Edited + POLL: best use year and resort for our needs?... UPDATED: Offer accepted!

[kboo]

So in the last few days DH and I have both had colleagues lose family members at too young an age. Meanwhile, most of our old friends from college and grad school who had kids in the more normal course are sending their kids off to college (DH and I married in our 20s but waited 17 years to have kids). We are suddenly appreciating (more) that life is short, and our kids are only going to be this little once. So I think we are back to original plan, with a twist - ? First contract will probably still be around 150 points, which for the resorts we're interested in, would allow us to alternate staying in a studio v 1BR for a week each year. Probably BLT because of its location. Then, as the girls get older (They're 5 and 1 now), if we would like to stay more often or at EP, look into a similar contract at BWV or BCV with a UY that works for trips in the fall/Xmas. What this could lead to is annual 1BR vacations alternating at MK and EP, with points left over to do shorter trips at other times of year, but I'd want us to see how the first contract works for us before giving in to addonitis. Are there pitfalls to this idea that I'm missing? I guess just that different UY could be difficult to keep track of, but I've got about 25 years of travel planning for my family (not my day job by any stretch) under my belt.... What could possibly go wrong?? LOL.

(Also, I am wondering if this is my mid-life crisis. If so, I'll take it.)

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So in the last few days DH and I have both had colleagues lose family members at too young an age. Meanwhile, most of our old friends from college and grad school who had kids in the more normal course are sending their kids off to college (DH and I married in our 20s but waited 17 years to have kids). We are suddenly appreciating (more) that life is short, and our kids are only going to be this little once. So I think we are back to original plan, with a twist - ? First contract will probably still be around 150 points, which for the resorts we're interested in, would allow us to alternate staying in a studio v 1BR for a week each year. Probably BLT because of its location. Then, as the girls get older (They're 5 and 1 now), if we would like to stay more often or at EP, look into a similar contract at BWV or BCV with a UY that works for trips in the fall/Xmas. What this could lead to is annual 1BR vacations alternating at MK and EP, with points left over to do shorter trips at other times of year, but I'd want us to see how the first contract works for us before giving in to addonitis. Are there pitfalls to this idea that I'm missing? I guess just that different UY could be difficult to keep track of, but I've got about 25 years of travel planning for my family (not my day job by any stretch) under my belt.... What could possibly go wrong?? LOL.

(Also, I am wondering if this is my mid-life crisis. If so, I'll take it.)

So no more VGF and we've gone from studios to 2BR's? lol - I'm just kidding with you. The nice thing about a points system is the flexibility and the tough thing about a points system is all the flexibility. That flexibility leads to lots of reservation changes for me when I see availability.

Honestly, for the main times you are looking at (Feb, April, summer) you'll very likely be able to get 1BR's at BWV and possibly BCV and perhaps studios now and then at BWV in the garden/pool view. And 2BR's might also be available. This won't be Thanksgiving or Christmas but then you'd have your home resort of BLT to stay at.

So, if I were looking at your situation I'd be leaning towards one contract right now at BLT and then see if trading out at 7 months is working for you or if you still want another home resort. One UY that you don't have listed that could work is December. It would not be good for a Thanksgiving trip at all but that seems like a rare occurrence? But it would work for Christmas thru the end of July and essentially covers any August trips because if you didn't cancel more than 30 days in advance the points would be in holding anyway. Otherwise the Feb UY if having the Sept banking deadline would better cover the majority of your trips vs having a UY that covers possible Christmas trips plus spring and most of the summer.

Good luck with the decision!

 

[kboo]

LOL, Kathy! We are getting closer... I've decided to "save" VGF for addonitis.

Thanksgiving is a big question mark - DD2's 3rd birthday is right after Thanksgiving 2018, so it seems likely we'd go then to get the benefit of "free" buffets and tickets one more time before having to pay for her too. (And she's a good eater, so the cost savings would be considerable). But it seems that if that's going to be the only time in the near near future we take a Thanksgiving trip, it may be something we wait on for a later trip since we may decide to take shorter trips in the fall. I just don't know... arrgghhh.

 

[jerseyduke]

Seems like everyone agrees on the UY.

I personally do not like the value of BCV and BWV on the resale market. I think BLT is a much better value based on price and years remaining on contract. Despite my not being the BLT/Contemporary type (love the beach club), I voted for BLT. It seems to make more sense for your situation, and is a better value.

I would not go over 95$ per point for any 2042 resort, unless it was an I NEED to stay at beach club during food and wine.

 

[kboo]

UPDATE: We made an offer on a BLT February UY contract, the seller countered at $1pp more, and we accepted their counter! I was in meetings and we did this via email and phone, from about 10am - 12pm. Now waiting for the contract, and deposit, and ROFR.... !! Thank you for all of your comments, this discussion was really helpful in getting us to see what the right contract was!