# Point Changes Over The Years



## Perry0905 (Apr 28, 2012)

Hi folks.  We have the papers to sign to join at BLT in our hot little hands.  And then I saw the point charts from 2009 and compared with 2013, and a little red flag jumped up.

We're purchasing the minimum contract (100 pts a year) because we want to book a studio every 2 years.  We already have 2 kids and plan to have no more, and are unconcerned about going at peak season.

I've noticed that for some categories, the points required to book for the week have increased about a point a year so far.  Others have gone down but overall the points have gone up.

I did the math, and guess that since BLT isn't completely sold yet they can increase the total points as the points buyers keep getting added.  My concern is this: If the rate keeps going up at one per year, then in 15 to 20 years we'll be forced to buy more points or go less often.

I don't mind buying more points to go more often, but I do mind buying points to maintain status quo.  Has this happened to anyone?  48 years is a long time  . . .


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## Perry0905 (Apr 28, 2012)

Or am I worried over nothing?


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## elaine (Apr 28, 2012)

The total points for the resosrt cannot change, but points for a particular unit/season can change. Ex--weekends at DVC used to be almost double the points of mid-week. A few years ago, DVc changed the points so that mid-week and weekends were almost the same. The # of points for the entire week remained about the same, but the points per day changed. This also happens with seasons--summer might take more points and winter then takes less points, etc.
It did affect us. I could stay in a studio at OKW midweek for 11 points for 5 days (nonweekend) in the summer. Now it takes 17 or 18 points per night, but weekends are less points.


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## chalee94 (Apr 28, 2012)

Perry0905 said:


> Or am I worried over nothing?



mostly, yes.

as the other poster put it, the total number for all the villas in BLT for the whole year are fixed and cannot change.

DVC cannot decide to simply make villas cost 10% more pts across the board in a few years...BUT they can reallocate those pts based on demand.  

a couple of years ago they went from weekend nights that were roughly double the cost of a weeknight to a flatter allocation, as the number of owners and renters who focused on sunday-thursday stays increased and fri-sat nights sat empty.

a number of us are concerned that DVCers' super-high demand for early december may result in higher pt costs there in the future.  but any increases would have to be offset by decreases elsewhere...maybe early may or february - great for people who travel during those months, not so great for those who love early december.

the adjustments in the 2013 BLT chart stem from a reassignment of 10 rooms from theme park view to standard view...so it's a math problem dealing with weighted averages.  you have the same number of pts to allocate but more discounted villas and fewer costly castle-view villas, so something has to give...and pt costs go up per villa.

so the reallocations are limited by law and someone has to win if someone else loses, but there's always a chance that you'll be the one who got used to booking sun-thursday stays or cheaper early dec stays and wind up disappointed when a reallocation changes your habits...


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## presley (Apr 28, 2012)

As long as you intend to go in off season, you don't have anything to worry about.  As mentioned already, the overall points for each resort stays the same every year.  There are times when DVC changes points for room categories, seasons, etc, but overall the total points for the year can never change.  

I do want to suggest that if you are having any questions or doubts, don't buy it.  DVC is one of the most expensive timeshares out there.  You should only buy if you are 100% sure that you want it and you don't have any concerns about it.


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## slum808 (Apr 28, 2012)

As others have said points for a resort will not change in total, but can be shifted around. This could be a problem if you buy exactly what you need right now. If they shift the points again and you find yourself short, DVC will rent you up to 24 points at $15 to complete your reservation or you could purchase a smaller add-on. You can find add-on as small as 25 points. You may even find that a studio is fine for your small kids now, but as they grow older and bigger, you may want more points to get a larger room. 

A bigger concern I have for you is that it sounds like you may be buying from DVC direct. You mentioned the minimum contract at 100 points. If you are buying direct, I believe you're paying $150/pt or there abouts. Have you considered buying resale? Resale points for BLT are listed around $95/pt but can be had for $80-$85/pt. That is a significant savings and the loss of a few benifits are a good trade off in my opinion. You can buy at anytime, the deals will be there for a while. I suggest not signing, and doing a lot of research. Ask a lot of questions and make sure you're commited to both the price and the ongoing MF. You can find a historical chart of MF hikes over the years and they are not trivial. 

If you do decide to buy, Welcome Home!

Steve


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## Perry0905 (Apr 30, 2012)

Thank you all very much for the reassurance and advice!


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## jdunn1 (Apr 30, 2012)

Better yet, buy a Worldmark resale contract for less than 2,000.00 and use Worldmark to trade into a 2 bedroom at BLT.  Worldmark will get you into any DVC week you want in a 2 bedroom or smaller.  You are not guaranteed anything with Wolrdmark but it is such a more cost effective way to go than buying DVC.





slum808 said:


> As others have said points for a resort will not change in total, but can be shifted around. This could be a problem if you buy exactly what you need right now. If they shift the points again and you find yourself short, DVC will rent you up to 24 points at $15 to complete your reservation or you could purchase a smaller add-on. You can find add-on as small as 25 points. You may even find that a studio is fine for your small kids now, but as they grow older and bigger, you may want more points to get a larger room.
> 
> A bigger concern I have for you is that it sounds like you may be buying from DVC direct. You mentioned the minimum contract at 100 points. If you are buying direct, I believe you're paying $150/pt or there abouts. Have you considered buying resale? Resale points for BLT are listed around $95/pt but can be had for $80-$85/pt. That is a significant savings and the loss of a few benifits are a good trade off in my opinion. You can buy at anytime, the deals will be there for a while. I suggest not signing, and doing a lot of research. Ask a lot of questions and make sure you're commited to both the price and the ongoing MF. You can find a historical chart of MF hikes over the years and they are not trivial.
> 
> ...


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## TSPam (Apr 30, 2012)

If you are purchasing retail from DVC I too would suggest that you think some more and maybe buy resale. The few perks that you loose buying resale are not very good perks anyway.


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## SuzanneSLO (May 1, 2012)

You should also know that DVC peak season is not the same as WDW peak season.  One of the hardest times to book DVC is early December.  Summer is generally much easier to book at DVC than October, for example.

Also, BLT has the smallest studios of any DVC resort at 339sf.  My DH and I stay in studios all the time, but with the strange kitchen layout, we would be reluctant to book a studio at BLT even with only 2 of us. It is probably better now than when I toured because they have renovated the units to put a sink in the bathroom and not just the kitchen area.    -- Suzanne


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## Twinkstarr (May 1, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> Better yet, buy a Worldmark resale contract for less than 2,000.00 and use Worldmark to trade into a 2 bedroom at BLT.  Worldmark will get you into any DVC week you want in a 2 bedroom or smaller.  You are not guaranteed anything with Wolrdmark but it is such a more cost effective way to go than buying DVC.



But perhaps they want the guarantee of staying at a DVC resort. Not everyone wants to play the trading game and hope they get a unit for the week they want to go. And wait awhile the trading game will change, it always does.

We own DVC because we have specific times we want to go and we rarely stay a full week. 

Just booked a VB Beach Cottage for Easter week next year and have a VGC 2br booked for the kids election day holiday. Plus I rented out enough points to cover 2/3 of my MF's for next year.


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## Perry0905 (May 2, 2012)

SuzanneSLO said:


> One of the hardest times to book DVC is early December.  Summer is generally much easier to book at DVC than October, for example.
> -- Suzanne



Would that be the case even at the "home" resort?  If I wanted to stay in December, and I call in the prior November for a week at the "home" resort, am I going to have a tough time?


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## presley (May 2, 2012)

Perry0905 said:


> Would that be the case even at the "home" resort?  If I wanted to stay in December, and I call in the prior November for a week at the "home" resort, am I going to have a tough time?



Yes.  For your home resort, you need to book 11 months out for December.  Once the 7 month booking window opens, you have no booking benefit over any other DVC member from any other resort.


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## chalee94 (May 3, 2012)

Perry0905 said:


> Would that be the case even at the "home" resort?  If I wanted to stay in December, and I call in the prior November for a week at the "home" resort, am I going to have a tough time?



the 11 month window for december opens in january.  

if you have your heart set on a very rare room type (concierge or value rooms at AKV, standard view at BLT...maybe standard view at BWV) then there is a risk that you may not get what you want at 11 months out.

keep in mind that the first day that owners can call to book dec 25 is actually january 19 to book dec 19 for 7 nights...so if you call jan 25 to book dec 25, others may have been booking dec 25 during the past week as parts of reservations that started before yours...

but generally, you won't have that tough of a time if you call the morning your 11 month window opens, no.  (but if you own at BLT, you might have to settle for a lake view and waitlist a standard or theme park view.)


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## Perry0905 (May 4, 2012)

chalee94 said:


> the 11 month window for december opens in january.



Yeah.  I realized that once I hit send.  (Guess I'd rather call early than late!) :rofl: Thanks everyone!


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