Two questions re: purchasing DVC

[Lucia_27]

Good afternoon!

We are considering buying into DVC at OKW, but have a few outstanding questions about it...

1 - I've heard that it's not easy to use your DVC points at non-WDW properties. Can someone elaborate on this? While our DD is still young (she's 5 now), I can definately see us going to WDW year after year, but as she gets older, we might want to mix it up a bit. What is difficult - availability at other locations? Getting "enough room" for your points? This isn't a dealbreaker for us... I'm just a bit curious.

2 - When I look at how many points I'd "like" at my home resort (OKW) to cover annual WDW trips (we're in St. Pete, FL, so I'd "like" to do 2-3 smaller trips each year), it's just a tad high.. We're not planning to do another big trip until 2012, so does it make sense to buy in with a smaller contract to cover 1-2 weekend trips, then add points on later right before we are ready to go for 8 days? I'm not sure how costly and/or difficult it is to add on points to an existing contract. On the other hand, I don't want to pay maintenence on points I'm not going to use for possibly 2 years. Maybe I'm missing something?

Anyway, thanks for your help in advance!!!

 

[drusba]

1. There is an exchage program through RCI to a lot of other properties in many places and ease to get really depends on those properties, many are very easy to get, others which may be very popular are not so easy particular for popular times. The problem is that you may find the ones you think are as worthwhile as WDW-DVC may be the ones that are not necessarily easy.

2. Can add-on points later through Disney or resale. Even though resort is "sold out" Disney usually has points to sell which have been recaptured due to foreclosures. With resales, there is always something available but not usually low point contracts (under 100) and finding something close to what you actually want (number of points, use year, contract that has not already used up current points) can often take time. An issue of course is that, particularly if you want to add-on later through Disney, the price is likely to be higher than it is now and Disney's price for sold-out resorts such as OKW is iteself always more than what you can pay in the resale market.

 

[Greysword]

Sounds like you have it in hand.

As mentioned, DVC is tradable through RCI. They also have other options for points, such as a few 5-star resorts you can rent using points (expensive but fun), the Disney collection (including DL and DCL), and adventures by Disney (lots of points needed, but is a whole touring package).

I think your idea of buying a smaller contract via resale is the way to go for you. You can use it to have a few smaller trips int he year, then you can see if DVC works for you. If not, sell your contract. If you like it, then you can add more points through Disney or the resale market as you need.

OKW is about the same or higher in price than SSR. You may consider these points, as OKW and SSR have decent availability throughout the year (except at very special times). Thus, it may be more financially sound to consider the lower price for longer contract length.

Goos luck!

 

[ToddyLu]

I think you have to have access to the points you need to make the reservation. I don't think you could BOOK a room that is 120 points with only 50 points available to use and then after you book buy the remaining points you need. But you could book that 120 point room if you use banked, current and borrowed points (3 years of points would be 150 points). I don't know if that makes sense? I think the more in advance you can trade in to RCI that more chance you get what you want. There is a $95 booking fee also.

Recently DVC also made a deal with owners that if you are 24 points or less short of a reservation, you can purchase those points once a year for $15 a point...this helps folks out who just need a few. I think there may be other stipulations like you cannot transfer or bank these one time points, etc.

I would think a good option would be to buy maybe a small contract and use it for a while to see how it fits your lifestyle. You can buy direct from Disney for 100 points buy in I believe, not the usual 160.