How many points for 1st time buyers?

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

When we first bought in early 1999 we started with 230 at OKW. We now have 300 at OKW and 300 at VB.........but remember our pts were all bought at $65 pt.
All we have now is the dues payment and we are done adding on.

 

[wildcatwmn]

DBF just put a deposit down at SSR as a bday gift for me and called with all the usual questions. They said the average of all owners is 290. According to the guide the two most popular buy-ins are 160 and 210.

I actually think more points makes you less locked in as you have the ability to exchange (and maybe go to Hawaii some day).

 

[Divamomto3]

I'm 36, DH is 37. We have 3 kids 11, 9, and 3. We just bought 200 pts at SSR. I know it's not NEARLY enough! But it's what we could comfortably swing right now. I plan to pay it off as quickly as possible. We went into it knowing we'd add on. At this point, I can swing a 2 bedroom on Sunday-Thursday and stay Friday night and Saturday night at the Dolphin with the nurse's rate or POR. Or, squeeze into a 1 BR if we *had* to.

 

[Disney4ever4569]

We just bought 400 points at SSR. We thought 300 points would actually suit our travel needs, but changed it to 400 to give us the flexibility to: go outside Disney resorts, take longer stays, larger accomadations, or rent points.

 

[crazywig]

Originally posted by Divamomto3
We went into it knowing we'd add on.

same here. we paid cash last fall for our 170 pts and when the kids are older (currently ds age 2 and i'm due in september) and we must have a 2br, we'll add on (with cash again. we refuse to finance)

although i have a sneaking suspicion we may add on before then

 

[dianeschlicht]

One year at disney we rented a plain room at Wilderness Lodge for 1 week. With food and room and extras it was over $4000. When we saw how we could cook and spread out ...

That is exactly what put us over the edge too! We did a WL trip that came in at just under $5000, and decided we couldn't put off buying DVC any longer! That was 8 years ago, and our only regret is that we didn't do it 5 years earlier when we first heard about it! We originally purchased 230 points but added another 150 a year later. All our points are at OKW.

 

[AnnaS]

We bought what we could afford with cash. We want to feel comfortable paying dues only - so our first purchase was 200 points. We have added on three times since then and have always paid cash (paid with cc first for air mileage rewards and then paid bill). We now have 460 points. With one son in college and two more in private school, we know we can handle dues today and (hopefully) in the future. So we are good and done with points. Buy what you are comfortable with now and down the road. I can always rent points from someone or just pay cash when and if I need to.

 

[ArnyVee]

We're probably on the low-end of the initial buy-in. We purchased a resale of a 75 point contract. The good thing is that the contract had all 75 points banked from the previous year so we actually started out with 150 points available. Unfortunately, I know that won't be enough for us in the next couple of years, so we are talking about adding on some points.

Since we live in South Florida, it's not such a big deal to travel to WDW, so we just jump over for three or four day trips. Our upcoming trip will be a WED/THURS/FRI checkout SAT and spend half of the day at a park before leaving and gettin' home Sat night. This way, we get two days (Wed & Thurs) at the lower point tiers and can rest on Sunday from our trip.

Works out great for us.

 

[Kelly Nelly]

Started with 300 points, now I am up to 500, oh yes I am only 23 years old as well.My goal is to get up to 1000.

 

[Divamomto3]

Originally posted by dianeschlicht
That is exactly what put us over the edge too! We did a WL trip that came in at just under $5000, and decided we couldn't put off buying DVC any longer! That was 8 years ago, and our only regret is that we didn't do it 5 years earlier when we first heard about it! We originally purchased 230 points but added another 150 a year later. All our points are at OKW.

In May 2003 and February 2004, I spent just about $6000 each time for one week vacations. Once at the Yacht Club with a code and once at the Swan. It's the meals that get you. Breakfast for 5 at Fresh in the Dolphin was $71. That adds up! Looking forward to bagels and cheerios at Saratoga Springs!

 

[crisi]

Our last hotel stay was seven nights at the WL. A $2700 room bill - which was fine. Until I realized that my parents had decided to join us - so we "really" had two rooms (they paid for their own) - a $5400 hotel bill.

Our first DVC stay we took his mother with us. Seven nights for less than $1200 in dues for a two bedroom. We will get ROI on the point cost pretty fast.

 

[Duckielucky]

The minimum membership is 150 points. You can not split an interest into less than 150 points. You can not add points to what you have to be able to split it into 150 point units. With that said:

We bought 250 points at the Boardwalk. We wanted to be able to eventually split the points between our two children. We could not add 50 points and split them. We did not want to leave it up to the children to fight it out sometime in the future. Solution, we bought an additional 250 points at the Beach Club. Now they will each get 250 points.

 

[WDWLVR]

We started with 300 points at Boardwalk. Found that we liked being able to send the in-laws down to Vero from time to time so added on another 100 there. I think the 400 suits us just fine.

 

[CRobin]

Originally posted by Duckielucky
The minimum membership is 150 points. You can not split an interest into less than 150 points. You can not add points to what you have to be able to split it into 150 point units.

This is true when purchasing direct from Disney. There is no minimum (initial or add-on) when purchasing resale, nor is there any restriction on use year (i.e. you get what you buy).

It is true that you cannot split an existing contract into smaller ones.

 

[DemoBri1]

In my opinion you buy-in at what you feel you can afford. There is one person in particular on this board, who shall remain nameless, who feels that DVC is being diminished by those of us who purchased less than 230 points.

I am a proud owner of 170, and maybe in the future additional points. Whatever you do, don't overextend yourself and buy a huge amount of points to begin with. Ease into it, and really do some figuring as to how long your trips will be, when you will be taking them during the year, and how often you will be going.

Good Luck, and we hope to welcome you home soon!!

 

[momtofour]

I agree wholeheartedly with DemoBri1. I bought 160 points and we'll see how it goes. As we all know, add ons can always be done. If you buy too many, you can't split these contracts up. I'd rather gamble on too few points than too many. My husband was all for a bigger contract with the thought of renting out points. Frankly, I did not want to depend on that. Go for what is comfortable for your situation NOW! Best of luck with whatever you decide!!

 

[Sammy]

We purchased our first 175 points at BCV just this past December. I really wanted to buy more points, but this is what we could comfortably afford for the time being. Plus, DH was very skeptical about the purchase in the first place and I think he went through with it just to placate me!

We just went "home" for the first time two weeks ago for a last-minute "winter warm-up" trip and DH is now talking about adding on already!!! As much as I want to, the budget hasn't changed since December, so I don't see it happening quite yet! Our 175 points will have to do for now.

Sammy

 

[mikeymars]

>>This board is atypical - in that many of the people here visit Disney far more often than I suspect the "average" DVC member does.<<

You hit the nail right on the head. The "Disney addicted" niche of members represented in this discussion is far, far above the norm in terms of what normal people invest in their DVC relationship.

 

[JaneyMarie]

but just to add my 2 cents ...
i bought the minimum I could buy in 1994 - 190 points. As a single mom, that's all i could afford. took out the 10 year loan, just paid it off last fall. we have gone to disney world once/year since then. gone for 1 week to 10 days each visit. stayed there in Feb, Mar, Apr, July, Dec. No problem with the points - but every year I do borrow from the next year. But it works out, cuz we only go once/year; so then I can borrow points from the following year. I was really hesitant about buying in, but it was one of the smartest things i've ever done. hope this helps.

 

[mtheiss]

I would love to see what the official average # of points that people purchase as their first time purchase.
DW and I purchased 175 at VWL to start and added 100 BCV. We had enough points for occaisional vacations with the 175 (just two of us), but like the ability to stay at BCV and with options to save enough points for big trips (DCL or high season villas).
We are looking to add about 50-100 more BCV points at some point and feel that would be more than enough for our purposes.
Buying points can be expensive, but the small tax benefits of buying with a mortgage from BVTC makes it easier to rationalize.