For those of you who added on...what made you decide?

[prncssjas]

Dear DVC friends,

The more time I spend on these boards, the less time I work and instead day dream about WDW. In all seriousness, I am in a constant state of "should we be adding to our DVC contract(s)? DH and I have one son (age 13 going on "mom and dad are annoying"). Once he graduates high school, I envision DH and I going much more often than we already do (and we currently go once per year, typically). Our original contract is at VB. When the VGF opened up, we purchased an add-on because we wanted the security of always being able to book at 11 months, when we wanted to go. However, I am constantly finding myself in need of borrowing it seems. I know I want to buy more points but am debating about when...do I do it now? Or after high school graduation when DH and I can go ANYTIME we want to go (and aren't restricted by a school schedule)? For those of you who have added on, what made you decide to purchase another contract? Did you start small or add on a lot? I would appreciate your insight and advice.

 

[magicaldisney]

We added on because we really really really liked vacationing in a two bedroom. Especially now, the kids are older (17 & 24)and we have gone to WDW so many times that the way we vacation has changed. We are much more laid back, spending more time at the resort. The kids go and do things while we stay back or visa versa. It also allows for friends or family to join us without hesitation.

 

[suebeelin]

I bought 200pts at BWV a few years ago when we only had a baby bc we like 1bds. My sisters kids were 13 and 11, and they spent all their time in the boardwalk area (they own BLT).

At the time, we wanted wanted to buy for the future.

Then we had another child, and realized we needed more room/points/ days, especially if we invite friends and family.

The most cost effective options were BLT or SSR. We realized we would be very unhappy if we couldn't get a non near park resort at the 7 month mark, and since we already had BWV, that left us with BLT.

So we just added on another 200pts at BLT, points loaded about 6 months ago... About two weeks before the crazy price inflation. Talk about luck.

No regrets. It will grow with our family, especially with the new projected expansion plus the non DW/DL resorts (aulani, Hilton head, vero). Maybe we will resell one of our two contracts in 10yrs. Barring a disaster, we likely won't lose money on the resale.

 

[disneynutz]

Buy enough points for a stay at your favorite resort(s) each year or two. Another plan is to buy half the required points and alternate between your two favorite resorts every other year.

Bill

 

[JWG]

We started small and worked into our contracts to match our vacation habits. Our BLT ownership started at 75 points to do a studio every other year and grew to 125 (studio every year or 1BR every other year), to 175 because a contract came available, to 225 to help with a 2BR at certain times though banking and borrowing, to (if our current contract passes ROFR) 325. 325 gets us much more flexibility and the ability to use a 1BR every year (for the most part). Ideally, we probably need to be at 350 to 400. I'd like to be able to do a 2BR at least every other year in higher seasons as our family grows and we want to bring friends/family.

I'm happy to rent points out if there comes a year we can't use them (that hasn't happened yet). My dilemma is it's getting to expensive to buy even resale for BLT.

 

[DenLo]

We bought BLT first. And then decided we wanted some points at AKV to have the 11 month priority period. And then every so often we realized that we wanted to take longer vacations than our points would cover, so we added on to both resorts, but much more at BLT because we love the location and resort.

 

[sgtpet]

We initially bought in 2001 when my first born was 1. We bought at VWL and we already knew we were going to add on at BCV. After that purchase we had our second child. Years later I purchased BLT due to having a theme park view at the Contemporary at a business conference. We then had our third and final child.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

Earlier this year, we purchased an additional 150 points with our existing UY at our home resort (BCV) when we saw a reasonably-priced fully-loaded contract get listed and the seller accepted our offer of $4 pp less than asking. Fully loaded was the key as these contracts are now hard to come by.

 

[sgrap]

We just bought our first DVC contract this year, closing in April. We bought 300 VGC points. I got addonitis pretty soon after and found a 100 point contract, same use year, and we just received our closing documents. I wasn't sure that 300 points at VGC would provide all we needed, and with the Disney waitlist, I thought that the resales would get even more expensive (which they seem to be doing currently) and hard to find. We are Disneyland people, so VGC is what we wanted

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

We bought 100 AKV points straight from Disney in 2008. After using Developer's Points at SSR, the next year we used our points for HHI. We were very lucky to get a 1 BR in the middle of July. We fell in love! So we immediately drove home and added on 100 points at HHI, since we knew we might not be so lucky next time. We plan to add on at both places when our younger son gets out of college and I retire in 5 years. That way we can go to both places each year and stay longer on our non-family trips.

 

[prncssjas]

Thank you for all the very helpful replies! It's a lot to consider and really...more of a question of WHEN and not IF.

 

[skylynx]

We're pretty classic addonitis-victims. Bought into DVC with some inheritance cash during DVC's 15th anniversary $15/off per point sale. Saratoga Springs was the property available at the promotional price at the time. A short while afterwards, Animal Kingdom Lodge became available and we were smitten by that, so we bought a 25 point add-on as each other's gift for Valentine's Day. AKL proved pretty easy to get even without it being our home resort, but our next favorite, Wilderness Lodge, was not. So we bought a superbly priced 25 point resale contract at VWL before the restrictions on resale purchases went into place, and then another 25 point add-on two years later when we realized 25 points just wasn't enough. Our second add-on at VWL was direct through Disney, and we got an additional 25 one-time developer points. Then we moved to Colorado! Now Disneyland is way closer and cheaper to fly to than WDW. We got on a waitlist to buy 50 points at Grand Cal while on a cruise. It took 14 months, and we got our points literally just before the waitlist to purchase points there closed down. Because of when we bought our VGC contract, we got 50 of the previous year's points, so we're rationing those to go on 3 night stays for the next couple years. So you see how this "point creep" happens. So in our case, it was more wanting certain home resort advantages than increasing overall points, though we have been happy to have enough points to stay in bigger accommodations when taking the (now college age) kids along and treating some family members to a couple nights in the Treehouses! Otherwise, we maximize points by staying in studios.

 

[sbelyo]

We started with a 25 point contract at BLT just to get our feet wet. I was able to book three nights with it at BLT during spring break 2016. I immediately saw how we'd need more but I won't add on until I see the studio in PVB and or stay in our BLT studio. I figure 125 points will let us go at least once a year or twice a year for a couple days each.

I think it all depends on the age of your kids, vacationing habbits, and the size of your family. We're a family of four with a relaxed vacationing style at this point

 

[nyjets53]

All points at Saratoga
Started with an initial purchase of 170 points added 120 on a sale promotion from Disney and since then we add 3 more contracts of 25, 30, 25 using the excuse of it being xmas presents to each other...
And looking for another 30 for this xmas again...

After over 10 years still have not wasted one point, we used them all...

 

[OKW Lover]

However, I am constantly finding myself in need of borrowing it seems. I know I want to buy more points but am debating about when...do I do it now?

If you're constantly borrowing points then yes, its time to add on. The question becomes how many to add on.
You say your usage patterns will change in the future and you may be going more often. Will you still be needing a large unit? Or would a studio be enough? You'll need to think about those questions before you can determine how many additional points you need.

 

[djohn06]

We started with a 200 point BLT contract with inheritance money. BLT was in the $80's that time resale. I really wanted BCV but the short duration was a turn off.

Next, I wasn't really thinking about HHI, but I put a ridiculous offer in at the low $40's that passed ROFR on 150 points. I figured it could offset my Orlando stays.

The kids loved AKV and I knew I would add on there. Again, driven by value and banked points I got a contract in the mid 60's. I added on more points there each of the last two years.

Finally came back to BWV. Stayed there 3 times and loved it. Did a small add on for 70 points.

So point creep is real...... And it's also been a nice ride!

 

[lovin'fl]

We started with 200 OKW in 2006. Our kids were 7, 7 and 9. We got 1BR villas for a while. We lived in NC and my kids were in year round school so we planned to go every Sept. We first used our points in Sept of 2006 and had a great time...then in 2007 we moved to MD and our kids were in traditional school so no more Sept trips. And likely no more annual trips since the drive would be so LONG and flying would be so EXPENSIVE for 5. MIL and FIL were going to WDW every Jan. So they asked to buy half our points. They basically own the OKW contract with us.

Then, 2011 came and my kids were now big 12, 12 and 14 year olds who liked their own space and would fight a lot. Also needed another bathroom. So we began getting a 2BR. We needed more points and we thought HH would be nice since we could drive there more easily plus we could save money on trips there since we'd not have to get park tickets. In 2012 we added on 75 HH points. The plan was an every three years plan with HHI one year (using banked and borrowed for 3 years of HH points) and WDW one year (also banking and borrowing for 3 years of points) and cruising one year. That WAS the plan.

BUT then we started to buy an AP or PAP (once with regular DVC pricing and then twice with DVC special offers) and started getting TIW card. We felt the need to get in a few trips on each AP and TIW. The more days we used them the better so we started to take a few trips each year. In 2013, we discovered F&W. So we needed MORE points. In 2013 we added 100 AKV points and 50 more HH points. But we also knew we wanted to make F&W a regular trip so, in 2014, we added 80 BWV points. That brought us to 505 points. I was looking for a 5th resort, a MK area resort when DH said enough is enough .

Meantime, FP+ rolled out and we are beginning to detest all the planning. And we are finding the parks getting more and more crowded. Plus our DS is now off to college and griping 'no more Disney' and DDs are busy with finishing HS and playing travel softball. We decided to stop getting an AP or PAP and to cut back the trips. We also realized we didn't need to own at AKV to book there (we could use our OKW points). Resale prices being high, we decided to sell the 100 AKV to make a profit (got those college bills coming in now). The contract closed and the points were removed from our account about a week or 2 ago (bittersweet). I think our 405 points (less the 100 points MIL and FIL use) is good and will get us the trips we want. We're thinking January trips (in 1BR BLT or AKV) with whichever kids want to come and F&W trips (in 1BR BWV) for just DH and I.

 

[JWG]

Just received our closing docs on add-on number 6 for our family
It's a problem

 

[ldo]

If I were you, I would wait. At 13, your son could decide in a few years that he wants to do other things. My DD at 15 got bored with WDW. Our younger kids love WDW, and it's also an easy trip for me to take them alone for a few weeks in the summer. When DD went to college, we added on b/c we needed 11 mth booking for Christmas. Our younger kids were then teens and said that they wanted to keep going to WDW. We were 4 years away from empty nest and could see going as a couple once the youngest went to college. So, until you NEED the points, I would wait.

 

[com_op_2000]

We originally purchased in '93. DW gave me an add-on birthday gift in '96. We added on again in '11 when we found out that DD was pregnant with DGS.