Family of 6- should we be budgeting assuming we’ll always need enough points for a 2 bedroom?

[havoc315]

Depends on how you look at it...

If you look at it from a SQ FT per point perspective at some resorts the 2BR is the way to go:

I said sleep spaces, not square footage. Some studios sleep 5 per studio (so 10 in two studios), where some 2 bedrooms only sleep 9.

In terms of square footage -- Yes, a 2 bedroom is approximately equivalent to 3 studios.

 

[havoc315]

I'm also a fan of buying points for every other year - because I think exposing your kids to the world beyond the World is important, because its cheaper (not just points, the thought of six adult tickets every year in a few years is making me queasy), and because as RoseGold said, the whole "sports, dance, job, camp" thing where your kids can't go comes up fast. You can always rent points for those few years when "Disney every vacation" makes sense (although we cruised in the off years ourselves at that point.)

I never like relying on "can rent out the points." As the supply of DVC points continues to grow, it can get harder to rent them out. But also, it's not easy to economically rent out each and every unused point. If you have 7 left-over points, you're never going to find a renter who wants exactly 7 points. There will almost always be points going to waste.

But for that reason... knowing it comes up fast where you might not go as often as religiously, it's why I prefer erring on the side of too few points as opposed to too many. You can always shorten a trip by a night, or try to book a cheaper resort or cheaper room category, you can always bank or borrow a few points, of even rent the additional points you do need. But getting stuck with unused points it just a waste.

 

[crisi]

Wel

I never like relying on "can rent out the points." As the supply of DVC points continues to grow, it can get harder to rent them out. But also, it's not easy to economically rent out each and every unused point. If you have 7 left-over points, you're never going to find a renter who wants exactly 7 points. There will almost always be points going to waste.

But for that reason... knowing it comes up fast where you might not go as often as religiously, it's why I prefer erring on the side of too few points as opposed to too many. You can always shorten a trip by a night, or try to book a cheaper resort or cheaper room category, you can always bank or borrow a few points, of even rent the additional points you do need. But getting stuck with unused points it just a waste.

Well, if you can commit to every other year, its really hard to get stuck with unused points. We've been doing it twenty years without a loss. You do need to stay on top of banking. And the few times we've needed a room to scratch a Disney itch when we didn't have points, we just stayed on cash at a resort rather than renting - either onsite or off - that option is always available to you as well. You and I may be the few who would err on the side of too few points, but I've never regretted sticking with the few we have.

 

[havoc315]

Wel


Well, if you can commit to every other year, its really hard to get stuck with unused points.

Depends how well you plan. Let's say you commit to a 7-night stay in a standard 1 bedroom at Riviera, every other year, around July 4th week.. July 1-July 8, 2023 is 276 points.
You have a 150 point contract -- That's 24 left-over points every 2 years. Not going to be easy to rent out 24 points. Even if someone is just looking for a 2-night weekend in a towel studio in Riviera in early February, even that's 34 points.
Since you can only bank the points for 1 year, not 2 years, the only way to make sure you use every point is really to go almost every year. Some years lighter, some years heavier.
But using the above example:
2022 -- Bank the 150 points. 2023 -- Spend 276 points on that 1 BR, and bank 24 points. 2024-- Must use or lose those 24 banked 2023 points. Get 150 2024 points. 3 night January weekend in a tower studio at Riviera, using the left over 2023 points plus 16 of the 2024 points, banking 134 2024 points. Then in 2025-- Have 284 points. Enough for your 276 point July week, but now 8 left-over points that you need to lose or use in 2026. And it's literally impossible to find someone who would rent 8 points. (maybe a transfer, but that's not as simple).

 

[tom1944]

Wel


Well, if you can commit to every other year, its really hard to get stuck with unused points. We've been doing it twenty years without a loss. You do need to stay on top of banking. And the few times we've needed a room to scratch a Disney itch when we didn't have points, we just stayed on cash at a resort rather than renting - either onsite or off - that option is always available to you as well. You and I may be the few who would err on the side of too few points, but I've never regretted sticking with the few we have.

I finally decided to buy slightly less than I thought I would buy for a few reasons.

Initially I am looking at contracts that have banked points so that helps.
It keeps my dues down.
Might not always go 7 days. 5 days is looking possible quite often.
Occasional vacations at HHI during the offseason which is less points than the resorts I am considering.
I want to keep contracts lower than 200 points. 150 to 160 would be my preference.

Now I have to make a final decision on where to purchase. I also expect I will buy a direct contract of 50 to 100 points (if allowed) for Riviera in the future.

 

[crisi]

Depends how well you plan. Let's say you commit to a 7-night stay in a standard 1 bedroom at Riviera, every other year, around July 4th week.. July 1-July 8, 2023 is 276 points.
You have a 150 point contract -- That's 24 left-over points every 2 years. Not going to be easy to rent out 24 points. Even if someone is just looking for a 2-night weekend in a towel studio in Riviera in early February, even that's 34 points.
Since you can only bank the points for 1 year, not 2 years, the only way to make sure you use every point is really to go almost every year. Some years lighter, some years heavier.
But using the above example:
2022 -- Bank the 150 points. 2023 -- Spend 276 points on that 1 BR, and bank 24 points. 2024-- Must use or lose those 24 banked 2023 points. Get 150 2024 points. 3 night January weekend in a tower studio at Riviera, using the left over 2023 points plus 16 of the 2024 points, banking 134 2024 points. Then in 2025-- Have 284 points. Enough for your 276 point July week, but now 8 left-over points that you need to lose or use in 2026. And it's literally impossible to find someone who would rent 8 points. (maybe a transfer, but that's not as simple).

You just bank your 8 points, because you use the points you banked first, then the current use year, and each trip you dip into the next years points, but don't exhaust them - then bank the rest. Every trip I'm using banked, current and borrowed points to vacation. In twenty years, this works consistently - although I seem to recall not bothering to bank my few leftover points during Covid or something, but that was me, not the system, I didn't care - but we are only going every other year - there is no slip in a three night trip on points. And we are looking ahead to make sure we don't paint ourselves into a corner - although its hard to do, there are always 150 points to borrow if you go every other year. (We only have 150)

We have gotten to the point that our 150 points is almost too much for us for every other year now that its the two of us.

 

[crisi]

I finally decided to buy slightly less than I thought I would buy for a few reasons.

Initially I am looking at contracts that have banked points so that helps.
It keeps my dues down.
Might not always go 7 days. 5 days is looking possible quite often.
Occasional vacations at HHI during the offseason which is less points than the resorts I am considering.
I want to keep contracts lower than 200 points. 150 to 160 would be my preference.

Now I have to make a final decision on where to purchase. I also expect I will buy a direct contract of 50 to 100 points (if allowed) for Riviera in the future.

Part of our 150 points every other year is that five or six nights is plenty for us at WDW every other year. It sounds insane to people who go several times a year, but we still park commando and over 30 years, I've been there done that with most of what WDW has to offer that I'm interested in - if I'm going to sit around a resort, I'm going to pick a nicer place to sit than Disney resorts. When I'm on vacation, I either want to be going and doing all them time - at Disney that's commando, in London its sightseeing from morning 'til bedtime - or I want to sit near the ocean or cuddle by a fireplace with a drink in one hand and a book in the other - and Disney really doesn't do it for me in the sit around vacation arena - wrong energy.

We also like HHI in the offseason.

 

[havoc315]

You just bank your 8 points, because you use the points you banked first,

No... Not if you're going every other year. In the example I gave, you had 8 2025 points left over, but you're not planning any more trips until you're 2027 use year. You can only bank for 1 year, through 2026.

So you're left with 8 wasted points.

Using my example of a family that vacations around July 4th.. So they have a June use year.
July 2025, they took a trip with their 2024 and 2025 points. They have 8 June 2025 points left over, they can bank those points into June 2026... With the points expiring May 31, 2027. But their next trip isn't until July 2027.

Now, you said all your trips also include *borrowing* points -- Exactly why it's better to have too few points, rather than too many. When you have too few, you can make up the differences by borrowing. But you're always exhausting your older points.
If you have too many points -- You waste points.

 

[holden]

I haven't read all of the comments, but here's my opinion...

As our kids have gotten older (15 and 20 now), we have expanded the size of the room we require.

At minimum, we do a 2BR. This also allows for a friend for each kid. We also stay in a 2BR if it's just the 4 of us. We own at BLT and usually stay there for the third bathroom, priceless with teen girls. Sometimes we do Kidani if trying to conserve points.

When we bought I never would have thought that we would need a 2BR at the minimum. I'm now glad we have enough points to use for our trips and purchased at BLT for the extra bathroom.

The last time we stayed in a 1BR or smaller the kids were around 10 and 14/15.

 

[tom1944]

I haven't read all of the comments, but here's my opinion...

As our kids have gotten older (15 and 20 now), we have expanded the size of the room we require.

At minimum, we do a 2BR. This also allows for a friend for each kid. We also stay in a 2BR if it's just the 4 of us. We own at BLT and usually stay there for the third bathroom, priceless with teen girls. Sometimes we do Kidani if trying to conserve points.

When we bought I never would have thought that we would need a 2BR at the minimum. I'm now glad we have enough points to use for our trips and purchased at BLT for the extra bathroom.

The last time we stayed in a 1BR or smaller the kids were around 10 and 14/15.

How many points do you have and how often do you go to WDW?

 

[Nursemanit]

@havoc315 is correct - take any renting of points out of the equation, if you actually pay your taxes you just tread water with most resorts. Mine took 4 months to rent out, and more time to get all of your money. I "made" just a few bucks after cost of points, MF, and taxes. I 100% agree that too few points is preferred - you can rent " distressed points" for a reasonable rate when you want to splurge.

Personally, I would only rent Studios or 2 BR with adult travel. When traveling alone, a 1br gives me an extra couch and a kitchen and I don't cook on solo vacations. Even with groups of 3-4 I would go right to 2 BR units.

Now with small children, you need a kitchen before you end up paying $30 a head for cold waffles each morning.

 

[DeeBee3]

I'm just back from a CCV studio with 4 of us. 2 kids under 10. No way could we fit more people in that room and with only 1 bathroom. Of course, CCV is one of the smaller studios.

I would definitely plan this out thinking of your baby as an older kid. Right now I feel like the shortest 40-year-old on earth. Every child I see is taller or bigger than me. That just might be me being short (5'4"), but I tend to think my kids and most others will be bigger than that and require larger lodging.

 

[5kidsmommy]

As a mother of 5, I will say you are going to want that two bedroom. Heck we are going with one adult kid and getting a two bedroom. For us it's all about privacy and space. Not sure how your family is but my kids always tended to get cranky and just having a space to breathe and get away was nice. And now that my kids are grown when they vacation with us they don't want to be sleeping in the living room, plus I get up early and don't want to disturb anyone. Just my advice as a mom of a few people.

 

[holden]

How many points do you have and how often do you go to WDW?

400pts
Once or twice a year (sometimes a one week trip and a long weekend trip)

Edited to add: We've owned since 2014 when the kids were 12 and 7

 

[tom1944]

400pts
Once or twice a year (sometimes a one week trip and a long weekend trip)

Edited to add: We've owned since 2014 when the kids were 12 and 7

Thanks

Right now we are buying with the thought of trips every other year. Ultimately the purchase is really for my daughter and granddaughter since we are already in our mid sixties.

 

[jo-jo]

This year for the first time in forever, we are doing the whole two week trip in a one bedroom for the two of us. What excites me the most?????? The washer/dryer. I mean we can pack one change of clothes and pjs and just wash every single day. We can pack our clothes in a grocery bag. (not really but we could). No more checking if washer is free, running back and forth to switch clothes. ahhhh the simple things in life. LOL

For this, I'd try to find the points for a two bedroom with a family of 6.

 

[havoc315]

@havoc315 is correct - take any renting of points out of the equation, if you actually pay your taxes you just tread water with most resorts. Mine took 4 months to rent out, and more time to get all of your money. I "made" just a few bucks after cost of points, MF, and taxes. I 100% agree that too few points is preferred - you can rent " distressed points" for a reasonable rate when you want to splurge.

Personally, I would only rent Studios or 2 BR with adult travel. When traveling alone, a 1br gives me an extra couch and a kitchen and I don't cook on solo vacations. Even with groups of 3-4 I would go right to 2 BR units.

Now with small children, you need a kitchen before you end up paying $30 a head for cold waffles each morning.

It depends on the family breakfast habits. Some prefer to skip breakfast, or have a Starbucks ritual breakfast.
But yes, for my family, I agree completely. Don't really use the kitchen for any dinners, but do use it for breakfast almost every morning, some snacking, and maybe an occasional lunch.
Basically, it's great for "smaller means" - Even just a bowl of cereal and milk in the morning, some toast... Eggs or a grilled cheese.
I know there are some families who will treat it like their home kitchen and prepare full dinners. While that definitely saves money, cooking full dinners isn't how I like spending my vacations.

 

[DonMacGregor]

It depends on the family breakfast habits. Some prefer to skip breakfast, or have a Starbucks ritual breakfast.
But yes, for my family, I agree completely. Don't really use the kitchen for any dinners, but do use it for breakfast almost every morning, some snacking, and maybe an occasional lunch.
Basically, it's great for "smaller means" - Even just a bowl of cereal and milk in the morning, some toast... Eggs or a grilled cheese.
I know there are some families who will treat it like their home kitchen and prepare full dinners. While that definitely saves money, cooking full dinners isn't how I like spending my vacations.

This is us 100%. The kitchen is mostly a convenience that comes along with the expanded and divided sleeping space. We DO take full advantage of the full-sized fridge, which I think is actually the greatest benefit, kitchen-wise, in a 1BR/2BR villa. That, and counter space.

 

[havoc315]

This is us 100%. The kitchen is mostly a convenience that comes along with the expanded and divided sleeping space. We DO take full advantage of the full-sized fridge, which I think is actually the greatest benefit, kitchen-wise, in a 1BR/2BR villa. That, and counter space.

The full fridge is a big advantage, especially for a longer trip. Fresh fruit, cold beverages, etc.

 

[CarolynFH]

What excites me the most?????? The washer/dryer. I mean we can pack one change of clothes and pjs and just wash every single day.

LOL, those washers and dryers are so small that it's easier to wash every day than to do multiple loads every few days! We sometimes put them in the washer at night and into the dryer in the morning while getting breakfast.