Is 150 Points Enough?

[buzzrelly]

I think 150 points is a great place to start. It's like buying a starter home...once you "live" in it a little bit, you learn what's important to you. And keep in mind, your needs will change over the years. You can always add-on later, but I think you're good for now.

 

[kanerf]

I started with a 40 pt resale about 10 years ago. Now I am up to over 600 pts in various properties. I would say 150 is fine to start with, but keep in mind that the point cost will almost always go up, so if you can buy a little more now and get a slightly better per point discount, you will be better off in the long run.

 

[Spinster Travel]

I'm a single owner as well and travel primarily with friends or solo during different times of the year. I currently own 145 points and it has gotten me what I needed over the last two years of ownership. I'm using 108 points to stay at the Poly in January for 6 nights, so I'll have some left over for another trip of course. My first contract was 120 Resale and then I added 25 direct at OKW to have some extra points. I don't always book at the 11 month mark, so having more than one home resort works ok for me.

I'll say this, I agree with your Guide, 150 points should work fine to start. If going up to 200 points brings a deeper discount that is attractive, than I'd say go for it if you can afford it only because that will give you extra points to bank and have as a buffer if needed, but by no means do I think you NEED to. You can always add on smaller contracts later, either direct or resale. Good luck and Welcome Home.

 

[Sandisw]

It is a good start and given the number of studios you should be able to get one without a problem most of the year

Early December will be the toughest as it’s very popular but now that there are so many, you should still be fine if you are on right at 8 am to book.

And, if you have to, you borrow and that will take you at least a few years to be out of points, which you could then be ready for your next add on.

Having said that, if it’s doable, I might go with 175 as a cushion since they can adjust the points charts and if you have a consistent time of travel, it could go up in the future if they raise that time period..they will lower elsewhere but people have seen the changes impact stays.

Good luck!

 

[DougUSMC]

I think the key is what you plan to use, and if you allow for the (inevitable IMO) expansion likely needed down the road.

Without getting into actual numbers, what we did was:
- Buy 1/2 as many points as we needed for our stay (X number of days, Y time of year, Z resort/room type), with the intent of going every other year - for our first home (CCV)
- Decided we wanted to go every year
- Buy 1/2 as many points as we needed for our stay at ANOTHER home resort, doing the same math as above - for our second home (DRR)
- Alternate every other year between first and second homes
- Add On again at VGF "just for a few nights each year", because we love it there .

IMO, it really is the best of all worlds. We book @ 11 months out at each home, we can also take "off the cuff" trips throughout the year. We didn't buy a zillion points to get started, we slowly added to keep up with our demand.

 

[Matty B13]

Also, ask to break up your 150 point contract into 50 point contracts and make sure you get the best UY (USE YEAR) that works for you, not what the guide wants to sell you.

 

[varyth]

Also, ask to break up your 150 point contract into 50 point contracts and make sure you get the best UY (USE YEAR) that works for you, not what the guide wants to sell you.

For the first contract, 150 is the minimum for VGF. They won't break it down to smaller contracts, but can if you buy more past the minimum (one contract will still be 150). Edit: If you go direct, that is.

 

[Matty B13]

For the first contract, 150 is the minimum for VGF. They won't break it down to smaller contracts, but can if you buy more past the minimum (one contract will still be 150). Edit: If you go direct, that is.

I thought you could break any contract down that you bought direct, maybe this rule has changed.

 

[bakerworld]

Our first contract was 160 points and it was plenty for about 3 years. 85 points were just to be able to stay at the Beach Club for October (because after the economy recovered by 2012 it was impossible to transfer in at 7 months). 100 points was because we wanted to be able to walk to MK. Now we're at 345 and I've started looking at 1Br villas just to waste points.

Frankly unless you have some life changes, I think 150 points would be fine.

 

[wnielsen1]

I thought you could break any contract down that you bought direct, maybe this rule has changed.

It has - if you are not a member yet. A single contract must be at least 150. Once you are in, you can break down future contracts.

 

[CarolynFH]

343 points for a week in a Theme Park View Studio for Easter and Christmas.

OMG! Makes me love our BWV even more. A 1BR Boardwalk view for Christmas week is only 362 points. A BW view studio is only 198 that week.

 

[Sandisw]

I thought you could break any contract down that you bought direct, maybe this rule has changed.

If you are a current owner, yes, unless its a new UY. But, new buyers have been required to keep the initial contract at 150. I could not break my VGF June UY 150 smaller because it was a new membership for me...but the 150 I added to my Dec UY could have been done in 50's if I had wanted to do it.

 

[RoseGold]

OMG! Makes me love our BWV even more. A 1BR Boardwalk view for Christmas week is only 362 points. A BW view studio is only 198 that week.

You'll like BW even more when actually see what the "theme park view" is.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/g...g-pine-resort-studio-theme-park-view.3890028/

 

[ak517]

Like everyone else is saying, it really depends on how you plan to use the contract. We bought in resale last December and had a "bonus" year of banked points. I originally planned to continue to bank forward a year's worth of points so we'd always have a little surplus until we could coordinate to bring some extended family, but I added on a runDisney weekend, a week-plus with my younger cousins, and now another week with my mom, by which point I'll have spent two year's of points by the start of my 2023 use year. But, we'll be moving from South Florida to NYC soon, and my Disney trips will become more infrequent with the added hassle of flying from farther away, and I know our point usage will change again. Plus, I have no problem supplementing my trips with Values and Moderates, so we may do some combos of cash and point stays, like a lot of DVC owners do.

My key point is that regardless of how many points you purchase or how you plan to use them, it will change. If I had to do it over again, I would purchase the same contract we did in December, because I know we can add on if it becomes a necessity (i.e. we start borrowing year after year).

 

[CarolynFH]

You'll like BW even more when actually see what the "theme park view" is.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/g...g-pine-resort-studio-theme-park-view.3890028/

I saw that!

Of course, there are those BW view villas with the solid balcony walls, so you have to stand up to enjoy the view, without spilling your wine on the people below!

 

[ilikedvc]

I am a single, new buyer without kids. My guide recommended 150 points to start. And I want to purchase @ Grand Floridian. I only need a studio, anytime of year… do you think 150 is enough points to book? I’m worried the cheapest rooms will be sold out asap then I’m left with too few points to book anything else. Thank you!

150 is a good start but you will end up buying more eventually. If you can, get it done the first time.

 

[J2tran]

I think 150 is a good starting point if you're only planning to do a single visit a year. Once you start trying to do multiple trips and get the larger rooms then that's when "addonitis" kicks in!

 

[macman123]

I started with 155 points direct. Then I went to 500 points, then 1,000 points and now I am at 3,500+ points in less than 2 years.

It really is an addiction.......

 

[The Jackal]

VGF is a point hungry resort. So most of the year you could stay 6 or 7 nights and be ok. The problem with DVC is, once you have those points you’ll forget how much the buy in was and see that your room for the week costs you about $1,000 a year or $150-175 per night stay and you’ll be like that is dirt cheap to stay at a Deluxe WDW Resort, so you’ll want to buy more and more, next thing you know your going 2-3 times a year and your addicted. Some people can control the urge to add on, we are not those people.

 

[HappyThoughtsTees]

My favorite DVC advice I've seen over the years:

Buy as many points as you can responsibly afford.

Prices only go up. Buy more now at the lower price.

You can rent out any extra points you don't use to help offset annual dues.

No need to buy more than 150 direct unless it secures you a significantly bigger discount, or you are dead set on staying at Riviera.

I've never seen someone on the boards say "we bought too many points at the lower price and regret it".