When do you decide you have enough DVC points?

[nalabear]

I don’t know if you are replying to my post, but I am not confident that DL will remove reservation requirements, especially for Fri-Sat-Sun—but my DVC decision (not to pay high $/pt for local hotels) is based on the fact it’s a huge pain to get VGC within 9 months, let alone 7, and I don’t see that changing unless the economy completely collapses. Either way, the home booking priority doesn’t help me if I generally decide 1-21 days out when I visit DL. As it so happens, I’m still thinking about whether or not we’ll try to go Sunday.

DVC @ DLR clearly isn't a good match for your needs.

We're also localish in SD. we have a 160 contract at VGC to handle the 2-3 known long weekend stays and keep the remainder as daytrips. Booking Reservations hasn't been an issue for quite some time now - even same day for most weekends.

FYI DVC reservations allows quite a lot of time before/after the date to book into the very large hotel reservation bucket.

 

[RachStu]

932 points here, which I thought was enough. Having stayed at a cabin at Copper Creek last week for four nights I now feel we need more though! It was 124 points for one night!

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

932 points here, which I thought was enough. Having stayed at a cabin at Copper Creek last week for four nights I now feel we need more though! It was 124 points for one night!

I want to collect DVC points for the poly bungalows—my husband and wants me to at least try them out first to see if we like them that much more than a normal 2bd villa.

 

[Orange Fanatic]

This is a moving target for me. I bought enough point to stay in a studio in my (then) favorite resort during my (then) favorite time of year. For a time, that was enough points for my family. Then, I stayed in a 1-bedroom and my family of 4 was sooo much more comfortable. So, I bought a 2nd contract (at my then favorite resort) to have enough combined points for a 1-bedroom. Then, I stayed in a 2-bedroom for a trip with another family of 4 (the others canceled and it was too late to switch to a 1-bedroom). Then, I realized that having 2 resorts means I can only get a studio at 11 months out. So, now I want to buy a 3rd contract to have enough points for a 2 bedroom (or a 1-bedroom at 11 months out). Even then, I do not think that I will have enough points, as I dream of staying in a VGF 3-bedroom for 10 days . . . and eagerly await the day when I will be able to afford to buy enough points for that. So, the answer will change over time and be limited by what you can afford vs how many points are required to satisfy your DVC wish list.

 

[Cfabar1]

I had considered DVC being our retirement strategy for The cooler months up north, but just can’t wrap my head around it. Hyatt or Marriott seem much better for that - given the long term nature Of them (no expirations) and the much cheaper resale prices.

I wouldn’t be able to make it 60 days in a studio. Would get cabin fever.

 

[Sunnyore]

ok revisiting this thread.... I am feeling a lot of guilt so just looking for feedback if this is insane or not.
Currently have 300 VGC, 125 Aulani, 100 VGF, and thinking of buying 300 VDH (this is keeping me up at night)

I live in North Cal and this is my plan:

Driving Trips:
5: 3 night Disneyland trips a year in a studio with my wife and child
1: 3 night Disneyland trip every year also taking my parents and sister's family

Flying Trips:
1 either Aulani or Disneyworld trip each year for 6 nights


My Spouse is ok with whatever I want, but she is too nice about things... I am worried it's too many trips and isn't enough variety (non Disney) trips each year... Do you all feel guilty about not taking the family on non Disney Trips?

I'm also worried that while my Daughter loves the trips now (she is 8), is she going to hate them when she is a teenager?
- have you all regretted getting too many dvc points.

If you ever regret, you can sell your points without worrying about a huge loss like most other timeshares. You have good resorts that shouldn’t lose much value. I’m not married so my points right now are basically for my use and I’m at 565. Adding on DLH next week but just a small contract. I live 12 minutes drive away from Disneyland but using my DVC points at VGC the last few years had shown me how much it changed a day at dland when staying on site. I do worry about having too many points, but my strategy will be to upgrade to bigger rooms in future years if I don’t want to go to wdw as much. Also I am thinking I can always gift stays at VDH to my friends and family if I have leftover points. I also think it won’t be hard to rent out VDH at least to break even if need be. I have noticed my wdw trip impacting my decisions for other international vacations but for now I still really enjoying my WDW trips. So ya, no regrets for me yet. I think for me right now too is seeing what the incentives are next week. I am secretly hoping it’s terrible so I can stick with my small point contract.

 

[mamaofsix]

ok revisiting this thread.... I am feeling a lot of guilt so just looking for feedback if this is insane or not.
Currently have 300 VGC, 125 Aulani, 100 VGF, and thinking of buying 300 VDH (this is keeping me up at night)

I live in North Cal and this is my plan:

Driving Trips:
5: 3 night Disneyland trips a year in a studio with my wife and child
1: 3 night Disneyland trip every year also taking my parents and sister's family

Flying Trips:
1 either Aulani or Disneyworld trip each year for 6 nights


My Spouse is ok with whatever I want, but she is too nice about things... I am worried it's too many trips and isn't enough variety (non Disney) trips each year... Do you all feel guilty about not taking the family on non Disney Trips?

I'm also worried that while my Daughter loves the trips now (she is 8), is she going to hate them when she is a teenager?
- have you all regretted getting too many dvc points.

Your point on variety resonates with me. We bought only enough points for 10 days at Disney every 2-3 years for this reason. I wish we could go more often, but my family doesn't. My husband and kids like Disney, but they want to experience the rest of the world. We're going to Europe this summer. We've done road trips to the National Parks. Western and Eastern Canada. Planning a Caribbean Cruise next year.

Life is too short to only ever go on vacation at Disney. Some of our favorite vacation memories were in other locations. I think it's smart to not limit yourself.

ETA: Cost reasoning is also a factor. When my husband saw that we could go on a Nile River Cruise and see all the Egyptian wonders we've dreamed about visiting . . . for about the same cost as a Disney Trip . . . well - let's just say that one of these options has more perceived value than the other. As Disney ticket and food costs continue to rise, other locations become more tempting.

 

[PalmettoPath]

For me that would be either when I find myself banking too many points regularly because they're not being used or when the annual dues start to become too high.

 

[take36]

I don't have as many points as most here and did sell some 2 year as the selling prices were just too good, but I find it enough for that one "big trip" at a prime time that requires a lot of planning and coordination hence the 11 month to get finances and everyone on board. I usually burned a lot of points as we stay almost always at GCV and GFV and those are not very economical.

I actually do not mind paying for the smaller trips as it is usually DLH (which had no points until now) and EPCOT hotels (so hard to get as a non owner). With the discounts and that I still love the moderates and values (and now sadly going to Universal a lot more now) I find it much easier to moderate my vacation spend especially in a time when budgets are tight.

 

[kboo]

This is a moving target for me. I bought enough point to stay in a studio in my (then) favorite resort during my (then) favorite time of year. For a time, that was enough points for my family. Then, I stayed in a 1-bedroom and my family of 4 was sooo much more comfortable.

This was us when we first bought in... got enough to alternate a 1br and a studio at BLT for a week each year in late August at BLT. Needless to say, our first stay on points as a family of 4 was in the 1br, and we've only ever done 2 nights in a studio with just DH and me...

ETA: Cost reasoning is also a factor. When my husband saw that we could go on a Nile River Cruise and see all the Egyptian wonders we've dreamed about visiting . . . for about the same cost as a Disney Trip . . . well - let's just say that one of these options has more perceived value than the other. As Disney ticket and food costs continue to rise, other locations become more tempting.

wow! I will have to look again at some other trips! We can usually find cheap airfares (and the flight is <3 hrs), and since we have APs, the additional cost to go to WDW is not that high. It is also close enough for us to make shorter, last minute trips.

I have a vague notion to get more points but since there are no VGC contracts anywhere to be found, I am reassessing ...

 

[MsChristy12]

932 points here, which I thought was enough. Having stayed at a cabin at Copper Creek last week for four nights I now feel we need more though! It was 124 points for one night!

That is one of the reasons why I wanted more points on our first contract!! (I mean we have very little compared to you and many members), but we could have gotten away with even less points. I have been picturing this in my head since our last trip...Some time in the future, I would like a few 2-3 night stay at the cabin with our FL friends. It will be a 100% resort stay, no parks. We will cook, bbq, chill at the pool, watch fireworks in the comfort of our "home"...just hang out and spending quality time together! It is a dream and without DVC, I'm not sure if I would be willing to make it happen.