I found a 100 points and I want more..

[disneydenisel]

I'm trying to buy a contract for 100 BCV points. Any advice on how I can make 100 points work for my family? We can go every other year and then have 200 points to use, but we'd most likely need a two-bedroom villa, which would be over 300 points for a week. There's a contract for 250 that I really want, but it is over our current budget . How hard is it to buy a smaller number of points direct from Disney (once I'm a member)?

Is it ever worth using a home equity loan to buy DVC points? I keep thinking we should try for the 250 point contract....

 

[CarolMN]

Think carefully before you buy more than you can comfortably afford. You can always buy more points later. Once you are a member, you can add on very easily - the minimum number of points for an add on is 25 (50 if you want Disney financing), but you can add 26 or 43 or any number more than that.

Once you are a member, Disney treats you the same as any other member, no matter how you got your points or how many you purchased.


In the meantime, why not plan your trips to be 5 or 6 days, instead of a week? That should bring your point requirements down to 200 or less, depending on when you visit. You could stay elsewhere for the weekend nights (many DVC members do), or you could try to rent points for the extra nights. Unlike purchasing, renting is a one time commitment.

Best wishes -

 

[zulaya]

If you need 300, a 100 point contract will not allow you to go every other year. You'd need minimum 150 points to go every other year.

My guess is you are attempting a resale? Best bet is tell the big 3 what you are looking for and see if you can make an offer on anything that comes their way before they post it on their websites.

If 250 is going to break the bank, don't do it until you are ready.

Adding on can be hit or miss. You can only add on points in your current use year if you add-on from Disney direct. Keep in mind you will be paying Disney's prices for the add-on, so figure that in your future budget. Or whether it might be more economical to look for a 150 point contract now.

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, when we had fewer points, we would go down on a Friday, stay in a moderate on Friday, Saturday & sometimes Sunday night, then we'd move to the DVC property for the last 4 or 5 days. We'd obviouosly stay the fewest nights in the moderate & the most in the DVC resort, depending on the # of points we had to work with. Moving isn't that big of a deal IMHO...Disney does it for you.

The benefit to using a home equity line of credit is that you can at least write some of it off on your taxes. I would agree though that if buying more points will create a financial ahrdship, then don't do it. Instead, try and maximize the points you do have now and start a savings account where you put some $$ away each week toward points in the future. Of course, there are those that would say "then why not just buy them now with the home equity line?". Of course, then you have a bill you have to pay each month, as opposed to saving which you don't have to do unless you have the extra $$.

It really depends on the amount of financial discipline you have.

There are also those who recommend not buying 1 or 2 really big contracts, but to buy smaller contracts. The theory is that if you have to sell someday, smaller contracts are easier to sell, since they are a smaller cash outlay than a larger contract. I probably wouldn't buy more than a 250 point contract, since anything more than that you start getting into big resale $$ which the average person couldn't afford. I have seen big contracts on the resle market that are like $80,000.00. The average person can't even think of laying out that kind of money. but they could see themselves maybe spending $10-$15 K for vacation.

Good luck in your endeavor.

I have also known people who have used their Disney VISA to buy points, gotten the rewards $$, then paid it off with their home equity line to get the tax benefits. There are ways to do it,...just don't strap yurself financially.

 

[roadtripper]

Once you commit to buying, it's really hard not to take the first deal that comes along, even if it's for more points than you can afford at the moment. Remember, too, that those 250 points come with about 1000 dollars in dues per year. How young are your kids? Could you do 2 studios instead of a 2BR? That would save some points. We do Sun-Thurs, and stay offsite for the first night. Knowing we'll be back means we don't feel like our vacation is rushed. Good luck!

 

[disneydenisel]

How young are your kids? Could you do 2 studios instead of a 2BR? That would save some points. We do Sun-Thurs, and stay offsite for the first night. Knowing we'll be back means we don't feel like our vacation is rushed. Good luck!

Staying somewhere else for part of the trip might work, although my DD6 is autistic and doesn't do well with change. But maybe she will adjust. We're coming all the way from California, so we'd need to stay at least a week in FL to make the long flight worth it.

Yes, I guess I will just be happy if it passes ROFR and start with my 100 points! Thanks, everyone!

 

[k_k_100]

Staying somewhere else for part of the trip might work, although my DD6 is autistic and doesn't do well with change. But maybe she will adjust. We're coming all the way from California, so we'd need to stay at least a week in FL to make the long flight worth it.

Yes, I guess I will just be happy if it passes ROFR and start with my 100 points! Thanks, everyone!

If your children are just 3 & 6 a 1 bedroom would probably work for you for the near future - do you usually rent more then 2 hotel rooms when you go to disney? It might not be "ideal" but it would certainly be "legal" & would still give you 2 rooms to work with. If you have others coming w/ you you could always rent any extra points you need on an "as needed" basis from other members.

 

[ccw]

My brother and I made the DVC decision and purchase together about five years ago. He bought 350 BW points and I bought 80 OKW points (but both of us are listed as owners on both contracts to give us flexibility). I have to say that my little bitty contract works fine for me even though occasionally I do use/"rent" some of my brother's points to stretch a vacation. I have used my points at Vero, HH, and BW but usually use them at OKW because that is my home resort and I prefer it to the others...plus the points required there are often the cheapest and the rooms are always the biggest!

Banking and borrowing, staying Sun-Thurs, booking in lower seasons, and using studios when possible make small contracts work pretty well! Do not extend yourself beyond what is comfortable financially!!!

 

[ErinC]

I just wanted to point out, since no one else mentioned it, that you can buy min. 25 point packages from Disney once you buy a resale, but... If you are looking to buy BCV points be prepared for a long wait. You will probably have to waitlist to purchase the points. If you are okay with that, then fine. It sounds as if the 100 point package is already in the works, hopefully it will work out for you. If for some reason it does not, you might want to consider a 150 point resale the next time. (only if you can afford it) Like others have said, you can stay weekends at another resort to stretch your points if neccessary. Good luck with the contract!