those Dvc members with only 150 points

[My5Mouseketeers]

We have 150 points and it seemed like it was going to work fine for us.

We have 5 children 9, 8, 8, 4 and 2. our plan was to go to Disney every other November for 1 week in a 2 bedroom. Even though I love Disney, there are so many other wonderful places we want to take our children. We are going to Niagra Falls this summer.

My DH and I, along with my parents bought 150 points. Our guide knew there were 4 adults and 5 children, legal knew there were 4 adults and 5 children. They all said 'we don't do bed checks', or 'if you can stand having them all in two bedrooms when they are teenagers, it's fine with us'. Of course, this was all verbal, nothing in writing. Now from what I understand, they have changed their rules or decided to enfore a rule they told us they would not enforce (I'm afraid to call). Don't know what we are going to do. Never thought of Disney as being a 'buyer beware" kind of comany.

But for us 150 points being able to go every other year was going to be perfect!

 

[disneymom99]

We only have 150 points. It works fine for us. We only go once a year but get a 2 bedroom every time. We go during summer months, so OKW is the only place where we can get a 2 bedroom for 150 points. But that's fine, because we love OKW. We didn't go in 2004, which gave us enough points in 2003 to stay in a 2 bedroom at BCV.

Sure, we would like more points, but with all the expenses of day to day living, we're just happy to be able to go to Disney once a year.

 

[jade1]

150 is better than nothing. Remember just because you are a DVC member you can still visit WDW and not use your points (or use them part of the week) as most of the world does. Just use it as an enhancement at first. If you like it (when you like it) you can persue an add on later.

 

[living la vida mickey]

We bought 190 points in 2003. Okay, it is more than 150 but I think the premise still applies. My felling is don't be afraid to borrow. We've done cruises, concierge exchanges, 2 weeks at Christmas in a studio for me, my DH and DS, etc., etc. I figure that in 2042, I will be either dead or 94 so if I don't have any points to use that year, who cares. I really don't understand why people get so upset if they have to borrow points. Figure out your needs and then go for it.

 

[eporter66]

We just joined last year, and we got a studio for 5 days, and sent my parents down for their anniversary. So since we used a studio for both trips, we actually got 2 visits in 1 year.

I plan on going down on a "guys" trip to golf and relax at some point, and my wife is going for a long weekend to do the half marathon with her sister in January - so that wont use a lot of points for her trip.

We recently adopted a baby from China (Cammy) and we cant wait to start taking family vacations to WDW. We live in New York which makes quick getaways to WDW rare. So - since we have 150, what we have planned on doing is visiting WDW every other year. So - if we bank our points, when we go we have 300 to use. There are so many other vacations/places we want to go and see that it should be practical to work things out this way.

Would I like more points - absolutely, do I need more, probably not.

Eric

 

[crisi]

150 is better than nothing. Remember just because you are a DVC member you can still visit WDW and not use your points (or use them part of the week) as most of the world does. Just use it as an enhancement at first. If you like it (when you like it) you can persue an add on later.

And 150 points is better than too many unless you are willing to put up with the hassles of renting. Points come with costs. I'd rather have 150 points and need to supplement them through "Saturday night for cash" than have 600 and need 200.

We spend a lot of time talking about "not having enough points." But it is possible to have "too many." If you've bought over time in small contracts, you at least have the option to sell. If you buy one big contract, shedding those additional points can be problematic.

 

[westjones]

And 150 points is better than too many unless you are willing to put up with the hassles of renting. Points come with costs. I'd rather have 150 points and need to supplement them through "Saturday night for cash" than have 600 and need 200.

This is exactly how we feel. We don't want to end up with too many points and have to figure out what to do with them (and I don't want to bother with renting them).

150 points is nice. You can have some very nice vacations with those points, and if you need more nights, try some of the other Disney resorts with cash (we love trying out the different resorts).

DJ

 

[jodifla]

Starting with 150 points lets you try out the benefits of DVC without getting overextended, too. We bought in at 150, and for the time we were paying off our loan, pretty much only did DVC trips (and once a year to Cape Cod). That way, we were spending money that we'd already been spending at Disney. We did add on 56 points, but now, those are paid off too, so we only have our dues.

And for the $800 or so in dues a year, we feel that we get more than our money's worth. I had a bill of almost $500 for three nights in a hotel that was no more than a glorified Motel 6. Hotel prices have jumped out of sight in the past 10 years.

 

[disneyberry]

[SIZE=+0]We have less than 150 points. It's only the 2 of us for now (me and DBF), so we stay in only studios and only on weeknights, and avoid Xmas/Easter weeks. The weekends we stay offsite or in a regular Disney hotel. We go for about 3 to 5 weeknights in DVC, once or twice a year. That even gives us some leftover points that we try to bank, but occassionally need to rent out. It's doable if you can avoid the "add-on bug", avoid getting spoiled by 1bdrm or larger units, and avoid having family/friends mooch off of your DVC points.

Of course whenever DBF and I get married and have kids, we might have to add-on more points. Either that, or go less often... maybe every other year.[/SIZE]

 

[Cinderella]

I began with 150 points in January 2001 and that has suited me fine until now. I always knew i would want to add on when the kids got older, and i will be adding 200 points on my December trip.

My plan is to do two long trips every two years (best way to make those AP's go further) then take a year off every third year to do other things. I know i will have no problem using all 350 a year and can't see me ever wanting to rent any out.

 

[Big J]

150 has worked great for us. We have owned since 98' and have never felt like we did not have enough for a trip. We always stay in a one bedroom.
We usualy take a big trip every couple of years, and then skip a year or take smaller trips in between. We have also scattered in some stays at the non DVC resorts such as a couple Poly stays including Concerige and GF stays. We always seem to have enough points.
I would love more points, but I would not love paying more dues, so 150 works.

 

[gppnj]

I crave points more than Whitney Houston craves crack.

 

[dvc guy]

I crave points more than Whitney Houston craves crack.

TOOOOOOOOOO FUNNY
If you own 150 points it is easy: just borrow from the next year, we do all the time, talk about being hooked

 

[gppnj]

TOOOOOOOOOO FUNNY
If you own 150 points it is easy: just borrow from the next year, we do all the time, talk about being hooked

Though for the kids who might be reading this board, I should point out that crack is whack.

 

[dtndfamily]

We just bought 150 points and I think that will be enough for my DW and DSs for quite some time in a studio, but I am planning a grand family trip (16 people at least) so I will need about 600 points for that one trip, assuming I can get a GV at OKW, which I have heard is tough to do not owning at OKW, otherwise I would need another 200 to 300 points on top of the 600 estimated. I know I can rent the points above my 450 available (banking and borrowing), but the thought has crossed my mind to just add on at OKW. I can see us taking trips every so often with friends or extended family so the extra points could come in handy and I wouldn't have to rent points. The only problem would be there would be some years I WOULD have too many points and would have to rent them out. Not sure if I should just rent the points for this trip or if I should buy a resale at OKW and end up having to rent points out some years. If the other "grand vacations" do not happen as I see them happening we could always sell one of the contracts at that time. What do you think?

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I have 150 points and find that I usually use them in clumps of about 56 (that number has come up a few times). I don't stay in 1 or 2 bedrooms...I have another timeshare that allows me to stay in bigger units at other non-Disney locations ... I don't feel like I'm missing anything to not have a stove, in room laundry or a jacuzzi. If I need more than the three or four nights the 56 points gets me then I pay cash and probably take the opportunity to enjoy a different Disney resort.

I also expend my points at Disney more so in one year than another. For example I've gone to Disney 4 times this year...next year it will probably be just once.

 

[vascubaguy]

Are you able to manage on this amount? Do you wish you had gotten more points to begin with. How many days vacation can you take with this amount? Nancy

Actually, I'm not sure why I got 150 points. I started with 40 pts, and that was enough for us to go for 5 nights in a studio at OKW each year.... but then we talked about going twice each year. Well, I was looking at maybe getting 55 points (enough for 1 week in a studio at SSR). But to get the incentive, I had to get at least 100 points... so I ended up getting 110 points so I'd be able to get 3 weeks (assuming I want 1 week at OKW, and 2 weeks at SSR). However, I'm going for a week in March at BWV for 55 pts instead of SSR.

Anyway, we probably won't go 3 weeks each year, so I figure I can just rent the points we don't use. So, for us... 150 points is more than we really need. Until, of course, we try a 1BR and then can't go back to the micro-sized studios!

 

[gharrer]

I see that this thread has returned, so I will update you. We decided to get 200 points, and I am already borrowing 23 points from 07. This is because our DK are still in school for 2 more years, and then we can go off season. We really need a 2 BR right now. I can see that 150 points are doable if you can plan for lower point times, or have kids of same sex. Thanks for all of your comments
Nancy

 

[klh]

How much time can you take and aford. Remember you have to pay for park pass meals etc. It is not how long the vacation is as it is the quality. I rather go to WDW, HH every other year and and use aroung 180 - 200 points and go all out with great meals out every day and night etc. It seems some people buy more points and go every year or twice a year and then save on the meals and etc. They cook in the rooms and budget their money day by day. Buy what you can manage and then go all out when you stay, even if it is every other year.

 

[klh]

I Forgot To Mention Air Fair And Gas