Minimum points for first purchase? Should I buy?

[bavaria]

I've read the DVC boards and can't find the answer but I believe that if I buy through resale, my first purchase could be a minimum amount like the 25 or 50 point amounts, correct??

Now, I know that a few of you AHEM are very good at convincing me to do certain things, but I am going to ask for some honest opinions. Some facts about me and my travel patterns:

- I now work in the US, travel most of the time for a living. Got my dream job recently, which means that I rack up the airline miles and may have the ability for lots of short side trips
- have been an AP holder for 10 years, visit WDW about 4x a year, usually 7-10 days at a time
- my job allows me to stay offsite for very little $$$ in nice hotels, and sometimes even for free
- I do stay onsite for about 10-20 nights/year, usually in the moderates at my AP discount

The biggest challenge for me is that I am debt free and plan to stay that way. So my plan is to buy a minimal amount of points in order to get the DVC experience, and then decide if I need to buy more in future.

I am perfectly happy with both BWV and OKW, having stayed at both in past.

So? Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks for your help!

 

[tiberius]

I've read the DVC boards and can't find the answer but I believe that if I buy through resale, my first purchase could be a minimum amount like the 25 or 50 point amounts, correct??

That is correct, provided you can find the size contract you want on the resale market. There are several brokers who can help you.

The biggest challenge for me is that I am debt free and plan to stay that way. So my plan is to buy a minimal amount of points in order to get the DVC experience, and then decide if I need to buy more in future.

I admire your efforts to remain debt-free. You would be able to supplement your points in increments as the years go by if you so chose, subject to that resort's availability.

I will leave your other items for others to comment on. Good luck!

 

[Stitch 626]

IMHO, if you are stay 10-20 nights in a moderate on property a year it would probably be best to start out with at least 80 points at OKW. Studios can go as low as 8 points/night at OKW depending on season and day of the week and if your future plans will include at least 10 nights you would be using all of your points every use year.

If you can get a cash rate on site for better than the AP rate through your job, you might be better off not investing into DVC as your per night cost will likely be cheaper than the equivilent cost per point used.

I hope this helps.

 

[CarolMN]

If you haven't already, take a good look at the points charts before you buy. 25 points will not get you much in the way of reservations unless you can stay in a studio during the week (Sunday -Thursday nights) during Adventure or Choice season. Of course you could bank and borrow and use your points every 3rd year, but you may not want to be paying dues every year if you can only stay every third year.

I applaud your desire to stay debt free -

Best wishes -

 

[Lasrnw]

We bought 160 direct from disney - we picked the 160 amount only because if you want trade off a week thru the other program for the high week the points required are 160. We felt this way we were covered for whatever we wanted to do.

 

[ralphd]

That is correct, provided you can find the size contract you want on the resale market. There are several brokers who can help you.




I admire your efforts to remain debt-free. You would be able to supplement your points in increments as the years go by if you so chose, subject to that resort's availability.

I will leave your other items for others to comment on. Good luck!

The closing costs will be very high per point on a smaller contract, so make sure you factor that into your numbers.

 

[bavaria]

Thanks for all the great advice! I think that I will continue to mull this over.

I went to a DVC presentation before SSR came along (it was at BWV but I believe was selling BCV at the time). Since I was looking at a minimum of 150 pts through DVC directly, it really wasn't worth it based on my work benefits.

However, I look at the fact that even buying 25-50 points I would use them for weekdays at OKW in low season, which is when I typically travel. Plus, some of the benefits alone would be worth it. (I know that it's not guaranteed to continue, but the $100 off an AP would be great - although I just bought a new one....)

The other point that I didn't mention is that I can't schedule travel far in advance, so I usually book 1-5 weeks out. Now, I was able to get OKW with 3 days notice earlier in April when I rented points, and am not particular about where I stay (although with a low point purchase, OKW or BWV would make sense?)

Thanks again for all the quick responses!!

 

[CarolMN]

Thanks for all the great advice! I think that I will continue to mull this over.

I went to a DVC presentation before SSR came along (it was at BWV but I believe was selling BCV at the time). Since I was looking at a minimum of 150 pts through DVC directly, it really wasn't worth it based on my work benefits.

However, I look at the fact that even buying 25-50 points I would use them for weekdays at OKW in low season, which is when I typically travel. Plus, some of the benefits alone would be worth it. (I know that it's not guaranteed to continue, but the $100 off an AP would be great - although I just bought a new one....)

The other point that I didn't mention is that I can't schedule travel far in advance, so I usually book 1-5 weeks out. Now, I was able to get OKW with 3 days notice earlier in April when I rented points, and am not particular about where I stay (although with a low point purchase, OKW or BWV would make sense?)

Thanks again for all the quick responses!!

If you will typically book 1 -5 weeks out, you will seldom be able to get the standard view rooms (lower point otion at BWV. Those are almost always booked well before that.
Also, keep in mind that at 60 days ahead of arrival, DVC often allows CRO to rent out any remaining inventory for cash - you'd be competing with the general public for whatever may still be available at that point.

That said, if you are not particular about the resort and if your dates are flexible, you should be able to get something some/most of the time - OKW and SSR will be most likely, but you never know.

Good luck with your decision -