Purchasing timeline advice/question

[Hypaflex]

Hey everyone, long time lurker, first time poster. Looking for some advice on my situation.

I am wanting to begin with purchasing 150 direct Polynesian (add on resale later). I am wanting an October use year. I am not going to be able to purchase until 2026. I am wanting my welcome home stay to be the last week of October/first week of November

In your opinion/experience when is the latest in 2026 I should buy in order to have enough time to get a welcome home stay with some hopeful pixie dust for a difficult booking that late in the year?

I am thinking I need to buy by May 1st 2026 at the latest in order to get my points for that year, bank them by my use year deadline of May 31, then get my 2026 points October 1st for my welcome home stay (300 points + if I need to borrow any from 2027). However, I am nervous that May 1st may be too late for some pixie dust for the late Oct/early November hopeful welcome home stay. TIA!

 

[FlyingDonut]

Welcome! We're (mostly) friendly!

I believe for first time direct buyers they'll waive the banking deadline, so as long as the use year hasn't passed you can bank those points. So for banking purposes I think you could buy later than May 1st. I'd of course confirm with a guide. I have no idea RE welcome home though.

You may have already read, but it seems like the sequence of resale than direct is a little smoother in many situations... Unless you totally know you want the OCT use year, you can get whatever use year resale, and then match it direct. If you go direct first, you'll be shopping from a reduced pool for resale. Existing members also usually have a few more dollars off per point than new ones for direct add ons.

 

[PolyRob]

I think purchasing in May is cutting it a little close for fall availability, even with Welcome Home booking assistance. If you want something sought after like a PVB IT resort/preferred view studio or one-bedroom Member Services may find it very difficult to secure or you may need to take a split stay. Theme park view uses a lot more points so that would be easier to book.

Fall is highly competitive with DVC and the Wine and Dine marathon weekend historically falls during the timeframe you mentioned. It was actually moved earlier in October this year, but I wouldn't take that as a guarantee for future years. I know you mentioned purchasing in 2026, but I would try to do it in the 7-11 month booking window if you can (Jan - Mar).

More PVB IT points will be declared as sales progress, but all existing owners can book that availability and more rooms declared means less developer inventory to pull from for Welcome Home stays.