How many points do you have? How do you use them?

[rutgers1]

I love hearing stories ranging from people with 50 points they got resale to those with 1,000+. Whenever I hear of someone with a small contract, I wonder how they work it so that they don't feel shortchanged on the vacation. When I hear of someone with a large contract, I wonder how they manage to use so many points (longer stays? bigger room? more frequent visits?).

So, with that said, if you are up for it, please answer the following:

1) Where do you live?
2) How many points do you have?
3) How do you use them? (frequency of trips? length of trips? type of accommodation?)
4) How do you travel back and forth to Disney? (train, plane, car, magic carpet)

I will begin:

1) New Jersey
2) 210
3) We just bought. In the past, we tended to go every other year. Now, with our points, the hope is to go every year. We'll have some extra points due to the ones that we got upon signing up, so we will take 2 trips in one year sometime soon (probably summer 2009 and February 2010). For our first two trips, since we'll have extra points, we'll be staying in a 1BR. For future trips, it will be a combo of 1BR and studio, as we have nothing against a studio.
4) Plane.

 

[Alexander]

So, with that said, if you are up for it, please answer the following:

1) Where do you live? Primary home is Upstate NY, also own a home in Vero Beach, FL (makes for great FL resident discounts).
2) How many points do you have? Original contract 220, add on 120 = 340 SSR Points.
3) How do you use them? (frequency of trips? length of trips? type of accommodation?) We usually average 3-4 trips a year. With the increased travel costs, it will likely be 2-3 trips from now on. If we go with just our family, we stay in a 1 bedroom, if we take extended family, as in Feb. and Nov/Dec. this year we get everyone a studio. We stay anywhere from 4 to 7 nights.
4) How do you travel back and forth to Disney? (train, plane, car, magic carpet)We travel by plane. Magic carpet would be much cheaper though! DS (9) always says, "I wish we had a time machine."

 

[5 for WDW]

1) Where do you live?
2) How many points do you have?
3) How do you use them? (frequency of trips? length of trips? type of accommodation?)
4) How do you travel back and forth to Disney? (train, plane, car, magic carpet

1. We live on Long Island, NY

2. We have 150 points at SSR for now. We hope to at least double that by next fall.

3. We took at 10 day trip in a one bedroom at SSR this past September, I went for 2 nights in December in at 1 bedroom at BWV with two friends and my husband and I leave Monday for two nights at OKW in a studio. We are going again in December with the kids for 5 nights in a one bedroom at SSR. That is what we have done since we joined last January. We just bought AP's so, we are going to try and squeeze one more small trip in before next June too.

4. We fly SW.

 

[DVC Mike]

1) Where do you live?
2) How many points do you have?
3) How do you use them? (frequency of trips? length of trips? type of accommodation?)
4) How do you travel back and forth to Disney? (train, plane, car, magic carpet)

1. North Carolina
2. 700
3. 4 trips per year; typically 8 nights; 1-BR
4. Car

 

[wdw1972]

1. Florida (3 hours away)
2. 1140
3. Frequent trips - around 10-12/year, 4-8 nights/trip but most in the 4-5 night range over a weekend
4. drive

 

[Anal Annie]

1) We are from Maryland

2) Only have 250 points (need more)

3) We are doing 3 trips in 11 months this year BUT...2 of them are only 3/4 n and we are using the DVC cash discount. We did a week last Aug. at OKW then banked our remaining points and booked a 4 n cruise on the Wonder for this July. Since we were out of points (and didn't want to borrow YET) we did a quick 4 n trip in January at VWL on cash and are adding 3 n pre-cruise this summer in an AKV studio on cash. Did I mention that we need more points?

4) We fly down...book the cheapest fare out of either BWI or Dulles. Last summer we used SW, January was Jet Blue and this summer is Air Tran (although this might the one & only time on them if they don't stop futzing with our flight times).

 

[ahalla]

1) We are from Ontario Canada

2) We just bought 200 AKV

3) Our plan 10 - 14 nights every other year

4) Plane but when kids get older we will drive (24 hrs)

 

[KELLY]

From Maine
We have 260 points
always a 1 bedroom
Take one trip a year for 10 or more nights and always fly.

 

[Goofy DVC]

1.) Pennsylvania

2.) 260 all OKW (will do an add on at BLT)

3.) We usually go once a year 6- 11 nights with friends or family. Rarely stay in a studio unless we neeed an extra room. Skipped one year to cruise, also we had borrowed points and needed a year to catch up. Since 1993 we have stayed at OKW every year except once-that was at BW.Will stay at SSR this December.

4.) Fly SW

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

1) Where do you live? Harford County, Maryland (but we're a military family so that is only for the next 2 years then the Army will move us again)
2) How many points do you have? 160 to start but on the waitlist to add on at SSR in our UY
3) How do you use them? (frequency of trips? length of trips? type of accommodation?) Ideally we want to acquire enough points for 2-3 trips a year about 5-7 days each in a 1 bedroom
4) How do you travel back and forth to Disney? (train, plane, car, magic carpet) Plane

 

[groverdog]

1) Maine

2)700 - 125 VB, 150 SSR, 425 BWV (several contracts) Hope to do a BLT add on, maybe enough for 3 or 4 nights. Can't wait for this

3) we usually stay in a 1br standard view when ever possible. We'll do Thurs - Tues for the F&W festival and then again in Dec for Christmas. I try for another long weekend for the Flower & Garden Festival. This year we are staying Sun-Fri at BW in Jan and then Sun-Fri at SSR the next week. We'll use hotel points for the weekend. It gives us 2 full weeks and we don't have to use a ton of points. Its fun managing the points to get the biggest bang for the point buck! This fall we are taking 8 family members to VB for a couple of days and then to BW for F&W. We will be staying in a studio and GV at BW and an inn room and beach cottage at Vero. This is using a lot of points but will be well worth it. I'm so glad we have DVC!

4) fly

 

[rsinj]

.

 

[dizney4us]

1) Portsmouth, NH
2) 330 (180 SSR and 150 BWV)
3) we bring lots of family for 1 big trip yearly, plus a get away for hubby & I in a studio.
4) plane

 

[ScubaD]

1. We live in the Seattle, WA area.
2. We have 450 points, SSR and AKV.
3. My DW is the great planner and so far we have shared points with family members to join us, we have a DCL trip planned in 2009 (learning to borrow and bank points) and will be giving a honeymoon trip for our DD and her future DH. We have also used many "developer points" after we purchased into DVC. And we will use points to introduce our "future" grandchildren to the magic of Disney, whenever that comes.
4. We fly Alaska Airlines, they have direct flights into Orlando.

 

[suzycute]

Hi - great post!

1) St Albans (20 miles north of London) England.

2) 100 points SSR bought resale in 2007 from an unexpected legacy - just to "test the water". DH likes Disney once every 3 or 4 years. I want to go every year.

3) I want to go every year for 7 nights (in off peak) in a studio until I'm 93 (when SSR contract runs out!) - but am secretly hoping that when we "go home" for the first time to SSR in October, DH will be so "wowed" by SSR (I did the tour on my own on a solo trip in 2006) that we'll buy enough points to do a 1 bedroomed for a week every year or a studio for 2 weeks every year !!! I would LOVE to have enough points eventually to treat family and friends.

4) Plane - too far to swim from England (and definately too far to drive! - and too expensive - petrol is now around $11 a gallon here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Will be flying British Airways direct to MCO this year.

 

[figment795]

1. Beaverton, Oregon
2. 370 pts and SSR 1st contract 220 points, 100 pt add on and 50 pts
3 2-3 times a year if airfare cheap love to stay in 1 bedroom
4. Plan used to have direct flight from Portland to Orlando with Alaska air has been discontinued.

 

[tvwalsh]

Franklin (Milwaukee), WI

510 points

Usually two stays, usually in an OKW Grand Villa. We have stayed at BCV, VWL, VB. We have stayed at the Royal Garden in London, The Plaza in NY, the Whitehall in Chicago, the Grand Californian, and the Grand Hotel in MI.

We always fly Midwest Airlines (our hometown airlines, the one with the chocolate chip cookies)

 

[Yankee fan]

1. Northern NJ
2. 270 pts. SSR
3. 2 BR 10 nights/year. We have 5 children, need the room...
4. Fly...Jet Blue

 

[disneymom8589]

Hmmm...I'll have to go with "same as post #14 (DH) for $200, Alex"!!

 

[dopeyone]

1. Lancaster, NY
2. 450 pts.
3. We just bought in in April, we've gone the pat 8 yrs. for 16 nights in a rental home. We hope to be able to go at least 2-3 times per year. Of course we'll have to scale back our 16 night feb. stays to do so. Our first trip home will be Dec.3-7th. With another trip planned for Feb-march. Wish we done this 8 years ago!
4. Fly- Whichever airline has the best deal.