Help me evaluate how much to add on, without doing "too much"!

[bradykp]

I'm doing some comparisons in preparation of buying more points (own 180at AKV - resale, but get most of the benefits like discounted AP and blue membership card) and trying to figure out if I'm a family of 5 that would mostly be staying in a 1 bedroom, but would like the ability to book a 2 bedroom, and we travel 9 nights typically, once per year, what's the "most" amount of points I would need? I seem to be settling on 400 total points.

I checked 9 nights in August, September, October, November - which is when we typically travel - and it's enough for most 2 bedrooms for 9 nights. For instance, 11/5/2020 - 11/14/2020 the only places I wouldn't be able to book are: BLT 2BR Lake or Theme Park VGF 2 BR Standard or Lake Riviera 2BR Standard (408 - could buy one time use points) or Preferred. For Aulani, we even look like we could easily take a trip there in a 1 bedroom, but might need to borrow if we went 9 nights.

Seems I mostly fall into Choice/Dream season if i go in Sept/Oct/Nov, maybe in May/June or late August. If i go June/July, I'm up to Magic season, and can still easily stay in almost any 1BR. Even if I went Christmas Week, i have plenty for most 1 bedrooms.

So my question is: What compelling reason is there to buy more than 400 points? (other than, you can never have too many points?)?!

 

[sethschroeder]

What do you currently have?
Are you planning on buying direct or resale?
Is there a list of hotels that you would plan on wanting to stay at if possible?
When would you travel most often?
When would you travel even 1 year in the future?
Will you plan on expanding your travel in the future or strictly 9 night no more?

 

[lakerie]

I'm doing some comparisons in preparation of buying more points and trying to figure out if I'm a family of 5 that would mostly be staying in a 1 bedroom, but would like the ability to book a 2 bedroom, and we travel 9 nights typically, once per year, what's the "most" amount of points I would need? I seem to be settling on 400 total points.

I checked 9 nights in August, September, October, November - which is when we typically travel - and it's enough for most 2 bedrooms for 9 nights. For instance, 11/5/2020 - 11/14/2020 the only places I wouldn't be able to book are: BLT 2BR Lake or Theme Park VGF 2 BR Standard or Lake Riviera 2BR Standard (408 - could buy one time use points) or Preferred. For Aulani, we even look like we could easily take a trip there in a 1 bedroom, but might need to borrow if we went 9 nights.

Seems I mostly fall into Choice/Dream season if i go in Sept/Oct/Nov, maybe in May/June or late August. If i go June/July, I'm up to Magic season, and can still easily stay in almost any 1BR. Even if I went Christmas Week, i have plenty for most 1 bedrooms.

So my question is: What compelling reason is there to buy more than 400 points? (other than, you can never have too many points?)?!

 

[lakerie]

IDEA : How about starting small (300 points) at your fav resort and buy “used” point package ( maybe 200) at a discounted price? Points are points all equal when used, but you’ll be able to have the option to reserve early at your fav resort with those 300. When I bought mine, they only had 40some years on them instead of 50, but purchased at a significant reduction.

 

[bradykp]

Currently own 180 points at AKV (resale)
I'd most likely "add-on" at Riviera for the discount of $35pp off of $195 - ending up paying $160pp for 220 more points.

I love staying at AKV (our home) and we've always loved adding a few nights at Poly or BR to take advantage of the cheaper nights in a studio that sleeps 5. We just did a trip where we did 2 nights at Riviera, 5 nights in Beach Club (kids loved it for the pool), and 3 nights in BLT which we were surprised but loved it also.

As I said in the original post, we mostly travel in November (jersey week) but stick to the Sept/Oct/Nov period. We've also gone in May/June. We're open to going in the summer as well as the kids get older that may be easier with school.

With everything else we do as a family, I can't see us extending beyond the 9 nights per year. We ski in the winter, and we like to try to do a few days at the beach in the summer. add in some random long weekends, i just don't know if we could add on nights at disney.

What do you currently have?
Are you planning on buying direct or resale?
Is there a list of hotels that you would plan on wanting to stay at if possible?
When would you travel most often?
When would you travel even 1 year in the future?
Will you plan on expanding your travel in the future or strictly 9 night no more?

 

[bradykp]

IDEA : How about starting small (300 points) at your fav resort and buy “used” point package ( maybe 200) at a discounted price? Points are points all equal when used, but you’ll be able to have the option to reserve early at your fav resort with those 300. When I bought mine, they only had 40some years on them instead of 50, but purchased at a significant reduction.

i just edited original post for clarity. we already own 180 points resale. i think we paid around $91pp for AKV at the time (in 2016). we're looking to add on because we really enjoy the 1 bedrooms and we enjoy 9 nights instead of 7 after doing it a few times.

 

[sethschroeder]

Sept/Oct/Nov period

You are going to need 441 for a 1BR Preferred View at RIV for Jersey week it looks like. Thing is though AKV really only needs 251 or 305 during that same time for a 1BR.

The way to think of it though is every year you stay at AKV you will then have roughly 500 points the following year to use towards a 2BR.

We've also gone in May/June

You do need to account for June being a little more but with the points you don't use when staying at AKV it would actually cover your June trips every other year anyways.

I would say if you don't plan on 2BRs every other year that you would really want to drop down to just adding 200 points even for the discount and 380 total points. Since you enjoy AKV so much every time you stay there it "saves" a bunch of points for the following year.

I would almost say you could do even less points a little bit but 200 points is a "pretty good deal". Plus the extra points do allow you to get the preferred views everywhere since those AKV years you would be stashing 75 points away (if you just purchase 200 add-on).

Final note the step up to a 2BR is not that much more as an example at AKV you could get a 2BR Std View for 326 one year and then RIV 2BR STD for 455 the following year. So in reality you would have enough for a 2BR every single year.

 

[RoseGold]

It's not like resale comes in any configuration. You are probably looking at a 180 (used to be standard size) or 200 point resale contract. Either of these sound like they will get you most of the way there, and you miss a day every couple years to make the points balance.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

I would start with the 220 point add on but probably look for it broken into smaller contracts. If you think 400 is all you need right now then I would stay around that number, but if you break the 220 into 100 and 150 you will get 250 which is also nice. I love the fact AK has the choice of value or concierge rooms so you cannot go wrong there. That may be all you need now. When our kids were small we traveled the last two weeks of August, but once they got into high school that all changed and we needed to be back then so we travel the middle of June - if you are traveling when the points drop in august, plan ahead for changes in kids summer travel availability. Start with the plan to get to around 400 now, and if you need more later, add on later.
The new resale points will not be able to book at RR or any future DVC resorts, your old points can book anywhere.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

Currently own 180 points at AKV (resale)
I'd most likely "add-on" at Riviera for the discount of $35pp off of $195 - ending up paying $160pp for 220 more points.

I love staying at AKV (our home) and we've always loved adding a few nights at Poly or BR to take advantage of the cheaper nights in a studio that sleeps 5. We just did a trip where we did 2 nights at Riviera, 5 nights in Beach Club (kids loved it for the pool), and 3 nights in BLT which we were surprised but loved it also.

As I said in the original post, we mostly travel in November (jersey week) but stick to the Sept/Oct/Nov period. We've also gone in May/June. We're open to going in the summer as well as the kids get older that may be easier with school.

With everything else we do as a family, I can't see us extending beyond the 9 nights per year. We ski in the winter, and we like to try to do a few days at the beach in the summer. add in some random long weekends, i just don't know if we could add on nights at disney.

After reading this, I see you are not adding on at AKV but RR. I would break the RR contract into two contracts - maybe three (100; 75; 45). I agree the price at RR is really good right now, and since you are booking 1 bedrooms you should be able to get any resort in the 7 month window.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Check out the points charts on the member website (and other locations as well). Look at the time you think you want to go and see how many points will cost you. Add 10% for any changes to the charts. Then multiply that number by $180 to see what you are ultimately going to pay (more if you finance). Is it worth that? Do you have college tuition coming up in the near future? How about other expenses?

 

[sethschroeder]

multiply that number by $180

They followed up they would likely add-on 200 points at RIV are $160 or 300 points are $155. It was also talked about getting access to AP benefits which help remove that cost long term if you think Ticket discounts will remain and you will use them.

 

[bradykp]

what's the benefit of splitting it into smaller contracts? i'd pay more in closing costs, right? you're thinking just easier to sell/commands a higher resale premium? if i buy riviera, i think i'm sorta married to the riviera contract because I'm not sure what it'll look like in the resale market - so if i ever needed to sell, i'd likely sell my 180 at AKV first.

After reading this, I see you are not adding on at AKV but RR. I would break the RR contract into two contracts - maybe three (100; 75; 45). I agree the price at RR is really good right now, and since you are booking 1 bedrooms you should be able to get any resort in the 7 month window.

 

[Sandisw]

what's the benefit of splitting it into smaller contracts? i'd pay more in closing costs, right? you're thinking just easier to sell/commands a higher resale premium? if i buy riviera, i think i'm sorta married to the riviera contract because I'm not sure what it'll look like in the resale market - so if i ever needed to sell, i'd likely sell my 180 at AKV first.

Yes, the smaller contracts are for sale. If you went with 220 or 300, the most I would do is 2 contract, but I own RIV along with others and said when I bought it would always be the contract I held on to forever. I knew we could afford the MFs long term, whether we traveled or not, or just transferred yearly to cover them if there was an issue.

 

[davidl81]

I'm doing some comparisons in preparation of buying more points (own 180at AKV - resale, but get most of the benefits like discounted AP and blue membership card) and trying to figure out if I'm a family of 5 that would mostly be staying in a 1 bedroom, but would like the ability to book a 2 bedroom, and we travel 9 nights typically, once per year, what's the "most" amount of points I would need? I seem to be settling on 400 total points.

I checked 9 nights in August, September, October, November - which is when we typically travel - and it's enough for most 2 bedrooms for 9 nights. For instance, 11/5/2020 - 11/14/2020 the only places I wouldn't be able to book are: BLT 2BR Lake or Theme Park VGF 2 BR Standard or Lake Riviera 2BR Standard (408 - could buy one time use points) or Preferred. For Aulani, we even look like we could easily take a trip there in a 1 bedroom, but might need to borrow if we went 9 nights.

Seems I mostly fall into Choice/Dream season if i go in Sept/Oct/Nov, maybe in May/June or late August. If i go June/July, I'm up to Magic season, and can still easily stay in almost any 1BR. Even if I went Christmas Week, i have plenty for most 1 bedrooms.

So my question is: What compelling reason is there to buy more than 400 points? (other than, you can never have too many points?)?!

So you seem a lot like our family. We started with 160 at AKV, then added 60 to 220. Added on 175 more to bring us to 395, and just added another 175 to bring us to 570. 570 is probably a little more than we really need (500 would have been a good number), but price per point on 100 point contracts are so high I just felt better on buying a 175 resale contract.

If you have 180 now I would look for a 200-250ish point resale. You already get AP discounts since you bought resale long enough ago, so I would not recommend getting RIV points (unless you just love RIV). The MF's are really high at RIV and even at 160 a point I think you can find better value in say another AKV resale or maybe a Poly resale. I am a proponent of having a few more points than you think you need as once you start borrowing for trips you get into this never ending spiral of always needing to borrow until you either have to skip a year, or pay to have some points transferred in etc.

 

[davidl81]

what's the benefit of splitting it into smaller contracts? i'd pay more in closing costs, right? you're thinking just easier to sell/commands a higher resale premium? if i buy riviera, i think i'm sorta married to the riviera contract because I'm not sure what it'll look like in the resale market - so if i ever needed to sell, i'd likely sell my 180 at AKV first.

Just remember if you buy direct try to break up the contracts into smaller contracts. But if buying resale the bigger contracts are actually a better value for the buyer as the seller has (or should have) already priced down the contract to make it appealing to sell. It's why I was thinking if you are looking at 200 point plus add on I think resale can represent a really good value for you.

 

[RoseGold]

what's the benefit of splitting it into smaller contracts? i'd pay more in closing costs, right?

Closing costs maybe a few hundred bucks. Multiple small contracts are easier to sell and command a higher price per point. This also allows you flexibility in the future, as you could offload some points and keep some others. It gives you more options as a seller.

It also helps estate planning, as you can't break up a contract. Estates can and have forced sale to buy out someone else. Splitting contracts for inheritance is common and smart.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Splitting contracts for inheritance is common and smart.

Unless the person inheriting the contract can't afford it or doesn't want it.

 

[RoseGold]

Unless the person inheriting the contract can't afford it or doesn't want it.

That's what I'm saying. It's easier to divvy up smaller contracts, instead of an heir forcing sale of the whole huge contract when there is fighting over who gets what points because someone does/doesn't want DVC.

 

[Sandisw]

So you seem a lot like our family. We started with 160 at AKV, then added 60 to 220. Added on 175 more to bring us to 395, and just added another 175 to bring us to 570. 570 is probably a little more than we really need (500 would have been a good number), but price per point on 100 point contracts are so high I just felt better on buying a 175 resale contract.

If you have 180 now I would look for a 200-250ish point resale. You already get AP discounts since you bought resale long enough ago, so I would not recommend getting RIV points (unless you just love RIV). The MF's are really high at RIV and even at 160 a point I think you can find better value in say another AKV resale or maybe a Poly resale. I am a proponent of having a few more points than you think you need as once you start borrowing for trips you get into this never ending spiral of always needing to borrow until you either have to skip a year, or pay to have some points transferred in etc.

When you know you want to stay at RIV, and are okay with the resale restrictions, which OP is, buying those direct makes sense.

Renting your own points to make it happen can be a pain. Transfers mean you lose out in online booking and that could make a difference between SV and PV

To get RIV at $160 is a pretty good deal for those who want it. And if things change and someone goes more than once per year, that AP discount..when sales happen again..can add up.