To Add On or Not?

[npatellye]

I’m sorry for having such a convoluted and probably silly post but we are debating whether or not to add on. We currently own two small 100 point contracts direct at RIV. We bought planning to get 4-6 nights a year in studios or longer with a mix of studios and 1 bedrooms. With kids who are 5 and 7, we aren’t actually sure we could do a studio for an entire trip since we’ve only done 1 and 2 bedrooms so far, plus an All Star in 2019 (which is what sold us on exploring DVC again because those rooms are tiny).

We are considering adding on 50-75 points just to get us through the kids being young but aren’t 100% sure we actually need it. So far, with a points transfer and rental from a good friend who wasn’t going to use their points, we haven’t hit the max borrowing cap between our 8 night Thanksgiving trip (split between 1 br BLT and 2 br OKW) and our upcoming 7 night trip (2 br lake view at VGF) and have been able to bank points to our Dec 2020 UY and will be able to bank 88 to Dec 2021.

Here are my questions:
1. Do you recommend adding on direct or resale?
2. We don’t really want a 2042 resort but aren’t sure if it makes sense to get a 2042 OKW or a slightly longer SSR contract or to buy something with a longer date. In 2042, our kids will be nearly 30 and 28 and we will be 62 and almost 64.
3. Do we just sit it out and get points transfers as needed instead? Or use our RCI points to stay offsite if needed?
4. Other suggestions?

 

[heynowirv]

SSR is 2054,not 2042 OKW direct is 2057,so for me a small add on is generally (25-50) points are better off doing direct.Depending on what's av mailable at the time you might end up with double points ie. says you have a AUG UY and you. buy in June, you'll get that years points as well as the following years on AUG 1.Just my 2 cents.
PS OKW is still my favorite resort.

 

[bakerworld]

Personally, I would suggesting waiting if you are currently good with points and vacation options. Once you've two or three years at WDW your kids, now at 5 and 7, will be experienced WDE vacationers be 8 and 10. Our two youngest were over the parks after a bit. You might find yourself in a similar situation.

We vacation in WDW for us - not our kids. We will go about 3 times a year on our own and stay in studios. If we do take the kids we spread out to a 2 bedroom for a 4 night stay - 4 nights being all they need any more. My son still has 2 days left on a non-expiring ticket from 2013.

 

[CarolMN]

If you add on at a resort other than your home resort, you will be using the 7 month window or booking a split stay - especially if you want mostly studios or the less expensive views. (50-75 points won't go very far for the larger villas). It's getting harder to book at 7 months, and that competition will only get worse.

My advice is to add on at your home resort (if you decide to add on) so that you can book the standard views during the priority period. You can always attempt to book something else at 7 months for a change of pace or a split stay, but if you are unsuccessful, you will already have your entire stay in hand.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Sandisw]

The thing to keep in mind is that resale can’t be used with your RIV points for RIV.

If you are not sure how long you would need the contract, an option is to buy a small 30 to 50 point contract direct at RIV,,,which would have your 2020 points which could then be banked and that would cover you for travel for a few years.

Those points would also be eligible to combine for your stays at RIV if you need to. But, also give you a smaller contract to sell down the road if need be.

 

[npatellye]

Personally, I would suggesting waiting if you are currently good with points and vacation options. Once you've two or three years at WDW your kids, now at 5 and 7, will be experienced WDE vacationers be 8 and 10. Our two youngest were over the parks after a bit. You might find yourself in a similar situation.

We vacation in WDW for us - not our kids. We will go about 3 times a year on our own and stay in studios. If we do take the kids we spread out to a 2 bedroom for a 4 night stay - 4 nights being all they need any more. My son still has 2 days left on a non-expiring ticket from 2013.

True. They’ve been going to Disney at least once a year since 2016 and they already kind of like to do the things they like to do and then call it a day.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Here are my questions:
1. Do you recommend adding on direct or resale?
2. We don’t really want a 2042 resort but aren’t sure if it makes sense to get a 2042 OKW or a slightly longer SSR contract or to buy something with a longer date. In 2042, our kids will be nearly 30 and 28 and we will be 62 and almost 64.
3. Do we just sit it out and get points transfers as needed instead? Or use our RCI points to stay offsite if needed?
4. Other suggestions?

#3 is a very viable option. You can get a largish point transfer in every few years and manage it that way. I'd recommend you wait just a bit before adding on as you've also seen very different availability because of the pandemic than you'll be seeing moving forward. If nothing else it might help you figure out where the add on should be if you decide it should happen. In the meantime the point transfer works as well as supplementing with offsite. Also, since your kids are so young I think you need to see where their Disney interest goes since they might not even care that wherever you own expires when they are around 30. We also still need to see what sort of benefits, if any, return for onsite stays. That's been waning to a point that the better rooms and grounds of some of the offsite resorts start to add up against onsite stays.

 

[bakerworld]

True. They’ve been going to Disney at least once a year since 2016 and they already kind of like to do the things they like to do and then call it a day.

Yes, and when they get over 16 they'll want to do it on their own. Having been there many times, they'll have the transpo memorized - maybe better than you. We use to play this game of 'if you're here and you want to get there'. It's amazing the different ways to get places.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

All good advice and info above!

We've been "about to add-on" since we bought in 2017.

But every time something stops us. And we've been fine.

I'd just see how you do and add on when you really need to. If you're looking at a very small add on, you're probably not going to save much going resale, so I wouldn't stress about getting into a situation where you need the points NOW and have to buy direct. It's probably better since you already own Riv anyway and makes sense to just add on there.

 

[npatellye]

You all provided some fantastic insight; thank you!

I think we will hold off and see how things go. We stayed on our RCI points in 2016 and really enjoyed the break from the “bubble”, even though we were very close. I think we will wait and see what happens post-pandemic and then decide. For now, we will stick with RCI points and points transfers if needed. Worst case, we take the money we would have spent by adding on and paying annual dues and put it towards the retirement home we plan to buy down there in 2034. Then, hopefully, we won’t need to worry about extra points.

 

[heynowirv]

You all provided some fantastic insight; thank you!

I think we will hold off and see how things go. We stayed on our RCI points in 2016 and really enjoyed the break from the “bubble”, even though we were very close. I think we will wait and see what happens post-pandemic and then decide. For now, we will stick with RCI points and points transfers if needed. Worst case, we take the money we would have spent by adding on and paying annual dues and put it towards the retirement home we plan to buy down there in 2034. Then, hopefully, we won’t need to worry about extra points.

Sounds like a good plan as well. Good luck.