Poll- How many points do you have...

[shantay1008]

Shannon,
Thats how old our kids are We actually just celebrated the oldest's 7th bday in WDW a month ago today. How many days do you typically stay with that amount of points?
Thanks for all the info so far guys!!

Kelly

Hi, Kelly,
What a great place to celebrate a birthday. Lucky little person!

To be honest, we haven't really worked out a system of how to use the points yet. We just bought 200 because it was a nice round number and it was what we could afford at the time. This last trip, we divided our stay between BCV and SSR, and it cost a total of 328 points (or something very close to that). We stayed for eight nights, but next time we're going to try to stretch that to nine or ten. There's so much to do!

Shannon

 

[cobbler]

I am just trying to get an idea of how many points we are going to need. So I would love to know if you are willing to share:

How many points you have.

220 points at SSR

What your family needs are like (how many kids, or just you ect.).

We have 2 boys, hubby and myself. We stay in one bedroom villas. We also bought so we could stay a full 7 nights without having to move on weekends. The extra points on weekends don't matter to us.

What time you like to travel, and for how long.

We travel every year the week after Thanksgiving. Sometimes we throw in another trip if we have enough points or whatever. We also bought enough points to stay one full week during Adventure or Choice season at any of the resorts. 214 points is the most during choice and 194 at our home. We wanted to be covered in case we would like to try somewhere else besides home.

If you bought with the intention of banking for every other year, or vacation every year.

Nope, didn't do this

I'll tell you our situation also, and you are welcome to give me any advice...
We have 4 young children, and will probaby have more, so we need at least a 2 bedroom when we travel. We like to travel in the off season, and in the future we will probably still stick to that (avoid school vacation weeks). We will probably only visit WDW every other year at the most, but we will use the points for VB or HHI every now and then too. Well, I guess that's the rundown... TIA
Kelly

 

[Mickey02]

We have 500. 250 in Beach Club and 250 in Saratoga. Once these are paid off I hope to get more. When we go we usually book the 2 bedroom. I have 4 kids 18, 21,23 and 25 we always take my parents. The deal with our adult kids is they buy their transportation and food and we supply the room. Works out great. I have used my points on the Disney Cruise line also.

 

[vascubaguy]

How many points you have.
Total: 150 (40@OKW, 110@SSR)

What your family needs are like (how many kids, or just you ect.).
Just me and DBF (no kids)

What time you like to travel, and for how long.
Typically sometime March/April/May(ish) and/or October/Novemember/December(ish) , now that we are in DVC, we hope to make at least 2 trips each year staying 5 nights each in a studio... however, we have enough points to take a 3rd trip or stay a few extra nights, or move up to a 1BR

If you bought with the intention of banking for every other year, or vacation every year.
We originally bought with the plan of going every October and staying at OKW for 5 nights in a studio (40 points)

I'll tell you our situation also, and you are welcome to give me any advice...
We have 4 young children, and will probaby have more, so we need at least a 2 bedroom when we travel. We like to travel in the off season, and in the future we will probably still stick to that (avoid school vacation weeks). We will probably only visit WDW every other year at the most, but we will use the points for VB or HHI every now and then too. Well, I guess that's the rundown... TIA
I guess the number of points you would need would depend on how long you plan to stay during your trips. If you were to get 150 points, that would be more than enough to stay for 5 nights (Sun-Thurs) in a 2BR at SSR (145 points). 12 nights with only staying one weekend would be 400 points at SSR, so if you bought 200 points, you could bank/borrow enough to stay each year. If you start wanting to head to HHI in the summers, you might want to add-on some HHI points so you can book at the 11 month window.

 

[CarolA]

My only thought is the "non peak" times.

As kids get older this gets harder unless you plan to homeschool throughout thier school years. I have friends who did the non peak until the oldest hit high school. Now they are stuck with peak times. It tends to be too much for those kids to miss.

 

[DVC Sadie]

We have 500 points and we use them to stay in a 1 bedroom for two weeks every year. Plus we wanted enough points so I could travel solo several times a year.

 

[mom2alix]

How many points you have.

We have 200 points at VWL

What your family needs are like (how many kids, or just you ect.)

We have 2 kids ages 4 and 1. We've had one trip to HHI which was just us and DD, all other trips we've invited family or friends to join us in a 2 bedroom. As the kids get older we'll probably keep getting the 2 bedroom for just our family so we have room to spread out.

What time you like to travel, and for how long.

We go for at least a week at a time, but we try different times of year, although never high season. If we stay in our current city, we'll probably start doing mostly October trips as the kids get into school since schools here have a scheduled break every October. It's also nice to go during MNSSHP.


If you bought with the intention of banking for every other year, or vacation every year.

We like to go every other year and will probably be on that schedule going forward. It gives us a chance to do non-Disney stuff on the off years.

Fo your family situation the one thing I would suggest is that you purchase at a resort that has Grand Villas. Even though a 2 bedroom works now, with your family size you may want to have larger accomodations in the future and you'll want that 11 month booking window to ensure you get them. Good luck!

 

[Raysplus1]

We have 175pts @ BWV.

We are a family of 5 with a DS 8, DD 3, DD 2.

We have been going about every 18 months June and Dec. But it will most likely change to every other year.

We have been staying around 6 - 7 nights in a 1BR. When the children get older we will have to get a 2BR but we have never run into point problems.

 

[Krismutt]

Well we have 150 points that are actually split between my brother and I. Our parents passed away 4 years ago so we inherited their timeshare. I have a DH and DD who is going to be 6 in a few weeks. And my brother has a DS who is almost 21 and in college.

We split the points as we usually just use them at Disneyland resorts for a couple of days in March or April for our yearly vacation for my dd's birthday.

But this year we are going for 5 nights/ 6 days with my brother and will be staying at BCV although are timeshare is for BW, we did borrow from next year and had some banked from last year so we could get a two-bedroom. We leave on Sunday morning for Florida...

I am thinking of adding on the points in the next year or so. If DH will let me. He is not a big fan of Disney but puts up with because my and dd love it.

When my parents bought the 150 points it was just the two of them and they lived in Jacksonville, FL so it was close for them.

 

[OKraysLoveDisney]

How many points you have.

We just purchased our first 170 points at Saratoga Springs last week!

What your family needs are like (how many kids, or just you ect.).
We have a grown son, a grown daughter and her hubby and they all love Disney like we do, but for the most part hubby and I will use the points!

What time you like to travel, and for how long.
We are sort of flexible when we can travel and since we are only 6 hours away from WDW we can go for long weekends.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

I have 4 kids 18, 21,23 and 25 we always take my parents. The deal with our adult kids is they buy their transportation and food and we supply the room.

If you are ever looking to adopt.....

 

[JimC]

332 OKW -
one bedroom at OKW in January for a full week and
one bedroom at OKW in October for a full week

110 BCV -
one bedroom at BCV in early December for Sunday thru Friday.

Just my wife and I. We also have three weeks with Marriott for our non Disney travels.

 

[Windermere]

We have 1000 points total ( VB, VWL, SSR ) for DH and I.

We have never taken anyone with us on our trips before this year. We usually stay in a 1 bedroom and don't worry about the time of year. We also use our points in the concierge collection to travel wherever we want. We have stayed at the resorts March, June, August, Sept, Nov and Dec. Never use the 11 month booking window. We also cruise alot with 15 DCL trips so far.

This year we took a bunch of banked points and borrowed a few from next year to take 11 family members on the Magic this summer with a GV stay the night before.

 

[rsschneck]

How many points you have. 520 total (300 OKW/220 SSR)
What your family needs are like (how many kids, or just you ect.). 2 adults and 1 DD age 9
What time you like to travel, and for how long. We travel during school holidays (mostly) Spring Break, Christmas and summer. We typically stay for a week (all on points).
If you bought with the intention of banking for every other year, or vacation every year. Our intention was to vacation Disney style 2-3 times per year and trade out when possible. Our points will go much further when we vacation in off peak seasons.

So far we have used points for a 3 night cruise and a majority of the Member cruise 06 was used with points. We have traded out 3 times this year ( Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian Hotel and The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa). If I feel the points are a good use as opposed to spending the cash then I will use the points. Generally using DVC for DVC is the BEST use of points but we stay for weekend point usage too and so it all balances itself out.

 

[kretsebr]

We have 200 pts with SSR. I took the family plus my parents in February for the first time. We had the must wonderful time. We talked about possiblely buying more points in the near future.

 

[ColinA]

700 points, all at BWV.

No kids, just my wife and I.

Arrive mid December, stay for 3 weeks minimum, this year 26 nights.

We use our points only at Disney each year.

We either stay 1 bedroom or studio, or rent the points to friends.

 

[NYCDVClover2000]

How many points you have.

420 points

What your family needs are like (how many kids, or just you ect.).

We have two DD (14), and (9 Months) so when we all go to WDW we book a 2 bedroom.

What time you like to travel, and for how long.

We go in August for about 10 days and then go to universal and stay in Hard Rock Hotel

If you bought with the intention of banking for every other year, or vacation every year.

We bought with the intention of going on a vacation every year.

 

[bdb7607]

I am just trying to get an idea of how many points we are going to need. So I would love to know if you are willing to share:

How many points you have.

350 BCV

What your family needs are like (how many kids, or just you ect.).

5 of us, 3 kids (7,6,4)
What time you like to travel, and for how long.

Non-school breaks (Oct, Dec, Feb)
If you bought with the intention of banking for every other year, or vacation every year.

Nope - every year, which has turned into twice a year, which means an add-on coming soon...

I'll tell you our situation also, and you are welcome to give me any advice...
We have 4 young children, and will probaby have more, so we need at least a 2 bedroom when we travel. We like to travel in the off season, and in the future we will probably still stick to that (avoid school vacation weeks). We will probably only visit WDW every other year at the most, but we will use the points for VB or HHI every now and then too. Well, I guess that's the rundown... TIA
Kelly

I truly am amazed at people that have 3 or more kids, the patience required is something I only dream of being able to have...Good luck with your purchase, it has brought our family even closer together.

 

[Mrs Potato Head]

How many points you have.

175 SSR

What your family needs are like (how many kids, or just you ect.).

4- My husband and I, DS 19, DS 16

What time you like to travel, and for how long.

Off-Season - Jan/Feb, Nov ( no one in our family likes crowds, and we also like the break in humidity these times of year gives us). Plus, we plan on SUN-THURS trips to maximize points.

If you bought with the intention of banking for every other year, or vacation every year.

his year our plan (with last year's points in there) are allowing us to:
May (1 bedroom SSR) just DH and I) for 4 nights,
3 nights in August (two bedroom BWV Premium view) for DS 16 and I and a friend,
4 nights in November for the whole family (2 bedroom SSR)


I used our 05 points and most of our 06 points for these travel plans. I had enough to go back again next spring with just DH and I until I added the August trip to the BWV's. But I'm looking to add on a small contract shortly because our goal is to do two 4 night trips off season every year and give me the flexibility to add a quick trip or two for a girls weekend, etc.

I have to be in WDW at least twice a year, so I need to make sure I have the points to do that. Avoiding FRI & SAT nights, and high point times does this. (Of course, I splurged on the BWV's and booked premium view too....just because I wanted to make the trip with my son and his friend really special)

 

[Didney Daddy]

We have 400 points. 270 at BCV and 130 at SSR. We have one DD (11). If we had known we could have purchased add on units at BCV we would have but we took advantage of the promotion at SSR and bought at $83. We go to WDW every Halloween for not so scary, or as we are doing this year we are going at Thanksgiving. We love the theme's in the fall whether it is not so scary or the very merry Christmas. Plus the weather is usually terrific. We are looking to buy add on points for BCV whenever some come available in our use year.