Should I split into two contracts?

[bananapepper]

If u want to gift to your kids later and buy direct - I’d do 3 contracts - I’d buy now so you’d get Oct 2018 points - get member services to bank into 2019 - and then rent them out to co er the extra closing costs. 3 kids, 3 contracts, 1 resort, 1 membership.

I'm thinking about that as well. I'd definitely probably have to buy direct then as finding that with the same use year resale could take a while.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I figured but staying at our home resort is fine. Is that true even for non peak times like beginning of January, Feb, weekdays in November etc? I know Thanksgiving and Christmas would be a no go.

November is peak. Beginning of January is peak.

You need to understand that DVC peak is different from what you think of as hotel and theme park peak. Low points is high demand for DVC. Marathon is high demand.

 

[bananapepper]

November is peak. Beginning of January is peak.

You need to understand that DVC peak is different from what you think of as hotel and theme park peak. Low points is high demand for DVC. Marathon is high demand.

Thanks. Is all of Jan peak or just the beginning? When is Disney the LEAST crowded? Not DVC but the actual park itself?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Thanks. Is all of Jan peak or just the beginning? When is Disney the LEAST crowded? Not DVC but the actual park itself?

Beginning of January, although the whole month is proving rough for 2020.

I would say quietest times at Disney are mid-May, and right after Labor Day. Both are hard for people with school age children, and September has hurricane risk

 

[Sandisw]

If buying through Disney, I would split and ask them to put the 300 points into 2 contracts, just so you have flexibility down the road if you ever do/want to sell. If it is one 300 point contract, it will be all or nothing. Having 2 contracts...same UY, same resort...will function when booking as one big contract, but will show up as two and MF's will be billed as 2...but for practical sake, its not different.

Now, if you decided to buy 2 different resorts but same UY, then you couldn't pool those points until 7 months, as each would only be bookable at home resort at 11. Buying a different UY means a whole new membership which is a completely different thing all together!

 

[bananapepper]

If buying through Disney, I would split and ask them to put the 300 points into 2 contracts, just so you have flexibility down the road if you ever do/want to sell. If it is one 300 point contract, it will be all or nothing. Having 2 contracts...same UY, same resort...will function when booking as one big contract, but will show up as two and MF's will be billed as 2...but for practical sake, its not different.

Now, if you decided to buy 2 different resorts but same UY, then you couldn't pool those points until 7 months, as each would only be bookable at home resort at 11. Buying a different UY means a whole new membership which is a completely different thing all together!

I think I’ve definitely decided to split it up but for the same resort. Now the question is whether to split it in 2 or 3 since I have 3 kids...

 

[Sandisw]

I think I’ve definitely decided to split it up but for the same resort. Now the question is whether to split it in 2 or 3 since I have 3 kids...

Go with 3 then! With being same resort, it really is a matter of preference! Good luck!

 

[sndral]

Thank you all for your help! I'm leaning towards two 150 or maybe 160 contracts with one resort. I think splitting into different resorts just sounds too complicated.

My understanding is that if we usually travel in November-January the best use year is October correct?

Yes, October would be a great use year for November - January travel, the reason being that if you had to cancel a trip you’d have several months to reschedule your trip before you lost your points.
If you intend to buy at AKV w/ an October use year reach out to DVC very soon because if you buy in Sept. you will get 2018 points which with a direct sale they will bank for you (even though it’s past the banking deadline.) Since AKV is no longer in active sales, it might take DVC a bit to find the points you want, maybe not - but if you wait to buy your points until October 1 or after, you’ll not get those 2018 points.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you intend to buy at AKV w/ an October use year reach out to DVC very soon because if you buy in Sept. you will get 2018 points which with a direct sale they will bank for you (even though it’s past the banking deadline.) Since AKV is no longer in active sales, it might take DVC a bit to find the points you want, maybe not - but if you wait to buy your points until October 1 or after, you’ll not get those 2018 points.

If they have the 2018 points. While Disney can change UY on a point, they all associate to specific units. If that unit's points were used in 2018, they can't change the UY to one that would include 2018 points. It seems like for most sold-out resorts, they're only selling with current UY. I think they're not ROFR loaded contracts much.

 

[sndral]

If they have the 2018 points. While Disney can change UY on a point, they all associate to specific units. If that unit's points were used in 2018, they can't change the UY to one that would include 2018 points. It seems like for most sold-out resorts, they're only selling with current UY. I think they're not ROFR loaded contracts much.

Hence the need for OP to reach out ASAP to DVC to see if DVC has what they want
As someone chronically in borrowing mode, starting w/ a 150 point ‘headstart’ sounds wonderful to me!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I am no fan of spending a lot more (AKV direct vs AKV resale) now to pass it on to heirs later on. It's so far away and for all you know your kids or their spouses may have no interest in Disney or no means to support paying dues on a timeshare. You might have 1 of the 3 that does and the estate can be divided to accomodate that. Or some families do manage to share contract usage. Or the large contract could be sold and the proceeds used towards a smaller contract. In a perfect world it will be many many years before your kids would inherit with lots of changes in between. And they'll possibly have spouses with their own ideas. Someone else mentioned other assets to pass on but a timeshare? The kids can purchase later just like you did.

And double emphasis on all of the above if it means you pay several thousands of dollars now in order to buy direct at a location you can purchase for much less resale just so you have the possibility to pass it on later to heirs that may or may not be interested in it anyway.

Buying 2 contracts so they are easier to sell later or allow downsizing if you find your not using it as much? You can easily find 150 pt AKV contracts resale so it's less of an upcharge to do that.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I am no fan of spending a lot more (AKV direct vs AKV resale) now to pass it on to heirs later on. It's so far away and for all you know your kids or their spouses may have no interest in Disney or no means to support paying dues on a timeshare. You might have 1 of the 3 that does and the estate can be divided to accomodate that. Or some families do manage to share contract usage. Or the large contract could be sold and the proceeds used towards a smaller contract. In a perfect world it will be many many years before your kids would inherit with lots of changes in between. And they'll possibly have spouses with their own ideas. Someone else mentioned other assets to pass on but a timeshare? The kids can purchase later just like you did.

And double emphasis on all of the above if it means you pay several thousands of dollars now in order to buy direct at a location you can purchase for much less resale just so you have the possibility to pass it on later to heirs that may or may not be interested in it anyway.

Buying 2 contracts so they are easier to sell later or allow downsizing if you find your not using it as much? You can easily find 150 pt AKV contracts resale so it's less of an upcharge to do that.

160 is a very common contract for AKV resale. And so much cheaper than direct.

 

[bananapepper]

Okay, I am looking at resale. So none of the contracts have any points coming in until 2020. I was wanting to book a Disney vacation for November 2020 so that won't work since there almost certainly won't be any rooms available one month out. I could borrow but then I'd be in a neverending cycle of borrowing to go on a trip every year wouldn't I? I like that when buying direct I'd have the points right then and there to use. We've promised the kids a Disney trip next year

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Okay, I am looking at resale. So none of the contracts have any points coming in until 2020. I was wanting to book a Disney vacation for November 2020 so that won't work since there almost certainly won't be any rooms available one month out. I could borrow but then I'd be in a neverending cycle of borrowing to go on a trip every year wouldn't I? I like that when buying direct I'd have the points right then and there to use. We've promised the kids a Disney trip next year

Points need to be available at time of stay, not time of booking.

 

[bananapepper]

Ohh really? Hmmm. Well, that's better then.

Is there a big risk if we buy a resale that Disney will change the rules and not allow it to work for all 14 resorts at a later date?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Ohh really? Hmmm. Well, that's better then.

Is there a big risk if we buy a resale that Disney will change the rules and not allow it to work for all 14 resorts at a later date?

They won't do that. Such a material change would never hold up in a lawsuit.

 

[kboo]

Since you have 3 kids, doing 3x100 contracts would be best because it offers you good flexibility. And since you know you want October UY, you *could* take it slow and buy the 3 contracts over time. If you got the 1st contract direct, October 19 UY, even if you couldn't buy it until after 10-1-19, you would have 200+ points available to use for a booking in November 2020 (100 banked from 2019 and 100 for 2020, and you could even borrow up to another 100 from your 2021 UY). Given that you have a 9 month old, you could probably stay in a 1BR for that trip. Then you would have until 2021 (another 2 years) to decide if you want to add on the next 100 points, to save for it, to decide on direct v. resale, etc.

Since your DH wants the ability to stay at future resorts, it makes sense to buy one 100 point contract direct, use those points and learn how to navigate the system, and then get the other contracts later. You don't need them all at once. Also, if you buy the direct contract first (since you are pretty clear which UY you want), you *may* be able to get a welcome home booking for Nov 2020 in, without feeling super-rushed to close, etc. Just know that if you buy resale, those points can only be used for the original 14, but the direct contract can be used going forward. Since only Riviera is out of the original 14, and Reflections maybe starting in 2022? 2023? you have some time to think about how you may want to split direct/resale.