Empty nesters-why we purchased resale and direct (twice)

[Retired2018]

My DH and myself both retired last year. We purchased both a resale contract for SSR in 2017 and directly after closing purchased the required points direct for the blue card benefits. Here is our reasons for buying DVC at this time in our life, maybe it will be helpful to others.

Our DD and DS are well into their 30's and although we love the idea of having our granddaughter be able to use the DVC when she is an adult, we purchased DVC as an investment in our retirement vacations. Not as an investment to rent out the points but to ensure we don't hesitate on travel.

In addition to being retired from the everyday drudgery (annoying bosses, meetings, deadlines, lackluster co-workers, heading to and from work in blizzards when work should have been cancelled) my DH is retired from the USAF with all the benefits involved with that. We did not want to vacation at Shades of Green, nor shell out a larger cost for hotel rooms than our maintenance fees. While we do have access to the Armed Forces Vacation Club, those are RCI resorts and I'm sure some are lovely, there are also plenty of negative comments. We have already lived in the UK (8 years) and traveled much of the world when it was a little safer place to travel. DVC we view as safe and clean, knowing that could change at any moment.

When the kids were young we stayed initially off sight and then migrated to Dixie Landings when it was Dixie Landings. During Expedition Everest Challenge, we stayed at one of the POPs due to their transportation for the race. After hearing someone urinating in a room beside us- yeah, we vowed never to stay there again. Could not imagine that Disney had created anything with walls that thin.

Fast forward to prepping for retirement, we sold the Lexus and bought a Subaru, sold our home on a hill on a dirt road and moved to a condo in a larger town closer at this time to our kids (and an airport). We downsized and simplified our life. Seriously, we do not need six casserole dishes for the two of us. Nor did we need all the English antiques we had acquired 30 years ago when we had decided we were looking for a cleaner less cluttered look when we moved. The kids took what they wanted and we got rid of the rest.

Now, although we are 62 and 58 and thankfully healthy we wanted to make sure that we did not always put the unknown future in the way of travel. Sure, there is the unknown and you plan for that but when you are this young and hoping to have a long time left to enjoy non work, there is that bit of- well, should we spend 5000 twice a year to travel..... or wait incase two years from now the cars both break down, or there is a major earthquake in the Northeast that swallows the whole town.

So, we purchased the resale for SSR, for all the normal reasons. Actually love SSR. The treehouses I can remember from being a kid and seeing them as Disney Institute, now we can stay there. However, because we have become more relaxed in our whole outlook in life and did our research, we purchased the direct points for the perks. Not to have the not ever guaranteed perks but because we didn't want to constantly be wondering what perks we were entitled to and what perks we were not. Now the perks can change all they want and we don't wonder which we can and cannot have access too. When we decided to add on, it sure was a lot quicker and easier to call up our guide and we had the points we asked for the next week. It was so easy and since it is SSR, it didn't cost and arm and a leg either.

No longer are we up at the bus stop at first light with gads of other people. Now we spend more time at the resort and take advantage of what each has to offer. If we want we can get the wonderfully discounted military park hoppers but we tend to visit one park if any a trip. The nighttime paid tickets we love as we can get on the rides without the wait. Sure we have all the time we are allowed in life but that doesn't mean we want to waste it in line for a 1 minute ride that we have done lots of times.

Our trips are planned and tweaked years in advance. The next is AKL Kidani two bed with our daughter and family the first week of December. Then Jan 2020, then September 2020, then.... well, we are still tweaking.

BTW, we love Pete's insight and his mom's opinions too!

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

I really enjoyed reading your post! We just purchased our first contract also at SSR and as a resale last summer. We are currently waiting for our direct purchase at SSR. Our kids are in mid teens up to mid 20’s. My thought too was we would always have a great place to vacation and someday we can treat our grandchildren to wonderful vacations too! You truly made me smile! Thank you!

 

[Superman1011]

My DH and myself both retired last year. We purchased both a resale contract for SSR in 2017 and directly after closing purchased the required points direct for the blue card benefits. Here is our reasons for buying DVC at this time in our life, maybe it will be helpful to others.

Our DD and DS are well into their 30's and although we love the idea of having our granddaughter be able to use the DVC when she is an adult, we purchased DVC as an investment in our retirement vacations. Not as an investment to rent out the points but to ensure we don't hesitate on travel.

In addition to being retired from the everyday drudgery (annoying bosses, meetings, deadlines, lackluster co-workers, heading to and from work in blizzards when work should have been cancelled) my DH is retired from the USAF with all the benefits involved with that. We did not want to vacation at Shades of Green, nor shell out a larger cost for hotel rooms than our maintenance fees. While we do have access to the Armed Forces Vacation Club, those are RCI resorts and I'm sure some are lovely, there are also plenty of negative comments. We have already lived in the UK (8 years) and traveled much of the world when it was a little safer place to travel. DVC we view as safe and clean, knowing that could change at any moment.

When the kids were young we stayed initially off sight and then migrated to Dixie Landings when it was Dixie Landings. During Expedition Everest Challenge, we stayed at one of the POPs due to their transportation for the race. After hearing someone urinating in a room beside us- yeah, we vowed never to stay there again. Could not imagine that Disney had created anything with walls that thin.

Fast forward to prepping for retirement, we sold the Lexus and bought a Subaru, sold our home on a hill on a dirt road and moved to a condo in a larger town closer at this time to our kids (and an airport). We downsized and simplified our life. Seriously, we do not need six casserole dishes for the two of us. Nor did we need all the English antiques we had acquired 30 years ago when we had decided we were looking for a cleaner less cluttered look when we moved. The kids took what they wanted and we got rid of the rest.

Now, although we are 62 and 58 and thankfully healthy we wanted to make sure that we did not always put the unknown future in the way of travel. Sure, there is the unknown and you plan for that but when you are this young and hoping to have a long time left to enjoy non work, there is that bit of- well, should we spend 5000 twice a year to travel..... or wait incase two years from now the cars both break down, or there is a major earthquake in the Northeast that swallows the whole town.

So, we purchased the resale for SSR, for all the normal reasons. Actually love SSR. The treehouses I can remember from being a kid and seeing them as Disney Institute, now we can stay there. However, because we have become more relaxed in our whole outlook in life and did our research, we purchased the direct points for the perks. Not to have the not ever guaranteed perks but because we didn't want to constantly be wondering what perks we were entitled to and what perks we were not. Now the perks can change all they want and we don't wonder which we can and cannot have access too. When we decided to add on, it sure was a lot quicker and easier to call up our guide and we had the points we asked for the next week. It was so easy and since it is SSR, it didn't cost and arm and a leg either.

No longer are we up at the bus stop at first light with gads of other people. Now we spend more time at the resort and take advantage of what each has to offer. If we want we can get the wonderfully discounted military park hoppers but we tend to visit one park if any a trip. The nighttime paid tickets we love as we can get on the rides without the wait. Sure we have all the time we are allowed in life but that doesn't mean we want to waste it in line for a 1 minute ride that we have done lots of times.

Our trips are planned and tweaked years in advance. The next is AKL Kidani two bed with our daughter and family the first week of December. Then Jan 2020, then September 2020, then.... well, we are still tweaking.

BTW, we love Pete's insight and his mom's opinions too!

While my wife and I are only in our mid 30’s, we ar

My DH and myself both retired last year. We purchased both a resale contract for SSR in 2017 and directly after closing purchased the required points direct for the blue card benefits. Here is our reasons for buying DVC at this time in our life, maybe it will be helpful to others.

Our DD and DS are well into their 30's and although we love the idea of having our granddaughter be able to use the DVC when she is an adult, we purchased DVC as an investment in our retirement vacations. Not as an investment to rent out the points but to ensure we don't hesitate on travel.

In addition to being retired from the everyday drudgery (annoying bosses, meetings, deadlines, lackluster co-workers, heading to and from work in blizzards when work should have been cancelled) my DH is retired from the USAF with all the benefits involved with that. We did not want to vacation at Shades of Green, nor shell out a larger cost for hotel rooms than our maintenance fees. While we do have access to the Armed Forces Vacation Club, those are RCI resorts and I'm sure some are lovely, there are also plenty of negative comments. We have already lived in the UK (8 years) and traveled much of the world when it was a little safer place to travel. DVC we view as safe and clean, knowing that could change at any moment.

When the kids were young we stayed initially off sight and then migrated to Dixie Landings when it was Dixie Landings. During Expedition Everest Challenge, we stayed at one of the POPs due to their transportation for the race. After hearing someone urinating in a room beside us- yeah, we vowed never to stay there again. Could not imagine that Disney had created anything with walls that thin.

Fast forward to prepping for retirement, we sold the Lexus and bought a Subaru, sold our home on a hill on a dirt road and moved to a condo in a larger town closer at this time to our kids (and an airport). We downsized and simplified our life. Seriously, we do not need six casserole dishes for the two of us. Nor did we need all the English antiques we had acquired 30 years ago when we had decided we were looking for a cleaner less cluttered look when we moved. The kids took what they wanted and we got rid of the rest.

Now, although we are 62 and 58 and thankfully healthy we wanted to make sure that we did not always put the unknown future in the way of travel. Sure, there is the unknown and you plan for that but when you are this young and hoping to have a long time left to enjoy non work, there is that bit of- well, should we spend 5000 twice a year to travel..... or wait incase two years from now the cars both break down, or there is a major earthquake in the Northeast that swallows the whole town.

So, we purchased the resale for SSR, for all the normal reasons. Actually love SSR. The treehouses I can remember from being a kid and seeing them as Disney Institute, now we can stay there. However, because we have become more relaxed in our whole outlook in life and did our research, we purchased the direct points for the perks. Not to have the not ever guaranteed perks but because we didn't want to constantly be wondering what perks we were entitled to and what perks we were not. Now the perks can change all they want and we don't wonder which we can and cannot have access too. When we decided to add on, it sure was a lot quicker and easier to call up our guide and we had the points we asked for the next week. It was so easy and since it is SSR, it didn't cost and arm and a leg either.

No longer are we up at the bus stop at first light with gads of other people. Now we spend more time at the resort and take advantage of what each has to offer. If we want we can get the wonderfully discounted military park hoppers but we tend to visit one park if any a trip. The nighttime paid tickets we love as we can get on the rides without the wait. Sure we have all the time we are allowed in life but that doesn't mean we want to waste it in line for a 1 minute ride that we have done lots of times.

Our trips are planned and tweaked years in advance. The next is AKL Kidani two bed with our daughter and family

My DH and myself both retired last year. We purchased both a resale contract for SSR in 2017 and directly after closing purchased the required points direct for the blue card benefits. Here is our reasons for buying DVC at this time in our life, maybe it will be helpful to others.

Our DD and DS are well into their 30's and although we love the idea of having our granddaughter be able to use the DVC when she is an adult, we purchased DVC as an investment in our retirement vacations. Not as an investment to rent out the points but to ensure we don't hesitate on travel.

In addition to being retired from the everyday drudgery (annoying bosses, meetings, deadlines, lackluster co-workers, heading to and from work in blizzards when work should have been cancelled) my DH is retired from the USAF with all the benefits involved with that. We did not want to vacation at Shades of Green, nor shell out a larger cost for hotel rooms than our maintenance fees. While we do have access to the Armed Forces Vacation Club, those are RCI resorts and I'm sure some are lovely, there are also plenty of negative comments. We have already lived in the UK (8 years) and traveled much of the world when it was a little safer place to travel. DVC we view as safe and clean, knowing that could change at any moment.

When the kids were young we stayed initially off sight and then migrated to Dixie Landings when it was Dixie Landings. During Expedition Everest Challenge, we stayed at one of the POPs due to their transportation for the race. After hearing someone urinating in a room beside us- yeah, we vowed never to stay there again. Could not imagine that Disney had created anything with walls that thin.

Fast forward to prepping for retirement, we sold the Lexus and bought a Subaru, sold our home on a hill on a dirt road and moved to a condo in a larger town closer at this time to our kids (and an airport). We downsized and simplified our life. Seriously, we do not need six casserole dishes for the two of us. Nor did we need all the English antiques we had acquired 30 years ago when we had decided we were looking for a cleaner less cluttered look when we moved. The kids took what they wanted and we got rid of the rest.

Now, although we are 62 and 58 and thankfully healthy we wanted to make sure that we did not always put the unknown future in the way of travel. Sure, there is the unknown and you plan for that but when you are this young and hoping to have a long time left to enjoy non work, there is that bit of- well, should we spend 5000 twice a year to travel..... or wait incase two years from now the cars both break down, or there is a major earthquake in the Northeast that swallows the whole town.

So, we purchased the resale for SSR, for all the normal reasons. Actually love SSR. The treehouses I can remember from being a kid and seeing them as Disney Institute, now we can stay there. However, because we have become more relaxed in our whole outlook in life and did our research, we purchased the direct points for the perks. Not to have the not ever guaranteed perks but because we didn't want to constantly be wondering what perks we were entitled to and what perks we were not. Now the perks can change all they want and we don't wonder which we can and cannot have access too. When we decided to add on, it sure was a lot quicker and easier to call up our guide and we had the points we asked for the next week. It was so easy and since it is SSR, it didn't cost and arm and a leg either.

No longer are we up at the bus stop at first light with gads of other people. Now we spend more time at the resort and take advantage of what each has to offer. If we want we can get the wonderfully discounted military park hoppers but we tend to visit one park if any a trip. The nighttime paid tickets we love as we can get on the rides without the wait. Sure we have all the time we are allowed in life but that doesn't mean we want to waste it in line for a 1 minute ride that we have done lots of times.

Our trips are planned and tweaked years in advance. The next is AKL Kidani two bed with our daughter and family the first week of December. Then Jan 2020, then September 2020, then.... well, we are still tweaking.

BTW, we love Pete's insight and his mom's opinions too!

great post! While my wife and I are only mid 30’s, we are childless and will remain so. You nailed it on the head when saying this is an investment in future/retirement vacations and eliminating the second guessing of “should we go on vacation/spend the money”. Owning eliminates that and the points are there you use.

No longer will I have to go the “cheap” option to save a few bucks on my Disney vacation or scramble rewards points and free nights to stay at Swan/Dolphin or Bonnet Creek. DVC makes you pot committed and I’m ok with that!

 

[clutter]

I'm a single empty nester, with retirement in a few years (still working for the health insurance). I only have one daughter, and I don't expect grandkids any time soon - if ever. I'd had points at BCV, which I'd sold when dd was in high school, but still had 35 points at AKV. After doing a couple weekends and a week-long trip last year, I realized that I really enjoyed the weekend trips! As a single, it's tough to find a friend to go for a week ("the tickets cost how much?"), but fairly easy to get someone to go for a weekend, with maybe only one park day. Or I can go on my own. So I bought a few more points at AKV.

I'm now looking at WDW as a weekend getaway, rather than a big vacation. My MFs are low (my old contract has been paid for by my Disney Visa points for the last 10 years), I can find reasonable airfare. So I'm looking at a one day ticket (next year I'll try for one of the MMs) and meals. Sure, travel to somewhere new is fun and exciting, too. But I really like having somewhere I can go that is just comfortable and familiar. I can't wait to start using the new points! Except now I'm getting the itch to buy some BWV next....

 

[AvidDisReader]

I am in my mid 60's with approx. 2 year to retirement. My wife and I are empty nesters (well kind of as we have an open door policy for the grand kids). We love taking my kids/grand kids to Disney. This is my legacy to them, I hope to live way longer than actual life in the memories of my grand kids on all the great times they have had.

 

[Tink10]

We're also empty nesters and we use our points more than when we did when our daughter was younger and still lived at home. I miss my daughter being at home, but the freedom to travel is amazing! Granted, we did sell off the bulk of our WDW home resort points, but replaced some with Vero points, which is definitely our preference now.

While we're kind of done with the parks, it is nice to see Disney adding more adult-oriented places like Baseline Taphouse. Hopefully they'll continue adding similar locations.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

I am in my mid 60's with approx. 2 year to retirement. My wife and I are empty nesters (well kind of as we have an open door policy for the grand kids). We love taking my kids/grand kids to Disney. This is my legacy to them, I hope to live way longer than actual life in the memories of my grand kids on all the great times they have had.

This is us as well.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Love your post! Hubby and I are just about the same ages and he is a veteran of USAF too and we're in NH We've been DVC since 1996 and are now empty nesters too. Our son married a lovely girl, unfortunately her job keeps them 3000 miles away yet we can meet at Disney! We have a great Halloween vacation planned this year for all four of us...and we hope they can join us annually with the points we own. We have to eek out all the fun and joy we can while we can right? You reminded me again why this has been such a priority to us - THANK YOU!

 

[Retired2018]

We have an oval DVC magnet on one of our cars. If you see us around, feel free to honk and wave!

 

[karen4546]

Husband and i both turned 50 this year. We are a few years from retirement. We got married at 19 started having children at 20. We both work. DH is a foreman for a national tank maker and I work for a non profit. We have 4 children and 6 grandchildren. We took 4 of the grandchildren to Disney in December 2018 ages 5,4,4,and 2. We purchased direct points at Animal KV. 100. We, well I, am on the resale sights at least twice a week looking for 150-200 more with our use year. We usually vacation in Disney World once/twice each year since 2012. It was my husband who decided to buy. He is a saver. He said, "we are going every year and we want our grandchildren to be able to go also". And so, we bought. We have a trip for Food and Wine and we were lucky that member services got us two studios for us. We also have 5 nights in a value studio for our oldest daughter, her husband and our 3 year old grandson for MAy of 2020. Our grandson has never been to Disney. Also, in May of 2020 we have a Club studio at Jambo House for us and our two granddaughters ages 5 and 6. Our oldest grandson who will be 6 may come but stay in our oldest daughter's studio. I will probably get another studio or 1br via renting points if we don't find a resale contract by the time we go in May 2020.

I know that resort prices will increase every year and even though we are annual pass holders and can get discounted rooms sometimes, i think our options are better with DVC. We enjoy AKL Jambo the most and stayed club level several times there. I mean it is kinda room envy when i get on the elevator and see that 6th floor button looking at me-lol. Like my husband says, if you want to stay there just book it. If we get a resale contract i think we have a good chance of getting a 1br CL at Jambo for our daughter but if not, then she will be fine in the value studio. I have stayed in one before and I really liked the location. It was a partial savannah view close to the lobby.

So, when we do retire in 10 or so years, we are set for vacations-i mean we could book some of the last minute RCI if we want also. no regrets at all on buying direct-except that it was so late.