Share your thoughts - Internal Struggle for Next Contract Purchase

[disney-inspired]

Hi everyone,
I'm probably jumping the gun because my first DVC purchase is in ROFR but I'm already planning on my next contract.

I have plenty of time to mull this over but I would like other people's perspectives.

I have two conflicting thoughts when it comes to DVC:

One side of me is wanting to buy at resorts like VGF, VPB, and BCV because they're so beautiful and are close to the parks. This side also wants me to buy direct to eventually reach the 150 pt threshold and be a full fledged blue card member. FOMO plays a big part, obviously .

The other side, my frugal, loving-to-have money side points out I don't always know my plans 11 months out. So why buy at a higher priced resort if I can't take advantage of the home resort booking period? Also, if the points are expensive, I can't buy as many. This side says let's just buy a bunch of SSR points for dirt cheap (comparatively) on the resale market.

I don't want to own too many points because I want manageable yearly dues.

 

[tom1944]

I think you wrote that for me.


I am looking at my second contract and while I want to buy a second resort I am not sure it makes sense.

Bottom line is only you can decide because there will be valid replies saying it makes sense and others giving reasons to purchase a second resort.

 

[E2ME2]

Hi everyone,
I'm probably jumping the gun because my first DVC purchase is in ROFR but I'm already planning on my next contract.

I have plenty of time to mull this over but I would like other people's perspectives.

I have two conflicting thoughts when it comes to DVC:

One side of me is wanting to buy at resorts like VGF, VPB, and BCV because they're so beautiful and are close to the parks. This side also wants me to buy direct to eventually reach the 150 pt threshold and be a full fledged blue card member. FOMO plays a big part, obviously .

The other side, my frugal, loving-to-have money side points out I don't always know my plans 11 months out. So why buy at a higher priced resort if I can't take advantage of the home resort booking period? Also, if the points are expensive, I can't buy as many. This side says let's just buy a bunch of SSR points for dirt cheap (comparatively) on the resale market.

I don't want to own too many points because I want manageable yearly dues.

Too many points?
Can you actually own too many points!??

 

[disney-inspired]

Too many points?
Can you actually own too many points!??

The yearly dues make me say yes
Trying to find a good sweet spot.

 

[E2ME2]

The yearly dues make me say yes
Trying to find a good sweet spot.

You are one of us now!!
So far, no known cure for Add-on-itis

 

[tom1944]

The yearly dues make me say yes
Trying to find a good sweet spot.

I am looking to have somewhere around 300.

I have 180 at SSR currently

 

[mort1331]

So we have all our points at SSR so little slanted with this response. We have been able to luckly stay at all resorts,,including 7 nights at VGC. Little planning and flexability home resort is just a number, unless you always need a certain resort at a certain time of year.
SSR does have some of the lower dues and cant see that changing. So even having a few extra there wont matter. I would add in OKW, but only if its extended contract.

 

[CSLucas]

We went with VGF for our first purchase - the lower dues actually make it one of the less expensive contracts over the lifetime (I think it is still being beaten by SSR but I wasn't interested in buying there). We also were last-minute trip-takers before we bought and I assumed that habit would continue - it surprised me how quickly we transitioned to planning in advance. We still have the spur-of-the-moment trips, but our bigger ones are planned in advance now.
We just added on at BCV and we are going to stick with these two. One of the things I love about having points is that it makes it so easy to take family to Disney- since they only have to pay for park tickets it is easier to rope them into it! And when we take family, we like being able to stay at Grand Floridian, so owning there is important.
Also, so many people will tell you it is foolish, but we have 150 points direct. With VGF being in active sales, I say it is worth it. I don't know what the future holds for resorts, but I like being able to book RIV right now, and I like having the small perks. You are saving money either way.

 

[disney-inspired]

I'm considering direct at Riviera incrementally because that resort is very beautiful and being able to hop on the skyliner sounds really cool. Also being able to use those points at any new resort, such as VDH (I'm a DLR local) is very enticing.
I was considering VDH as well but I think their opening asking prices are going to be much higher than Riviera so wouldn't be feasible.

 

[NVDISFamily]

I was considering VDH as well but I think their opening asking prices are going to be much higher than Riviera so wouldn't be feasible.

Current direct discounts for Riviera are not great so I say there is likely going to be not as much of a delta between Riviera and VDH if the current incentives hold and VDH launches...

Now if they do another major sale on Riviera that would be a gamechanger and you would have to decide. IMO if things were equal I think VDH points will hold value better than Riviera over the long run given how special/small DVC is on the West Coast.

 

[chlwodud85]

I just purchased my first contract at SSR because it provide the most points for least amount of cost with a decently low annual dues. I'm some what of a planner so 7 month planning I can manage in addition I can be flexible on where I stay (I think it will be better then most hotels outside disney and value disney hotels). Hopefully there will be times I can enjoy the other resorts them SSR but overall Saratoga looked to be better then the other places I have stayed near Disney

We will see how it works out (maybe I will purchase another contract at a different resort or maybe I will get out of DVC but either way I'm excited to begin the DVC journey)

 

[bravo2zero]

You are one of us now!!
So far, no known cure for Add-on-itis

Sure there is, but it's only temporary!

 

[tidefan]

Too many points?
Can you actually own too many points!??

Without AP’s… yes, you sure can…

 

[zavandor]

The key with using SSR points as SAP (Sleep Around Points) is flexibility. In the time of the year, resort and view.
If staying in a BW view villa in October is so important that your vacation would be ruined otherwise, then you have to buy BWV, no point in spending a lot of money in a second SSR contract and be unhappy.
But for example, you can easily book every resort in August, you might even luck out on some special or cheap category. If you can travel between January and September and willing to go with what's available and play with the WL and you're not unhappy to stay at SSR, then I would buy there.
There is also the option of purchasing not the cheapest resort, but a cheap-ish one giving an option at 11 months that you like more. AKV is a decent option for a highly themed resort and give you a shot at value and consierge; BLT is good being at walking distance from MK. SSR is cheaper, but those two are currently not far behind.

 

[disney-inspired]

Current direct discounts for Riviera are not great so I say there is likely going to be not as much of a delta between Riviera and VDH if the current incentives hold and VDH launches...

Now if they do another major sale on Riviera that would be a gamechanger and you would have to decide. IMO if things were equal I think VDH points will hold value better than Riviera over the long run given how special/small DVC is on the West Coast.

Yeah the more I think about it… I retract my previous statement haha

 

[Sunnyore]

I just purchased my first contract at SSR because it provide the most points for least amount of cost with a decently low annual dues. I'm some what of a planner so 7 month planning I can manage in addition I can be flexible on where I stay (I think it will be better then most hotels outside disney and value disney hotels). Hopefully there will be times I can enjoy the other resorts them SSR but overall Saratoga looked to be better then the other places I have stayed near Disney

We will see how it works out (maybe I will purchase another contract at a different resort or maybe I will get out of DVC but either way I'm excited to begin the DVC journey)

This was me in 2020. I thought DVC was expensive and I could be flexible so bought SSR as the best value at that time. I’m closing my 8th contract at the moment

 

[tom1944]

This was me in 2020. I thought DVC was expensive and I could be flexible so bought SSR as the best value at that time. I’m closing my 8th contract at the moment

8 different resorts?

 

[Ruttangel]

There is definitely a cycle to DVC ownership, when it’s at your peak excitement level you dream of owning all resorts and having blue card etc etc.
Let’s be honest deluxe resorts are for adults, kids pretty much don’t care where they stay as long as there’s food, bed and a pool.

So, just take a step back and think what are you doing this for, if it’s to get your family at WDW as cheap as possible then If you can get SSR for less than $80pp not sure you can justify RIV or VDH at $217, as mentioned there are not any direct perks at the moment that are going to help reduce that difference.

Addonitis is because you want that feeling again of becoming an owner and all the new opportunities it gives, careful to not get swept away by it!

 

[RuntheMouse]

The other side, my frugal, loving-to-have money side points out I don't always know my plans 11 months out. So why buy at a higher priced resort if I can't take advantage of the home resort booking period? Also, if the points are expensive, I can't buy as many. This side says let's just buy a bunch of SSR points for dirt cheap (comparatively) on the resale market.

We bought at SSR because of the price and we genuinely like it as a resort. We bought at AKV because of price and we love that resort. We bought at BRV purely for emotional reasons, I love that resort! We purchased all on resale because the goal is to spend as much time at WDW as possible. If we get to stay somewhere else at 7 months, bonus. I was lucky enough to book at BWV in September this year!

My DH who is the king of FOMO has no desire for a blue card, go figure.

 

[tom1944]

We bought at SSR because of the price and we genuinely like it as a resort. We bought at AKV because of price and we love that resort. We bought at BRV purely for emotional reasons, I love that resort! We purchased all on resale because the goal is to spend as much time at WDW as possible. If we get to stay somewhere else at 7 months, bonus. I was lucky enough to book at BWV in September this year!

My DH who is the king of FOMO has no desire for a blue card, go figure.

I think my family would love to own the same 3 resorts you own.

I also have no interest in getting a blue card.