Looking at adding on

[Technosavant]

The wife and I have been talking about increasing our DVC stake lately (we own AKV and would likely buy AKV); while our 160 points isn't a bad amount, we like the idea of having another 50-100 points to play with. We're trying to figure out if a resale or direct from Disney is for us. It looks like if we go resale, we'll end up buying more, but it will probably end up being a wash; a resale contract for 160-200 points would probably end up selling for what 100 points direct from Disney would cost.

So here's my questions regarding resale:

1) Assuming you buy the same resort where you currently own and in the same use year, is it difficult at all to merge these contracts under the same member number and all that? I don't want to get into multiple UYs and the headaches those look like they would create.

2) How about if we bought a different resort, but the same UY? If we end up going for another 160-200 points, we would be open to buying at a different resort entirely. Would there still be an issue re: keeping track of everything? I'd personally prefer to keep everything AKV just to keep it simple, but the wife might have other preferences.

The ease of buying through Disney is attractive, but it looks like resales at AKV can be easily had for under $70/point, and AKV is currently selling for $125/point through Disney (for under 100 points, you get a $6/point credit, but that's still a >$50/point difference, and that's real money).

It appears that buying 100 points or fewer resale can be a chore, with those contracts going quickly and for more per point, so we're probably talking a $10,000-12,000 expenditure either direction, the only difference is in what we get for the money and the ease or difficulty with which the whole transaction is carried out.

 

[chalee94]

1) Assuming you buy the same resort where you currently own and in the same use year, is it difficult at all to merge these contracts under the same member number and all that? I don't want to get into multiple UYs and the headaches those look like they would create.

if it's titled the same, DVC should add the resale under your current member number. you should let DVC administration know early in the process that you want it added under your current membership.

the contracts would "merge" for purposes of booking DVC reservations (resale limitations would likely still apply to resale pts) but the contracts could still be sold or willed separately.

2) How about if we bought a different resort, but the same UY? If we end up going for another 160-200 points, we would be open to buying at a different resort entirely. Would there still be an issue re: keeping track of everything? I'd personally prefer to keep everything AKV just to keep it simple, but the wife might have other preferences.

a little more complicated. the new pts could not be used to book AKV until 7 months out (and vice-versa as your AKV pts would not apply at the new resort until 7 months out.)

if you want the booking window at 11 months at a different resort for just the new pts, it might be worth looking at. if you intend to stay at AKV most of the time, just stick with AKV.

 

[DisDad07]

We own at Ak and added on twice with the same use year. 1 add on was at Ak and the other OKW. When you buy resale tell them to please add this to you contract # as you are a member of DVC already. You will need to give the Broker your member number once you are ready to send money for purchase. They can give this info to DVC and it makes it alot easier when they have the same contract number, as long as they are Titled the same. It is kind of nice to have a different resort to get 11 month window, and we do like OKW for the value .

 

[disneynutz]

I suggest that you buy the same UY and title the contract the same as your original. If you want a 11 month advantage at a different resort then buy there.

Online booking looks like it makes keeping track of your points a little easier. Each contract is listed separately and you choose where you want the points to come from when you make a reservation.

Bill

 

[Technosavant]

Thanks for the pointers. I think we're definitely going to stick to the same UY, no matter what, and will almost certainly stick with AKV- we like it quite well, so if we can't quite make it into another resort for whatever reason, we won't feel cheated.

I think we're more likely to buy through Disney than not (yes, it's quite a bit more expensive, but the ease and the added flexibility with points are attractive); not ruling out a resale, but direct will expedite and avoid some of the uncertainty I see some others having with resales.

 

[ffcheff]

We just did a resale add on at a different resort with the same use year and disney added it to our current member # with no problem. Go resale and get more points for your money. enjoy your new points either way.

 

[DizBub]

Thanks for the pointers. I think we're definitely going to stick to the same UY, no matter what, and will almost certainly stick with AKV- we like it quite well, so if we can't quite make it into another resort for whatever reason, we won't feel cheated.

I think we're more likely to buy through Disney than not (yes, it's quite a bit more expensive, but the ease and the added flexibility with points are attractive); not ruling out a resale, but direct will expedite and avoid some of the uncertainty I see some others having with resales.

We felt the exact same way about buying direct. Bought direct and added on direct once. Thinking seriously about it again but the prices have gone nuts. We own BLT, enough said. Buying direct is so easy though. The minute they get your money the points are in your account. No waiting, no wondering, it's a beautiful thing.

Just today we offered $53.33 pp on a loaded SSR 150 point contract and it was accepted!!! Same UY as our BLT contract so it should be easy to manage. SSR is currently selling direct for $105 pp. 150 x $105 = $15,750. We are saving virtually half that!!! And we will have 300 extra points to play with this year. I plan to bank half of those.

Hopefully this resale experience will go smoothly. I hear ya about the uncertainty, ROFR, the waiting, anything can go wrong, etc. I've heard plenty of stories. Not trying to talk you out of adding direct, just adding my 2 cents by telling my story.

Good luck with adding on however you choose to do it!!!

 

[Technosavant]

We felt the exact same way about buying direct. Bought direct and added on direct once. Thinking seriously about it again but the prices have gone nuts. We own BLT, enough said. Buying direct is so easy though. The minute they get your money the points are in your account. No waiting, no wondering, it's a beautiful thing.

Just today we offered $53.33 pp on a loaded SSR 150 point contract and it was accepted!!! Same UY as our BLT contract so it should be easy to manage. SSR is currently selling direct for $105 pp. 150 x $105 = $15,750. We are saving virtually half that!!! And we will have 300 extra points to play with this year. I plan to bank half of those.

Hopefully this resale experience will go smoothly. I hear ya about the uncertainty, ROFR, the waiting, anything can go wrong, etc. I've heard plenty of stories. Not trying to talk you out of adding direct, just adding my 2 cents by telling my story.

Good luck with adding on however you choose to do it!!!

Yeah, that's the one thing that gives me pause- for the same price we're talking about 100 points through Disney, we could just as easily do 160 or 200 points. However, we also have to consider our realistic uses for the points as well as ongoing maintenance fees. While 360 points total would be great to have at our disposal, the maintenance fees would be pushing $2000/year, and if we don't actually plan to use those points every year, it's money wasted. It would be easier to use them if the cruise line wasn't blocked off to resales, but them's the breaks right now.

It's looking like we're probably going to buy convenience and flexibility as much as we are points this time around.

 

[DizBub]

It's looking like we're probably going to buy convenience and flexibility as much as we are points this time around.

Convenience is a good thing. Peace of mind is priceless.

I guess we are going for the flexibility thing. On top of getting a 2 bedroom villa for week once a year (for taking family) we want multiple trips, longer stays and the occasional 1 bedroom villa. Need lots of points for that. We'll see if this resale thing works out. Saving $ is also good.

We did rent an existing reservation last year and thought that may be the way to go for a while, a way to extend our points. But the competition on the rent/trade/transfer boards is fierce and I don't have the stomach to deal with that very often. There is also the trust issues involved with renting from individuals.

Keep us posted and let us know what you get!!

 

[Sandisw]

Yeah, that's the one thing that gives me pause- for the same price we're talking about 100 points through Disney, we could just as easily do 160 or 200 points. However, we also have to consider our realistic uses for the points as well as ongoing maintenance fees. While 360 points total would be great to have at our disposal, the maintenance fees would be pushing $2000/year, and if we don't actually plan to use those points every year, it's money wasted. It would be easier to use them if the cruise line wasn't blocked off to resales, but them's the breaks right now.

It's looking like we're probably going to buy convenience and flexibility as much as we are points this time around.

I went through a similar thought process when deciding what to do with an add on. While I knew I could get more points for the same upfront cost, the MF"S would be more every year.

So, it didn't make sense to buy more points than I needed, just because I could get them for the same upfront cost. Once that initial outlay was done, I would be spending more MF"s for points I really didn't think I needed.

Of course, that line of thinking didn't last but 6 months--I ended up adding on 150 BWV points anyway because the more I planned, the more I realized that I could figure out a way to use them!!!