What is the PERFECT number of points?

[Disney Fanatic]

I know this is a subjective question but how many of you have bought the necessary 150 points and ended up adding on after a short time?

I also don't want to have to be buying on the resale market when I already own at DVC.

I would love to hear what seems to work for most.

Thanks

 

[Deb & Bill]

We started with 175 at OKW. Added another 75 about a year later direct from Disney. Then 50 on resale. That made 300 total. Then when VWL opened we added 100 there. Same with BCV, added 100 there.

We're still borrowing from the next year.

Just don't buy one big contract. Buy smaller ones so that you can sell them off if you decide you have too many or you want to pass them on to your kids. You can't break up a contract. Only Disney can do that.

By the way, we have three in our family, so mostly we get one bedrooms, twice a year. Once in a while we bring along other family members (whole families) so we get a two bedroom. We go twice a year when school is out.

 

[JimB.]

Started with 175.

Have added on 3 times, usually when there was some kind of Magical Something or other special.

Twice @ VB, once @ HH (& we have yet to go there......................)

 

[dianeschlicht]

We started with 230 and added on another 150 before the end of the first year. The 380 seems to be just right for us.

 

[donald...really]

The perfect number of points is always about 120 more than I have...

Started with 210 at OKW

added 40 to bring the total to 250

added 150 at VB because we love VB

added another 100 at VB because we wanted the number of points at the two resorts to be even

added 260 at SSR because we have some big trips planned and we took advantage of the promotion at the time

added another 120 at SSR because of the new promotion

That brings our total to 880.

I would love to add 120 to make an even 1000, but that will have to wait.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

The perfect number of points is the amount that you can safely afford. For some it's 150, for others it's 1150. For some with 1150, it should probably be 150.

HBC

 

[WDWLVR]

We started with out perfect number being 300 because we wanted to stay in one bedrooms. We raised that to 400 when we found we enjoyed sending my in-laws to Vero from time to time.

Some people like to manage points and stay in studios. We like to spend our points on a one bedroom. Of course for short stays like before and after our Member Cruise we'll stay in a studio.

So the perfect number is what will work best for you and your family.

 

[DVCLiz]

I also don't want to have to be buying on the resale market when I already own at DVC.

Thanks

I bought one contract from Disney and one contract resale. Both were extremely easy - there's really no reason at all why you should feel like you have to guess the exact number of points you'll need forever. Just buy what you are comfortable with (and can afford!) now, and if you need more points later, you can either get them from Disney later if the resort isn't sold out, or get on the Disney waitlist if it is. But it might very well be faster to also look for a resale that matches your needs - many come with banked points and even with closing costs factored in you can usually save a little money!!

I promise, buying a resale is not difficult in the least...

 

[Granny]

This question is so subjective, and of course there is no proper answer. So many things influence how many points someone "needs":

- Are you going every year or every other year?

- How big is your usual group that goes with you? (I'm talking number, not size )

- What resort do you want to own at, and what is its point schedule?

- Are you satisfied to stay in studios or do you insist on the luxury of a 1BR villa?

- What time of year (point schedule) do you want to vacation?

- How close to WDW do you live? Do you plan on multiple trips per year?

- Do you like to move out on weekends to save points?

- What can you afford to put into quality vacations?

I'm sure there are tons more variables, but just these allow for enough permutations to show that there are easily thousands of "perfect" point amounts.

I think HBC nailed it...it could be anywhere from a very low number to a really high number. Just make sure that the additional cost plus additional maintenance doesn't push some other important expense out of your budget.

 

[ellenmiele]

We started with 250 so we'd have at least enough for 5 nights in a 2br during Easter week (when kids are off). Now I'm thinking we need another 150 or so for 5 nights in a 2 br every Oct or Dec.

The smart thing to do is figure out for yourself and your own family's needs how many points to buy based on where you'd like to stay and when - and then take it from there.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Hi. My wife and I are in the process of buying a contract at SSR. Started planning to buy 300 points (Actually 2 150 contracts under one ID to eventually pass on to our two daughters -- don't want them to fight over one contract ). Decided to go to 320 as a two bedroom at SSR in Magic season is 316 points (we like to go in April). Then upped that to 350 as a two bedroom in Magic at resorts like BWV is 350 points. Also, I wanted to take advantage of the $8 discount while it's in effect. Something tells me I should be buying more (my wife and I love the place and you people are sooooooo friendly ). But i trying to keep myself from getting carried away with this. Waiting for my updated contract to arrive this week.

 

[JVL1018]

We bought 170 at first.
When I heard BWV was selling out, I told my husband, who told me that he thought we should buy 30 more to make it an even 200.
I bought a 25 point contract form a friend, we don;t even *need* those points now, but we figured that when our kids are older, we may want a 2 bedroom instead of a one bedroom, and snapped up the extra BW points because I know they are hard to coem by, especially a little add on like that.

Our BWV points work well for us, we have never borrowed, never have had to be stingy with our points, and ALWAYS bank a significant number of points each year.

We bought 100 HH points. We spend 110 points every year. Should have sprung for those extra 10 points, but we didn't even think about it. We borrow 10 points, 20 points, 30 points etc. each year.
But we can always use our BW points if we can get in there at 7 months so it's okay.

 

[spruce]

We started with 164 OKW points. This gives us a 1Br for six nights during magic season.
We then added 64 BWV points. This equals a Fri and Sat at BWV during magic season in a preferred studio.
We then added 50 BCV points, since 50 was the lowest for financing and we just love Stormalong bay Also, since the first 2 contracts were exact amounts, this 50 was a hedge against a point redistribution..
Finally, when the BWV sales offices were being converted, we added 100 more BWV points, 100 points gave a better purchase incentive. So it's;
164 OKW
164 BWV
50 BCV
We now have 378 points.....That's enough for us.

 

[cjb-nc]

Well aren't we boring

We bought 220 at BWV for the two of us, figuring that would allow us 1 BR preferred view in the second lowest season every year, or more lesser trips if we preferred. In practice, we've taken two 4- or 5-day (weekday) trips per year instead, and still have enough points to do so. Two adults, no kids, so travelling off-season is easy and preferrable for us.

 

[joepoe]

We started with 175 at OKW. Added another 75 about a year later direct from Disney. Then 50 on resale. That made 300 total. Then when VWL opened we added 100 there. Same with BCV, added 100 there.

We're still borrowing from the next year.

Just don't buy one big contract. Buy smaller ones so that you can sell them off if you decide you have too many or you want to pass them on to your kids. You can't break up a contract. Only Disney can do that.

By the way, we have three in our family, so mostly we get one bedrooms, twice a year. Once in a while we bring along other family members (whole families) so we get a two bedroom. We go twice a year when school is out.

Multiple smaller contracts is not bad advice. We bought 270 from DVC at BWV in 98 and then "added on" a 232 pt contract in 2002 through the Timeshare Store. 270 was not enough for us. We have been going two to three trips, 13-17 nights a year in mostly 2 BR's with our family of 5 (and some times up to eight with other fambly members).

If we used the money to buy a vacation home somewhere, we would be bored to tears by now, and hassled with the maintenance issues. DVC was right for us and we now have the perfect number of points for our lifestyle.

 

[Disney Fanatic]

I had no idea that you cannot break up a contract.

To clarify, if you buy a 300 pt contract and you find you don't need that many points, you can't just sell 100??????

This is something very important to consider for all buying into DVC.

When you look at resale, the contracts with less points get taken much quicker than the larger contracts!!!

 

[jel0511]

Gee, the perfect number of points, still trying to figure that one out. We started out with 175 points at VWL. Added on twice, 50 points each time. Then stayed at BWV. LOVED IT!! Added on 150 points there, so now have a total 425. Am in a constant state of borrowing, and probably will add more points. I'm thinking another 175 to bring me to a nice even 600 number, but we'll see. I'm holding out for DVC Contemporary to be announced!!!!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Based on the responses on this thread, I would say that the perfect number of points is just one add-on away...

I have 150, just got them, want more, but I can't buy more now. I have all of 04, 05 and 35 points from the 06 allotment already used in reservations. What does that tell you? I NEED more points. But, aren't we lucky to have this point deficit as a problem.

If I were buying SSR, I would buy the 150 and then add-on 120 to get the incentive points if I wanted more points. Then, if you do need to sell, it is easier.

 

[jel0511]

I had no idea that you cannot break up a contract.

To clarify, if you buy a 300 pt contract and you find you don't need that many points, you can't just sell 100??????

This is something very important to consider for all buying into DVC.

When you look at resale, the contracts with less points get taken much quicker than the larger contracts!!!

No, you can not do that. IF you buy a 300 point contract, you either have to sell all 300, or none at all. You can't break up a contract once it's created by DVC, only DVC can do that upon re-acquiring the points (either by ROFR or foreclosure). So, if you're unsure of your point requirements, better start off small first and then add-on. It does seem like most of us started off small, and then just kept adding away. I know I do see at least one more add-on in my future!!!

 

[patrenoe]

What ended up being perfect amount of points for us was two 250pt contracts at SSR. We wanted to be able to will them to our 2 different families.