Finally joined...will be adding questions from time to time and would appreciate any help.

[rrkman]

Well, after more than 10 Disney trips and a few Disney cruises in the last 9 years or so, my DW decided it was time be part of the club. Had a few hiccups in the process and some are still being 'fixed' but probably safe to say that we are now proud owners of a tiny little piece of Poly. Have learned a lot already on here and probably didn't do everything right with it but we're happy with our choices. Now the fun begins - planning more trips. Any tips, suggestions, hints, ideas, etc would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DisneyBill]

Awesome news! Welcome Home!

 

[southerngirl528]

Welcome Home, Rrkman!!! After 20+ years as a member, I still love my DVC membership!

Biggest tips?? Hmm. Planning well ahead has to be one of the best tips. Take the time to really learn the program: banking windows, booking windows, home resort priority, etc., etc. Knowledge is power. Have fun!!

 

[rrkman]

Thanks. I've done a lot of reading on here about most of those things but we'll see how it goes when I try to put all that knowledge to use the first time I book something.

Biggest fear is availability. I studied the charts on here and everything but am a little fearful about HHI, VB, and Aulani.

 

[DisDadDVC]

Well, after more than 10 Disney trips and a few Disney cruises in the last 9 years or so, my DW decided it was time be part of the club. Had a few hiccups in the process and some are still being 'fixed' but probably safe to say that we are now proud owners of a tiny little piece of Poly. Have learned a lot already on here and probably didn't do everything right with it but we're happy with our choices. Now the fun begins - planning more trips. Any tips, suggestions, hints, ideas, etc would be greatly appreciated.

If you want to do Disney cruises, I would recommend renting out your points and using the revenue to pay cash for them.

 

[T00dles]

Biggest tips?? Hmm. Planning well ahead has to be one of the best tips. Take the time to really learn the program: banking windows, booking windows, home resort priority, etc., etc. Knowledge is power. Have fun!!

Welcome home!

Planning ahead! Yes! We bought VGF April 14, but my in laws have been owners since '96. We thought we knew about it, but there were and are many finer points/strategies that we are learning.

Oh but its a fun vacation car to drive

 

[princessfionasmom]

WELCOME HOME!!!!

 

[TiggerBouncy]

welcome home!!!

Best tip as with anything Disney is to plan. I don't. Therefore, I often have to live with what's available. That's what happens when you decide on a Thursday you have to see Disney before the week is out. However if you plan ahead, you can secure the place you want to be. Remember, it's not just your DVC points. Plan any restaurants you want to see, FastPass+, etc. Learn which things you can do last minute (Disney's florist which I use every Anniversary can take an order a few days in advance for example) and which can't wait.

You have been to Disney a number of times, but the biggest thing I learned from DVC is that I will always and definitely be back (after all, I am paying to be back). So stop killing yourself trying (and failing) to do everything on one trip. Relax. Have a day at the pool. Plan and determine your must do's and plan to spend some free time at the resort or even just walking the parks and maybe catching some of those low volume rides. All the DVC resorts are amazing and beautiful and fun to spend a day at.

And again - welcome home!

 

[rrkman]

Thanks....we're definitely planners. Have a lot of experience with FP+ and ADR's.

Quick question I was thinking about. Do members ever 'swap'?...meaning since we're Poly, I could book an 11 month out trip for them and they'd book 11 months out for us at their home resort? Does that make sense? Are there other problems with that?

 

[suebeelin]

I think members can swap but there would have to be trust. Alternatively, you could transfer points. I'm not sure if it's one transfer in or out per year, or one transfer in/out per year.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Welcome Home! We bought SSR in 2008 and since have added on more SSR snd VGF smaller contracts. All direct. We have loved every moment of being members! Poly is a nice resort having the VGF we value that monorail transport! I agree with PP these aren't large resorts like SSR need to plan and book at 11 month window you paid the dime book on time! It's then fun if you want to sometimes to see what you can get at 7 months. We have stayed in most of them now and enjoyed them all. Not done the Poly yet! Also the member events are fun if they are running them when you are there. Like the Merry Mixer at Christmas and the get together on DCL cruises. Don't forget to wait list also for any resorts you want but aren't available! We have got our wait lists 90% of the time! Enjoy.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I forgot to say book your home resort at 11 months then see what you can book at 7 months just in case nothing is available you still have accommodation!

 

[rrkman]

Just read up on the transfer option. This is what I was looking for except for the 'once per year' rule. It sounds like the points keep their home resort priority which is what I was looking for but the problem would be that one of the parties would have to wait until both parties hit the next UY to get their side of the deal. I think you'd really have to work through the UY timing to make it work though.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

Welcome Home! We've been so happy with our membership, and I hope you will too. My biggest tip? Sounds cliche, but just enjoy the magic.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks....we're definitely planners. Have a lot of experience with FP+ and ADR's.

Quick question I was thinking about. Do members ever 'swap'?...meaning since we're Poly, I could book an 11 month out trip for them and they'd book 11 months out for us at their home resort? Does that make sense? Are there other problems with that?

I think that's a very, very rare thing. For many of the locations you have a lot to work out for differences in value, point requirements etc between the two. It would be just as easy to look at transferring in or out points and/or renting.

 

[DisDadDVC]

Thanks....we're definitely planners. Have a lot of experience with FP+ and ADR's.

Quick question I was thinking about. Do members ever 'swap'?...meaning since we're Poly, I could book an 11 month out trip for them and they'd book 11 months out for us at their home resort? Does that make sense? Are there other problems with that?

That is too hard to match up normally unless you have a friend in DVC, etc.

If I were trying to book somewhere else at 11 months I would look for a point transfer from an owner at the other resort. Pay them $13-15 per point. Then go and rent your points out for the same $12-15. If not, I would rent from another owner and then rent my points out.

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

Welcome home! Recommend an Owner's Locker. Being able to stash some clothes, toiletries, and WDW only stuff (Keurig, Apple cords, pins/lanyards) makes traveling less painful and more cost effective.

 

[rrkman]

Should be an easy question and I've read up on it but just to make sure....

Points and UY. Our contract is 300 points and October 1. The points have to be in the UY of the actual trip, not in the time when the reservation was made, correct? Meaning if I booked a 400 pt trip today for September, I'd need to borrow and move 100 points into current UY. But if I booked a 400 pt trip today for November, I'd need to bank the 300 into that next UY. Correct?

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

Should be an easy question and I've read up on it but just to make sure....

Points and UY. Our contract is 300 points and October 1. The points have to be in the UY of the actual trip, not in the time when the reservation was made, correct? Meaning if I booked a 400 pt trip today for September, I'd need to borrow and move 100 points into current UY. But if I booked a 400 pt trip today for November, I'd need to bank the 300 into that next UY. Correct?

Yes - but you would need to bank before your deadline (check your DVC dashboard for banking deadline) and once borrowed points cannot be returned to the use year borrowed.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

If you like to write, I would highly recommend keeping a journal about your trips. When we joined DVC I started writing trip reports here on the DIS. I love that I now have a record of every trip, and can go back and relive moments from trips that I otherwise would have completely forgotten about. Taking so many trips to the same place, they can all start to blur together.

Enjoy your DVC. Poly is amazing!