Trying to decide on number of points

[Iceman13]

I realize that there is no 100% right or wrong answer for my question, but I am interested in the views of other DVC members as our family tries to decide how many points to purchase.

We are looking at BLT and after looking at the points chart, we have and idea of about where we need to be. My question is it better to error on the extra points side and risk having a small amount that you might have to give away or eat, or is it better to error on the lower side and borrow from subsequent year or purchase extra points for Disney.

Like I said, I am looking for your opinions, so I can make sure I think about all the positives and negatives when we decide on the final number.

 

[Sandisw]

Buy more and not less. For example, say you need 200 points for your yearly vacation, but buy 225. You would have 25 extra points to bank. The next year, you would start with 225. When you book that trip, you would use the banked points first, and then use only 175 of your current points. That would leave you 50 points to book in year 2.

By year 3, you will have an extra 50 points that may allow you to book an extra night.

With this scenario, as long as you always use up banked points before current UY points, you should not end up with wasted points!!!

 

[ToddyLu]

Also just recently DVC gave members a once a year buy in of extra 24 points at $15 per point. You can only use this at 7 months before check in. So if you are a couple short this may feel the gap. However, DVC can revoke this benefit at any time. We were going to buy 200 points at AKV, but decided on 210 becasue there really wasn't that much difference in price and it has given us a touch of space. Next Dec. if I get my reservation at 11 months to book 2-SV studios at 102 points per piece....I have enough. Works for us.

 

[adminjedi]

we have and idea of about where we need to be. My question is it better to error on the extra points side and risk having a small amount that you might have to give away or eat, or is it better to error on the lower side and borrow from subsequent year or purchase extra points for Disney.

1. Error on side of more not less
2. Really, don't spend too much time trying to decide how many points....it doesn't matter, because whatever you decide you will add on sooner or later!
Welcome to the club!

 

[Rob S.]

don't spend too much time trying to decide how many points....it doesn't matter, because whatever you decide you will add on sooner or later!

So True!
I initially bought 200 points and added on another 50 within a month. I've added on 6 times in 3 years. It is addictive.

 

[Granny]

If you can afford it, a little point cushion (more) is a good thing. Sandisw gave a good scenario on how to use the extra points (you shouldn't have to eat them or rent them).

In addition, Disney can and has changed the point structure of resort stays. So a one week stay in a 1BR at BLT (for example) in the summer might go up or down in points a bit. Disney has to keep the total number of points for a resort for a year fixed, but it can switch things around.

A few extra points could save you the headached of looking for a handful of points each year if they adjust upward at the time of year you want to travel.

 

[Disneypubgal]

Don't forget to ask for your contract to be split into smaller ones... if you find that you don't need all of those pts... you will be easily able to sell off one of the smaller ones than have to sell or use one big one.... maybe 3-50 pt and one 60 pt contract...

 

[3girlsfun]

We are still doing our research, but, I am thinking we will buy a little extra as a cushion. If we don't end up using the points, then I can use them to book a weekend during one of the marathons. However, we are planning to use our points (when we purchase them) as an all at once weekly vacation each year. We want this to be our "tradition" vacation, then do something else once a year also, with a few weekend trips thrown in there.

 

[Iceman13]

A big thank you to everyone for their input. We pulled the trigger tonight and bought BLT. I took the advice of many people and went with the larger contract.

 

[Disneypubgal]

A big thank you to everyone for their input. We pulled the trigger tonight and bought BLT. I took the advice of many people and went with the larger contract.

Did you break it up into smaller contracts??? Later down the road you may need to get rid of some points... smaller contracts sell at a higher price and generally much quicker...

Congrats and Welcome Home!!

 

[adminjedi]

A big thank you to everyone for their input. We pulled the trigger tonight and bought BLT. I took the advice of many people and went with the larger contract.

Congrats & Welcome Home!

 

[Crystal_27]

I think it's always better to have more points than not enough. If you have more points in a given use year, you can always bank them and use them the next year to stay in larger accommodations or for more days. However, if you don't have enough points, it's a bummer to not be able to do what you want to do. You also have to factor in reallocation of points, which means that what you are "paying" now in points for a particular week could be different in a year, 5 years, 10 years, etc. (although do keep in mind that if DVC does a reallocation and a particular season or day now requires more points, there will be an offset so that another season or day will require less points).

When we bought, we looked at the type of accommodations we would need for the next 5 years or so (studio) and the typical seasons we would need to stay in (peak), and then added about 15% to the figure that we came up with to give us a cushion for reallocations, etc. We've actually gotten a lot of mileage from our points, and I think we bought exactly what we needed for the way we vacation right now.

With all that said, though, DVC is now offering members to rent up to 25 points in a given use year if they fall a bit short in points, so maybe having that extra 10-15% cushion of points isn't as critical as it was when we bought.

Good luck!

 

[Iceman13]

Did you break it up into smaller contracts??? Later down the road you may need to get rid of some points... smaller contracts sell at a higher price and generally much quicker...

Congrats and Welcome Home!!

Thank you!
Yes we did break it down into smaller contracts. I was going to mention this to our guide, but he suggested it before I had a chance. It seems like a great way to do it.