Super new - considering DVC ?s

[Tattylou]

Let me add, we do go every year. Usually, we do a week at Disney and the next year we do a week at a Gulf coast beach and drive up to Disney for a night or two... then the next year is the entire week at Disney. So that’s how I was thinking 50 might work with banking and such since we don’t do a full week every year. Does this make more sense for low points or still no?

 

[HappyThoughtsTees]

I highly suggest watching the DVC Fan youtube shows- I binged watched them all before our first DVC purchase. Definitely a crash course in DVC. The boards here are full of super helpful info, as you've seen from the great responses above. We are a west coast family so I don't have as much info about WDW.
Good luck!

 

[princesscinderella]

I would say buy at least 100 points, the closing costs on small contracts eats away at the savings.

 

[Eric Smith]

I highly suggest watching the DVC Fan youtube shows- I binged watched them all before our first DVC purchase. Definitely a crash course in DVC. The boards here are full of super helpful info, as you've seen from the great responses above. We are a west coast family so I don't have as much info about WDW.
Good luck!

I'd add, especially watch the earlier ones. They went over a lot of the fundamentals of DVC.

 

[havoc315]

I’ve considered DVC in the past, but never really explored it much. The past few weeks I’ve really been reading more and more on these boards about DVC ownership. I’m looking for advice and have a few questions.
I’m a long time Disney fan. I went to Disney every year growing up and have gone every year since my youngest son was 3 (he’s 10 now). We switch off between Disneyland and WDW, but WDW is easier bc we are on the east coast. We are a plane ride away though. We prefer to stay onsite at WDW - typically we have done values or moderates, but have always wanted to do deluxe. Rack rates are more than I will pay for them though. We have to travel high peak times bc DH is a teacher. Family is four - kids 12 and 10 plus my husband and myself. We usually travel with my parents, but they generally get their own hotel room at the same resort. I’d say usually rack rate we are paying 2300 or so for a week for accommodations. For example, I just booked president’s week Feb 2022 at CBR for 320/night. This the week we would probably go usually.
I’m leaning towards resale bc it is so much cheaper. I’m not feeling super willing to finance 30k for 125 points direct. That is a lot of money. My husband would be like what the actual heck are you thinking lol. A small (50 point) resale contract I might be able to pay cash and get my feet wet with all this DVC stuff. I’m not sure 50 points would get me too far though on peak weeks.
-What is your thoughts on 50 points given my situation?

-What does ROFR mean?
-Can you use resale points at Hilton Head, Vero Beach, or Aulani?
-Can you use your Disney visa and get 6 months no interest and 2% back on resale? (my sense is this is only for direct)
-What are the benefits to buying direct in my situation? Does it ever make sense to finance? I see lots of info saying do not finance.
-If I pay cash then what are the typically monthly/yearly additional costs on a small 50 point contract?
-Once I have a small resale then I can add small direct contract if I want more points, right? What is the benefit of doing that as opposed to buying a small resale add on?

Any and all opinions and advice welcome.
Thanks so much!

DVC may be a good value for you though I'd be careful with the "deluxe" connotation. Depending on the property, DVC isn't exactly equivalent to a deluxe resort experience. (Some of the properly like Saratoga Springs feel more like a medium between mod and deluxe as opposed to true deluxe; studios are similar in size to deluxe hotel rooms but tend to have 1 bed + 1 "sleeper couch" as opposed to 2 real beds, and compared to a regular hotel room, you lose daily housekeeping. )

As discussed at length in another thread, I'd be careful looking at DVC as "savings." But if you know you want lots of regular Disney vacations, it can be a good value, it can give you regular Disney trips to look forward to.

50 points will NOT get you far during President's week most years.
President's Week 2022, Saturday to Saturday:
Animal Kingdom Lodge, studio with Savannah view: 139 points
Bay Lake Tower, standard view studio: 139 points
Beach Club, standard view: 134 points
Boardwalk: 113 points standard view
Saratoga Springs, standard studio: 111 points.

So basically, 50 points can get about 3 nights during peak seasons, maybe 4 nights offpeak, in standard studios.

BUT.. If you only plan on using your points every 2-3 years, you can combine them, and regularly take 100 point trips.

Yes, you can use re-sale points at HHI, Vero Beach and Aulani. Though eligible at HHI, it can be difficult to book for summer during the available window (7 months). Outside of summer, you can easily use your points there.

There is virtually no benefit of adding a small "direct" contract to a resale contract, except that your "direct" points could be used at Riviera and future resorts. If you buy the minimum of 125 points direct, then you get blue card perks. Assuming it returns, the biggest blue card perk is a nicely discount annual pass. There are some other shopping and dining discounts associated with a blue card.

Something to keep in mind when buying re-sale of a small contract: You pay far more per point for lower point contracts.
For example, I just glanced and saw a SSR resale of 50 points listed at $138 per point, while a 150 point contract was listed at $108 per point.
So buying a 50 point contract.. and then another 75 point contract, will cost you significantly more than just buying a 125 point contract at once.

 

[cruisehopeful]

What is your thoughts on 50 points given my situation?

It seems too few, but one way to know for sure is to look at the point charts for each resort for the week that you will mostly be traveling. I am in the process of buying a 50pt, but I know that I can travel anytime and that I will be banking and borrowing for less often visits and I'll never stay for a full week. I also know that I can rent up to 24 point from Disney to tack on to a reservation once per year if I need a few more points.

I would look at renting through an owner and see if that works for you. It will be cheaper than paying rack rates and you won't be fully committed to something that might not work well for you. If you do end up buying a small contract, you can still rent additional points from an owner, but if you are very particular about which resort you stay at, you'll need to find someone who owns the same resort and has the same use year to combine for a booking further than 7 months out.

FWIW, I am buying Poly with intention to stay in a studio because the studio has 2 showers and 2 sinks. It only has one toilet, but the ability for 2 people to get ready at the same time is a priority for me. Besides looking at the points needed for a stay at your most desired travel time, look specifically at the room type for each resort. Think about what you'll be wanting for the long term and not just for the next few years.

 

[Tattylou]

DVC may be a good value for you though I'd be careful with the "deluxe" connotation. Depending on the property, DVC isn't exactly equivalent to a deluxe resort experience. (Some of the properly like Saratoga Springs feel more like a medium between mod and deluxe as opposed to true deluxe; studios are similar in size to deluxe hotel rooms but tend to have 1 bed + 1 "sleeper couch" as opposed to 2 real beds, and compared to a regular hotel room, you lose daily housekeeping. )

As discussed at length in another thread, I'd be careful looking at DVC as "savings." But if you know you want lots of regular Disney vacations, it can be a good value, it can give you regular Disney trips to look forward to.

50 points will NOT get you far during President's week most years.
President's Week 2022, Saturday to Saturday:
Animal Kingdom Lodge, studio with Savannah view: 139 points
Bay Lake Tower, standard view studio: 139 points
Beach Club, standard view: 134 points
Boardwalk: 113 points standard view
Saratoga Springs, standard studio: 111 points.

So basically, 50 points can get about 3 nights during peak seasons, maybe 4 nights offpeak, in standard studios.

BUT.. If you only plan on using your points every 2-3 years, you can combine them, and regularly take 100 point trips.

Yes, you can use re-sale points at HHI, Vero Beach and Aulani. Though eligible at HHI, it can be difficult to book for summer during the available window (7 months). Outside of summer, you can easily use your points there.

There is virtually no benefit of adding a small "direct" contract to a resale contract, except that your "direct" points could be used at Riviera and future resorts. If you buy the minimum of 125 points direct, then you get blue card perks. Assuming it returns, the biggest blue card perk is a nicely discount annual pass. There are some other shopping and dining discounts associated with a blue card.

Something to keep in mind when buying re-sale of a small contract: You pay far more per point for lower point contracts.
For example, I just glanced and saw a SSR resale of 50 points listed at $138 per point, while a 150 point contract was listed at $108 per point.
So buying a 50 point contract.. and then another 75 point contract, will cost you significantly more than just buying a 125 point contract at once.

Yes, this is helpful. I was thinking the 50 bc we usually do every other year with a full week at Disney. The opposite year we do a condo at a beach and then drive up to Disney for a night or two. I’m definitely on the fence about spending as much as a 100 point contract would be, but I know it would be more ideal based on these numbers. I tend to spend a good chunk of money on vacation every year, so it is probably not so much about “savings” per say as it is about upgrading our resort for same or less cost as I already spend on a moderate.

 

[havoc315]

Yes, this is helpful. I was thinking the 50 bc we usually do every other year with a full week at Disney. The opposite year we do a condo at a beach and then drive up to Disney for a night or two. I’m definitely on the fence about spending as much as a 100 point contract would be, but I know it would be more ideal based on these numbers. I tend to spend a good chunk of money on vacation every year, so it is probably not so much about “savings” per say as it is about upgrading our resort for same or less cost as I already spend on a moderate.

I was in your shoes some years ago. I decided I didn’t want to tie up that Much money into DVC. Since that time.. 10-15 years ago, have taken 4 or 5 trips to WDW and many trips elsewhere. As our financial security grew, I purchased DVC knowing I could afford it without really taking away from anything else.
So now, I’m expecting to take more frequent trips, including long weekends, while still doing everything else I wanted to do.

I’d be hesitant to recommend buying DVC to anyone, if the initial point purchase is a financial stretch.

 

[Tattylou]

It seems too few, but one way to know for sure is to look at the point charts for each resort for the week that you will mostly be traveling. I am in the process of buying a 50pt, but I know that I can travel anytime and that I will be banking and borrowing for

It seems too few, but one way to know for sure is to look at the point charts for each resort for the week that you will mostly be traveling. I am in the process of buying a 50pt, but I know that I can travel anytime and that I will be banking and borrowing for less often visits and I'll never stay for a full week. I also know that I can rent up to 24 point from Disney to tack on to a reservation once per year if I need a few more points.

I would look at renting through an owner and see if that works for you. It will be cheaper than paying rack rates and you won't be fully committed to something that might not work well for you. If you do end up buying a small contract, you can still rent additional points from an owner, but if you are very particular about which resort you stay at, you'll need to find someone who owns the same resort and has the same use year to combine for a booking further than 7 months out.

FWIW, I am buying Poly with intention to stay in a studio because the studio has 2 showers and 2 sinks. It only has one toilet, but the ability for 2 people to get ready at the same time is a priority for me. Besides looking at the points needed for a stay at your most desired travel time, look specifically at the room type for each resort. Think about what you'll be wanting for the long term and not just for the next few years.

I forgot about the buying extra points. That’s a good point (see what I did there LOL) .

I was going to rent points this year, but then we decided no Feb 2021 trip bc of covid and travel restrictions still in Massachusetts. I’m leery to rent for next year bc I don’t love the cancel policies with covid still a thing.

 

[Tattylou]

I was in your shoes some years ago. I decided I didn’t want to tie up that Much money into DVC. Since that time.. 10-15 years ago, have taken 4 or 5 trips to WDW and many trips elsewhere. As our financial security grew, I purchased DVC knowing I could afford it without really taking away from anything else.
So now, I’m expecting to take more frequent trips, including long weekends, while still doing everything else I wanted to do.

I’d be hesitant to recommend buying DVC to anyone, if the initial point purchase is a financial stretch.

Yeah, this is where I’m at - I want it, but I don’t “15k upfront” want it. I’ll probably spend that on vacation lodgings in the next ten years anyway, but it will be a year to year purchase rather than a right now all at once purchase.

 

[Minniesgal]

As a teacher you don't have to go in peak times you can go in the summer it is quite good for points now.

 

[PurdueTodd]

I have thought of that and was planning to do it for what was going to be our Feb 2021 trip - then pandemic happened and the 2021 trip got scratched. I’m leery of renting now bc I don’t love the cancel policies with the stupid covid still being a thing.
I’ve been to a fair amount of the resorts just from resort hoping or eating at them so I have an idea of the vibes of a bunch. I’m actually not super picky though - I’ve been contented at All Stars so I can hang with SSR - I actually like that it is right at Disney Springs. I like Animal Kingdom too. The monorail resorts have the appeal of easy transportation, but that’s not super important for me to spend a lot more for it.
I wish I wasn’t tied to a teacher’s schedule. It really is inconvenient for Disney travel lol.

If it were I.....I wouldn’t be looking at VB, or HH, and the such for use on property. Reason being is because your stuck booking at the 7 month mark. Also, the maintenance fees are pretty high for those properties. AKL and SSR are good picks if your happy with those two at the 11 month window

 

[Tattylou]

As a teacher you don't have to go in peak times you can go in the summer it is quite good for points now.

We do a summer vacation and a winter vacation. However, we do a more local trip in the summer bc we live near nice beaches - we can rent a house right on the beach and enjoy that in the summer (Cape Cod).
Plus, we like to get the heck out of this cold winter nightmare that is February in Massachusetts.

 

[The Jackal]

I think the studios that have the 5th sleeping pull-down bed are BWV, GF, Poly, and BRV. In the link below, if you click on each resort you can find more info on each, including floor plans.
https://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/resortmain.htm#deluxevilla

BCV and RIV also have them in studios.

 

[Tattylou]

If it were I.....I wouldn’t be looking at VB, or HH, and the such for use on property. Reason being is because your stuck booking at the 7 month mark. Also, the maintenance fees are pretty high for those properties. AKL and SSR are good picks if your happy with those two at the 11 month window

VB and HH were more just a curiosity question than an interest to buy - like way down the line when my kids are adults then sometimes we could use points for a more chill trip there with just my husband and I.

 

[The Jackal]

VB and HH were more just a curiosity question than an interest to buy - like way down the line when my kids are adults then sometimes we could use points for a more chill trip there with just my husband and I.

VB and HHI expire in 2042, I’m not sure how young your kids are, there are only 20 years left in those contracts. Most believe that DVC will not renew those 2 resorts when they expire. So if your kids are young, they would almost be expired, when your children are adults.

 

[Tattylou]

VB and HHI expire in 2042, I’m not sure how young your kids are, there are only 20 years left in those contracts. Most believe that DVC will not renew those 2 resorts when they expire. So if your kids are young, they would almost be expired, when your children are adults.

I don’t want to buy at either of those, but are you saying I couldn’t use points with a different home resort at those places after 2042 or does that just apply if I bought there? I don’t want to buy there. I want to buy a WDW resort. My kids are 10 and 12, so they’re older.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Do any studios have the CBR 5th sleeper kind of thing? Sharing a bed with my youngest is like sharing it with a squirming sleep talking maniac.

I love the idea of buying at the Grand at DL bc I adore Disneyland and love the vibe of that hotel and the ease of getting to the parks from there. We live in Massachusetts though, so it seems crazy to buy at the one place that is 3000 miles away

I know BCV does. Their studio has the queen bed, a pullout couch (I believe it’s a queen), and the fold down “hidden” single.

 

[Tattylou]

I know BCV does. Their studio has the queen bed, a pullout couch (I believe it’s a queen), and the fold down “hidden” single.

that’s perfect- I like that

 

[DVCSunDevil]

We do a summer vacation and a winter vacation. However, we do a more local trip in the summer bc we live near nice beaches - we can rent a house right on the beach and enjoy that in the summer (Cape Cod).
Plus, we like to get the heck out of this cold winter nightmare that is February in Massachusetts.

LOL. You sound like you are in the same boat as us. We moved out to the Albany area from Boston 15 years ago. We continue to do beach rentals in Orleans. The nice thing about DVC is that there is always a WDW vacation on the horizon. That sort of stuff is good for the mental sanity during these terrible winters. I highly agree with previous comments that you shouldn’t make the purchase if it will be stretching you thin. If you have the available cash to spend without cutting things out, then it makes sense.