What is the perfect amount of points to own?

[michelleiada]

We own 250 at BCV and I really want to add to that. Does anyone feel like they own too many points? When do you have enough? We have two daughters, 17 and 19 and I hope to one day be able to treat them and their future families (husbands and children) to annual Disney vacations. I also want to be able to visit more than once a year. I can never get enough! How many points is satisfying?

 

[Mom B]

I'm sure you'll get lots of different answers! 320 works for us; enough to use and still keep the annual fees not too unreasonable. Would love to have more but don't want to pay any more yearly dues so we will manage with that...at least for now!

 

[DizBub]

We own 250 at BCV and I really want to add to that. Does anyone feel like they own too many points? When do you have enough? We have two daughters, 17 and 19 and I hope to one day be able to treat them and their future families (husbands and children) to annual Disney vacations. I also want to be able to visit more than once a year. I can never get enough! How many points is satisfying?

It's a sickness, I tell ya.
We have 470 points and still feel we need more. Increasing MFs have stopped us from looking at more add-ons.

We have considered point transfers and have already rented a stay for early Dec. I think we need an intervention.

 

[spiceycat]

don't have as many points as you do - and would love so more - but right now the budget says no.

before had 450 points - now have 270 points. = so guess 450 would do for me - but until my budget improves -can't add on.

you can do it the old fashion way see when your children would like to go each year - if it varies then would go with the more expensive time - in what units studio, 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms -also where they want to stay - if varies would again go with the most expensive. then see how many points you would need - then add in your points for your trips.

you might have some points left over each year to bank or rent out - your choice.

 

[LimoFam5]

don't have as many points as you do - and would love so more - but right now the budget says no.

before had 450 points - now have 270 points. = so guess 450 would do for me - but until my budget improves -can't add on.

you can do it the old fashion way see when your children would like to go each year - if it varies then would go with the more expensive time - in what units studio, 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms -also where they want to stay - if varies would again go with the most expensive. then see how many points you would need - then add in your points for your trips.

you might have some points left over each year to bank or rent out - your choice.

Just curious how did u downsize you points? Did u lose money? I ask because we have to many points... Now that my girls r getting older and they r busy with sports we don't have as much vacation time. I'm afraid points we r paying to have is a waste.

 

[AnnaS]

Different for everyone. We have 460 and the dues are enough for us. We have treated family and friends and kid's friends too.

Everyone says we want to leave our kids a contract (if split up) but my son recently married and he loves Disney even more than I do. I was not ready to give up any of my points completely - Yes I have treated him but he really, really wanted his own - so I bought 100 for him and dil - they pay their own dues and if he needs a point here and there - I am more than willing to give him a few. For now, DH and I and my other two children want to enjoy the 460 we have.

 

[SAT887]

We have 230 at OKW- when the budget allows I want to add on resale to have enough for a GV (at OKW) once a year with out borrowing. I was fortunate enough to have these points given to me from my mom (which has helped our budget immensely) I am hoping after relocating to purchase our next contract (depending on if we get hosed when selling our home!) However DH likes Disney, but LOVES traveling with his family so it would be nice to do a OKW GV every other year. This would give us the points to go yearly and a few extra for side trips. :

 

[WilsonFlyer]

We own 250 at BCV and I really want to add to that. Does anyone feel like they own too many points? When do you have enough? We have two daughters, 17 and 19 and I hope to one day be able to treat them and their future families (husbands and children) to annual Disney vacations. I also want to be able to visit more than once a year. I can never get enough! How many points is satisfying?

I have 445 and wish I had a hundred+ more. I think it's a vicious cycle. The more we have (after adding each time), the more we go. The more we go, the more we want to go more.

One of these days, I'm going to add the next 100+ via resale when the time is right and I'm looking at the right deal.

I will add this. So long as the rental market holds out, buying more points makes sense since you can basically wash the points anyway when you're not going to use them. The problem is, there's no way to know how long renting will hold out at current levels and prices and if it falls, you still have the points to pay dues on or sell.

 

[cvjw]

We had 695, which was enough for our family of 4 to visit 3 times per year. We have decided that we don't want to visit that many times each year - we finally realized just how much of our money the mouse was getting. Between maintenance fees, annual passes, dining plans, etc, it just got out of control. We decided to sell our SSR 150 point contract. Listed it with our resale broker, and had a buyer within a couple of days. It is selling for just a few dollars lower a point than what we paid for it 5 years ago.

We are going to get by on 545 for a while. If we are still spending too much time and money at Disney, we will sell another contract!

 

[crisi]

150 is too many for us.

 

[Friendofpluto]

326 works for us. We go yearly and do 1B vs studio for the two of us. Also have points to bank and work with for family trips thrown in.

 

[Chuck S]

It really depends upon your travel plans and habits. I have 345 points, which now that Mom has passed, seems like a lot...BUT on the plus side, that number of points is allowing me to bank and borrow and get accommodations for a large group trip of 21 people in 2015, by trying for a GV, a 2 bedroom and a studio at OKW for 9 nights in Dream Season. Plus, since I have the points, I now go ahead and splurge on a one bedroom, even if I am the only one traveling. I have a 230 point contract, two 35 point contracts and a 45 point OKW contract, so I could sell off a small contract in the future if I really do have too many.

With the family that you have, and wanting to occasionally take kids, their spouses and grandkids in the future, I think 325 to 345 would probably work well for you. But again, it all depends upon your travel habits.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Each family is going to have different needs and desires where points are concerned. We originally purchased 230, but after just one year we realized it wasn't enough, so we added on 150 more. We did this at the same resort so we would have access to all the points at the same 11 month window in the same resort. (OKW) For many years that 380 points seemed to be about the perfect number for us. Then along came AKV, and we KNEW we had to have at least some points there! We added on with a very small AKV contract of 69 points which at that time was enough for what we thought we wanted. That's how we ended up with our rather strange number of 449 points!

For 15 years we did occasional banking and borrowing, but mostly were in a banked state. Then along came Aulani, and we HAD to go try that out. The points went down pretty quickly there! So now we are booked for Christmas in a GV this year too. MORE borrowed points going there, so by the beginning of our use year in 2014, we will barely have enough for one small trip. Oh well....It's just points, and I'm sure at some point we be back out of the borrowed status and back to banking. On the other hand....Why should we not borrow? We'll never outlive our contracts, and it's likely that none of us will get full use out of that last year of our contracts anyway.

 

[MrsDuck]

We have 470. It seems to work out well for us! Cruises, weekend trips, etc are all plausible with 470 points!

 

[kenny]

We started out with 200 at SSR. When BLT opened we had to buy there. CR is DW favorite resort from childhood so we added 100 there. Then after staying at BLT and having our second child we realized that while we like SSR we loved BLT so we sold our SSR contract and bought 3 100pt contracts at BLT. We now have 400 at BLT. Works for us now. W can get 1 bedroom every year for 9 days and can squeeze in a second trip in studio when needed. Would love together 1 bedroom 2x per year but don't want to spend on more pts right now. I am sure before we are all said and done we'll add on again.

 

[disneynutz]

We own enough points to stay where we want, when we want booking at 11 months with some left over. The problem is the $9000 dues bill.

Bill

 

[BEASLYBOO]

When do you have enough? ?

For me, up to the point I can still comfortably afford the maintenance fees that go with DVC ownership!

I have 210 which works really well for us except during the time every 3 or 4 years when we host a family reunion, so then I just purchase (with the help of family members) a points transfer to cover the extra 250 points I need.

I've often fought the urge to buy another 100 points and as my son gets older I can see it was a sound decision to hold off. I look forward to taking my future grandchildren in 10 years+

 

[MouseMomx2]

We have almost 700 and it is a good amount for us...but I still want more! <Insert Evil Laugh Here>

We started with 160 at OKW and have added on six times. We now own at OKW, HHI and BWV. We won't be doing any more add ons. What we have works for us. We are able to give each of our young adult children one week per year in a studio and still take two trips ourselves (sometimes with family/friends, sometimes just DH and I).

 

[bobbiwoz]

I like going to the DVC resorts enough that I could use all of the points that I could afford. I enjoy bringing the extended family and friends. BTW, it has nothing to do with Kool Aid some refer to here, I love going to my Cape May house and inviting extended family and friends. Sadly, few people come to visit me in Ohio!

There is no perfect number for me. We own around 1200 and we will buy some at the Grand Floridian.

Bobbi

 

[HayGan]

260 has been perfect for us. We don't have very large families that we take with us but we have taken some and have done several extended trips in 2 BR savannah views at AKV-Kidani (8-10 nights.) That was accomplished by banking/borrowing. We go about as often as we can afford. Right now we have burned through virtually all of our 2014 points but I figure I can always buy a transfer if really necessary. I never thought I would be much of a borrower but I can see how it will be hard (for now) to break out of it! My boys are 11 & 13 now and I expect our Disney vacations to become shorter going forward with cruises attached to them so that should help getting me out of borrowing mode in a couple of years

I have to admit that having the 11 month window available to book value at AKV has been a huge help. We have 12 nights between a 1 & 2 BR there in June. Just think of all the points I saved with that alone!!! I'll say it was a enough to do another value studio for F&WF in October for 3 nights