WWYD Extended family trip, rent/transfer or add on?

[WDWFERN]

We are taking a large extended family trip to Aulani in 2024. In addition to our current 500 RIV points (including borrowing those available), we will also need an additional 450 points for rooms for all family members. They are willing to pay the amount needed to rent/transfer the additional points as it still saves quite a bit compared to the summer rack rate at Aulani.

I was all set to do this, but a part of me cringes at spending $10,000 on rented points or even more on rack rate rooms when this would be 1/3 of the total price on a 150 point contract for either RIV or AUL. Since we have Sept use year we would get 23,23,and 24 points which we could use instead of the one time rental or rack rate expense.

Extended family is fine with us either renting/transferring or using the money they are putting toward room toward a new contract, but they do not want to buy in themselves…

Our current contracts are RIV direct and we love RIV and also would love to go to Aulani about every 2-3 years. Because our current points are RIV and that is our favorite WDW resort I don’t want to purchase resale points which we could never use at RIV.

So I am wondering if it makes sense to add on at RIV or AUL direct using the $10,000 instead of just having that amount be gone after one point rental……Our teen and college age children still love going to RIV and Aulani and are always happy to take a friend for spring break if we have extra points, so I don’t see additional points going unused. If there were a year we didn’t need all of the extra points, I figure we could always rent/transfer the additional points to cover dues.

I appreciate your thoughts…..

 

[Hubalorian]

Why not buy an AUL resale contract for the 10k? That would go a long way as compared to direct?

 

[WDWFERN]

Why not buy an AUL resale contract for the 10k? That would go a long way as compared to direct?

I had initially started with thinking to buy resale, but many of them are stripped of the 23 and 24 points we need, which wouldn’t help for this trip, and then moving forward I wouldn’t be able to use them at RIV either. If we found a contract with enough points to book this trip I should consider it, as even if we can’t use at RIV, we would still get years at AUL and the O10 resorts instead of just using the money a one time rental.

I just looked and there is one contract that would work, so now that option is seeming better!

 

[CarolMN]

Let me the devil's advocate (and maybe not what you want or expect to hear from this group), LOL

I would not add on if the extended family trip is the only thing driving the decision. Remember that the additional points come with a multi-year financial commitment (annual dues). Assuming you can afford those, do you /can you dedicate more vacation time to Disney? Are there other vacations you want to do? Do you need to save some vacation time for family? Do you want to be the provider & organizer for future trips for the extended family? Do you want to continue to subsidize vacations for your adult children?

Of course it's hard to spend 10k plus on one trip, but don't let that be the 'rationalization' to buy more points you really don't need.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Sandisw]

I do think that buying direct, if you decide to go that route, makes sense....RIV is our favorite and we tried to go resale for some point and it just didn't work out.

But, I also agree with Carol....I would not add on for just one trip if after it, you will find yourself with more points than you want and need....

 

[WDWFERN]

Thank you all! Ugh decisions, decisions…..thank you all for your thoughtful replies as it really helps me consider new issues I hadn’t thought of and all of the pros/cons.

We have borrowed points the last few years so I have no doubt we would be able to utilize the points.

We are ultimately going to add our children onto our contracts and eventually are going to turn them over to them. This is kinda the one “big” legacy thing have decided to do as it is a big part of our family’s culture and my daughters still absolutely love it, and get teary when our vacations come to a close even after all these years.

In thinking about this, my husband and I have talked about how much money we would have saved as young parents if we had been “given” the last 20 years of a DVC contract to fund our early family vacations on only the annual dues, so we are hoping to do this for them. No, we likely won’t be able to fund a house down payment, or car, or big fancy wedding, but Disney has been a big part of our lives and so we are in for the long haul.

I wouldn’t necessarily have added on this year, but likely would have in 2 years, and with the current incentives and this unusual situation just wondering if it makes sense to move our add on timeframe up some!

 

[Sandisw]

Thank you all! Ugh decisions, decisions…..thank you all for your thoughtful replies as it really helps me consider new issues I hadn’t thought of and all of the pros/cons.

We have borrowed points the last few years so I have no doubt we would be able to utilize the points.

We are ultimately going to add our children onto our contracts and eventually are going to turn them over to them. This is kinda the one “big” legacy thing have decided to do as it is a big part of our family’s culture and my daughters still absolutely love it, and get teary when our vacations come to a close even after all these years.

In thinking about this, my husband and I have talked about how much money we would have saved as young parents if we had been “given” the last 20 years of a DVC contract to fund our early family vacations on only the annual dues, so we are hoping to do this for them. No, we likely won’t be able to fund a house down payment, or car, or big fancy wedding, but Disney has been a big part of our lives and so we are in for the long haul.

I wouldn’t necessarily have added on this year, but likely would have in 2 years, and with the current incentives and this unusual situation just wondering if it makes sense to move our add on timeframe up some!

Given all of that, I think it makes so much sense to put that money toward a purchase...and, if you have a Disney Visa, and can use that, it does give you 6 months, 0% interest, which, even if you have the cash, is nice to not have to "pay" for it this year!!!

 

[Princess Merida]

I would attempt to add on AUL resale if you can find a loaded contract that works for your family trip. This would save you a lot of money vs direct. I do see that Riviera is your favorite resort. Are there other resorts that you like to stay at or does your family only love Riviera? We own at BWV and VGF is the only resort I like as much as BWV. However, we also like to stay at AKL, RIV, and BCV. If staying at different resorts doesn't make you happy and it's Riviera or bust then definitely go direct. It sounds like you should purchase either way since it was in the near future for you anyway and the $10,000.00 will help fund this especially for resale should you choose that route.

 

[WDWFERN]

Thanks all! I think I will look for a loaded AUL resale contract, as we do also like to stay at GF, CCV, BLT, and Poly but loaded resale contracts are very few. I also worry that in leaving contracts to the kids, it would harder for them to manage the resale contract restrictions and potential different use years long term.

So I am leaning toward RIV direct. I had thought about Aulani direct, but we prefer ocean view rooms a utilize the balcony in the morning and evening. It seems like 7 month availability for Aulani is decent for ocean views and given longer length of contract and ability to pool points with our existing RIV points before 7 months I think adding on RIV over AUL makes the most sense.

 

[Stargazer65]

Let me the devil's advocate (and maybe not what you want or expect to hear from this group), LOL

I would not add on if the extended family trip is the only thing driving the decision.

OTOH...an extended family trip creates a really, really, really great excuse to add on...LOL

But, I also agree with Carol....I would not add on for just one trip if after it, you will find yourself with more points than you want and need....

This is strange language...what do you mean by this..."more points than you want and need"?

 

[Sandisw]

OTOH...an extended family trip creates a really, really, really great excuse to add on...LOL

This is strange language...what do you mean by this..."more points than you want and need"?

It doesn't apply to me, and most DVC, but at least had to put it out there....for sure, a foreign concept...I want more to make it to 1000, but I am being prudent and getting my kitchen done now...so it will be 2024 to 2025 before I get there!!! LOL

 

[TCRAIG]

Since it sounds like you’ve got long term plans that would include adding points at a later date, I would buy the 150 points direct now…

 

[WDWFERN]

Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate all of the help!

 

[RoseGold]

After having people flake on me, I wouldn't do any of these options. It's not like AUL points are hard to rent. They can rent reservations from all kinds of services. There's no reason you need to be on the hook for all of this. You already have 500 points, that's a lot.

There is plenty of time for them to rent points at Aulani. If they're fine with paying, and committed to the trip, this shouldn't be a big deal. If they aren't willing to pony up the cash for a rental service, what makes you think they are going to pay you or not flake on you after you do all of this? You get the rooms you feel comfortable booking and send clear instructions to others on how to do this.

Unless you plan on paying for everyone's vacations for many years, I wouldn't buy more points for this.