How do you figure...

[ScottJ]

1. How many points? I know this is a personal issue based on how one vacations but is the 160pts a good place to start or should it be higher?

2. UY? Do you have a choice to determine your UY? I know our vacationing habits will eventually change so does UY really matter?

 

[kim_d]

We purchased in directly from WDW 2002 at BCV and gave no thought to use year- we have February. It hasn't been an issue for us. We typically have no problem working our vacations into our work schedules.

We initially purchased 175 points. It ended up not being enough- we just purchased another 130. Now 175 would have been enough if we stuck to our orginial DVC plan- studio once per year. However once we became DVC members and had children shortly thereafter going once a year became once, twice, three, four times per year and staying at a studio became a one or 2 bedroom.

 

[Grandbuddy]

Look at the points chart and see how many points it will take to book the size villa you will want, for the number of nights you believe you will want to stay.

Then look at the points chart and see how many points it will take to book the next bigger size villa for at least one more week than you think you will want to stay. Add 50 extra points to that number - just in case - and buy that number or a few more.

Start looking for add-ons a week or two later.

 

[vicki_c]

Look at the points chart and see how many points it will take to book the size villa you will want, for the number of nights you believe you will want to stay.

Then look at the points chart and see how many points it will take to book the next bigger size villa for at least one more week than you think you will want to stay. Add 50 extra points to that number

You forget -- Then double it!

 

[dizplanner]

I think it depends on how confident you are in your vacations plans in the forseeable future. For example, are you sure you want to go once a year or do you think every other year is more your speed? Are you sure you need a two bedroom or will a one bedroom or even a studio work? Will you be going for a full week or do you think you will switch to shorter (or longer) visits? Will every vacation be similar or will you mix it up with villa size and different lengths of stay?

If you are very confident about your answers for the next, say, five to ten years, I would purchase that amount of points. However if you are unsure, you may want to start small and add on if it makes sense. It is easier to add points that to reduce the number of points you have.

Also in regard to the last point, if you think you need 360 points because you plan to stay in a 2 bedroom for a week during the summer at AKV SV every year, don't buy as one big contract. You cannot break up a contract so if you later decide you don't want to go every year or that you no longer need a two bedroom, the only way to reduce your points is to sell the whole thing (which will be hard because many people do not have the cash to buy that large of a contract on the resale market) and purchase a smaller contract - expensive. Instead, break it into 2 or 3 contracts - say 160, 100, 100. Then if you later determine you only need a 1 bedroom for that week (268 points) long term (say after the kids are grown), you can sell one of the 100 point contracts.

 

[ScottJ]

Are 160pt contracts difficult to sell or should DVC be purchased in 100pt increments?

 

[bookswin]

Are 160pt contracts difficult to sell or should DVC be purchased in 100pt increments?

Smaller contracts seem easier to sell, and at higher prices, even though since many closing costs are fixed the per point price is drastically more.

If you watch the resale sites, I think you will see this.

Many more people can scare up, say, $8000 than $16000.

 

[dizplanner]

Contracts of 100 or less sell quicker because people who don't want to purchase 160 points can't from Disney (although there seemed to be a recent exception that allowed 100 points at AKV).

I don't know, but from observation I don't think it is too hard to sell contracts in the 150-250 range. However anything larger seems to sit. I don't know where the upper limit if this range actually is, but you get the idea.

If you are purchase your original contract from Disney, I'm not sure if they require you to make one of them be at least 160 points or if they will let you split however you want. (i.e. if you are purchasing 200 points, will they make you split it 160+40 or will they let you do 100+100 - I don't know).