How many points to buy?

[plymouthmom]

I am planning an every other year vacation for six and possible more people. I am thinking perhaps 200 points? Do you all think that is enough to do a 2br for us most of the time, perhaps a Grand Villa once in a while?

Thanks!

 

[JimMIA]

That depends. The only sure way is to click on the DVC Points Chart link above, figure out your resort and date preferences, and do the math.

You've been talking about purchasing at multiple resorts, so keep in mind that you can only use the 11-month window at your HOME resort. Points you own at other resorts can't be used until the 7-month window.

If you have points scattered all over the place, you're not going to have enough in one resort to get a GV at the 11-month window. You'll definitely need the 11-month window for a GV.

 

[Jeremy&Susan]

Like Jim said, it's best to pull up the charts and do the math.

1. What time of year do you plan on going?
2. How long will you stay for? 7 days - 6 nights? or longer?

For one week in a two bedroom every other year, 200 points should be enough at most locations and maybe even too much at some DVC locations. Best bet is to take a little time and do the math that fits your probable vacation plans.
Keep in mind, if you buy a little bit short you can always buy one or two additional days with cash.

 

[mmjm]

Smaller contracts are easier to sell if you ever had a need to ( 2 at 100 pts versus 1 at 200 pts), however as JimMIA said if there at different resorts making reservations, especially during busy times of the year will be difficult.

 

[plymouthmom]

If I did a 150 I could bank to do 300 every other year, then bank and borrow to do a Grand Villa at most places.

If I did two 100's, and banked and borrowed for the 300 for one vacation, what would I do with the other points?


Sometimes all of this just boggles the mind!!!!!!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think you should pick a home resort and purchase an initial 160 point contract there. Then try the bank and borrow thing for a couple of years and see if it is enough FOR YOU. You will find once you become a member, you MIGHT change your vacationing patterns. We initiall thought the minimum would be enough for us. We ended up purchasing 230 points for our initial contract, and after one year, discovered we really did need more. We purchased an additional 150 points at the same home resort, and those combined 380 points has served us very well over the past 10 years. What is right for us will not be right for you. Only YOU can decide what is best for you. THat's why I think you should decide on an initial home resort and buy the minimum there to get your feet wet.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Just wanted to add that I personally would take dues history and costs into account. Don't forget, you CAN buy sold out resorts direct from Disney too. As long as you choose SSR, AKV and OKW, you will still have 40 years or almost 50 years left on the contracts. I just think the resale idea would be too confusing unless you got all with the same use year.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I think you should pick a home resort and purchase an initial 160 point contract there. Then try the bank and borrow thing for a couple of years and see if it is enough FOR YOU. You will find once you become a member, you MIGHT change your vacationing patterns. We initiall thought the minimum would be enough for us. We ended up purchasing 230 points for our initial contract, and after one year, discovered we really did need more. We purchased an additional 150 points at the same home resort, and those combined 380 points has served us very well over the past 10 years. What is right for us will not be right for you. Only YOU can decide what is best for you. THat's why I think you should decide on an initial home resort and buy the minimum there to get your feet wet.

The above advice is EXCELLENT advice for anyone new to DVC. This is the safest route to take, you won't have too many points initially(really large contracts may be harder to resell), this is a great number to start with, as it will get you a 1 bedroom at most of the resorts most of the time(at least for 5 days), and you could then add on in small increments as you see how your vacationing habits are. Many veterans on this board, I would heed their advice!

 

[bblanch]

I am planning an every other year vacation for six and possible more people. I am thinking perhaps 200 points? Do you all think that is enough to do a 2br for us most of the time, perhaps a Grand Villa once in a while?

Thanks!

That's pretty much exactly what we were looking for, but for now our trips will mostly be 5 people, with 1 of those being an infant. We decided on a 150 pt. contract at BCV. That will give us more than enough for a week in 1BR in the majority of seasons and a 2 BR in some seasons. I think it's a good start. Once the baby gets older, or if we bring guests, or just if we decide we'd rather a 2BR all the time, we'll just add 25 more points or just stay in constant borrowing mode.

I know you've been studying this hard and that's the right thing to do. Best of luck.

 

[crisi]

We've had 150 points for years - and two kids. But we've brought guests several times so generally end up in a two bedroom.

A two bedroom over MEA for seven nights is 280 points. By staying standard view we lower that further (or fewer than six nights or even eight nights, but the weekend for cash), so we can take my extended family (two two bedrooms - no Grand Villas - 2 2 bedrooms will be more comfortable and I won't murder my brother in law) this coming year for six nights using pretty much three years of points.

 

[senecabeach]

Good Morning...

If you look at the pm I sent you a few days ago...you will see Caskbill's planner. Download it... and plug in hypothetical vacations, seasons, type of accomodations and you will see how many pts. you may require to do the same type unit every year....or....borrow pts. from the upcoming year.

Hope that helps??

 

[dianeschlicht]

I should also have mentioned that if you are sure you want to only travel every other year, the total points you will need for your standard vacation can be divided in half and that total will be what you want for your first buy in. Now, if the number of points you need for that hypothetical trip is more than 320 points, then you will adjust the number of points you buy accordingly. Let's say you need 360 points for that trip. In that case, you would purchase a 180 point contract to cover the every other year scenario. Then you just choose bank or borrow and plan your trips from there.

 

[Y-ASK]

One other option to keep you're points total low is to purchase just what you need and then rent via transfered points from another owner to give you the total that you're going to need for a large group. Keep in mind that you can only have one transfer per year. That's one transfer, either in or out.

Y-ASK

 

[plymouthmom]

Okay, I have looked at options for all resorts and it seems between 300-350 is what we will need to do an every other year. Now my quandry is how to buy those points. It is easy to find a 150 resale but not a smaller one. I am assuming I could add a small number of points direct from Disney if I go the resale route?

ALso, I know the minimum from Disney is 160, assuming I can do any amount higher ?

 

[DVC Mike]

Okay, I have looked at options for all resorts and it seems between 300-350 is what we will need to do an every other year. Now my quandry is how to buy those points. It is easy to find a 150 resale but not a smaller one. I am assuming I could add a small number of points direct from Disney if I go the resale route?

ALso, I know the minimum from Disney is 160, assuming I can do any amount higher ?

The minimum from Disney is 160, but you could buy 161, 162, etc.

The minimum add-on from Disney is 25 if paying cash or 50 if financing. Again it can be any number above the minimum.