Picking Brains regarding buying options

[rodfam]

I have left a deposit for SSR but cannot decide whether we should buy more SSR points or buy others at resale to have different advance reservation possibilities. We are young with 3 kids and live less than 2 hrs away. We go to WDW about once every 2 months. The extra years of SSR are a draw. What are the disadvantages of owning two or three different resorts?

I love this forum already and have learned much in a short time. Thanks to all members here.

 

[kweaver]

Hmmm...we also have 3 kids...and are owners at SSR. (We live 8 hours away...which is close enough for us to drive for a 4 day weekend).

I think that if we added on points, we'd probably buy some at OKW...in order to get the spacious accomodations, low point costs and 11 month reservation window there. I'd also like a host a family gathering in a GV someday...and the GVs at SSR are very expensive! Now that OKW's pool will be upgraded with a slide, we'll be more inclined to stay there during the warmer months

 

[tjkraz]

If you end up with points with different Use Years, many members have said that the banking / borrowing deadlines can be difficult to manage.

You will also have to be very precise when telling Member Services which contract(s) to pull points from for each stay. Since we don't get written confirmation of our balances, you will want to be very dilligent in confirming your balances with MS every time you book.

Also, be aware that you can only book at 11 months up to the number of points that you have at a particular resort. Thus, if you have 150 SSR points, you can only use those 150 to book SSR at 11 months. If you have another contract at BCV, and want to use those points to book a stay at SSR, you need to wait until the 7 month window opens. Some of this can be managed via banking and borrowing from the different contracts to get what you need, but again you need to be fairly organized.

My advice to you would be to pick the one resort as your home that you can honestly say "if I have to stay there every year for the next 50, I will be happier than at any other DVC property."

As long as we are contractually permitted to utilize other DVC properties, there will always be occasions where you can book non-home resorts at 7 months or less. These opportunities may not be quite as pleantiful when DVC membership doubles or triples in coming years, but they certainly will exist.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I agree with tjkratz on being organized. If you have different contracts, or even add-ons at different resorts, you will need to keep a notebook, and write down and date EVERYTHING. You will need to have a separate section for each resort, and a page for each use year. Everytime you call MS you will need to write down what you did and what they said, and you will have to write down on each page your vacation dates and where the points came from. Also, how many points are left, and the type of points they are. Then, you will also need to put in banking deadlines, and how many points you banked, and when you banked. The more contracts you have, the greater the change that MS--or you--will make a mistake. Is it complicated? Yes, very. If you aren't a naturally organized person, I wouldn't consider multiple contracts as an option for you.