The Perfect Amount of Points

[Marshay]

I guess what I am really looking for are stories of why people upgraded. Why it wasn't enough or it was too much. Just some suggestions and things that the first time buyer and user don't know or understand.

We bought 165 pts at SSR and 65 pts at AKV last year. We are a family of 3 (with one on the way!). We knew we didn't want to waste time moving on the weekends and we definitely want a 1BR. We planned to stay about 7 days or so every other year, some more, some less, in fall/spring.

However, in the 2 years we've owned, we've been back each year and stayed over 9 days each time (thanks to those developer pts). And we decided that Disney really is the ideal place to go with very young children (our DD is 3 and with new baby we won't do intl travel) so we plan to go each year for the next few years.

So .....

that means we really need to add on more pts. I wished we did it all at once b/c now it just seems harder to find the $$ to add on.

 

[robandkelly13]

We are a family of 3 with 320 points. This will give us more than a week in a one bedroom SV view @ AKV any time of year. That's pretty perfect for us. As our 3 year old grows we may add more points so we can have a 2 bedroom.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

We are a family of 4. The kids are teenagers. We like to have an adults only trip in Fall, usually a studio. In spring we take the kids and usually invite another family to come along with us. That trip is usually in a two-bedroom. We have just over 500 points. When we first bought in 2004, I did a lot of analysis as to how much we would need...then we started going...then we wanted to go more....then we wanted to bring friends and family...etc.etc.etc.

We have added on from our original amount three times. I am trying to resist the urge to do the "how many different vacations can I plan with my points?" game. I know that it will result in me thinking we could just use 50 more!!

 

[delmar411]

we are a family of 6. I found 218pts at OKW would get us a full week in a 2bedroom. That's all we needed....until we stayed at DVC!

I think the value 2bedrooms at AKV are less points than that as well but you'd have to check out the point charts against the time you'd want to travel.

 

[lugnut33]

LOL, I have point envy reading this thread.

We only have 120 points at SSR to use for a one bedroom every other year.

 

[TosaTrio]

We are a family of 3 and own 175 points at SSR. Our thought process was we could have a two bedroom every other year or at least 1 week in a studio. However, it is clearly not enough points. I don't want to use points on weekends so that tells me I need to purchase more. We think another 150-175 would work for us but now the question is location! We love BCV and VWL. Also a small amount of BLT may be in the works. Ideally I would love to own at all three but need enough points to make the 11 month advantage work for us!

What to do!

 

[jel0511]

We own a total of 425. We started at 175 at VWL then added on 50 points there twice to get up to 275. Then we added on 150 at BWV to get to our current total. I want another 150 points at SSR, to gain access to THV and GV's. So for now it looks like my perfect number is 575, but that probably will change. I do hate my maintenance fees though, that's one thing ( also with the current economy) that's stopping me from adding on......

 

[jrl153]

of the points holder. We started out with 200 points and found that a good amount to begin with. We purchased on a monday in March of 07 while staying at a house we rented in the area, which we didn't feel very safe at, and found out that we could start using our membership by wednesday. So we packed up and moved into a 2 br at OKW for the rest of the week, it cost us 133 pts. Banked the rest for the following year. Well worth the peace of mind to be able to let our teenagers board a bus over to DTD while my DW and I rested from the day at the parks, keeping in touch mind you, they're still teenagers.
With the banked points we spent a long weekend at Vero Beach in January of 08 for our 25th wedding anniversary, and in March of this year we stayed in a Grand Villa at OKW with my dad and his new wife, my oldest daugther and my grandkids. We did have to borrow like 15 points from the next UY, but again well worth it. As soon as we returned from that trip my wife and I decided we wanted to do a cruise, yes we're hooked, so we purchased another hundred points, received 100 developer points and took a cruise this past september with the add on and developer points. My point to all this is, if you plan well you can have a great vacation every year. So, the perfect amount of point is in the eyes of the points holder.

 

[Dean]

The ideal number of points is a moving target. For someone looking at studios off season, they should have a relatively large cushion of likely 10-20%. One looking at 2 or 3 BR units, esp for a higher season, can get by with around the number they calculate they need. If things change later, they can always add on in some way. And it's not difficult to stretch points by using cash for weekends in one way or another. Certainly don't buy points for exchange options.

 

[ILuvCrush]

I'm very glad I found this thread!! I took the DVC tour on Friday, will the current incentives for AKV DH and I decided we're buying in.... we just need to decide on # points. We keep swaying between 200-250. 200 would be 'enough' but we felt 250 would give us more flexibility. I think we would be better off buying the 250 w/ the incentive, rather than wishing 6 months from now we had

 

[FuzzyMelton]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and stories. I think the 200 will do us fine for now, but I really want about 5-600 in the future. That will help us with taking a grand adventure and a cruise almost every year. With living in South Florida (just 4 hours away from disney) going every year is a must. We are planning on going the Sun-Thurs gig instead of Fri and Sat. If we do that we can go for 10 days for the price of a week.

Thanks again,
Fuzzy proud owners of AKV and looking for more.

 

[adminjedi]

We currently have 938 pts, but our goal is to have 1400....that will allow us to gift 280pts to each of our kids when we are done using them. We usually have a 2bdrm suite for a 10-14 day vacation, and sometimes add a studio for extra people joining us. We are also planning on taking a winter vacation "just the two of us" each year. We realize that as the years go on and our kids get married and have children, it will take more points for all of us to be there so we are confident more points will be needed and used!

 

[SunnieRN]

I will never have all the points I want!
We bought 210 at AKV and hope to add Grand Californian points when available.

 

[parlay]

We purchased 270 pts at AKV in 2007, and I wish I had listened to my guide and bought 2 160pt contracts. I figured, as a family of 5 the new 1 bdrm that slept 5 would be a great point saver -long story short, we have not yet stayed in a 1 bedroom, but have stayed in 2 Bdrms! We had addonitis very early on, and were waiting for BLT, but didn't like the decor when it was released. We did like the incentives for AKV, so we added on another 100, just 13 months after purchasing our original contract. DH still wants to own points at a different resort, preferably at BCV, we'll see how long we can keep a second case of addonitis at bay!

 

[cindymouse6]

I bought 210 in 1994 at OKW -- then added on 100 OKW points because they offered free admission till the year 2000. Got married, had 3 kids and gained a step-son.. now a family of six. Added BWV 150pts and was happy, then pool hopping rules changed. Bought Beach club 170pts b/c of no pool hopping rule to BCV unless staying there and that gets us a 2BR S-Thursday in Summer... we have 630 points and we have the perfect number for us... we are able to go 2-3 weeks a year in a 2BR usually 6 nights (S-Sat) and occasionally get a studio for my parents every other year.

I guess I am lucky that my contracts are all split up so we can leave contracts for each 4 kids. Oh, since one is never content, we are selling our BWV contract and buying into BLT. If we don't sell BWV (no offers yet), may rent them out to pay for themselves so we have 150+ points for each child to use one day. With future marriages, grandkids, etc in the future, we'll use them all and may need more, but will be content. Meanwhile during the empty nest phase, we will use our points to go see the world and do Concierge and Adventure locations ALONE!! we look forward to that!

Sorry 600 seems to be a lot, but your target is just right (of course depending on room size, # visits per year). We get annual passes each year (LOVE the $100 discount of passes FINALLY!) so it pays for us to come 2-3 times a year --- and when we run out of points (like this next June), we will stay S-Th at BCV x5nights, go to Nick hotel for Fri,Sat and then come back to BCV for another 5 nights with my parents (them in a separate studio). Nick hotel is awesome and great waterpark. They have 2BR suites as well.

Good luck!

Cindymouse6
Chattanooga, TN

 

[FuzzyMelton]

Cindymouse,

Thanks for the reply and I wouldn't hold my breath for BLT. We toured the model and I was let down. I have stayed at the contemporary and the BLT paled in comparison. I thought the finish was cheap, especially the fake wood stuff on the cabinets in the studio. I was under the impression that these were supposed to be luxury and to me they were definitely not. Being on the monorail is cool but you still have to take a bus to any other park or transfer at the TTC to the Epcot monorail, not worth it. We loved the AKV set up with rich woods and a very inviting decor. I really liked the contemporary but the BLT was a major disappointment.
Thanks again for the info, it seems like 500-800 would be the perfect amount but lets get these 200 paid for first.

 

[pepples22]

I still am not sure what my perfect number of points is. We brought 160 back in May 2007 as a wedding gift for each other and then another 160 in May 2008 - that brings our total up to 320. It is only myself and husband that uses the points and we are more than happy with a studio (let alone my husband is spoiling me for my birthday at Christmas with one bedrooms).

We keep talking about buying more points to use, as we are already dipped into a next use year.

Then there are the cruises and the adventure collection we want to use a lot in the future. And not forgetting the Hawaii DVC, my husband loves the look of that.

I really think that whatever points you have, it will never be enough.

 

[shortypots]

We bought our 1st points (300 AKV) in May 2008. Two weeks after we returned from purchasing those points, we purchased another 150 pts at VWL. The original intention of the 300 was every other year to take the family on one big Disney trip for about 6 days in 1 2bd, and 3 studios so everyone has their own room. The intention for the additional 150 at VWL was so we can go by ourselves at Christmas every year (either a 1bd or studio).

My perfect amount of points would be about 1000. That would be enough for us to go on an Adventure by Disney every year, a Disney cruise, spend a ton of time in the parks, or a mixture of all 3!!! But, we have some time before we add on any more points,have to pay off the first two purchases. Thank goodness we got our HELOC before the credit crunch attacked.

 

[bluslag]

We have 600 points and that seems about right. First bought 150 BWV and got one week during peak season. Added 150 more at BCV to get two weeks.
Stayed at OKW and loved it and decided to add 300 more to give us flexibility.
We always take family or friends down and love being able to give this gift to everyone. When it gets old we will sell the BCV and BWV because they will be the most attractive. Not sure if the kids want it but we will find out then.