Every other year strategy

[jebrann]

I have been comtemplating the DVC, but am concerned about being tied down every year. I was wondering if anyone has tried buying the minimum points and banking them to use every other year? Has this worked? Did you regret not buying more points?
Thanks,
Coldnorth

 

[TnRobin]

We did not do that for our orignal purchase, but that is the plan for our add-on. We are adding on at Hilton Head with the intention of banking and borrowing so that every three years we can spend a week at HHI in the summer.

On an original contract, you need to go at least every other year to make it work out financially.

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[maryisme]

Our game plan is to spend one year at HH and one year at WDW. Initially, we purchased our major contract at HH and an add on at VB (60 points). We are now in the process of adding another 60 points at VWL. By going every other year to each location our initial points double without having to borrow.

It works in theory--just haven't tested it yet .

 

[Figaro30]

we are doing the every other year plan. That way we can use a maximum of three years if we need to, but definitely use 2 years worth of points everytime we go.

'81 - Cont.
'88 - Disneyland
'89 - Maingate East
'91 - CBR
'94 - CBR
'95 - CBR
'98 - BC
'00 - WL
'01 - OKW

 

[TheWho]

Hi Coldnorth,
I too was worried about being committed every year. (Actually the expenses that come w/ it, airfare, park tix, food). I brought 180 points.
I stay in a one bedroom for 270 points (180 + 90 borrowed)the fist year. The second year in a one bedroom 270 points (90 + 180 borrowed) Do a non WDW vacation in year three. And start the 2 year on one year off all over again. Of course, this may change due to the flexability of the thing. As a matter of fact, I secured a one bedroom this year w/ a standard view which is only 222 points. I can use those extra points in many creative ways. (stay one less night and use a 2 bedroom or go my off year in a studio) The idea is to plan, but also know there is flexability.

good luck.

Dave

 

[ilovediznee]

if you can possibly STAND to go every other year, it's great because you have more points. what we plan to do and have already done, is that we went in january at bwv and then we're banking the rest for our anniversary trip next year....7 nights at the GF!!!!!!

good luck!

 

[BarbOKW]

you have such great vacations that you want to go back every year. We bought 250 points, but need about 350 to go every year. I figured we'd use the extra for Vero, but now we seem to want to to either WDW or Vero every year. Right now we're in a state of borrow so it looks like we're going to skip the 2002 spring break (too close to Easter anyway)and get our Disney fix by going on a Disney Cruise. Then we'll be OK for another 3 years. I'd buy the points planning every other year, it works and then buy more if you need to

 

[caverill]

we found that we wanted to go every year.

We have the minimum number of points, but since we normally only plan on staying in studio, we still should be able to go every year.

An add-on in the near future may also happen, if we can swing it financially.

Clark Averill

DxL 95
DL 97
Off-Site 98-Courtyard/DD
DxL 00
Joined DVC - Sept 00
BWV - Feb 01
BWV - Feb 02

 

[Mary Ellen]

We're also doing the '2 on/1 off' schedule for our 150 DVC points. This past year was an 'off' - and DH is definitely having withdrawal problems. He is counting the days until our December trip. I may be able to talk him into those add-on points after all. Actually, since we are 2 adults (no children) and it’s too far & expensive for us to go to Florida often, the 150 is working very well for us.

 

[Peggy Sue]

I can't think of any reason why your logic wouldn't work. We initially started out with 220 points, and thought we would only vacation at WDW every other year...but one trip, and we were hooked. Had to get more points to support our habit! LOL!!

Good luck!

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[dianeschlicht]

I will sing the same song as the rest. We were going every other year when we bought into DVC and expected to continue that pattern. The first year we took THREE trips and got so spoiled! It quickly became evident that our 230 initial points were not enough, so we added on 150 more when they opened up more points at OKW. Now with the 380 points (all OKW), we can stay in a 2 bedroom for ten nights every year, or even twice a year if we plan right, and we still have been able to do an exchange as well. The occational GV trip where we take along more family and friends throws a wrench in the plan, but we plan far ahead for those excursions.

Disneydiane

 

[Geubux]

We didn't plan every other year, but we did plan to use the other resorts, Hilton Head and Vero Beach, as well as the Concierge Collection. The very first summer, we used some of the points at downtown Chicago. We would also like to use some of the other exchanges, but I think we are going to add on. Either way, you won't regret it!

76 - offsite
98 - Ft Wilderness Cabins
99 - CBR
00 - HH DVC
4/01 offsite
12/01 BWV

 

[msdis]

WE initially only wanted to buy a resale for about 75 points. That would give us a little over a week in a studio in off season 2 out of 3 years. When we couldn't do that we settled for a 150 point contract. We too didn't want to be tied, didn't want to deal with high dues(compared to other time shares), the commitment (yuck). Well, last year we did 5 nights PV studio, then cat6 verandah 2 adults 7 day cruise in Sept., 8 nights sv in Nov, and 8 nights sv this Feb. Now, we did have to add-on twice and we still only have a little over 200 points but wow, talk about a Disney rush! It's been like a 2 year old on soda and candy. It sounds like we have a lot more points than we do because that first year you sort of can get 3 years worth of points. We now have 1 point to our name and after June(our use year month) we will be already borrowed for the next year as we have ressies for Oct. But I do see us changing vacation habits after a few years once we have done everything "disney". We don't plan on using our points for anything except Disneyland, Disney cruise, and our DVC resorts; not that I don't appreciate the other options we have. I figure even as narrow as we have it, we have enough to keep us busy for the next 40 years. I think you will find 150 points as a modest start. One way to see what/if it will work for you is to write it out on paper like we all do and try to plan a few years worth of vacations and see where that takes you. Once you get started it's amazing where your pen will take you. DVC is not for everyone so calculate carefully. If you see yourself where DVC takes you then perhaps it is right for you. Only you know your dreams and lifestyles.

 

[twinglefam]

points already and we just joined. But we'll have to settle for what we got for now - pay one off at a time! I can see already that we're going to WANT to go every year. We took the kids last Nov., dh and I went to join last month, and the family will go this Oct. to get another use out of our APs. Then we may do the AP's again in 2002 and plan on getting two trips out of them; they are great - coming and going when you please any day is super.

Here we go...........

'74, '79, '82, '86 - as a "kid"
'00 - BCR & offsite
'01 - VWL (purchase trip!)
10/01 - BW & OKW

 

[Macnjac87]

We bought 150 point in January of 2000. We used the '99 points that came with the purchase, and part of our 2000 points for a trip in April of 2000 at OKW in a 1 bedroom for 10 nights. This past winter we skipped WDW (it was hard!!!) and took a Carnival cruise, then used 46 points for 2 nights after the cruise at Vero Beach (needed a little Disney anyway!!) We will bank 2001 points and go next April for 6 nights at OKW and 5 nights at Vero Beach. Every other year works for us because it seems more magical when we skip a year and see some new additions to "the World" Instead of staying in a studio every year, we bank and stay in a 1 bedroom which are huge. On the "off" Disney years we do different trips i.e. the cruise, or visiting family, but we really do miss "the Dis"!!!

Jackie
Dixie Landings '95
Dixie Landings '96
Port Orleans '98

Old Key West 2000

Vero Beach 2001

Next trip: OKW and Vero Beach 4/2002


PROUD NEW DVC MEMBERS!!!

 

[akdisfan]

We have always gone every other year since we purchased in 1993, we live in Alaska so the trip is a major undertaking with four kids. We have 230 points so that when we bank one year then use the banked points and the points we get on the year we go we can stay for two weeks in a two bedroom. This has worked out really well for us keeps us from getting burned out on DW because there is always something new when you go every other year.

 

[Dennis the WDW Menace]

Hi Coldnorth, we planned on doing that very thing when we first bought in '93. We started out with 190 points, which was the min. number of points at that time. We had it all planned out but when we first went to OKW our plans changed. It was so much fun and it felt so much like a home we ended up buying 4 more contracts and now have 500 points and go to WDW 3 to 4 times a year. With the use of DVC property it makes a vacation hard to put off for more than a few months. It has done a world of good for us and has brought our family close together, we plan our trips together and the anticipation is sometimes hard to control. DVC makes your vacation planning flexable and WDW is only one of the places you can go. I recommend starting off small to see if you like it, but watch out because it grabs you and turns you into a WDW nut or a DIS Disnoid.