Help with VGF Purchase

[DisneyMimiUSMC]

My husband and I are talking to a guide about purchasing at VGF. We have a trip already booked in early December 2023 for our family of 8 at the Drury. This will cost about 5K which is what prompted me to look into DVC because I'd rather "buy" something than rent. We have a large family, but three of my kids are military (as are we) and it will be rare that we are able to all get together like we are in December. So my questions are as follows:

Are we too old to get value out of DVC? I can see us visiting every year. Sometimes it will be just the hubs and myself, and sometimes with family. I have a two year old grand daughter, so she's a major motivation. I'm in my 50's if that helps give perspective.

Our quote from our guide.... It seems high compared to what other people are being quoted. Does it look right? I'm thinking of scaling back to 200 and picking up an additional contract resale. Our use year is Feb if we go forward with this.

67,270
-4,340 baseline dev credit
-3,500 additional dev credit (300-499 points)
-1,500 summer c&m credit (300-499 points)
-500 dream it forward

Thanks for any insight! I'm a fairly educated human and I still find this overwhelming lol.

 

[SkampyOne]

I bought my 1st contract in my 50's so that's not the issue! If you say it's rare the whole family will get together using your points, and will mainly be a couples' trip, then how many points will you need? Do you know what time of year you would otherwise be traveling and what kind of room you want? One trip a year or several? I would start with a calendar and point chart and go from there. If a big family trip is rare, there are ways to add one-time points that will cover that so you don't have to pay for more points (and dues) than you would normally need.

 

[Sandisw]

The prices look accurate for the number of points you are buying. I do not think its too late for you to become part of DVC if you know that you are going to visit every year and will find value of staying on site.

In terms of UY, be sure that a Feb UY will work for your travel plans. When buying direct, guides will simply suggest the one they are pushing at that time, but you can request any UY that you want.

If you have a specific time to travel, you want a UY to start shortly before that because it gives you the most flexibility if you have to cancel or change a trip. When you can travel in your banking window---first 8 months of the UY....it is ideal when things happen.

If you are going to regularly travel in Dec, Feb UY is the worst one to have. Many people will buy direct at the minimum level and add on more points resale. However, any resale points bought now can not be used at RIV, VDH, or presumably any future resorts, which may include Poly tower and FW cabins.

Even owning direct points doesn't change this. Since you are considering VGF, they would be good there, and all the original resorts, just not the new ones. It may not matter for you, but it is important to be aware!

I would also make sure that your will be able to secure a DVC reservation for December as part of the deal. December is very popular and at this point a lot is booked up...but, new owners are given a chance to get a Welcome Home visit and while it may not be at the resort of your choice, they can usually find you something from inventory DVD has access to with the points they own, or for rooms not yet declared for DVC use (like RIV).

Good luck!

 

[Cupcake232]

My husband and I are talking to a guide about purchasing at VGF. We have a trip already booked in early December 2023 for our family of 8 at the Drury. This will cost about 5K which is what prompted me to look into DVC because I'd rather "buy" something than rent. We have a large family, but three of my kids are military (as are we) and it will be rare that we are able to all get together like we are in December. So my questions are as follows:

Are we too old to get value out of DVC? I can see us visiting every year. Sometimes it will be just the hubs and myself, and sometimes with family. I have a two year old grand daughter, so she's a major motivation. I'm in my 50's if that helps give perspective.

Our quote from our guide.... It seems high compared to what other people are being quoted. Does it look right? I'm thinking of scaling back to 200 and picking up an additional contract resale. Our use year is Feb if we go forward with this.

67,270
-4,340 baseline dev credit
-3,500 additional dev credit (300-499 points)
-1,500 summer c&m credit (300-499 points)
-500 dream it forward

Thanks for any insight! I'm a fairly educated human and I still find this overwhelming lol.

I bought my first contract at 40 and started with resale. We go multiple times a year and haven’t regretted it yet! There is a lot of discussion about buying resale before buying direct on the disboards. If you are looking for a direct purchase to have the discounts, you could save money purchasing a resale contract at VGF first, then purchasing a 150 point direct from DVC. Just a thought

 

[AwfulWaffle]

I bought my 1st contract in my 50's so that's not the issue! If you say it's rare the whole family will get together using your points, and will mainly be a couples' trip, then how many points will you need? Do you know what time of year you would otherwise be traveling and what kind of room you want? One trip a year or several? I would start with a calendar and point chart and go from there. If a big family trip is rare, there are ways to add one-time points that will cover that so you don't have to pay for more points (and dues) than you would normally need.

Another thing to consider is your 11 month booking window. I was in USMC for 8 years and one thing I know for certain is that it is difficult to know where I would be 11 months from today so you will likely be utilizing the 7 month booking window more often then you might think, unless you and your husband are retiring soon. I agree that age isn’t the issue because you can always bank and borrow to find accommodations that fit your unpredictable work schedule. Remaining points can always be rented out but there is no guarantee that you will find a renter before the unused points expire.
Obviously you know your families vacationing habits better then I do but if it were me I would buy enough points to cover a one bedroom or studio as my baseline and just bank/borrow as needed when the occasional two or three bedroom is needed. No one deserves a good vacation better than a soldier so you do you but remember you can always add on later but you can’t always take away later . Semper fi and welcome home!

 

[DisneyMimiUSMC]

I bought my 1st contract in my 50's so that's not the issue! If you say it's rare the whole family will get together using your points, and will mainly be a couples' trip, then how many points will you need? Do you know what time of year you would otherwise be traveling and what kind of room you want? One trip a year or several? I would start with a calendar and point chart and go from there. If a big family trip is rare, there are ways to add one-time points that will cover that so you don't have to pay for more points (and dues) than you would normally need.

How many points to buy is my struggle lol. I think my husband and I would go twice per year, but we are also considering being snowbirds in FL for three months a year when my husband retires in two years. We'd also like to attend Food and Wine annually. So, buying one VGF contract direct and maybe a Saratoga Springs contract resale may be the way to go.

 

[Disney_escape]

Definitely not to old.
I agree with @Sandisw that I question the UseYear, maybe an October or even December would be better if winter trips are more likely (the Guides will try to give you what they want, but we requested different and got it). 300 points seems like a lot if majority of trips will just be 2-4 people, maybe 200 points. Look at the 'Bank & Barrow' strategies, as using 150 points yearly (nice week long studio trip) and banking/barrowing 50 points would get you a 300 point trip every 3rd year.
Some great advice I have seen and used is, if you are getting 200 or 300 points have them split it into 100 point contracts. They will still work as one in terms of you using them but makes it much better later in life if you wish to pare down.
The RIV & VGF direct offers are pretty incredible right now, and $38K?? for 200 points, getting a blue card to save a little bit on food & merchandise, and you already have a $5k earmarked for the first trip seems like a pretty good deal.
Be sure they can get your vacation dates with the 'welcome home visit' as depending on when in December many dates are full. I believe there is a grace period/cancelation on DVC so if they can't you could back out, BUT ask about that as I am not 100% sure how/if that works.

We used to go every other year as our kids made life busy, but now we go 3 times a year for perfect escapes from the daily life grind. DVC has been a great product for us.

 

[DisneyMimiUSMC]

Another thing to consider is your 11 month booking window. I was in USMC for 8 years and one thing I know for certain is that it is difficult to know where I would be 11 months from today so you will likely be utilizing the 7 month booking window more often then you might think, unless you and your husband are retiring soon. I agree that age isn’t the issue because you can always bank and borrow to find accommodations that fit your unpredictable work schedule. Remaining points can always be rented out but there is no guarantee that you will find a renter before the unused points expire.
Obviously you know your families vacationing habits better then I do but if it were me I would buy enough points to cover a one bedroom or studio as my baseline and just bank/borrow as needed when the occasional two or three bedroom is needed. No one deserves a good vacation better than a soldier so you do you but remember you can always add on later but you can’t always take away later . Semper fi and welcome home!

My husband is already retired from the USMC and we both are defense contractors currently. He truly retires in two years. Semper Fi and thank you!

 

[Disney_escape]

How many points to buy is my struggle lol. I think my husband and I would go twice per year, but we are also considering being snowbirds in FL for three months a year when my husband retires in two years. We'd also like to attend Food and Wine annually. So, buying one VGF contract direct and maybe a Saratoga Springs contract resale may be the way to go.

You can always add on more points later. It's call addonitis, and it is a real thing, we have done it 3 times.

 

[DisneyMimiUSMC]

Definitely not to old.
I agree with @Sandisw that I question the UseYear, maybe an October or even December would be better if winter trips are more likely (the Guides will try to give you what they want, but we requested different and got it). 300 points seems like a lot if majority of trips will just be 2-4 people, maybe 200 points. Look at the 'Bank & Barrow' strategies, as using 150 points yearly (nice week long studio trip) and banking/barrowing 50 points would get you a 300 point trip every 3rd year.
Some great advice I have seen and used is, if you are getting 200 or 300 points have them split it into 100 point contracts. They will still work as one in terms of you using them but makes it much better later in life if you wish to pare down.
The RIV & VGF direct offers are pretty incredible right now, and $38K?? for 200 points, getting a blue card to save a little bit on food & merchandise, and you already have a $5k earmarked for the first trip seems like a pretty good deal.
Be sure they can get your vacation dates with the 'welcome home visit' as depending on when in December many dates are full. I believe there is a grace period/cancelation on DVC so if they can't you could back out, BUT ask about that as I am not 100% sure how/if that works.

We used to go every other year as our kids made life busy, but now we go 3 times a year for perfect escapes from the daily life grind. DVC has been a great product for us.

Thank you. Super helpful. And yes, our guide put in for a rez at Kidani for our upcoming trip in a 2 bed savanna view villa.

 

[DisneyMimiUSMC]

You can always add on more points later. It's call addonitis, and it is a real thing, we have done it 3 times.

I predict an upcoming addiction lol. Do people add on direct or resale usually?

 

[Disney_escape]

I predict an upcoming addiction lol. Do people add on direct or resale usually?

Both. we did direct a VGF. And are currently closing on a Copper Creek resale. Out of 4 properties we have 2 direct and 2 resale.

 

[PalmettoPath]

We have a Feb UY. We go three times a year: March, August, December. We never have a problem getting our desired VGF room at the 11 month window for any of these.

 

[DanCali]

My point of view is to buy the least amount of direct, unless they give you a reason to do otherwise. Given VGF resale prices, there are strong reasons to consider a direct purchase. But is there a reason to buy 300+ points?

From your base purchase price of $67,270 it sounds like you're looking at 310 points?

You should do the following exercise - take the price after all incentives for each of the following point cases (i) 310 point (ii) 300 points (iii) 250 points (iv) 200 points and (v) 150 points and then divide by the number of points relevant to the case. This will give you a price per point (each case can also deduct $22 for Magical Beginnings). You're likely to find that 150 gives you the best price per point. And if that's the case, maybe 150 at VGF may be sufficient for now (it should generally be enough for 1 week in a studio each use year, and studios sleep 5). If you decide you need more you can consider a cheaper resale contract of 150 points at a second resort. Or maybe you go back in 2 months and buy another 150 points direct if they give you the same price.

If you do end up getting 300+ points, you should consider splitting that into 2-4 separate contracts (e.g. 2x150, 3x100, or 4x75). It will make it easier to sell down the road and you can also sell fractions of what you own.

 

[AwfulWaffle]

How many points to buy is my struggle lol. I think my husband and I would go twice per year, but we are also considering being snowbirds in FL for three months a year when my husband retires in two years. We'd also like to attend Food and Wine annually. So, buying one VGF contract direct and maybe a Saratoga Springs contract resale may be the way to go.

How many points one needs is always the challenge but for you it works out well that retirement isn’t for another two years so you have a few trips between now and then to get a good gauge of what your family needs. Since your family has opted for VGF as your home resort then any resale contracts you buy down the road can help with your stays here and 7 month on the two bedroom grand villas isn’t impossible during your preferred travel months.
Considering the price points and discounts available then I too would recommend an October Use Year for travels in the late fall and early winter. 200 will go fast at VGF but you have two years to bank and borrow to see what you truly need. If you go with a later use year then you can also opt in to sell your 2022 points back as part of Magical Beginnings for even greater savings (possibly can be applied towards more points). and get a fresh pool of points in October. As others stated, I would also go with multiple contracts in case you need to downsize in 10-15 years. One single 150 point contract so you can always keep your blue card membership (especially if you want annual passes) and multiple 50-100 point contracts to sell off as needed. Additional closing cost expenses but small price to pay for peace of mine when it comes time to resale down the road.

 

[Her Dotness]

If you do end up getting 300+ points, you should consider splitting that into 2-4 separate contracts (e.g. 2x150, 3x100, or 4x75). It will make it easier to sell down the road and you can also sell fractions of what you own.

This is a significant consideration, because once you buy a 300 point contract, you can't sell portions of it. It's all or none.

Even though you'll pay more closing costs selling smaller contracts, being able to do so could be essential should something catastrophic occur, necessitating selling some points.

We started out with the minimum VGF direct, added a 25pt VGF direct a couple years later because we found none with our use year at 50pts or less via resale. That's another consideration. It might take several years to find an affordable resale in your use year with the number of points you want to add. We shopped the resales for over 3 years before finding a workable VGF resale.

A Feb UY hasn't so far been an issue for us. We had no clue buying in that that's a lousy UY for travel in the fall as we prefer. We can't go more than once annually so could really be stuck if we had to cancel a trip and try renting out points. Do be sure you fully understand how use year may affect planning before you commit to a particular UY.

 

[sndral]

There are 8 possible use years w/ DVC. Use years start on the first day of the assigned month. A Feb. use year contract is currently in its’ 2023 use year, so you’d get your 300+ 2023 points & have access to borrow your 2024 points for a Dec. 2023 vacation.
Both Oct. & Dec. use year contracts are still in their 2022 use year, so you’d get 300+ 2022 points (which DVC would bank for you to be used for your Dec. vacation) plus 300+ 2023 points which would be current use year points for your Dec. vacation, & of course if needed you could borrow up to 300+ of your 2024 points. If you didn’t need all of those 2023 points for your Dec. vacation you’d bank the extra to use for your next vacation. Having a cushion to start helps delay when you may need to buy more points.
Getting an August, Sept., Oct., or Dec. use year right now gives you immediate access to an extra years worth of points v. getting a use year that’s already started eg: Feb., March, Apr., June.

 

[Curiousporpoise]

My husband and I are talking to a guide about purchasing at VGF. We have a trip already booked in early December 2023 for our family of 8 at the Drury. This will cost about 5K which is what prompted me to look into DVC because I'd rather "buy" something than rent. We have a large family, but three of my kids are military (as are we) and it will be rare that we are able to all get together like we are in December. So my questions are as follows:

Are we too old to get value out of DVC? I can see us visiting every year. Sometimes it will be just the hubs and myself, and sometimes with family. I have a two year old grand daughter, so she's a major motivation. I'm in my 50's if that helps give perspective.

Our quote from our guide.... It seems high compared to what other people are being quoted. Does it look right? I'm thinking of scaling back to 200 and picking up an additional contract resale. Our use year is Feb if we go forward with this.

67,270
-4,340 baseline dev credit
-3,500 additional dev credit (300-499 points)
-1,500 summer c&m credit (300-499 points)
-500 dream it forward

Thanks for any insight! I'm a fairly educated human and I still find this overwhelming lol.

Isn’t there an additional DVC discount for members of the military?

 

[DVChris]

Isn’t there an additional DVC discount for members of the military?

Yes.
https://dvcexplorer.com/fin/cm/GrandFloridian_Member_CastMil_Welcome.pdf

 

[Unclelude]

Unless you want to yolo, I agree with starting with 150.

Get a SEP/OCT/DEC use year so you get the 2022 points. Have them bank those when you buy ( or I think you could get the $22 credit, and then borrow from 2024) for your stay this December... again keeping your rez...

You *could* try a resale. Find a loaded SSR or something ... But then you are running availability risk. You could probably cobble a stay in December 2BR at OKW or SSR, maybe even AKL ...