When do you have enough?

[LetsGoSteelers]

WOW!! this has been a great thread to read. tigger, love your cold hard facts approach, canadian issues aside. We are in CA so trip & other costs definitely add up and airfare has gone up considerably.

We are doing a Disney Dream cruise in sept and then 5 nights at the parks (wdw & IOA 1st trip), Disney Dining is $750 for our fam of 4, luckily have unused days from tickets on our last trip in '08

We have been to numerous TS presentations of Disney, Hilton etc and just have not been able to pull the trigger on a purchase. We have gone to WDW every few years, have taken Disney cruises (initially thought using pts for cruises was a must but just didn't seem to make sense) we have been to Hawaii several times through my HiltonHHonors points and we like Hawaii but airfare costs there have made that more difficult too.

Just saw something about DVC resales not being as attractive (not sure what that means) ???

It's like being stuck in limbo, not being able to pick between the two...uggh

anyway, just a few questions on some statements I've seen....

* would never rent out points...too much risk involved

what are the risks you refer to?

* TIW card

what is a TIW card?

* rope drop

ok, seen this a few times but have no idea what it means

thanks everyone!!

 

[eporter66]

We are in the minority I'm sure, but we have 150 and have done very well on that amount. We are in the hole a bit as we have been borrowing the last few trips. We now get a 1 bedroom when we go (1 wk every year in October), and I see our reserve slowly dwindling

I get addonitis, and I have it myself. But, honestly, everything is very manageable right now, and I dont want to get stuck with too large a bill every year for dues. I will also not finance, so until I am comfortable buying an add-on, that wont happen. I can see us going to 200 points, but not more than that. I would love to go more than once a year, but again after adding airline and other expenses, I'm not sure we would want to do that either.

I have thought about our situation carefully, and when the time is right and we know how we have more of an idea of our vacation planning as our daughter gets older, I will decide then. I love our DVC membership, and we have had many great vacations, but so far the 150 has done our small family well. We have had family with us and gotten a 2 bedroom, and sent our parents down for their anniversary, so we have no complaints.

 

[taaren]

Just saw something about DVC resales not being as attractive (not sure what that means) ???

It's like being stuck in limbo, not being able to pick between the two...uggh

Resales as of tomorrow (Sunday 3/20) that were not submitted to Disney for ROFR, will not be able to use the cruising and Disney collection privileges. Most will tell you that this was a poor use of points anyways, and personally though I bought the bulk of my points direct before VGC was built, resale is still well worth the discount.
The main thing with DVC, and with every timeshare, is unless you're up for a lot of work and trying to follow every last rule and detail and fee, Buy Where You Want To Stay. If there's a Hilton resort in a location you want to be in every year, get that. If WDW or DL is where you want to be every year, get that. We own at VGC because we go to DL every year. We have 275 right now, would like more but kind of at the max for Maintenance I'll pay for the one week a year we go. When we move back to Cali in a few years we'll probably add-on so we can do a few extra in-between weekends and then I'll be able to justify the MF's as being separate for those. My mom owns at Marriott Mountainside which is a slope-side ski resort, and I'm on the deed because we love staying At That Resort every year, and had stayed there for about 6 or 7 years running before it got too expensive paying nightly rates during ski season so we took the plunge and have been extremely happy with it.

anyway, just a few questions on some statements I've seen....

* would never rent out points...too much risk involved

what are the risks you refer to?

The risks are that someone is staying on your points, so you can be held accountable for their actions. Ie. They charge to the room, and don't pay the bill when they leave, you are responsible for that charge when your next MF billing comes up. Also, if they decide to cancel at the last minute and your points go into holding, you have no recourse. I don't think I would rent to anybody other than friends, I would do transfer, but even then there is the very minor risk of somehow not getting paid and the transaction to transfer the points is final.

* TIW card

what is a TIW card?

Tables in Wonderland is a card you can get at WDW only for Annual Passholders that gets you 20% off of meals at most table service restaurants (I'm pretty sure - never had one as I'm mainly a DLR person ... contemplating it for next year but we're not sit-and-eat-ppl so probably not).

* rope drop

ok, seen this a few times but have no idea what it means

This is when you go to parks first thing in the morning and line up at the rope so that it drops you're the first one on the ride.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Tables in Wonderland is a card you can get at WDW only for Annual Passholders that gets you 20% off of meals at most table service restaurants (I'm pretty sure - never had one as I'm mainly a DLR person ... contemplating it for next year but we're not sit-and-eat-ppl so probably not).....

Actually, there are two groups who can purchase the Tables In Wonderland card - Annual (and Premium Annual) Passholders or Florida residents. The card costs $75 for passholders or $100 for residents.

 

[JWG]

My parents bought 210 pts. to BWV in 1999. Added a 40 pt. add-on shortly thereafter. We just bought 75 pts. at BLT this past August. Our hope is to be where we can do a 1BR or 2BR every other year at each location. What that likely means is we'll try to do an additional 75 pt. add-on at BLT some time in the future to move out of a studio and into a 1 BR (we have a 4 year old, so as she gets older we'll want the space).

I should clarify, we're on the two BWV deeds, too. And, I'm waiting to hear that our 50 pt. add-on at BLT was submitted to Disney for ROFR by midnight 3/20. Faxed all the paperwork yesterday.

I would not recommend adding on every 7 months though

 

[bnk1120]

We currently have 150 points which gets us 8-9 nights in studios. I would like to add-on so that we could stay either more nights a year (split into 2 vacations) or get a 1 bedroom. 100 more points would be perfect (yeah right) and I wouldn't be killed by the MF's.
I'm waiting to see what happens in the resale market after March 21st...don't care about using points other than at Disney, so resale will be fine.

 

[mdsd8700]

I just found this thread. I had a lot going on in November and almost never logged in that month so I must have missed it. It really is a great thread and I have enjoyed reading what everyone has had to say. All very good points and important things to take into consideration. I agree with other posters that Tiger926 really put it in straightforward terms without trying to sway people, but just get everyone to think "in the long term". We have only been members since June of 2010 and started with 100 points. I knew it wasn't enough when we purchased but wanted to just start out smaller. After much consideration we added another 170 points in February for a total of 270. We were fortunate to be able to pay cash and our monthly dues are no financial burden and we are very comfortable with the amount. However the addonitis bug is always lurking just below the surface. I always want more points. However since we have not been members that long I have no idea if we really "need" more. We have been vacationing in DLR or WDW once a year for 14 years and our 270 points will be sufficient for that. Although this year we are adding a November trip to our already planned June trip. Until I am certain of how our DVC ownership will change our Disney vacation patterns I will hold off adding on for quite some time I think. I wouldn't want to be "stuck" not so much with the points but with the MFs and extra vacation costs associated with another add on. I wouldn't feel comfortable with it and that is how I know it isn't something that we should be doing now. I would never want to regret buying more. So for now we are good with our 270 and are thrilled to have those!

Again, loved reading all the comments. Lots of good food for thought.

 

[DMKEDM]

It's been a long time since I read an 8-page thread start-to-end w/out a pause...this is so interesting.

I'll throw out my experience, which is slightly different. Start with I knew when I bought and I know now that this purchase is pure luxury. Add to that my further understanding that a choice to buy a luxury is a simultaneous choice not to save that money, or use it to retire debt.

I'm (thankfully and knock wood!) in good shape financially. I have (hopefully) adequate savings--short and long term. My only debt is my primary home mortgage. I can and do meet my other voluntary obligations--DS' law school (and before that, his college); my father's long-term care expenses prior to his death last year; help for struggling family members, etc. I am (again knock wood--hard and often!), through a lot of hard work and long hours, able to earn enough to cover these expense.

I am so not saving money w/my DVC--I went from one 7-day annual trip to 4-5 trips/year. But the AP I buy covers the cost of park admission (I, too, value the AP's flexibility in terms of time in the parks) at a cost that is little more than park tickets cost when I was going on cash each year...I do fly down...sometimes w/frequent flyer miles; more often on cash. That's more spending for luxury. I eat at Disney restaurants--but I eat out at home, too. I hardly ever cook.

Mostly, it's just me. DS is away at school and has been since 2005.

I own 515 points...one master contract of 150 points bought in June of 2006; the rest add-on's (one 115-pointer; one 100 pointer; and 3 50-pointers. 150 points at BCV; the rest at SSR. Love both my home resorts).

For the last year I've been resisting adding on more--To cover my points "shortfall" (after full borrowing!), I rented points once; I got a points transfer another time. Will likely do that for another year.

My motivation for buying in was my DS. Every trip we took from the time he turned 14 I thought would be the last one he'd want to take w/his mother. But I was wrong. He still likes to go w/me. In fact, he talked me into the DVC purchase by promising to go for T-giving every year (knowing that jobs being what they are, there could come a year where he can't go)...we take his friends. We take my friends. I take trips w/friends w/out him. (He hasn't yet gone w/out me, but he knows he could)...

Bottom line: I love going to Disney. I love the parks, I love the resorts--each trip is different. Sometimes it's just DS and me. Sometimes DS and a friend and me. Sometimes it's me and a friend w/kids. I have two "almost daughters" (they were nannies to DS during his young years) and 3 "almost grandchildren" who are as much part of my family, and as "entitled" to go to Disney w/me, as my DS.

So, for me...if I want to go to WDW w/any of these precious, dear people, I need the points to make it happen. Other than DS, everyone I take pays their own way (altho my annual Christmas gift to one of my almost daughters is a hefty check for her to put in her "Disney fund"--and of course, as "the mom/grandmom," I get to buy many a meal, many a treat, many a souvenir)!

They are all very grateful to get to go w/me. But from my perspective, I'm the one who's got the most reason to be thankful. I get so much pleasure from these trips, and they wouldn't happen w/out my DVC. W/out the "free room" DVC provides, the families I take probably wouldn't go--and if they did go, it would probably not be w/me! So my points are buying me major pleasure, important memories. They are so worth it.

And much of the cost I'd incur anyway. I pay to eat out even while I'm at home. The cost of an AP makes 2-3 of my 4-5 trips "free" in terms of park admissions. I'd buy the treats/meals/gifts for the people I take (including DS) anyway, too...they'd just be from different places or in different ways.

I've noticed the deterioration at Disney, and it saddens me. But I still love it. And I still want to go, frequently. Whether that will change when DS is a first-year (or first 5-7 years!) associate in a big city law firm, w/precious little time off, I don't know. That's why I'm resisting adding on yet more points. I need to see how it all sorts out once DS is out of school and in the working world.

I don't know how much I'd want to go solo. So far, I've only been once by myself--and that was 5 days after my beloved father died. For me, that trip significantly helped me begin the healing. I needed to be by myself and Disney was the perfect place for me to be. But I just don't know how I'll feel about a trip to Disney all by myself. Haven't tried it yet.

Sorry to be so long-winded. Just thought our story was just enough different from most that it might add something to the thread. For me the bottom line is that it's so not about the money. But it works on a money basis, when I start with acknowledging that it's a pure luxury purchase that I can afford.

 

[briangib]

We spend more time away from the parks and only visit them when we want, not because we have to. We check the crowed calendars and pick and choose the least busiest times.

We enjoy the resorts, DTD and having quality time as a family without rushing to make a ADR or rope drop.

Bill

I agree. We have been on several trips when we didn't visit the parks, or only went once, and they were great trips. There are lots of non park activities and just staying at a DVC resort is worth it for us.

 

[LetsGoSteelers]

Resales as of tomorrow (Sunday 3/20) that were not submitted to Disney for ROFR, will not be able to use the cruising and Disney collection privileges. Most will tell you that this was a poor use of points anyways, and personally though I bought the bulk of my points direct before VGC was built, resale is still well worth the discount.
The main thing with DVC, and with every timeshare, is unless you're up for a lot of work and trying to follow every last rule and detail and fee, Buy Where You Want To Stay. If there's a Hilton resort in a location you want to be in every year, get that. If WDW or DL is where you want to be every year, get that. We own at VGC because we go to DL every year. We have 275 right now, would like more but kind of at the max for Maintenance I'll pay for the one week a year we go. When we move back to Cali in a few years we'll probably add-on so we can do a few extra in-between weekends and then I'll be able to justify the MF's as being separate for those. My mom owns at Marriott Mountainside which is a slope-side ski resort, and I'm on the deed because we love staying At That Resort every year, and had stayed there for about 6 or 7 years running before it got too expensive paying nightly rates during ski season so we took the plunge and have been extremely happy with it.



The risks are that someone is staying on your points, so you can be held accountable for their actions. Ie. They charge to the room, and don't pay the bill when they leave, you are responsible for that charge when your next MF billing comes up. Also, if they decide to cancel at the last minute and your points go into holding, you have no recourse. I don't think I would rent to anybody other than friends, I would do transfer, but even then there is the very minor risk of somehow not getting paid and the transaction to transfer the points is final.


Tables in Wonderland is a card you can get at WDW only for Annual Passholders that gets you 20% off of meals at most table service restaurants (I'm pretty sure - never had one as I'm mainly a DLR person ... contemplating it for next year but we're not sit-and-eat-ppl so probably not).


This is when you go to parks first thing in the morning and line up at the rope so that it drops you're the first one on the ride.

thanks for all the great info, very much appreciated!

btw, I wasn't aware of this but to have DVC you also need to have an annual membership @ $500/yr??? I would have thought that buying into DVC, you would have the ability to make your reservations, etc w/o an additional charge...

 

[DVCconvert]

thanks for all the great info, very much appreciated!

btw, I wasn't aware of this but to have DVC you also need to have an annual membership @ $500/yr??? I would have thought that buying into DVC, you would have the ability to make your reservations, etc w/o an additional charge...

No, once you make the initial investment in purchasing your points, then the only other on-going expense is the MF's, which differ resort to resort. There is no other annual charge to be a member.
While you could have MF's that amount to $500 per year, that would purely be a function of # of pts x mf.

 

[Deb & Bill]

thanks for all the great info, very much appreciated!

btw, I wasn't aware of this but to have DVC you also need to have an annual membership @ $500/yr??? I would have thought that buying into DVC, you would have the ability to make your reservations, etc w/o an additional charge...

Member fees for 2011 run from a low of $3.89 per point at BLT to $6.78 per point at VB (unsubsidized). Multiply that by the number of points you own at that resort and that's what you pay this year. Next year those numbers will undoubtedly be up again as they are every year.

This thread has historical information on DVC:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2532406

 

[LetsGoSteelers]

No, once you make the initial investment in purchasing your points, then the only other on-going expense is the MF's, which differ resort to resort. There is no other annual charge to be a member.
While you could have MF's that amount to $500 per year, that would purely be a function of # of pts x mf.

that's a relief!! they should change this then because it seems to imply that the membership is an annual cost that you pay, rather it's really the MF's

now I realize it's the same thing, for some reason I thought that was above and beyond the MF's

http://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/about/cost/

2011 Annual Dues:
(Dues for future years will vary.) $501 per year or $42 per month

 

[Kidanifan08]

Just wondering about when people with smaller families feel they have enough points? I read a lot about Dvc members with addonitis and 1000 point members. Do you really easily use 1000 points? How painful is that dues bill? We just have 200 points and it feels adequate, but we are just planning one or two weeks a year. What do you do with so many points? Just curious. Thanks!

As others have said, this had been a very interesting thread to read. This is my first visit. We bought into AKV in October 2008 while on our first trip with DS. He was 2.5 years old at the time and the entire trip was unforgettable. Our initial investment was 268 points. We wanted to be able to travel all seasons, except Premiere, and be able to get a 1BR Savanna view. Of course, the point reallocation of 2011 messed up our math. So, last week we were notified that our add-on of 50 points passed ROFR and we now have 318 points. For us, this is probably enough points. This will allow us to stay in a 1 BR annually at almost any time of the year and likely have points leftover to roll into the next year to do something bigger (concierge, BLT 1BR, or 2BR at AKV with family). Since we are flying, we like to do about 9-10 days, as the airfare is around $700-$900 for the three of us.

We did not research DVC very much before buying, but my DBIL has owned OKW since it opened and they have enjoyed it thoroughly. DSIL does not even go to the parks when they go for a week. They have transitioned to doing a GV about every 2-3 year with their family of 4 children. So, we have been able to see all that you can do over the first 20 years of owning DVC.

With that said, it is a huge financial commitment. One must be quite comfortable with their finances when getting into this luxury purchase and have a fairly good idea that it will not become a burden as time goes forward. I would still like to add-on about 100 BWV points so DW and I can attend F&W every two years, but we need to pay for this new add-on first (cash). Oh yeah. . .we financed the initial purchase through DVC -- tax deductible interest works in our favor, no matter what the horrible interest rate. We just wanted our piece of the Kingdom.

When I finished my education, one of my first frivolous purchases was a 3 year old Mustang GT convertible. It was a complete waste of $$, but I loved every minute of owning it, despite the annual "MF's". The point is, DVC has to be something that fits into your luxury expense category of your budget. This is a long-term, high cost expense and should not be purchased without understanding the consequences.

To the original poster (a fellow Hoosier), if your plan is to travel to Disney every other year, you have plenty of points. If you want to go annually, given the size of your family, you are probably going to need a few additional points, but for now you should be fine.