Question for people with over 400 pts.

[shellyof4]

So, I'm just wondering what you do with your points I guess....I would live at Disney if I could so I want to make sure I buy enough. Living on the West Coast makes it seem like we wouldn't get to Florida more than once a year, but maybe I'm wrong....

Could you give me an idea of how you've spent your points in the last couple of years? Maybe I'll need to convince DH that we need to double our purchase plan.

Thanks!

 

[mopee]

So, I'm just wondering what you do with your points I guess....I would live at Disney if I could so I want to make sure I buy enough. Living on the West Coast makes it seem like we wouldn't get to Florida more than once a year, but maybe I'm wrong....

Could you give me an idea of how you've spent your points in the last couple of years? Maybe I'll need to convince DH that we need to double our purchase plan.

Thanks!

We live in Walla Walla, the dry part of the state , but still get to fly and try to spend 8-10 days in January/Feburary and then 14 days in October/November. Granted it is only twice a year but it's so worth leaving here in the dead of winter and then again at the start of winter. Unless we get another 300-500 points I guess we will have to suffer. Right now 360 AK points headed towards getting 170 OKW points.
If the Disney addiction wasn't so bad wouldn't need any points!

Moe

 

[Disney_Villain]

We have 460 points currently and planning to add 40 at GCV to have a 1 or 1.5 week stay there every 2-3 years. Most times we go to WDW and stay in a Studio. We average 2 vacations a year for a total of 3 weeks.

Here's what we've done with our points since becoming members in 2006:

1. Stayed at WDW DVC resorts (1 week minimum)
2. Booked DCL 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise (we used to use cash)
3. Stayed at VBR post-DCL disembarkation (2 nights)
4. Treated my in-laws to their own Studio at OKW and VBR (total of 8 nights)
5. Booked a Disneyland Hotel (we used to use cash) for 1 week

What we plan to do in the next 2 years on our points:

1. Book WDW DVC resorts (1 week minimum)
2. Book the 2009 DVC Member Cruise (4-nighter)
3. Book VBR for post-DCL disembarkation (3-4 nights)
4. Book a Disneyland Hotel (Disney Collection, if not DVC resort) for 1 week
5. Use the World Passport to go to England (1 week)
6. Stay at DLRP (last time was cash) for 1 week

As we stick to Studios, we feel we good usage of our 400+ points for "extras" beyond DVC resorts (like DLR, DLRP, DCL and the World Passport Collection).

 

[madcoco]

VB Beach Cottage.

In past years before moving to the MK area we would stay app 6-8 weeks during the summer (usually at OKW and VB), a week during the fall for the F&W festival at the BC and a week in Dec/Jan for the holidays.

 

[BroganMc]

We have 430 points.

Our trips have included:

Year One
5 days in a 1bedroom in early December (saw the Christmas festivities)
8 days in a 1bedroom in May (paid cash for the weekend)
5 days in a 2bedroom with 3 extra days in a studio (took family with us)

Year Two
3 days in a studio for NYE
7 days in a 1bedroom in April
14 days in a studio in Sep/Oct

Year Three
3 days in a studio for NYE
7 days in a studio in May
5 days in June for a family vacation (two bedroom and two studios)
7 days in a studio in October

We had a combination of 300 incentive points over the years so we were able to afford a few extras like the Grand Gathering next year. I calculated that with 430 points we can manage 4 weeks in a studio a year; 1 week in a 2bedroom and 1 week in a studio; or 2 weeks in a 1bedroom every year.

Best thing you can do is play with some point charts and see when and how you like to travel. Overestimate your required points a little and then you'll never be short. You can easily save points for a bigger trip the next year by downsizing your accommodations this year. Just make sure you only buy what you can reasonably afford, purchase price and maintenance fees included.

 

[PrettyKitties]

I don't have over 400 points, but my sister does. They live in NC & she is a BIG Disney nut & loves going there. They also like doing the cruises & she just went to Disney Paris. (But whenever I book, a trip, she invites herself along! )

 

[50 years Too!]

I live on the West Coast and have 790 pts.
Two years ago I had 70 pts!
I guess you could say I am addicted.

I have 200 pts. WLV--my favorite.
240 pts. AKL--will probably sell 3/4's. and buy California.
100 pts. BCV--have two contracts, will sell one and only use this for F&W Fest.
200 pts. BWV--would rather stay here than BCV.
50 pts. HHI--just stayed a few weeks ago, loved it so much that we bought some. Love, love, love Savannah.

Regarding using points. This year--
Stayed in April for a girlfriend 4 day trip.

Went to HH and SSR in June to see Savannah, the Island, and some old friends from California while they visited WDW.

Going to F& W in October with husband.

Taking our college age kids in December.

Booked a cruise for Oct. 2009 with points.

I only have 285 points left for next year!

We are Alaska Air Mileage Plan members. We both have our own credit card, which allows basically two for one tickets (plus $50) for each of us once a year. We also rack up a lot of miles by charging everything (and paying them off each month). They allow reduced price tickets with 7500 miles one way. The direct flights into Orlando make it a very easy destination.

Deb

 

[Deb & Bill]

We used to have 500 points and go twice a year, a few times three or four times a year. We decided we didn't like paying nearly $2500 a year in member fees. So we started selling them off. Once we sign the paperwork we just got today from our reseller, we'll be 50 points fewer and down to 275. Who knows with the stuff going on at DVC, we might sell the other 100 point contract and just keep our original one at OKW.

 

[ExecChef]

That's a silly question- we go to DISNEY lol lol lol

 

[TDC Nala]

I have 400 - should I say anything?

 

[jdg345]

So I posted this at 5:05 PDT, and it showed up as if I posted it at 3:05 PDT. Nice.

 

[mopee3]

We are Alaska Air Mileage Plan members. We both have our own credit card, which allows basically two for one tickets (plus $50) for each of us once a year. We also rack up a lot of miles by charging everything (and paying them off each month). They allow reduced price tickets with 7500 miles one way. The direct flights into Orlando make it a very easy destination.

Deb

Oh so true!! Got to love Alaska Airlines and the companion fare if you live on the West coast!!

Moe

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have 449 points in 3 contracts. Two OKW contracts (230 & 150) and a small 69 point contract at AKV. We usually travel 3 times one year and once the next after almost a year of no travel.

This past year our points were used for a 2 bedroom 1 week over Thanksgiving at OKW followed by a 1 bedroom for 5 more nights.

1 bedroom AKV concierge for 6 nights (used banked and borrowed points) and 4 nights in a 1 bedroom at OKW.

Next year we will do 1 week in a 2 bedroom savanna view at AKV plus 4 nights in a 1 bedroom at OKW in January. We are also booked in a 1 bedroom at OKW for a week in May and will be booking a week at OKW in a 1 bedroom the first week of December followed by 3-4 nights AKV (hoping for concierge).

We typically have 28 days one year and 12 or more the next. Of course, we are spending a lot of time at OKW where points are reasonable because we love OKW!

 

[Cruelladeville]

I have 900 pts, and we usually take 4 trips a year to Disney, and stay about 30 days a year.

Then, I retired, and our income became 1/2 what it used to be. I couldn't afford to vacation 4 times a year, so I rented out my extra points and used that money to roof my house. This year I am staying in a grande villa for two weeks at Christmas. Some of next years points will probably get rented again, because next year we are going to Florida for about 3 weeks, and we will have 150 pts left over. That's what's nice about having so many points, though. We can alter our plans from year to year.

 

[BroganMc]

So I posted this at 5:05 PDT, and it showed up as if I posted it at 3:05 PDT. Nice.

Boards are messed up today. They keep posting my posts out of order too. Still, it's fun to debate someone before they even argue their point. Makes me look all psychic.

 

[disneymom8589]

We are also in the Seattle area. We have 450 points (325 at SSR and 125 at AKV). We've used them to invite DSis and her family to stay at SSR, Disney cruise (although I know it's not the best use of points), and next summer we're going to give 160 points to DD for her honeymoon. We like staying in one bedrooms, so they use a few more points.

We go about twice a year and we use Alaska Airlines mileage points for airfare when we can. Those companion fares are great!

 

[NejTheLion]

We have 1,000 points - 350 BCV and 650 SSR. The BCV points are our primary Disney World points. That usually goes to a 10-night trip during the Food and Wine Festival or a 2BR trip if we're taking family with us.

We purchased the SSR points primarily for cruising. Yes, I know there are people who will argue that we're wasting DVC points to use them for cruising, but it makes sense to us. We plan to cruise at least once a year on DCL (usually on cruises that are 7 nights or longer), and until there's a DCL timeshare (), it's a lot better to use DVC points than pay with cash. We priced it out, and in about 5 years or so, we'll basically be cruising for free. At some point, we may look into renting those points and using the cash for the cruise, but we're too busy with work right now to put effort into managing that.

So, for us, those points usually go toward just 2 trips a year.

 

[Jillpie]

Can I please ask those of you with points over 400, what is your monthly maintenance fee? I have 181 points, and pay 69.00/month.

 

[MinnieLee]

I am not at 400 YET! I have 380 and considering adding on. We go for 10 days in October (studio at either BCV or BWV) and then again in the spring for 7 days (wherever I can get). I am considering adding on because my kids all ask me if they can use my points when they want to visit WDW and if we vacation with another couple, I book them a room using my points, My home bases are WLV and BCV. A guy I workd with has 425 and whenever he knows he is not going to use all of them he "rents" them out for $10 per point which helps cover his dues.

 

[SCDizneyDawn]

We have 627 with 375 at BWV and 252 at BCV

in 2006:
Jan: 1br for 6 nights Standard view at BWV (121pts)
April/May 6 nights Studio at BCV (118pts)
Rented 154 points to a member (BCV points)
Disney Magic Cruise 11/11/2006 one cat 11 room (368pts)
Nov SSR studio 2 nights after cruise (32pts)

in 2007:
May 2br VWL 7 nights (341pts)
May studio VWL 1 night (32pts)
Oct 2 studios for 7 nights BWV, one prfd & one std view (106pts & 87pts)
Dec 1br for 3 nights SSR (66pts)

in 2008
May 2br AKV sav view 7 nights (315pts)
May studio AKV value view 1 night (19pts)

Booked for 2009:
May two cat 11 cabins on Disney Magic (us and DMiL) (620pts)
Oct 2009 planning for Food and Wine 2br for 7 nights BWV