Finally Bought DVC!

[melomouse]

Hi All -
Just back from our trip in celebration of DS's 16th and came back as SSR owners! Thanks to all the info and sharing on these boards, I felt comfortable with our rep and asked all the right questions - I guess. Now I'm back with a gazillion more...

But the first one is... starting off as a new member with the extra Disney promo points, plus referral points that need to be used by 1 and 2 years - well - am I supposed to take more WDW the first year or two to use them up? Should I plan to bank the "real" use year points in June as soon as I get them?

It's the banking and borrowing thing that really confuses me still. I know there are some here who are wizards at this.

And the second question, for now, is this...is DCL still considered to be an overusage of points, cost-wise? It seems to me I would enjoy plenty of time at OKW in the "off-seasons" saving points and making more trips, yes?

Also - we all now have AP's. Does it make any financial sense to use AP codes (and pay cash) when they are available to book a studio for friends at OKW, while we are in a 1BR? Or would I just go for the 2BR and leave it at that?

I am sooo happy I did it! And I will say as everyone else has - shoulda done it sooner!!!!

 

[AKV707]

Well, let me ne one of the first to say welcome home! In terms of banking your real points, are they 07 or 08 points? If they are 08s with a June UY, you have until the last day of January to bank them into 09.

I would see how many pointsyou think you will nedd to use for 08 vacations. The developer points can't be banked so you will need to use them or lose them.

Happy planning!

 

[jakenjess]

Congratulations, and Welcome Home!!

I believe when we got those extra points when we bought in we ended up using them for a 2 BR and brought some family along on a trip and then banked our regular use year points. We haven't done a cruise so I'm no help there.

I would check out the AP rates and see what makes sense. When we've had APs we've gotten some good rates at Pop and Port Orleans and stayed there on weekends to save on points. Sometimes the discounts are really good and other times not so much. I believe as a DVC member you get discounts when booking a DVC room with cash, but someone more knowledgeable on that will be along to help you out there.

Enjoy!!

 

[ryley26]

Welcome Home

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Congratulations!

Welcome Home

 

[MissyDVC]

Congratulations and Welcome Home from a fellow Long Islander and SSR owner

 

[AnnaS]

Congratulations and Welcome Home! Enjoy all the planning to come

 

[disneymom8589]

home, SSR neighbor!!

 

[DVC Mike]

Congrats and Welcome Home!

 

[robinb]

Welcome Home!!!!
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Hi All -


But the first one is... starting off as a new member with the extra Disney promo points, plus referral points that need to be used by 1 and 2 years - well - am I supposed to take more WDW the first year or two to use them up? Should I plan to bank the "real" use year points in June as soon as I get them?

Are you able to bank Developer's points? I would use them FIRST and then bank any extra real points you have.

It's the banking and borrowing thing that really confuses me still. I know there are some here who are wizards at this.

It's not really that hard. You can bank 100% of your points to the next use year for the first 8 months of your use year. In the final 4 months you cannot bank at all. You may borrow up to 100% of your points from the next use year into the current use year at any time, but those points are stuck in that use year and may not be re-banked.

And the second question, for now, is this...is DCL still considered to be an overusage of points, cost-wise? It seems to me I would enjoy plenty of time at OKW in the "off-seasons" saving points and making more trips, yes?

I think it is. Many people will rent out their points (at $11-$12 per point) and use the proceeds to pay cash for the cruise instead.

Also - we all now have AP's. Does it make any financial sense to use AP codes (and pay cash) when they are available to book a studio for friends at OKW, while we are in a 1BR? Or would I just go for the 2BR and leave it at that?

I don't think so. I think that using points is much cheaper. Also, I think that you must be in the room (or in a connecting room) to book an AP discount through CRO. We sometimes use our APs for the weekends because the points are double over the weekends.

 

[DisneyTripper]

home, neighbor!

 

[psu4glory]

you've already been initiated into the favorite pasttime of all DVC members....WDW vacation planning!

congratulations...good luck...and have fun!

 

[melomouse]

Thank You all for the warm welcome and the helpful suggestions...

but.. first things first - where do I find the DVC logos for my siggie so I can share how happy I am???