Updated 6/5!! Grand Villa Every 3 Years - Me Do the Math and Pick a Use Year

[mrsclark]

Given what you have said about travel I agree with Oct use year.

I think planning to only go every three years can be tricky. Would there be other trips with smaller rooms in between?

The problem with going every three years is that if your plans change, you can lose a significant amount of points. Let's say you want to go in 2022. You bank your 2021 points. You use your 2022 points. You borrow your 2023 points. If you have to cancel and reschedule for the following use year, your banked points would expire. Your borrowed points cannot be moved back. But you could bank your current year points into 2023. You might be able to reschedule in the same UY or rent out the points to mitigate the losses.

My dad and stepmom's top two priorities are staying onsite and all of us staying together - having common areas (kitchen, living room, and dining room), but each family having their own bedroom. The only way I can accomplish this is with Grand Villa. I tried pitching them on CL rooms (should they return) so would have a semi-private lounge to hang out in, but they are very firm on the GV. I have considered renting the points, but with this past year and COVID and just the rental process in general (not being able to cancel and losing all your money, having to buy trip insurance probably with a cancel for any reason rider for 11 people ranging in age at the time of the first trip from about 18 months - 73 years, everything that happened at https://dvcrequest.com/ in the last year, etc.), I have been very reluctant to go the rental route, but perhaps I should reconsider.

 

[mrsclark]

Yep....have a plan for using extra points. What happens when you can't go. REALLY understand banking and borrowing rules, so you understand what happens if you decide to rent out points. You really need to understand availability patterns as well, not just for Grand Villas, but for other units when your GV plans fall through.

We are every other year people, and that worked fine until Covid - now I'll waste points - which to me isn't a big deal. I wouldn't do every three years - its a lot of mental gymnastics to make sure you aren't losing points. And I especially wouldn't do every three years with a Grand Villa in mind - there are just way to many things that go wrong when booking GVs (let me tell you about the time four of us rattled around in a Grand Villa because one of our guests passed away three months before the trip).

You definitely don't want BWV - the Grand Villas there tend to book up very quickly - quicker than the other resorts - which limits your flexibility.

I'd never plan on only going every three years. If you can only borrow 50% (they could make this a real forever thing), you'd always lose half a year's points unless you booked a trip in the second year instead of the third. Like Crisi says, if life throws a wrench into your plans, you could be left having lots of points to waste. You cannot unborrow points you borrowed to make that every three year trip (unborrowing was a one time thing after covid). Trying to book a trip later in your UY might be next to impossible especially if you are less than seven months out from a new trip. Or that GV is no longer available because they don't have that many at your resort.

I have six points between two memberships that were banked from 2020 and we may be cancelling our 2021 trips if they don't get Florida Resident APs soon. I'm trying to figure out how to still use those points and not buy park admission.

My husband and I have two very young children and we can be fairly flexible with travel dates at this point so for the next 4-5 years, we could rent the points from my dad.

My dad and stepmom were also interested in possibly taking smaller trips in between, but that is only an idea, not a plan.

Other than that, my plan was just to rent out the excess points, but I see how this could cause short term stress if we had banked points set to expire and borrowed points that had to be used.

 

[mrsclark]

One question for you - what is the plan for left over points? Going ever 3 years is going to leave you some and if you buy enough to accommodate the 50% borrowing restriction it's going to leave more once that is lifted which I do believe will happen but don't know when.

I have always assumed the 50% borrowing restriction is a temporary thing, Disney's way to try to accommodate Guests who were unable to stay in 2020 due to COVID.

as mentioned the 50% borrow limit is temporary. You only need to buy 275 points.

Through my limited understanding, I understand that there has been no official word from DVC IF and/or WHEN the borrowing restrictions will be lifted. My dad is very set on taking all of us in 2022 and I don't see how to plan a trip without knowing if/when the restriction will be lifted. But perhaps there is another way around this that I don't understand yet? Like we should buy a contract assuming the borrowing limit will be lifted and if it is not, then rent the balance of the points? I'm not sure you can even do this?

 

[Nabas]

Through my limited understanding, I understand that there has been no official word from DVC IF and/or WHEN the borrowing restrictions will be lifted. My dad is very set on taking all of us in 2022 and I don't see how to plan a trip without knowing if/when the restriction will be lifted. But perhaps there is another way around this that I don't understand yet? Like we should buy a contract assuming the borrowing limit will be lifted and if it is not, then rent the balance of the points? I'm not sure you can even do this?

No one can be certain when the 50% limit will be limited.

You could always buy two contracts (with more DVC points) and then sell off the one you don't need once full banking/borrowing returns. Who knows, by the time you sell, that second contract might be worth more than what you paid.

But maybe you should just book 2022 the old-fashioned way (either book thru Disney or rent DVC points), and then buy a contract that works for you for the next trip after that?

 

[10CJ]

The problem is not really the Grand Villa, the problem is only going every three years. It can just be hard to manage the points and with banking/borrowing you could end up with a large sum of points that need to be used before the end of the use year. However since you are talking about a GV that just magnifies the number of points at risk. I would be much more comfortable with your plan if you planned to go more often. I would consider enough points to go every two years. That would give you some flexibility to include smaller trips. You could rent the access points if needed.

 

[RoseGold]

After I posted my original, I realized how silly it was to say that we might want to try for March 2022 as we are way past an 11-month booking window and even after buying, closing, getting the points loaded, etc. we might not even make a seven month booking window. So if we decide to go in March, it will have to be March 2023.

I'm not sure I agree with this. GVs are pretty much wide open for March, currently at 10 months. If you bought resale now, I don't see why you couldn't book something for March 2022. If you're buying SSR points anyway, it doesn't even matter if it's at 8 months or 9 months. There are plenty of contracts completely finishing in two months-ish right now.

Push it to April and no problem. I'd push to April anyway, I am NOT going during Spring Break.

This isn't going to work for BW, which does require 11 months.

 

[crisi]

I think a Grand Villa every three years with smaller trips to use excess points will work, but its going to take planning. For some people this sort of thinking comes easily and it isn't a problem. For others, it seems mind bogglingly complex. (I wouldn't have MY Dad do it, but I could).

As to number of points, given that you want to go at different times of year, you'll want enough points to cover that GV using three years of points at the most expensive time of year you intend to travel - don't worry about the 50% borrowing restriction, my guess is that will be lifted before you get that far (and if it isn't, you can buy more points) - and maybe enough so that you know you can get an extra four days or so. You'll then use the excess "we aren't staying at the most expensive time" points for those side trips.

Also, be aware of how long term the commitment is. Your kids are young, and someone in the party is nearing 80....there will be a lot of life changes for you all just over the next three Grand Villa trips - nine years.

 

[BayGirl22]

Also, be aware of how long term the commitment is. Your kids are young, and someone in the party is nearing 80....there will be a lot of life changes for you all just over the next three Grand Villa trips - nine years.

This - and because I didn't see it mentioned, based on the resorts you listed make sure the Grand Villas in those resorts really will work for your family for the next decade. BLT has a 2 story GV, and I've heard comments of it not being ideal for older people who want to minimize stairs. You would not want to invest extra for BLT then realize in the first trip its not a good fit.

Unless you are ok with the easier to book resorts like SSR and OKW, this really seems like a "buy where you want to stay" scenario, since your needs are so specific and involve coordinating a large number of people.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Remember that with multiple families involved, life can get in the way. You'd need to make your reservation 11 months out and then four months out someone needs surgery, someone has baseball camp or team sport requirements, someone has in law family commitments that just arose. Or someone just needs you to move the trip a week forward or backward. That isn't going to happen and you wind up with six people in the grand villa instead of the 11-12 you were planning. Or someone decides they want to bring a friend for the kiddo or an in law along on the trip and now you have 13 or 14 people,, all three or older, in a grand villa that only allows 12. Unless dad or mom is a dictator and tells everyone that they WILL be attending and no extras will be permitted.

 

[sethschroeder]

I would have to look at the transfer limit again I think it's like 100% or something of your contract size.

That being said I would just do a small contract and then buy transfer points both prior year and bank and current year of travel.

This gives you less risk of holding a larger contract.

 

[mrsclark]

I have discussed with my dad everything everyone has told us in this thread and went over with him how much a contract will cost (approximately) as well as annual dues. Because of the expense and complication of a Grand Villa, he is reconsidering and at least thinking about other options. I am trying to explore ALL possible alternatives - he still wants to get a suite/villa for my stepmom and himself as a spot where we can all gather or they can watch the grandkids. He would then plan to get two studios or regular rooms - one each for my family and my stepbrother's family (note my stepbrother has three children one of which is a teenager - if we get rooms/studios that only fit four, the teen would stay with my dad and stepmom).

Here are the ideas so far:

• Reserve 3 AoA family suites - this would only be an option if we assume there is going to be some sort of discount offered (either room discount or free dining plan should that ever come back)
• Buy a contract to cover a one-bedroom villa and two studios every three years - I have only done some quick math, but it looks like this will save money AND I believe will make it easier to re-book if we should need to cancel and reschedule
• Rent points for a one-bedroom and two studios - again with three families going, we are very wary of spending the money that is non-refundable 7-11 months in advance of our trip without the ability to reschedule. My stepbrother's teen is from a previous relationship and goes to a different school district in a different state than my two step-nephews. And that is just the one family - my dad and stepmom will both be in their 70's at the time of the trip. We have young children so we don't have school or activity schedules to worry about.
• He has talked about getting a CL suite for himself and then club level rooms for us, but frankly I think a CL level suite may be just as hard to get as a GV and may be more expensive? I haven't done enough research on this, but that is my gut feeling

If anyone has any other suggestions or feedback on the above options, we would love to hear it! And thanks for all of your responses so far.

 

[RoseGold]

Buying two 175-200 point resale contracts really isn't that huge of a commitment. They can always be sold. It's not like you're locked in forever. With SSR, it's not even like the closing or commission is that much when you are talking about a trip of this size, if you change your mind.

I might even run the math against AoA to show that this could work. And yea, CL suite will make DVC look cheap, even GVs. Let's say 2500-3000/night Beach Club 2BR. I can easily make DVC math work against that. AoA suites, maybe not, but not the same product. If you want a discount AoA studios instead, I'm not even sure why CL is even in this discussion. I don't know who would be comparing these options. And, of course, the GV won't have the club level food and all that, though the AKL club level is on my bucket list.

The issue with the initial plan is the GV, which is a huge premium over a 2BR and a studio. Nothing wrong with multiple bookings. DVC 2BRs are lovely. There's something to be said for a huge, gorgeous suite like that. And it has the laundry, full kitchen and dining room and all that that your dad might be dreaming. I know that was part of my DVC fantasy. The one at Beach Club has this luxurious bathtub, they're gorgeous rooms at much nicer hotels than AoA. It depends on what your goals are. Maybe they could be achieved with a couple bookings instead and maybe some careful planning could allow you to cancel a studio in time to bank if there are issues. This would require both avoiding holding points (canceled within 30 days) and canceled with time to bank into the next year.

To me, the big red flag here is the inability to plan 7-11 months out. That makes DVC in general tough and maybe not the right fit. But that was true for Disney in general before Covid. It requires a lot of planning in advance. Even if you can keep the DVC points, there's still the tickets and dining and all that. It's a lot of work to plan a trip for this many people, especially at Disney.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

• He has talked about getting a CL suite for himself and then club level rooms for us, but frankly I think a CL level suite may be just as hard to get as a GV and may be more expensive? I haven't done enough research on this, but that is my gut feeling

If anyone has any other suggestions or feedback on the above options, we would love to hear it! And thanks for all of your responses so far.

If he is talking about the DVC AKV club level then you are correct that it is more difficult than booking a GV. If a 2BR they are lockoffs and go immediately at 11 months if not before actually as there are only 5 of them. Just booking a 1BR is easier but it would not be guaranteed for any particular time.

 

[mrsclark]

To me, the big red flag here is the inability to plan 7-11 months out. That makes DVC in general tough and maybe not the right fit. But that was true for Disney in general before Covid. It requires a lot of planning in advance. Even if you can keep the DVC points, there's still the tickets and dining and all that. It's a lot of work to plan a trip for this many people, especially at Disney.

I think we are all ok with planning 7-11 months and picking a date and booking the reservation. What makes us nervous is the inability to reschedule if something important comes up. We understand that if we would book at say BWV or AKV and needed to reschedule there is a significant and very large chance we wouldn't be able to book there again on short notice. BUT if we did need to reschedule we would be willing to go somewhere else like SSR or OKW - is this unrealistic?

 

[mrsclark]

If he is talking about the DVC AKV club level then you are correct that it is more difficult than booking a GV. If a 2BR they are lockoffs and go immediately at 11 months if not before actually as there are only 5 of them. Just booking a 1BR is easier but it would not be guaranteed for any particular time.

No, he was talking about hotel CL and I haven't looked at the rack rates yet for CL suites, but I think would these would be more expensive and just as hard to get as a GV.

 

[RoseGold]

We understand that if we would book at say BWV or AKV and needed to reschedule there is a significant and very large chance we wouldn't be able to book there again on short notice. BUT if we did need to reschedule we would be willing to go somewhere else like SSR or OKW - is this unrealistic?

Maybe. Let's say you canceled your March trip and you have an October UY. You would have needed to do it over 30 days in advance (avoid holding points) AND not booked any non-refundable tickets AND not have used banked/borrowed points (stuck in that UY). In the old Fast Pass system, you would have had tickets for everyone at 90 days, so that alone would make this cancellation a beast, but that's true for any Disney trip. This summer, and to keep it in this UY, you could cobble together some 2BRs at OKW in August/September. In February, when you would have had to cancel this, there would have been something off peak. Heck, you could stalk the website every hour and come up with something. Availability changes all the time, and you'd have to do this all by the end of Sept to keep the points in the same UY. It might not be what you want, and you might have a Tuesday in the middle missing, you might have to move every other night. And then there's dining and fast passes and tickets and park reservations.

If your points went into holding, that's its own mess you need to read about.

Or, if you mean reschedule to next year, sure. Let's say you didn't have any banked/borrowed/holding points (they are stuck). You have until the end of May to bank whatever into next year, so after October. You can move the whole trip into next year after October. This doesn't work if you are doing complicated gymnastics with three years worth of points, borrowing and banking. This does work if you, say, canceled points for one studio and someone will be able to use it in the next year.

Canceling a trip of this size is an ordeal. Breaking it into smaller reservations would help some, I guess, but if you need flexibility, then maybe DVC is not the product for you. DVC requires advance planning and has strict rules.

 

[sethschroeder]

My dad and stepmom's top two priorities are staying onsite and all of us staying together - having common areas (kitchen, living room, and dining room),

You could always try and rent the GV but might be a challenge.

That being said as someone else put it just buy the two contracts, contact a rental company to rent out the points the years you won't go, and use all the points the years you will go banking and borrowing.

Depends if you care more about cost savings or ease or what not.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

No, he was talking about hotel CL and I haven't looked at the rack rates yet for CL suites, but I think would these would be more expensive and just as hard to get as a GV.

It might be a more expensive way to go but I don't believe booking the hotel concierge is that difficult. You also could book it way in advance and receive refunds up almost up to the start of your trip.

 

[Donna M]

I understand your dad is buying into DVC and a few families will be using it with him. We have owned DVC since 2005 and are in our mid 60s, and I am starting to see the end of Disney vacations even though we have young grandkids we plan to take. After reading what you´re up against with the families I would say just go with having your dad rent points for the families for the GV. If money is not a consideration then that changes things, but it is a long term contract for someone in his 70s.

It almost sounds like he got bitten by the bug and is real excited, but this may not be thought out for the long term with all the family variables and changes that will be coming when the kids grow up some.

 

[crisi]

Remember that with multiple families involved, life can get in the way. You'd need to make your reservation 11 months out and then four months out someone needs surgery, someone has baseball camp or team sport requirements, someone has in law family commitments that just arose. Or someone just needs you to move the trip a week forward or backward. That isn't going to happen and you wind up with six people in the grand villa instead of the 11-12 you were planning. Or someone decides they want to bring a friend for the kiddo or an in law along on the trip and now you have 13 or 14 people,, all three or older, in a grand villa that only allows 12. Unless dad or mom is a dictator and tells everyone that they WILL be attending and no extras will be permitted.

It looks like Mrsclark is getting it, but in case someone else finds this thread - this is huge. We've done family trips - one was delayed for a pregnancy, then delayed again when my sister got breast cancer. That trip was finally taken - but had one extra toddler and was missing my youngest sister and the man who had been her fiance when the trip was originally planned - my sister had a rough time, the fiancee was thankfully gone, but she didn't have the emotional strength for family time. We once invited friends who dithered well past the time we needed - so we spread out our family in a two bedroom rather than putting our kids on the couch and giving another family the second bedroom. And there was the Grand Villa trip where my brother in laws cancer went from "in remission" when we made the reservation to him having passed by the time we took the trip. We took one trip bringing some nearly random friends because we had the room with plans for someone else, and they cancelled - so it was "who can use this space, can travel in four months, and can afford the costs of airfare/park tickets/ and food. And that's the big stuff. With families there is always "oh, we have a soccer tournament that weekend, can we move it" or "big project at work." And unless the DVC owner is picking up ALL the costs, a Disney World vacation may turn out to be a place a family doesn't want to put their cash (or vacation time) right now - we've had that as well where a big family trip got cancelled because some people in the party needed to spend a lot less than what the desired trip would cost.

The more people you add to the trip - the more complexity. The more those people need to be those people (i.e. family) and you can't just sub in your friends Ted and Holly when Brad and Tammy can't go because Tammy is going to start a new job - the harder it is. And families are different - my husband's aunt had one of those families where the second in July was just "family week" - everyone made it (the exception was the son who was career military, and even he made it as often as not for at least a few days). My family can't put everyone in a room on Christmas (in part because some of us are in health care - in part because we aren't a family who prioritizes like that). My husband's aunt's family would have a lot more luck being a DVC family than my extended family.

You can move trips around with DVC, but you need to make sure you understand the difference between "its possible" and "its likely" - because it isn't ALWAYS possible and sometimes its very unlikely. Between points expiring and availability, deciding to move a trip a week because of a soccer tournament may just be impossible. Its easier if you find out ten months away from the trip - and harder if you get the soccer schedule in March and are taking the trip in June. And you may end up in rooms you don't want (note that studios book quickest - so the "if we need to move, we will pick up a couple studios plan" isn't feasible - you are as likely to find the Grand Villa is available as finding that you can pick up multiple studios at a single resort short notice.) We are currently in a limbo situation - we'd love to take my youngest and their college "family" - but the college doesn't put out an academic calendar until its too late to book a big trip. And Summers are "maybe we will get internships." All Summer plans for THIS Summer went out the window yesterday - when the opportunity my youngest was waitlisted for came through. And both their roommates are spending the Summer doing research internships. (Of course, Covid hasn't helped these situations, but these aren't Covid driven - you sometimes don't know that the internship will open up until two weeks before you need to be on site).