How many points at each resort?

[Simba06]

Looking to get into DVC after many years of research. Family off four with a 7yo boy and 1 yo girl. Our favorite resorts are Wilderness Lodge and the Polynesian. My plan is to find a smaller point CCV resale contract before our next probably trip in late 2023. Then when Poly2 goes for sale, buy direct with hopefully decent current member pricing and incentives. This would make up the majority of our points.

I see us using the CCV contract for shorter Thanksgiving or Christmas based trips of about 4-5 nights, likely every 2-3 years We would have to stay in a two bedroom because I want three sleeping surfaces.

The Poly contract would be used for our 7-9 night trips during spring break season (typically last week of Marcg), or as late as end of May. We cannot handle summer humidity in Florida . This would be for every 1-2 years.

I am thinking of about 100-150 pts for CCV resale, and unsure about the number of Poly points. We could do a one bedroom if it had the pull down sleeper like the studios there do. But once we stay in a 2 bedroom I am afraid we won’t want to go any smaller! For reference we stayed for 10 nights in a regular hotel room this Feb and did fine, but we utilized the club level lounge for an extra hangout spot when the baby was sleeping. So at minimum I am going to guess we need 200 pts at Poly. Also depends on what the point charts look like. I’m looking at VGF as a possible reference.

Does that sound about right for our plans?

Are there alternatives I am overlooking resort wise? We don’t really like SSR or OKW that much, but are fans of the rest of the deluxes. We do not want to own Riviera due to resale restrictions, but would like to have the option to stay there. I eventually want access the direct benefits, even if they are slim at the moment. But I don’t mind a mix of resale/direct.

 

[Sandisw]

The only thing to think about is that the details on new Poly tower have not yet included whether it will be a new association.

It it is, it could mean those points have resale restrictions and your CCV points bought now resale won’t be eligible for use there.

We have no idea when that decision will come out. If it’s rolled into the current PvB, there won’t be restrictions. But, since you mention not wanting RIV due to restrictions , it’s possible that will happen with Poly tower as well.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Are these 2 separate trips I.e 2 spring breaks out of every 3 years PLUS an additional CCV Thanksgiving/Christmas trip or basically a trip a year but the locale changes?

By my estimate Poly 2 using the VGF pricing chart will cost 639 for an 8 night stay with one extra peak night.

CCV at Christmas for 5 nights is 336 in a 2BD assuming 2 expensive and 3 cheap nights.

Assuming it’s 1 trip/year that’s 1614 points over 3 years, or 538 per year. Round up at least to 550 to be safe.

BUT if this is your plan you would almost certainly want to buy CCV direct to preserve the ability to book at Poly 2 potentially if it is a separate association. Otherwise you are looking at a Bungalow Christmas.

Now thinking about timing, you are probably going to need home booking advantage during popular times. That would mean at least 426 Poly 2 points to use every 2 years and 135 CCV (bank, use, borrow half the amount) or 112 if full borrow. Yes, I know that contradicts what I said above about resale but if I have learned nothing else about Disney is that nice rooms are highly addictive, and you may want flexibility to do something different.

If it were me I would buy 450 Poly 2 direct and at least 150 CCV direct. That would give you a lot of breathing room to add another day, switch hotels, and maybe even do something totally special once in a while.

Where else to consider? Doing it again we would buy BC resale because BC points are only ever used there and we don’t be disadvantaged after 2042. Also walking into Epcot and HS is amazing. Otherwise I think you have a great plan.

(Edited: resorts reversed because it’s late on Friday)

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

To be fair though my family is more likely to add a trio than skip a year. If you are comfortable with fewer days, skipping a year entirely, and/or being locked out of where you want to stay, then by all means don’t go crazy on points.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

One last thought - min buy in is 150 points direct so you wouldn’t be able to go under that for CCV, and even at that level the savings may seem like a lot up front but by 2062 it will be a drop in the bucket vs everything you will have spent at Disney.

 

[RoseGold]

Here’s a recommendation I almost never make. Boulder Ridge. I know, early expiration, is it ever going to be refurbed? But the studios sleep 5, three sleeping surfaces, and it’s still WL at Christmas/Thanksgiving. A studio vs a 2BR, heck two studios is so much less points than a CCV 2BR. So, this wouldn’t take a huge contract.

Then you either sell in a few years after you buy your poly, or you hold after the awesome new refurb.

BR is not exactly a hot ticket on the resale market, so maybe you could find a deal.

Also worth considering a plain old kids air mattress, like I have in my owners locker. That could do a lot in a BR/CCV 1BR.