What do you have planned for your DVC? Short term and long term?

[cgodzyk]

Our family spent the weekend talking about DVCs over our NYE's weekend (pardon the acronyms!). When we bought in 2018, our goal was to take 1 weeklong trip with our growing family (3 kids, 3 spouses/SO and at time time 3 baby grands, plus us) and maybe a quick weekend for DH and I. Now we have added 2 more grands and FW contract for DH and myself!

Short term? We still want to make a yearly trip with the group and a long weekend (and now a week for us at week 49)
Long term? I think we are hoping to have enough points to spend 4-6 weeks in the winter months in a 1 br.!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We have owned since 2003, and are retired. We have two grown sons with families that are different ages. The oldest son’s children are late teens now, no longer as interested because of jobs and other life experiences. Younger son’s family will be having second family trip in October that will include other family members.

We have had many family trips, even one that was 4 generations! I have had at least one Gal’s trip each year, ( except 2020) and DH and I have hosted friends in Decembers and Mays, and DH and I love 4th of July and NYE fireworks.

However, we are winding down, and come 2022, we hope for a month in mostly a one bedroom during a colder month in NJ. He and I will still go during our favorite times, but we won’t be hosting as much.

Have fun as you plan your membership!

 

[Carol_]

We are 4 owners of 2 contracts. Can’t speak for the other 3 owners, but my plan is to get as many trips as possible every year. This year, we squeezed out 4 trips. We usually go for at least 3 days. Typically we have at least 3 owners enjoying each reservation. It’s our family get together that includes 3 generations.

 

[lovin'fl]

We bought into DVC in 2006. Our 3 kids were elementary age. SIL and BIL, also with 3 kids similar ages, bought into DVC shortly after we did. We have done many trips together. And took other members of the family so we added more and more points. Once our kids were all HS to college age, SIL/BIL and us would do adults only F&W trips. SO more and more points were added. We went from 200 to 600. We also began talking about having enough to sort of winter at WDW. We figured we'd need around 1000-1200 points for like 6 weeks or so in Jan-Feb.

But then...my 3 kids started to complain about joining us at WDW. Made it pretty clear they weren't into it. SIL's kids still love it and they all go together with their SOs. My kids, now ages 22, 22 and 24, all beg to get out of going. When any of them do go, they don't really even want to leave the room. And now our parents, mid 70s, can't really go anymore nor want to go anymore. Last trip with MIL and FIL, they couldn't handle the heat in May and FIL couldn't handle all the walking. My mom never liked going but also couldn't manage the walking now.

Add in rising dues and costs all across the board at WDW. AP prices or ticket prices are high. Meals are super pricey (and we like eating and drinking on vacays...that's what we're all about). What you get for the high costs has been going down. What 3 FP rides (and only 1 top tier) a day...crappy website issues and MB issues...DVC rooms being renovated to be bland basic Comfort Inn look. Taking away the themes we all loved. Long waits on the phone lines. Mistakes made by CMs or IT (we recently lost 29 points when modifying a resie that took days to resolve and several hours on the phone). Crowds at the parks (pre covid), We'd buy MNSSHP tix and find heavy crowds in recent years. Dirty park bathrooms, broken down monorail, long bus waits...etc. Yes, the pixie dust has faded for us.

So we recently, past 2 years, began selling off our points. We're now down to 275 points. And we're about to buy a townhome down there near WDW instead. We still like doing the Epcot festivals and can do a few nights at DVC to eat/drink and not drive. But our place will be 8-15 mins from WDW. DH isn't retired but now is pretty much WFH (since Covid and his company seems to want to keep the WFH model). So we can spend Jan-Feb down there and rent our place all summer. And do another few weeks in Sept-Oct.

Will keep the current 275 DVC points with hopes that our kids will have families some day and want to go. We like HHI too and can use there sometimes. And with having a place in Orlando we can now also use our DVC at Vero which we have only done once.

 

[Sandisw]

Plan is to currently send 3 to 4 nights monthly from Dec to March now that I am retired.

I’ll also go a few other times...once May or June and then in September for F and W.

We will also go every few years as a large family trip. Goal is to add a few more points so in 5 years or so, I can do week long trips every month during the winter months.

 

[peabody58]

BLT owners since 2010. Retired in 2015. We have 4 NE+ tics each and a set of AP Vouchers remaining.

Plan on using up all are tics through 2026/27 with a huge Family GTG to 'hopefully' end our Disney addiction. May throw a few non-park resort only stays in to, then we will probable sell our contract and focus on international travel. Wish I had purchased more NE tics back in the day.

 

[CarolynFH]

When we bought in 1997, kids were 9 and 13, and our plan was a week in a 2-bedroom every year, which is pretty much what happened (although we took a cruise on the Magic the first year too). We also brought my parents as well as friends from time to time. As kids got older and especially after they each entered and finished college and went to work, they couldn't always come along (although they wanted to), and DH and I started taking more "just us" trips in 1-bedrooms but still just once a year due to work. We also had a big family trip in a BWV GV for a week that involved our kids, DSiL, DGD, my father, my sister and BiL and used up a lot of points! Now that we're both retired we come more often but also stay offsite in other timeshares. We just returned from another big family trip (kids, spouses, grandkids) - and are out of points until 9/1/2022! Our plan is to continue to enjoy our ownership as long as we can, hopefully long enough to find out what will happen in 2042, but we've told our DD that if something happens to us and she and her brother inherit our contracts (one to each), they should at least be able to rent the points even if they don't want to use them themselves.

 

[quandrea]

860 points over seven contracts. Bought in 2008. Our kids are 16, 11 and 11 now and we get about forty nights a year down there if we are lucky. Once we can travel again, we will have a few splurge trips to use up points.

We use some points for run Disney events. The rest are family trips and we hosted friends a handful of times.

In future, we hope to spend a couple of months down in WDW. My friend is also dvc and we joke about being little old ladies hanging by the pool come 2050. Actually, we aren’t joking. That’s exactly what we plan to do.

I don’t care if the kids and possible future grand kids take an interest. I have loved Disney since I was six. I’m 48 now and don’t see that changing.

 

[keishashadow]

Bought in without much of a plan as we started small resale. Just testing the waters. Hook, line & sinker; we quickly added on direct & resale at several resorts.

Up until current unfortunate events most trips were annual around events (Valentine’s Day, flower fest, 4th of July, alternating birthdays, MNSSHP & then after Thanksgiving MVMCP

We were able to do fall trip but pulled plug on all others until, hopefully, May trip.

even tho the mr should be retiring by year’s end, don’t see us spending longer than a week at a time as I’d miss my pooch too much.

my plan is to get as many trips as possible every year. This year, we squeezed out 4 trips.

DH and I started taking more "just us" trips in 1-bedrooms

Which = more trips per year for us, especially factoring in the cozy & romantic studios.

 

[Chuck S]

My short term plans are to take a big Thanksgiving 2021 trip with 11 people spread between a Grand Villa and a Two Bedroom at OKW. My more normal routine are two trips a year in a one bedroom or studio, usually in early June and early December or Early January....but this big 2021 trip has been planned for a couple of years, it's just instead of borrowing a lot of points like I had planned, I used my banked 2020 points and the 2021 points, only borrowing 19 points from June 2022 use year.

 

[npatellye]

We only bought in December 2019 and have two contracts. Due to the pandemic, we were able to help out good friends feeling the Covid income pinch by paying for their banked and current points at their requested rate. We did 8 nights in November through Thanksgiving and spent 4 in a 1 bedroom lake view at BLT and the other 4 in a 2 bedroom at OKW.

Next up is a 2 bedroom lake view at GF for May 2021; we are taking my in-laws. That still leaves us 88 points we will bank and plan to use (along with our December 2021 points) in January 2022.

We bought with the intent of doing 4-6 nights each year. I do feel the addonitis every so often but I’m holding strong against it...for now

 

[CarolynFH]

Which = more trips per year for us, especially factoring in the cozy & romantic studios.

Yeah, we're feeling that pinch, especially since we can't borrow more than 50% of 2022 points and would need more than that for a 1-bedroom during our 2021 UY. But we've tried studios, and that full kitchen and W/D are just too important to us to give up the 1-bedroom!

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Short term when we purchased we bought to travel once every 2-3 years. That was our travel pattern before being DVC members. Now we are planning to add on another 250 points (have 250 currently) over the next two years or so since we realized we love going a few times a year and love to take friends or family with us.

 

[DisneyGal24]

We initially purchased 165 direct for SSR in 2012. At the time the kids were 6 and 3. Added another 160 at AKL in 2014. Then we got APs and did two trips a year staying in a studio (2 weeks in the summer and 1 week at Thanksgiving or Christmas). 2020 was the first time didn’t visit parks since buying DVC. We upgraded to a 1BR since the kids are older now and enjoyed our first stay at VBR in July. We will be skipping the parks again in 2021 and going back to VBR. Not sure sure when we will head back to the parks. Right now with shortened hours and fewer experiences, we refuse to pay for less. Until things are somewhat back to normal, we will do resort only stays or hit the beach. For the long term, we will keep enjoying our points either with or without the kids but I don’t think we will be adding on anytime soon.

 

[acebatonfan]

I purchased 150 direct into DVC in 2019 after staying in a BLT studio. Single in my mid 20s, no kids, and just bringing family along to travel with me. 2021 will be a December trip with my younger sister since we've never done a trip around that time and have more freedom now with our works.. and hopefully some of the covid restrictions would have loosened up once vaccinations are more widespread. I might do a cheaper points resort in 2022/rent points through resale since my family will probably want to go again in 2023 and stay in a one bedroom. The only thing I'm struggling with now is finding that one website that lists the likelihood of booking certain resorts at the 7-month mark and getting all the math figured out, but I got a few months to work that out before I book for 2022.

Long term, I want to get this loan for my DVC paid off. If I do nothing but autopay, I'll be complete in 2029, and the monthly amount is very manageable (fingers crossed 2021 gives me some good work news!). I'm also keeping in the back of my head adding on points so I can take my family in a one-bedroom more frequently. The points I have though is perfect for me to splurge on solo/duo trips, so it's only something for if I were to hit the Mega Millions.

 

[RanDIZ]

I purchased 150 direct into DVC in 2019 after staying in a BLT studio. Single in my mid 20s, no kids, and just bringing family along to travel with me. 2021 will be a December trip with my younger sister since we've never done a trip around that time and have more freedom now with our works.. and hopefully some of the covid restrictions would have loosened up once vaccinations are more widespread. I might do a cheaper points resort in 2022/rent points through resale since my family will probably want to go again in 2023 and stay in a one bedroom. The only thing I'm struggling with now is finding that one website that lists the likelihood of booking certain resorts at the 7-month mark and getting all the math figured out, but I got a few months to work that out before I book for 2022.

Long term, I want to get this loan for my DVC paid off. If I do nothing but autopay, I'll be complete in 2029, and the monthly amount is very manageable (fingers crossed 2021 gives me some good work news!). I'm also keeping in the back of my head adding on points so I can take my family in a one-bedroom more frequently. The points I have though is perfect for me to splurge on solo/duo trips, so it's only something for if I were to hit the Mega Millions.

Check this out. It should help.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-bd-charts-september-2019-2-bd-added.3689931/

 

[lovin'fl]

I posted already but got to thinking how our plans, for using DVC, have changed over the years. Makes me wonder what the next change will be.

We bought 200 pts in 2006, with 3 little kids who were in year round ES. Planned to do a week in a 1BR every 8-12 months.

Then we moved farther away from WDW and our kids switched to a traditional ES so we figured we would be lucky to do every 12-18 months. But then stayed at HHI and fell in love. It was shorter drive and no park tix purchase needed. So we added the HHI pts.

We also liked cruising so figured we would alternate HHI, WDW and cruise over like an 18 to 24 month period.

Then kids got older and DH and I did 3 night F&W trip without them. Fell in love with that so we added the BWV pts to go every year since (except 2020).

Meanwhile we had family joining us on trips and we bought the DVC priced AP so we wanted to get maximum use of those. We began to do several trips a year. Like 2-4 and a HHI trip here and there too.

Then we moved back closer to WDW and were empty nest. So more adults only trips and more quick easy jaunts to HHI. Kept adding contracts. We were using the points and we thought...heck, let's keep growing our DVC because we could eventually snowbird with them. Got to 600 pts at 4 resorts. (well 700 at 5 technically but sold 100 at AKV off after only owning for like 2 years and before buying some of the others)

Then reality smacked us in the face and we realized it wasn't the most cost prohibitive to use DVC as a snowbird place. Plus we started to sour on WDW (as noted in post above). And then we moved again in 2020...even farther from WDW then ever.

So we sell off a chunk of the points and start looking at buying a vacay home. Started looking in HHI but not warm enough in winter. So FL it is. Figure we will drive down 2 times a year and stay for 6-8 weeks and use DVC to book a couple nights to enjoy the Epcot festivals. And maybe use pts at the beach resorts here and there. And wait for the kiddos to have families of their own and maybe start all over again.

But those plans, too, will change. Who knows to what. Maybe we will buy more pts again. Or sell the lot of them. Don't know. But the theme of this story is...don't bank on specific plans long term. Just do your DVC based on the short term. Don't know what 5 years will bring. Heck, I may not even be here in 5 years. There are no guarantees.

 

[Travel60]

We bought first year HHI was available (not sure what year). Maybe 250 points to start, added on a few times, always HHI, same use year, so now 800 points. When kids were young MK was a big draw but we figured a week every couple of years at MK would be plenty. (Hard to get off work/school/sports more than a week) Kids still loved HHI and we also did a family cruise every few years.

Fast forward.... DD has family and DS will be getting married this year. We did an extended-family week at HHI in 3 BR in 2018 and had a 3 BR at BWV booked 2020. Also had cruise, just DH and I, planned for 2020, rebooked that for WBPC in 2022. We gave DD 300 points for her honeymoon a few years ago, probably will offer same to DS this year. We have a few weeks booked in a 1 BR at VB in late January to get out of the cold.

We follow a national college football team and try to make one out of town trip each year. When we can, we do a Disney concierge or trade out RCI for lodging.

We will probably continue to do the same mish-mash of travel until we physically can't travel and then will transfer 400 points to each child. They will be have a few years to enjoy with their children and will be in mid-50s when it is over.

 

[Marionnette]

My short-term plan is to stay put for much of 2021. We rented out all of the banked points in our December 2020 UY and banked the current points into the 2021 UY. We have a conference scheduled in Disney in December of this year and will attend with our daughter, her husband and our grandbaby, who is due to enter this world in July. I have a 2BR booked at VGF for this.

If all goes well, annual trips to Disney will occur, either as a couple or with our kids and their families. We have enough points to book a grand villa every year. If our health declines to the point where travel just isn’t in the picture, then we will gift our points to the kids so that they can continue to enjoy Disney.

 

[Ginamarie]

We just bought 300 points resale last month.
Short term: Using the banked 2020 points for an adult only week with my husband (either HH or OKW). Banking all of our 2021 points and using those along with 2022 for a two week trip to Aulani in 2022.

Long term: Looking to add on some additional points- either a good resale deal and/or something direct in the DVC2 catalog. We travel a lot with family, so the larger accommodations are necessary (a lot of points), but also want to be able to take a few days a year for an adults-only trip with my husband. He is all WFH, so we can easily stay at DVC while he's working (no need to use vacation days) and just enjoy the peace and quiet without all the kids/dog and the dining/entertainment. Looking into retirement, we should be able to do more nights in smaller accommodations.