Help me think this through....many at one or few at many

[tx911]

Let's say, hypothetically, that I just joined DVC and already want more points before even taking my first DVC trip

Should I add more points to my existing home, or buy at a second home resort?

The former allows "going big" at 11 months at one home resort, while the latter allows smaller 11 month bookings at 2 different resorts. Either scenario allows "going big" at 7 months, assuming the points are unrestricted.

For those that have experience owning lots of points at one resort (and probably also owning at multiple resorts), which would you prefer if you had to choose one or the other?

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

You can also "go big" by borrowing when needed. That's what I'm planning for our Grand Cal / Disneyland Hotel.
Get a 2-3 bedroom at one and do studios at the other. Then swap the next year.

 

[aceshigh73]

I probably cant be much help because i also went thru (and still am) this scenario myself. We almost bought a SSR contract which would have been cheaper but a lot more pts than we have at BWV. Thinking it through my head, realizing it was MUCH more difficult to book BWV than SSR at 7 months, it didnt make a whole lotta sense and might have worked better the other way (more bwv and less at ssr if we wanted to primarily stay at bwv). So we wound up getting another mid sized BWV contract with the same UY. hope i didnt confuse you...

 

[Cfabar1]

my suggestion would be to buy enough points for one week or one five day trip in your desired room category at one resort and season.

see where that takes you if you want to travel more with borrowing and banking, and then look to add on.

I would not recommend adding a second resort until you have enough for one full visit at your desired 1st home resort. caveat would be if you are someone who enjoys split stays (which I would not).

 

[sndral]

Let's say, hypothetically, that I just joined DVC and already want more points before even taking my first DVC trip

Should I add more points to my existing home, or buy at a second home resort?

The former allows "going big" at 11 months at one home resort, while the latter allows smaller 11 month bookings at 2 different resorts. Either scenario allows "going big" at 7 months, assuming the points are unrestricted.

For those that have experience owning lots of points at one resort (and probably also owning at multiple resorts), which would you prefer if you had to choose one or the other?

I’d use the points you just bought to get a feel for the system & for your likes/dislikes, maybe even booking at some of your ‘target’ other resorts to try them out. In a couple of years you’ll have a much clearer idea of what works for you.
I’ve owned at 2 resorts for a number of years, we alternate years, one year we book at 11 months using banked + current years points at one of our resorts, the next year we use banked + current points to book our other resort at 11 months. We tried split stays & a few resorts before settling into the one longer stay at one of our two favorite resorts once a year.

 

[intamin]

I prefer owning at multiple. It gives me the option to book at 11 months at studios/2BRs which are the rooms that go first. My preferred DVC portfolio is almost complete once I obtain Poly 2. I value being able to book the hard to get rooms over being able to book the grand villa without having to borrow. If I ever want to go on a big trip with family I'll just borrow the one year and skip staying there the next.

 

[thelionqueen]

Addonitis is real… that’s all

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

 

[tx911]

Thanks for the input!

The problem with borrowing is that it puts you in an "every other year" situation, and I'd prefer 2 Disney trips per year.

I think the advice to live with my current points is sound, but I own at VGF, and have major FOMO about missing out on the current incentives, and also fear of it selling out because the incentives are so good right now.

My heart wants me to buy 150 more VGF points now and just pretend I bought that many to begin with

 

[tx911]

I must say the "1000 point club" threads are NOT helping

 

[Sandisw]

We are split stay people so we have points at both home resorts we love. RIV and VGF.

We also have SSR points that were bought to allow for us to upgrade to larger rooms at 7 months…or use to replace some of the njghts we got using the home resort points, if still available, and then saving them for the following year.

All depends on your preferences!

 

[tx911]

We are split stay people so we have points at both home resorts we love. RIV and VGF.

We also have SSR points that were bought to allow for us to upgrade to larger rooms at 7 months…or use to replace some of the njghts we got using the home resort points, if still available, and then saving them for the following year.

All depends on your preferences!makes everything easier

Yes, but you are choosing both options simultaneously: Lots of points and lots of home resorts.

What would you pick if you had to choose between lots at VGF and a few at RIV, vs. a moderate amount at both?

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, but you are choosing both options simultaneously: Lots of points and lots of home resorts.

What would you pick if you had to choose between lots at VGF and a few at RIV, vs. a moderate amount at both?

RIV is my favorite so if I was choosing which to have more, it would be RIV since we do more days there than VGF

Right now, we are evenly split with 300 at each of the three we own…900 total..but future purchases will be RIv direct unless Poly tower is a new association and we like it enough to buy.

Chances are though our future contracts will be RIV. Lol

 

[tom1944]

I’d use the points you just bought to get a feel for the system & for your likes/dislikes, maybe even booking at some of your ‘target’ other resorts to try them out. In a couple of years you’ll have a much clearer idea of what works for you.
I’ve owned at 2 resorts for a number of years, we alternate years, one year we book at 11 months using banked + current years points at one of our resorts, the next year we use banked + current points to book our other resort at 11 months. We tried split stays & a few resorts before settling into the one longer stay at one of our two favorite resorts once a year.

This is the process we are trying now. Our original contract at SSR was for 180 points plus 90 banked. We booked a week at BLT for 268 points.
We had a great week.

Our next trip we will try a split stay for 9 days the plan is 5 days at BLT 1 bedroom and 4 at SSR in a 2 bedroom. We will have to borrow 2025 points.

After that trip we will need to add another contract to have enough points for a 7 to 10 day trip every year.

 

[tx911]

RIV is my favorite so if I was choosing which to have more, it would be RIV since we do more days there than VGF

Right now, we are evenly split with 300 at each of the three we own…900 total..but future purchases will be RIv direct unless Poly tower is a new association and we like it enough to buy.

Chances are though our future contracts will be RIV. Lol

We are staying at Riviera in February and I have a feeling my wife and I are both going to love it

 

[tx911]

my suggestion would be to buy enough points for one week or one five day trip in your desired room category at one resort and season.

see where that takes you if you want to travel more with borrowing and banking, and then look to add on.

I would not recommend adding a second resort until you have enough for one full visit at your desired 1st home resort. caveat would be if you are someone who enjoys split stays (which I would not).

Thanks. I have enough now for one trip at my home resort pretty much any time through the year in a 1BR, or maybe studio during the peak times.

I would like to have enough for 2 such trips per year most years, or one trip in a larger villa such as a 2BR on some years, taking more family along.

 

[thelionqueen]

I must say the "1000 point club" threads are NOT helping

Bunch of enablers they are lol

 

[thelionqueen]

Thanks. I have enough now for one trip at my home resort pretty much any time through the year in a 1BR, or maybe studio during the peak times.

I would like to have enough for 2 such trips per year most years, or one trip in a larger villa such as a 2BR on some years, taking more family along.

We’re all thinking it, I’m just gonna say it. Best incentives to buy direct in a very long time. As someone who’s had FOMO since I sold my VGC points in 2011, let me tell you..it’s rough! I had no desire to add on direct but pulled the trigger and just did it. And honestly, I’ve never been happier with that decision! Shiny new points at Disney is simply the best! If you know you’re going to vacation to Disney yearly or more, honestly it’s a no brainer.

VGF WILL sell out by early next year, that’s almost a certainty. IF the Fall incentives are better, having a contract in place before 9/10 will give you the opportunity to pick the best deal. AND if you get cold feet, just rescind within the 10 day window. But, this is coming from an enabler…soooo

 

[tidefan]

It really depends on what your vacation style is. If you are dead set on being a certain resorts, then I would definitely consider owning points there for the 11 month window. On the other hand, if you are like us, and don't really care too much where you stay, the more points the better.

 

[NVDISFamily]

Enabler here. Having already given into the addon bug hard. Some thoughts.

I've seen a lot of wisdom about having one big pool of points at a resort you love first to just make the ease of doing "just about anything you want" with your membership possible (at that one resort) within your 11 to 7 month booking advantage. Want to get 3 2BR villas for a week in a somewhat competitive season for a family reunion. More points in one spot help make that a reality. Of course travel times, seasons, and how in demand rooms are of the type you want matter.

I'm also a fan of owning a few resorts and split stays, but I want to say there is some comfort in having a lot of points in each resort/contract before you expand. Even though I really should not consider adding more points at this time (we have a few too many) I get a little too much anxiety with how few CCV points we own. It's just not quite enough to do what we want at WL all the time. The ability to typically book into either CCV or BRV at 7 months has been good so far, but it doesn't help keep the addonitis bug away. We always have the "almost never fully booked" cabins at 7 months as our backup but that's a point expensive alternative.