1 in 3 year trip. Or a Hawaii for a 1 in 3 year trip.

Input would be great! Also, is it better to have 3-100 point contracts to different resorts or larger ones. I am thinking of our boys! And we would probably only go once to twice a year and just rotate resorts.

Also, it makes more sense for us financially for 3-100 pointers for now, rather then 1-300 pointer. Everyone on here keeps says, save up pay it off, DO NOT FINANCE! We are getting a 10K inheritance in the next 4 weeks, and tax returns coming shortly.

Does this plan sound at all reasonable? I just cant see vacationing with 3 growing boys in a Studio!

 

[RJLechner]

It sounds like you have given DVC a lot of thought! I am fairly new to DVC but IMHO I think you are on the right track with the (3) 100 point contracts. As you state, it gives you the option to give them to your sons. This also lets you purchase as you have the money. This also gives you the ability to purchase resorts after you have maybe spent time in them to ensure you are really happy with that resort.

To you question about owning at 3 separate homes...I think that depends on if there are 3 home resorts you really want to have. Also, check the point charts to ensure between banking and borrowing the points at your home resort will allow you to get the room size you need...early on a 1 BR will be adequate but as your sons grow I am sure you will want to move up to a 2 BR. You can only use the home resort points to book at the 11 month mark...you cannot combine your points from the other resorts until the 7 month mark.

Good luck with your decison.

 

[arthur06]

I thought of the 7 month window, but I could always do a split stay and there are no 7 month windows on cruises.

 

[jenntish]

I'd say DEFINITELY go for 3 smaller point contracts. On the 'sold' boards you can see that the 100 point contracts are more valuable and seem easier to sell. If you bank then borrow you can use all 300 points at one time... making your plan work (as far as I know). Then you can take your dream trip every 3 years.

Have you stayed at each of the resorts? I'd recommend staying where you want to buy BEFORE you buy. Maybe rent at your 1st choice for your next trip. I'm sure I'll get blasted for saying this but I always thought I LOVED BWV until I stayed there with two kids and hated that there wasn't anywhere to get food/drinks at off times when the restaurants were closed. I also hated the thought of taking my kids outside in the rain to eat... and I'm a huge coffee drinker and wanted a place to regularly fill up! I also realized how much better Stormalong Bay was for my boys. So I ended up buying BCV (because I too am a huge Epcot lover!).

Just my 2 cents...

 

[kerickson]

We live on the West Coast and wanted VGC, but didn't want to wait (am glad I didn't, the per point price are definitely going to be higher than our 2007 price), but we do plan to add on as much as our little budget will let us (don't want to finance). We decided not to buy resale so we could get the prepurchase opportunity to buy VGC and be founding members. Given the number of VGC units will be the smallest by far of any DVC property, we didn't want to risk it selling out before it made it to the general public (most likely it will). We weren't interested in resale because we didn't really care which home resort we got at WDW and liked the Disney incentives we were given. Our plan is to use our SSR points for a WDW trip every few years, take a cruise or 2 (already have one booked for next fall), and hopefully eventually book Hawaii at 7mo. Our VGC add on will allow us to take 4-5 day Disneyland trips every couple years.

Oh, I do wish we had split our contracts into 2 (160 and 75) to give us the option to sell one in the future.

 

[joeatdisney2008]

all the best for your decision!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would go with the 3 100 point contracts if that option is stil available. Remember that with banking and borrowing, you have 300 points available on any one contract in a given year, so no need to "resort hop" if you don't care to.

 

[Magicdad]

Excellent plan.

I would agree with the 3 X 100 points.

I joined with the plan to add on at BLT. I was trying to decide between waiting or joining with a resale. I ended up joining at BWV (though I haven't stayed there yet). I'm glad I didn't wait and went ahead and joined.

If your patients can stand the wait renting is a very good idea.

Good luck

 

[kristenrice]

I agree with everything posted so far.

I'd like to point out a little tidbit to keep in mind. Since you are a family of 5, the only 1BR villas you can stay in are the non-value category at AKV and the 1BR at BLT. Other than that, you will need a 2BR once your youngest turns 3. I know that is a ways off, but you will want to plan your point needs accordingly.

We are a family of 4 so we have a lot of options. Right now, our girls are 3 and 5 so a 1BR is still huge for us. Unfortunately, DH has no intention of adding on so our 100 points have to "last". When the DD's are older and we want a 2BR, we'll have to cut back to every other year vacations. Otherwise, we have to hope that DH comes down with a case of addonitis.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Did I have a plan when I bought? Yes, my plan was to buy a contract for each of my kids, so they can continue to have magical memories. So I bought 900 pts and 3 Marriott contracts so the kids could really enjoy themselves after we spend our winters in Florida as retirees. Well, the best laid plans...now that we are retired, we can't afford all those dues, and the kids can't handle the dues,either, for the most part. So, one child got her points now, and we are selling one Marriott contract. Paying over $3000 per year in dues is too much on a fixed income...

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I'd say DEFINITELY go for 3 smaller point contracts. On the 'sold' boards you can see that the 100 point contracts are more valuable and seem easier to sell. If you bank then borrow you can use all 300 points at one time... making your plan work (as far as I know). Then you can take your dream trip every 3 years.

Have you stayed at each of the resorts? I'd recommend staying where you want to buy BEFORE you buy. Maybe rent at your 1st choice for your next trip. I'm sure I'll get blasted for saying this but I always thought I LOVED BWV until I stayed there with two kids and hated that there wasn't anywhere to get food/drinks at off times when the restaurants were closed. I also hated the thought of taking my kids outside in the rain to eat... and I'm a huge coffee drinker and wanted a place to regularly fill up! I also realized how much better Stormalong Bay was for my boys. So I ended up buying BCV (because I too am a huge Epcot lover!).

Just my 2 cents...

I love having both standard and preferred points charts at BWV, and we both love the incredible boardwalk views. [I have to seriously talk dh out of the view sometimes so that we can go more often.]

Between the points charts and the lower cost per point, BWV made a lot more sense to us than BCV.

What does your heart love???

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I'd like to point out a little tidbit to keep in mind. Since you are a family of 5, the only 1BR villas you can stay in are the non-value category at AKV and the 1BR at BLT. Other than that, you will need a 2BR once your youngest turns 3. I know that is a ways off, but you will want to plan your point needs accordingly.

Not really true. All of the dvc's 1 bedroom will allow you to have 5 in a unit. This is not advertised, but when you go to book, the MS will tell you that it is fine.

 

[Pakey]

We have 3 sons, all grown now. So we have 3 contracts. The points are not the same on each contract because of the usage being different for each resort. We tried to get the contracts so that each son would be able to get a 1 bedroom for 10-14 days per year once we are no longer using them.

The problem has turned out to be that none of the 3 will probably want the contracts. So all of the planning was for nothing. For the past few years, we have taken a lot of guests, other than our family, to WDW. I would imagine at some point, I may sell off 2 of the 3 contracts and just keep my prized Beach Club one.

 

[kristenrice]

Not really true. All of the dvc's 1 bedroom will allow you to have 5 in a unit. This is not advertised, but when you go to book, the MS will tell you that it is fine.

Question? Do they let you put all five people on the reservation? My brother has a family of 5 and if we let them use our points for a stay, I want to make sure I give him accurate information. Thanks for the heads up, though!

 

[wendyinoc]

I started with 65 and now adding on 50. I would just add overtime and see what you need. I would for sure save some room for Hawaii.

 

[arthur06]

Thanks for all the help... I guess the possibilities are endless, which is why I second guess everything. I have never really considered the kids not wanting them...hmmm.

 

[JasonDVC]

Thanks for all the help... I guess the possibilities are endless, which is why I second guess everything. I have never really considered the kids not wanting them...hmmm.

I have a similar plan for my kids. The way I see it is if they don't want it, I'll either sell them or cruise or ABD more often

 

[Anal Annie]

Question? Do they let you put all five people on the reservation? My brother has a family of 5 and if we let them use our points for a stay, I want to make sure I give him accurate information. Thanks for the heads up, though!

I might be wrong about this 'cuz I've never done it (and wouldn't do it) but if the 5th person is over 3 they are not allowed on the reservation unless you're booking a AKV or BLT unit which legally sleeps 5. You're really sneaking in the 5th person and putting them on an air bed or something. The other problem with this plan is that you could not book the dining plan and the 5th person would not be able to get in for EMH's if you wanted to take advantage of them as they wouldn't have a KTTW.


Arthur - yes, we sort of had a plan when we bought. We tried to buy as many as we could initially to hold us. We bought (1) 200 pt. contract and (1) 50 pt. contract thinking that if we ever decided 250 was too many we could always sell the 50 pt. one. We figured 250 pts. would be enough for 2 weeks in a studio at SSR during the Magic season or for a 2 bedroom unit for 6 nights. It would also be enough to trade out for a week to another destination and leave enough pts. for a 4 or 5 n trip some other time during the same year. We also figured that the current avg. of 160 pts. for a trade could go up so we figured 200 should hold us for awhile on that idea. Just make sure 100 pts. at each would work at each resort for the unit size & dates you think you would most use them. Smaller contracts are always easier to sell if you want to sell them tho so they are a good plan. The other thing I would point out is that all of these resorts have diff. expiration dates on their contracts so you might not have "passed" yet when you go to leave them to your DS's. A contract at AKV or BLT will give the longest run for your money.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Question? Do they let you put all five people on the reservation? My brother has a family of 5 and if we let them use our points for a stay, I want to make sure I give him accurate information. Thanks for the heads up, though!

Yes they do....my brother did this for his 1 bedroom OKW ressie Dec. 26 - Jan. 2. All 5 people are adults....no kids. They say they just won't provide sheets , towels or blankets for the 5th person. They are bringing an airbed anyway.

 

[spiceycat]

glad to see someone thinking instead of just buying.

I brought the minimum at the time - 190 points at OKW -then a few years later added 50 points.

then did something that really got most of this board at the time upset - brought 25 points at BWV - later got another 25. Now BWV will never be my favorite - but hey it is a nice resort - especially with the standard points. Since am single and intend to remain single - a studio is just fine.

then when VWL went on sale - brought 60 points there. always try to buy the mimimum amount of points for a studio in off season - adventure or choice for 5 nights.

at BLT brought two - 60 points contracts.

selling my OKW to buy BLT.

anyway would look at the points chart to be sure you will have enough points for what you want to do.

remember with resale if you find something close take it. with DVC they can sell exactly what you want.

since DVC will quit selling smaller contracts (I think someone say this year) - then smaller contracts will be in even more demand on the resale market.

had to finance OKW and VWL - plus will finance some of BLT. If I had to wait for cash - then with OKW would have lost out on the free tickets - which we used and loved!

mother is now in a nursing home. She first say that I shouldn't buy because I couldn't afford it. but had a plan and sticked to it. Some of the best (and worst) memories of her were at WDW. She is really gone already - the person who is living in her body is not my mother. Mother has Alzheimer’s and is dieing an inch at a time. most of the time she think I am her sister who died 5 years old.

so the memories we had at WDW are more important than money. Heck when she was first at the nursing home - she though we lived at WDW....