I was so ignorant of timeshares and
DVC when I purchased that, to this day, "picking" a use year or even a particular resort just doesn't sound right -- I thought you got what they had available or just went without! I somehow lucked out and purchased at BWV, which is absolutely the best option for me even including some of the new proposed resorts, and my use year is June. About the only thing I can think of for a concern about the use year would be *when* you are buying, in terms of how quickly you'd have access to your points and if you'd have to use up current points or bank them right away. I've just never given much thought to if a particular time of the year might be better than another in terms of when your use year starts.
As far as the number of points, it would be incredibly beneficial to make some assumptions. Again, I did not do this as I just literally fell into the purchase, but since you're asking --
where do you want to stay?
when do you want to go?
how often do you want to go?
if your finances were to change for the worse, what would you change?
1. Where you want to stay is probably the biggest choice. This is important because you don't want to give up that 11 month home resort advantage when making reservations because you've discovered that you usually spend most of your time *here* and it's a two-hour bus trip from the resort you bought at to that place. I spend most of my time at Epcot, so the Boardwalk is an excellent choice for me. There are trips I literally do not go to any of the other parks, so I've been delighted with my home resort.
2. When you go during the year and how long you stay will tell you the number of points you need. I generally go during October, which is the "Choice" category at Boardwalk. I would normally want a one bedroom, and I generally stay Sunday to Thursday for four nights. That's 72 points. I often invite someone else to stay with me, so I would get a two bedroom on those occasions, but the minimum purchase I've seen is 100 points so I'd probably figure (if I were buying today) on getting that. (I have 210 points -- like I've said, I didn't have a clue what I was doing, I had the money, and I spent it. Sometimes I wish I'd purchased fewer points, but so far I've managed to use them every year so I obviously am not complaining.)
3. If you go more than once a year on a regular basis, do the math (from #2) for each time. If you only go once every other year, divide the number of points (from #2) in half and plan on banking one year into the year that you go.
4. Assume the worst -- in my case, I ended up retiring about 5 years after I bought and about 15 years before most people do. What would you change? Would you go less frequently? Would you go for fewer days (i.e., not stay over the weekend?) Deduct points if needed. In other words, don't overbuy just because you can.
Without more information on when and how often you go -- there are 5 categories ranging, for the 2 bedrooms at the Beach Club or VWL for a week, from 270 points to 350 points -- to give a suggestion as to the number of points. Note that the Boardwalk has two view categories, so you could stay there for as little as 222 points up to 350 points a week. But the Boardwalk's contract ends in 2042 while I think that the other two end in 2057 or something like that, so your age (or if you want to leave it in your will to your children) might make a difference in which one you pick.
All sorts of options!
