Point planning for initial purchase

[goin3d]

I've been giving DVC a lot of thought recently but keep getting hung up on coming with with a point total for our purchase. After speaking with my guide last night the current BLT use year is August which works out great for us. (One of our two trips is usually in Sept/Oct.). What I'd like to do is be able to stay at BLT in a 1BR LV for one week in Sept/Oct, and then somewhere else in a studio for a week during March. In trying of figure out how many points we should purchase I was using 222 for a BLT stay, and 135 as an average studio price elsewhere. Given that purchasing a contract today gives you the 2010 points with 2011 points coming in August I "think" we've worked out that a 270 point contract would be a reasonable amount of points....with sometime in the next 5 or 6 years having to drop down to 1 trip for that year to catch up.

Anyone have any thoughts on that sounding reasonable?

Thanks!

 

[Sandisw]

It sounds like a plan, but I do think you will run out of those 'extra' 270 points in 3 years, not 5 or 6.

Your two trips would run you 357. That would put you over by 87 points, if you buy 270. Given that, you would be through those "extra" points after your third year. If you buy 300 points, then I think you would have 5 years before you have to make adjustments.

Good luck!

 

[goin3d]

Thanks for catching me on that!! Other than that at least i've locked down my thought process to the 270-300 range

 

[JennG]

Seeing your ticker of the Poly makes me want to go back there so badly though.

Now only if we could get a Poly DVC!!

 

[papamouse1]

Thanks for catching me on that!! Other than that at least i've locked down my thought process to the 270-300 range

Definitely sounds like you have a good handle on how much.
Just be aware, as time goes by, you may need to adjust your favored times, location, or how long you stay... the point sturcture does change over time.

In 2009-2010 the points structure changed fairly drastically making my "choice" stay we usually did cost us more than 20% more points. Not saying that is normal or anything, but adjustments do happen. We just changed our season a little, tried some new resorts, started doing split stays with a couple days in a Studio, and still loving our DVC experience overall.

Remember, it may be better to buy a few too many points and you can rent them out, than to buy too few and find yourself running short when you really want them.

Welcome aboard!

 

[goin3d]

Good thought I've read about how some of the adjustments could impact me down the road but I was sort of taking the line: "You don't know what you don' t know"...so if became a big issue down the road, maybe i would just look to add-on some points (once i can gauge how this will actually work out)

 

[Sandisw]

Good thought I've read about how some of the adjustments could impact me down the road but I was sort of taking the line: "You don't know what you don' t know"...so if became a big issue down the road, maybe i would just look to add-on some points (once i can gauge how this will actually work out)

And, even if things go up, others have to go down. So, while you may be traveling in a season right now that costs X amount of points, if they ever adjusted those seasons, you could need less.

We travel in the summer, Magic Season. At some point, when both DH and I are retired, our plan is to travel in October, early December, and January. All of those are currently less points then we use know.

So, in about 10 years, our 210 points will go farther than they do now since we will adjust.

Of course, by then, we will hopefully have grandchildren, and own a lot more points..... I guess our point usage won't go down!!!!

 

[papamouse1]

Good thought I've read about how some of the adjustments could impact me down the road but I was sort of taking the line: "You don't know what you don' t know"...so if became a big issue down the road, maybe i would just look to add-on some points (once i can gauge how this will actually work out)

And, even if things go up, others have to go down. So, while you may be traveling in a season right now that costs X amount of points, if they ever adjusted those seasons, you could need less.

We travel in the summer, Magic Season. At some point, when both DH and I are retired, our plan is to travel in October, early December, and January. All of those are currently less points then we use know.

So, in about 10 years, our 210 points will go farther than they do now since we will adjust.

Of course, by then, we will hopefully have grandchildren, and own a lot more points..... I guess our point usage won't go down!!!!

yeppers... exactly my point. You may have to change up some of the ways you have used your points, but in the end, you just need to figure out a way to be flexible, and enjoy yourself

 

[kmccl]

I would suggest that you buy as many points as you can afford! We bought 230 two years ago when we were staying as SS. Started with 460 since we weren't going to use the current year. I figured that would be way more than enough points. Well, I am already borrowing! Was scared to buy more because it was hard to justify spending that much money.

First year found out about HHI, tried it and loved it at spring break, went to Kidani in the summer, loved it. Took my wife to Vero for her 40th and loved it. This year, can't pass up HHI at spring break, booked 7 nights, 3 on cash so we could go try BLT (our home resort) this summer. Still had to borrow 70+ points. Now trying to figure out how to get to Aulani as well as back to Disney World next year. I'm sure we will want to hit HHI in the spring again. And do want to take the kids to Vero because they would love it.

I will say that we are a family of 6 so we do need a 2 BR each time. I know all people are different, but I don't think I could have enough points. I am grateful to have the 230 that I do, but would love to have bought more when BLT was quite a bit less money. Hope this helps.

 

[ToddyLu]

To the OP: Don't forget when you are buying your 300 points, break them up into 3-100 point contracts, in case you need to sell them down the road.

 

[goin3d]

To the OP: Don't forget when you are buying your 300 points, break them up into 3-100 point contracts, in case you need to sell them down the road.

I've heard this before, but i get a little fuzzy with this piece With having 3 contracts instead of one, each with the same use year at the same resort, is there any other impact or things I need to worry about with having 3 instead of one? Is the general feeling it's easier to sell smaller contracts?

 

[quandrea]

Congratulations! We started with 200points and we have added on three times. Come this week we will have 500 points. We thought 200 would be enough, but as our family changed and the times we could travel changed we needed more points. Dh and I also hope to spend two months down there when we retire, so we will be adding on again at some point. My point is, buy what you can because you will find a use for them. We rent the points that we have excess. We also split them into smaller contracts. Your guide will do this for you and it has no impact on how you use your points, it just makes them easier to sell down the road. There is more demand for 100 point contracts than 300 point contracts. You could also sell one off if necessary and keep the rest. Have fun. You're going to love it!!

 

[Sandisw]

I've heard this before, but i get a little fuzzy with this piece With having 3 contracts instead of one, each with the same use year at the same resort, is there any other impact or things I need to worry about with having 3 instead of one? Is the general feeling it's easier to sell smaller contracts?

Having 3 vs. 1, as long as they are the same resort and UY, will have no impact.

We have three BLT contracts--130, 50, and 30--as they were done at different times. But, they function as one big 210 point contract.

If I did ever have to sell, I could sell any of them and still keep the others.

And yes, it has been easier to sell a 100 point contract than a 300 point contract.