undecided still!

[vinmar4]

Hello everybody,
I'm new to this site and the hubby and I are thinking about becoming members. I spoke to a sales person that we talked too last month during our first vacation to Disney World. The questions is that we are undecided about how many points to get. We were thinking at first 200, then 240 and now we are thinking the next lelvel. There are four of us , my husband, 13 y/o , 7 y/0 and I, but we also have a married one with no kids that I' sure will be with us most of the time when we go back. Then we are thinking about the grandkids. The difference would be about 45.00 per month plus a little more for the yearly maintance fee. We are planning in paying it off in half the time or in 5 years instead of the 10.
the other question is that right now we can still get June as our month, but he could give us either August or December. We are going to vacation most of the time , at least for a while , during the spring break or summer months and maybe some years for Christmas in the future. Our agent is telling us that December would be better. We are buying at AKL. Our next time going back, will be next June or July.We need some help please
thanks to all!:

 

[robertdangelo]

We have a December UY. Typically the last four months of the UY should be times you don't plan on vacationing, especially if you anticipate cancelling a reservation for any reason.
You may want to have the contract split up into two.(two contract #'s, one membership #) ie: 190 and 50. This way if your ever had to sell for any reason, you can sell the small contract and still have a membership.
I hope this helps!

Bob

 

[bookwormde]

One thing to remember is that if you are financing the interest plus the mantinance fees are way more (like $16/pt) than you can rent of transfer in points ($9-10pt) for so if you get a smaller contract say 100 pts (either from DVC of resale) you will likely come out financially ahead and can always add on for cash later.

bookwormde

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

Yeah, get enough points for your first vacation or two. You can always add on more points down the road. There are lots of small contracts you can pick up on the resale market that will be much cheaper than your first big contrat.

At least that's what we intend to do. We bought 160 points at BLT recently. They threw in the the 2009 points as an incentive, that meant we had 320 to use this year.

We used 172 on a 5 night 1BR stay at BLT over Mother's Day. Then we're using another 63 for a 5 night Studio stay at Kidani the first week of December. Which means we still have 85 points to bank for next year.

We'll probably add on next year when Aulani (Hawaii) opens up.

 

[DizGirl20]

Get enough points for your first vacation or two. You can always add on more points down the road. There are lots of small contracts you can pick up on the resale market that will be much cheaper than your first big contract.

This is our approach as well. We bought in at AKV (160 points) in December 2009, so we got the double points with a Feb use year. Used about half our total allotment at the Beach Club this year, will use the rest next year at Kidani. We definitely plan to add-on next year (not sure if we will go direct or resale) as we want to have 2 contracts to give some day to our 2 children.

Good Luck!

 

[Sandisw]

If spring break, along with summer, are going to be your usual times of travel for now, I would go with a Dec UY, and not June or August.

Traveling close to the end of your UY does not allow as much flexibility in terms of what to do with points if you have to change or cancel a trip.

Typically, you want a UY in which you are traveling within those first few months so that if you want to change or need to cancel a vacation (at least 31 days in advance--less than that and there are other rules for the points) , you are still within your banking window, the first 8 months, or have enough time to re-book to use up any borrowed points, as those can never be returned to their UY.

If you go with Dec UY, you will still get 2009 points. IMO, I would start out with your original figure and assume you will add on in the future. Since you will be getting those extra 2009 points, you may find that those are enough to supplement your contract in a way that you really won't need more than the 200 or 240 for a few year.

Why pay interest on points that are for the future? You can always add on later and maybe be at a point where those extra points won't need to be financed. Of course, the price per point could go up and if moving to the next level is saving you additional money, then just go for what you want.

If you do this, be sure to ask them to break up the points in to multiple contracts. So, if you buy 300 points, ask them to give you say 3 100 point contracts instead. This way, if you realize that 300 is more than you need, you can sell off one of them and then still have 200 left. If they come in one big 300 point contract, and it is too many, you will have to sell the whole thing or keep the whole thing.

Good luck!

 

[vinmar4]

Thanks a lot to all the people that have responded, you guys are fast!
I was thinking of getting the 240 because most likely we will always have additional family members traveling with us and will have to get the 2 bedroom rooms. I think I'm going to ask for the December UY.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Also, considering splitting your contract and buying two 120-point contracts (both at the same resort). This will make it MUCH easier for you down the road should something happen and you need to sell your beloved DVC. It is so much easier to sell small contracts as opposed to larger ones. Plus, if you have to see for financial reasons, you can still keep one 120-point contract to allow you to stay a member and sell the other one.

And as others have said, start smaller and add on as you need to.

Good luck!

 

[vinmar4]

so getting the contract splitted in two instead of one is the same as far as when you get the points and how you use them when you book a room?
thanks
I never heard of that.

 

[ACDSNY]

so getting the contract splitted in two instead of one is the same as far as when you get the points and how you use them when you book a room?
thanks
I never heard of that.

Yes, as long it they are at the same resort and the same use year.

 

[Sandisw]

so getting the contract splitted in two instead of one is the same as far as when you get the points and how you use them when you book a room?
thanks
I never heard of that.

Yes, I own 180 points at BLT, but in a 130 contract and a 50 contract but the function as one big contract since they are the same UY and the same membership.

However, if decided down the road that I didn't need all of those points, I could sell just the 50 and still be a member.

Good luck!

 

[vinmar4]

I see, that's a great idea!
I wonder why the people that you talk too during the presentations don't give you that kind of information.
Can you you change the number of people and names of a reservation?
let's say my married daughter can't meet us at Disney at that time for whatever reason.
Thanks a lot to all!
we can't wait to go back but now staying at AKL instead of the French Quater which we also liked. We liked everything being our first visit ever!

 

[vinmar4]

so, when Iwe are ready to schedule a room, let's say right now we are planning on going back for our second trip next June, I could call this July to get the reservation correct?
Do you ask for whole time? we are going to stay 10 nights and I need the 2 bedroom value accomodations
do they tell you upfront if you can take 8 or 9 people?
thanks

 

[Sandisw]

so, when Iwe are ready to schedule a room, let's say right now we are planning on going back for our second trip next June, I could call this July to get the reservation correct?
Do you ask for whole time? we are going to stay 10 nights and I need the 2 bedroom value accomodations
do they tell you upfront if you can take 8 or 9 people?
thanks

You can call and book a reservation 11 months from check in date at your home resort for up to 7 days at a time.

So, if you are going next June, you would call in July and book. Value rooms at AKV, the 2 bedrooms, only sleep 8 plus one under 3 because they do not have the sleeper chair that the other 2 bedrooms have. I also believe they only have 2 bathrooms, (while the ones at Kidani have three).

When you book, you can add the names of your party to the reservation. If someone needs to cancel out, you simply call MS and take them off (I just did that with my DD17 who can't go with us to Disney).

Once you get your reservation, you can call back a few days later to add on those 3 extra days to make it a 10 day stay.

With values, you want to be sure to call right at 11 months as I have heard they are the first to go.

Good luck and congratulations!!

 

[vinmar4]

Ok, now that we decided that we are going to ask for the December UY, but now we are having doubts about which resort to pick between AKV and BLT. All this time I don't know why , I was thinking that BLT was another resort and that the contemporary was another one!!!
we went to Chef's Mickey last April. Any way, we went to the AKV to take a tour and we liked it but just to think that the monorail is right there for the BLT sounds great when my 13 y/o may want to go with his cousins by themselves to Epcot and MK. The idea of not having to take the bus after all day at MK sounds pretty good to me. But then, I also like the feeling of being in the jungle with a AKV stay. Now looking at the prices, BLT is more expensive for the same 240 points becasue we are financing. Also it requires more points to stay at BLT then AKV. I was thinking of maybe booking 1 week at BLT and then 3 at AKV at the 7 month cuff off. Another thing that just came to my mind was that instead of getting a 2 room bedroom , we could get 2 studios and save points. Just when I thinking that we were done, here comes something else. I know that my 13 and 7 y/o kids love MK, but they also liked the jungle feeling. Now the question is if we should buy at AKV and attempt to get 3 nights at BLT after a week at AKV or viceversa.

 

[FindTheMickeys]

The first rule of DVC is to buy where you want to stay. BLT is harder to get reservations at shorter time frames so the 11 month booking advantage is great...

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Now the question is if we should buy at AKV and attempt to get 3 nights at BLT after a week at AKV or viceversa.

Due to the size of the resort and the number of villas available, it will be a lot easier to book AKV @ 7 mos than BLT...so if you really want to stay there...you should buy there. Also, don't forget that right now the annual fees for AKV are over a dollar more per point, which can really add up over the course of your membership if the situation doesn't change.

 

[Sandisw]

Ok, now that we decided that we are going to ask for the December UY, but now we are having doubts about which resort to pick between AKV and BLT. All this time I don't know why , I was thinking that BLT was another resort and that the contemporary was another one!!!
we went to Chef's Mickey last April. Any way, we went to the AKV to take a tour and we liked it but just to think that the monorail is right there for the BLT sounds great when my 13 y/o may want to go with his cousins by themselves to Epcot and MK. The idea of not having to take the bus after all day at MK sounds pretty good to me. But then, I also like the feeling of being in the jungle with a AKV stay. Now looking at the prices, BLT is more expensive for the same 240 points becasue we are financing. Also it requires more points to stay at BLT then AKV. I was thinking of maybe booking 1 week at BLT and then 3 at AKV at the 7 month cuff off. Another thing that just came to my mind was that instead of getting a 2 room bedroom , we could get 2 studios and save points. Just when I thinking that we were done, here comes something else. I know that my 13 and 7 y/o kids love MK, but they also liked the jungle feeling. Now the question is if we should buy at AKV and attempt to get 3 nights at BLT after a week at AKV or viceversa.

Another idea is to buy both. For example, look to see what you would need for those 3 nights at BLT vs. the nights at AKV, and gear your contracts that way.

Instead of getting 240 at one, do 140 at AKV and 100 at BLT, or 120 and 120 at each. In the past, Disney has allowed you to still qualify for incentives at the 240 point level so it may work out for you.

At 11 months you can use AKV points to book the AKV part and the BLT points to book the BLT part).

It might, at least, be worth it to ask your guide what the cost would be to do it this way and give you home resort advantage for a few nights for each resort.

Good luck!

 

[vinmar4]

thanks Sandi,
my other part of the question was if it was better to get 2 studios vs a two-bedroom vacation home for 8 people and use the least amt of points.

 

[vinmar4]

still trying to make a decision, we are wondering if it would he harder to get a 2 bedroom suite at 7 months at AKV for a week or 3 nights at BLT at 7 months. We are thinking about getting the 240 points at BLT because of the extra 3 years with the membership but use it more at AKV because is less points. We would also stay at BLT for a 2-3 nights but then go to AKV for a week. Please help
thanks