If you stay at a DVC resort twice a year- how many points do you have and which room type do you use?

[CATANDSAL1009]

My husband and I are possibly thinking to go down to Florida twice a year. We were thinking to do one trip that's longer and more park based, etc. and another shorter trip where we just plan to stay at the resort and maybe just do 1 park. We are 5- 2 adults and 3 kids. I'm thinking to get more points solely just for the shorter trip. Also just to avoid buying a lot more points, we have also been contemplating even doing a short trip like this every other year. So I'm curious, for those of you that stay at a DVC resort twice a year- how many points do you have and how long are your trips? I'm trying to figure out if 100 points is a good amount of points. I have a total of 360 points from my other two contracts and usually don't necessarily use all the points, but with anything left over, it wouldn't be enough for another short trip. I would love to know how you all work it. Thanks. =)

 

[SleeplessInTO]

It depends very much on when we go and where we stay. My upcoming March break trip is quite expensive and I’m using up probably 300 points to stay in studios for 10 nights around the monorail resorts. But my December weeklong trip is a bargain in comparison - hello 9 points a night SV at Boardwalk!

 

[Marionnette]

My husband and I are possibly thinking to go down to Florida twice a year. We were thinking to do one trip that's longer and more park based, etc. and another shorter trip where we just plan to stay at the resort and maybe just do 1 park. We are 5- 2 adults and 3 kids. I'm thinking to get more points solely just for the shorter trip. Also just to avoid buying a lot more points, we have also been contemplating even doing a short trip like this every other year. So I'm curious, for those of you that stay at a DVC resort twice a year- how many points do you have and how long are your trips? I'm trying to figure out if 100 points is a good amount of points. I have a total of 360 points from my other two contracts and usually don't necessarily use all the points, but with anything left over, it wouldn't be enough for another short trip. I would love to know how you all work it. Thanks. =)

I have over 1,000 points spread across 4 resorts. We tend to stay about 5-7 nights a couple of times in a year and then take a year off. We also bring extended family along on most trips. In December, we did 8 nights at VGF in a 2BR + studio. The trips before that were 5 nights in an OKW 2BR and an 8-night trip during the 2020 F&W festival in a BWV GV + studio.

 

[DonnerB]

My home resort is CCV, so 105 is the minimum number of points to stay for 7 nights in a studio yearly (and those only sleep four). We started with 100 points thinking we would use ours every 18-24 months and my parents’ 150 for the other trips (usually going twice in a roughly yearlong period). We quickly realized we prefer the full kitchen and laundry…added on 100 more points. Now realizing we prefer more actual beds and contemplating even more points to regularly get 2 BR when we bring others with!

 

[RoseGold]

Kiddos are little, so we've skipped school. But I know that won't work for long. For older kids, planning around normal breaks can be hard because it's where sports/activities go. DVC does not play well with changing schedules around to go to the big meet instead.

 

[TCRAIG]

We go 3-4 times a year - usually 7 nights each trip - always a 1Br for the 2 of us - larger unit or multiple rooms if bringing family - we have 1165 points and are ALWAYS in borrow mode….

 

[Red Dog Run]

480 pts- twice a year, just me and the hubby for 8-12 day average

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

We’re at 300 direct now, family of four very tall folks, and do Riviera twice a year. We got the initial 100+100 (previous use year points) when we bought in, then got an additional 200+200 adding on (previous use year points again,) so that completely spoiled us with never wanting a studio and eyeing a two-bedroom for the teen years when the kids want to bring a friend.

We also did the two-bedroom at Riviera with those bonus points and brought my sister, BIL, and niece, and really enjoyed having them with us. We’re bringing my cousin this trip in April, and we have friends we’re trying to finagle a future trip in a two-bedroom if we can ever swap to CC in mid December at seven months.

We want to get to 500 direct Riviera points because our 300 are eaten up on February/April vacation.

We, ideally, would do February vacation permanently and September/December as a second bonus week to utilize APs and save on points and airfare.

When we bought in in 2019, December was a cheap points/airfare time of year that coincided with 3/4 birthdays, the kids were in kindergarten and first grade and not in organized sports, and we figured that would be our week.

Bought the next 200 points lying in the private king bed at Riviera (Pixie dusted to one-bedroom on our Welcome Home in 2020) enjoying Christmas at WDW and low crowds and heat, couldn’t afford more WDW tickets but had Universal APs, decided to do February vacation split stay another week two months later back at Riviera. Did two nights Portofino and the rest resort-only stay at Riviera and LOVED IT. Thought we may be bored or miss the parks? Totally not! Our favorite trip! No rushing, poked around touring all the other DVCs, ate at Topolinos with friends, lounged poolside. A real vacation at WDW where we weren’t exhausted afterwards!

So, twice a year at either Riviera, GF, BC in a one-bedroom, and eventually once a year in a two-bedroom Riviera, CC, BR, BLT, AK, OKW. We did one night at SS in a two-bedroom and I hated the layout.

I don’t mind a studio on arrival day/night since we lose a lot of time transitioning from MCO and are generally just needing a crash pad, but that’s interrupting our 60-day dining reservations on peak weeks since it’s a split stay. Now I am rethinking that strategy. Plus, my husband hates moving and just wants to unpack and get to the vacation part, LOL.

Really, the biggest hiccups are affording airfare on peak school vacation weeks —but then hating the busy park insanity — and going a second week when airfare is cheaper and the parks aren’t so mental.

We’re looking forward to adults-only trips in a few years, and I will still want a one-bedroom for the kitchen and bedroom separation since my husband and I are on totally different sleep schedules.

I think/hope 500 would be enough. It kind of has to be for the maintenance fees and braces, teen car insurance, college, and retirement in the next 10-20 years!

 

[LYSE]

As you can see that's really not enough Info, it varies a whole lot by time of year, resort, room type, and the actual length of stay.

We have 625 points but recently moved 2 hours away, so we went from going 3-4 times a year to going about every other month for shorter trips almost exclusively in 1 bedrooms but a few times with 2 beds with family

 

[psc85]

We own at Riviera and budgeted for two trips a year in a Deluxe Studio at the Riviera, its just two of us. 250 points. We purchased in 2021 and had to use up our initial allotment points last minute and booked a garden view 1 bedroom at Boardwalk for roughly the same points as a Riviera Deluxe Studio and banked the rest.

Just finished our first stay at Riviera in a Deluxe Studio, 7 nights, and have another week booked in September. Will probably end up banking some points because we tend to travel at the lower rate seasons to avoid the crowds.

Sidenote: First week of February this year was NUTS in the parks, not sure if we would try that week again...

Edit: Forgot to add in this, already thinking of adding on another 250 points. On our check-out day, we made the mistake of doing room tours of the 1 bedroom and grand villa with Arlanne Toussaint (goes by Allen). Who noticed we didn't have a Guide, and is now our guide! Already missing the laundry in the 1 bedroom from our first Boardwalk stay, and thinking of bringing down family once in a while, so we could either do a 1 bedroom twice a year or 2 bedroom once and a tower or deluxe studio depending on the time of year.

 

[The Jackal]

350 points, usually go twice a year for 6 nights. One trip is usually a studio. The other trip is usually a 2 bedroom or once in a while a 3 bedroom.

 

[bakerworld]

We have 345 points and vacation about 3 times a year (March, May and October) for 5N. We find that we can usually stay in 1Br in about half the DVC locations.

 

[Disney got all my$$$]

We have 375 points and go once per year in a two bedroom for as long as we can in August (school schedule). We usually stay at Riviera, the kids LOVE the skyliner.

 

[tidefan]

Varies every year.

If we go to Aulani, that will use up 400+ points as we always get a 2-bedroom.

If it's just WDW, it depends on what we are doing. This year, we've done or are doing:

1 night BLT SV 2-bedroom (pre-cruise)
6 nights SSR Standard Studio
1 night SSR Standard Studio (pre-cruise)
1 night GFV1 Deluxe Studio, prior to...
5 nights SSR Standard Grand Villa
4 nights CFW Cabin (upcoming)
8 nights CFW Cabin (upcoming, technically in next UY)

Last year, it was:

7-nights Aulani IG 2-bedroom villa
4-nights BLT SV Studio
6-nights AKV Kidani SV 2-bedroom villa

 

[Disney Spaz]

We do twice a year now. We have 500 points and we do 10 nights in a VGF 1bdrm each summer, I work in the school system so options are limited. Then a quick 4-5 nights at CCR in a studio either Thanksgiving or the first week in December for the decorations. If our first love wasn't VGF we could stay longer in the summer but we are happier staying only 10 days at Grand then anywhere else. We would like to get more CCR pts to move from a studio to a 1bdrm for Christmas and we would love 2 weeks in the summer but that is long away while our youngest is in college and already planning grad school.

 

[ShaneDJ]

I think/hope 500 would be enough.

Famous last words!

 

[kanerf]

I just went over 900 points with a mixture of resale and direct. I tend to go three times a year, Jan, May and Oct. I usually stay 10 days each time. I do use studios, but I prefer the 1 BDRMS when I can afford it. I also always do split stays, usually 3,4,3 at different resorts.

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

Varied replies in here which is to be expected - everybody vacations differently. We have been going about once a month and have come to realize that when just the DW and I, we only want to stay in 1 bdrm villas, and when any of our 4 kids choose to join us, we only want to stay in 2 bdrm villas or larger (CC Cabins and Poly Bungalows included). We have 2550 points until we can add on at the new Poly Tower.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

600 points. 2 trips per year. One trip with family in a 2BR, the other me & DW in a 1BR/Studio split stay.

 

[EPCOT Terran]

Just me and the wife for most trips. We currently have 300 points at Riviera and have 4 trips planned for this use year - 2 days in Boardwalk deluxe studio before a cruise, 3 days in a Boardwalk bedroom to close out a conference I'm attending, 3 days in Riviera deluxe studio to close out a different conference, and 3 days in another deluxe studio for May the Fourth. That said, we're already thinking of trips with friends and trying to fit Aulani in. We'll probably get through these four trips and then consider how many points to add. I'm thinking an additional 300 resale is probably in the cards.