Going to buy DVC again.

[ljmiii]

We were thinking of buying resale into VGC as well, even at the current eye gouging prices. I have a friend that bought VGC around the $160 mark if I remember right.

We prefer DLR, however, in a recent discussions about DVC with my friend, he said he’s actually almost been “moved out” of his own season because of how many times they’ve “reallocated points” and they aren’t able to book a whole week anymore in their season. This put a hard stop on our VGC purchase, and got us ready for the amount of points we will have to buy at the new DLR Tower- should it ever come to fruition.

Do WDW Resorts have this same issue?

At BCV the big change happened in 2011 when DVC dropped the price of weekend nights from about twice the weekday nights to just a bit more. Which of course increased the price of weekday nights. For the next ten or so years there was a bit of movement but nothing significant. But recently DVC has been increasing the cost of 'prime' weeks...though the first two weeks of December continue to be a steal (with the booking challenges that result).

 

[presley]

I just got notified that Disney waived their ROFR on my contract. That was much faster than expected. I recently read a timeline where it took 4 months from offer accepted to points in the account. I was expecting this part to take a minimum of 30 days. I won't hold my breath, but it would awesome if I had points in my account way before 4 months.

 

[heathpack]

I just got notified that Disney waived their ROFR on my contract. That was much faster than expected. I recently read a timeline where it took 4 months from offer accepted to points in the account. I was expecting this part to take a minimum of 30 days. I won't hold my breath, but it would awesome if I had points in my account way before 4 months.

Congrats!

 

[Finsadbel]

Link to a recent article on “DVC Points Leveling”:

DVC Comments on Rationale Behind Point Chart Adjustments | DVCNews.com - The essential Disney Vacation Club resource!

The spring 2021 issue of Disney Files Magazine devotes a page to addressing recent changes to the Disney Vacation Club resort point charts. Over the last 2 years, Disney Vacation Club has made a ser

dvcnews.com

 

[AnnaS]

I just got notified that Disney waived their ROFR on my contract. That was much faster than expected. I recently read a timeline where it took 4 months from offer accepted to points in the account. I was expecting this part to take a minimum of 30 days. I won't hold my breath, but it would awesome if I had points in my account way before 4 months.

Congratulations!!! Welcome Home!!

 

[tomandrobin]

I just got notified that Disney waived their ROFR on my contract. That was much faster than expected. I recently read a timeline where it took 4 months from offer accepted to points in the account. I was expecting this part to take a minimum of 30 days. I won't hold my breath, but it would awesome if I had points in my account way before 4 months.

Ha ha....Good for you!!!
Welcome Back Home!!! Perhaps we will see you on the other sites too?

 

[haras]

It was quite a while ago, back when it was selling for $115/point and that was a profit because we bought from the developer during the first year of sale. I sold it because we were wanting to go to Hawaii more often and Disney cruises more often. Since we bought from the developer and it was our first timeshare I didn't know that all vacations were cheaper than trading VGC.

I also live close enough to DL that I usually do day visits or only stay for a night or two. I still stay there both in the hotel and in the DVC wing. It's way cheaper to rent points from someone than to own for us. Last February, I almost bought a 125 point contract, but after doing the fuzzy math and projections, it looked like my break even point was so far out that it wasn't worth it. It was easier for me to swallow the $700/night stay in the hotel room for how often I use it and how I like to go there on short notice since I live so close.

Make sure you look at reservations closely before you decide to sell it and use sleep around points. It was never easy for me to get reservations outside of my home booking window. When I read people posting about how they use their SSR points to stay there, often they are booking based on what's available and not when they want to go. That works for some, but if you have to schedule around work or school, that is very difficult. I would much prefer having my VGC back, but I can't make the numbers work for us.
I am only buying 50 points, but I don't intend to ever stay for a week and I will be staying in a studio. If I ever do decide to stay for a week, I'll have to do a split stay and pay cash for the other room. I recommend that you figure out which resort you want to stay at. They each require different points for different weeks of the year and those change every year. You could likely do well with around 75-100 points, but if you are extremely particular about which resort you want, you need to buy for that resort. If you don't mind which resort, buy SSR or OKW, you'll get a lot more for your money. With DVC, one bedrooms are the generally the most available.

Can you share what are sleep around points?

 

[rhonda]

@haras, 'sleep around points' are points purchased at the least-expensive DVC resort (factoring both purchase price and annual dues) which are then used at the 7-month window to book across the system. A person using 'sleep around points' won't generally plan to book their "home resort" at 11 months ... but, rather, to book the other resorts if/when space is available.

Often DVC's Saratoga Springs and Old Key West resorts are consider 'sleep around points.'

FWIW, I use our Saratoga Springs points all through the DVC system ... rarely staying at my home resort. The strategy has worked quite well for me since 2004!

 

[haras]

@haras, 'sleep around points' are points purchased at the least-expensive DVC resort (factoring both purchase price and annual dues) which are then used at the 7-month window to book across the system. A person using 'sleep around points' don't generally plan to book their "home resort" at 11 months ... but, rather, to book the other resorts if/when space is available.

Often DVC's Saratoga Springs and Old Key West resorts are consider 'sleep around points.'

FWIW, I use our Saratoga Springs points all through the DVC system ... rarely staying at my home resort. The strategy has worked quite well for me since 2004!

Good to know! I’ve been sleeping around with points since 2010 and didn’t know there was a term for it! I own ssr and I’m super frugal with my 150 annual point contract! I got lucky with the grand California blip and squeezed in two Saturdays which were converted to hotel stays. Thanks for the new info!

 

[rhonda]

I got lucky with the grand California blip and squeezed in two Saturdays which were converted to hotel stays.

Good for you! Congratulations!

I'm one of the people that the OP referenced as being successful snagging VGC reservations using SSR but specifically at times that the resort was available ... not based on times I wanted to travel. No big deal to me me ... I've long enjoyed the results of "space available" stalking.

 

[haras]

Good for you! Congratulations!

I'm one of the people that the OP referenced as being successful snagging VGC reservations using SSR but specifically at times that the resort was available ... not based on times I wanted to travel. No big deal to me me ... I've long enjoyed the results of "space available" stalking.

I live in California and our favorite place to vacation is Honolulu. Also I own hgvc and Marriott so we are lucky we can squeeze in a day or two at aulani amongst our hhv or Marriott Ko Olina reservation.

two years ago I considered selling our ssr contract but I’m so glad I didn’t Bc I see that dvc is the only one that’s appreciated

 

[rhonda]

we are lucky we can squeeze in a day or two at aulani amongst ....

Our 'fun story' is booking a night at Aulani while overnighting on Oahu on a Trans-Pacific cruise (San Diego to Sydney, AU). Our purpose was to run laundry!

When we came off the ship at the Oahu dock toting a large suitcase the port staff expressed concern was that we were 'leaving the cruise.' Nope ... just a laundry run.

We were super stressed in life prior to boarding the ship ... so hadn't really packed in advance. We threw some stuff in a suitcase and were the 2nd-to-last-cabin to check-in for departure. Almost missed the ship, I guess ... but we made it. (Great cruise, btw. The sailing was 25 nights with an additional 7 in Sydney. Ah, such a great vacation ... except that all our photos look alike: here is a beach, here is another beach, another beach, another beach, etc.)

 

[Deb & Bill]

My grandson loves Disney, I was thinking of buying a small points purchase as well, what amount of points would be good to purchase for someone that only wants to go every other year or every 3rd year?

The problem with every three years is that if something happens and you can't go during the year you have banked, borrowed and current year points, you are going to lose the banked points since you can't bank them a second time. Every other year might be more workable.

Your other issue, what size unit, when would you want to go, how many nights, do you have any request for location or resort?

 

[Sugarcubesea]

The problem with every three years is that if something happens and you can't go during the year you have banked, borrowed and current year points, you are going to lose the banked points since you can't bank them a second time. Every other year might be more workable.

Your other issue, what size unit, when would you want to go, how many nights, do you have any request for location or resort?

Deb and Bill, You have raised some good points, maybe we will just rent points since we really only will be once every 3 years.

 

[elaine]

We sold our AKV contract last July to free up quick cash for home renos to sell our house. Almost a year later, we regret it. We planned to just go to BC or trade via RCI or get a points transfer (still have small contract). But I'm really not interested in paying $ up front for transfers, and it's close to $18-20/point for points that don't expire soon ($10 more than annual fees each time). So, we decided to buy again! We'd likely need at least 100 points/year in the next 5 years, which is $50 per point total over annual fees--and a lot of transfer transactions.
With the kids in college, DH and I plan to take more trips to FL to visit my Mom (at least 1x/quarter). Tagging on 2-4 days at DVC is fun for us. We don't even have to go into the parks. We only need a full week at WDW when kids come, so I'd still trade in via RCI. Looking at WDW hotel pricing (we want to stay at DVC or WDW hotels), we get good value out of DVC studios. Plus, unlike when our kids were in our household, they rarely can commit 6 months out. DVC is so easy to swap out reservations vs. RCI where I'd lose the exchange fee. So, I'm buying back at $20 more than I sold (yikes), but getting 50 free points, which we need, so I'm really paying $15 more as opposing to getting a transfer @$20. I made $25/point when I sold. My fuzzy math says that's OK. I've been looking at AKV contracts from the major brokers and most are either too big a contract, no points until 2022, or points expiring too soon.

 

[glypnirsgirl]

I would not worry too much about the possible loss of banked points. Ever since David's Vacation, I have not lost points. I just rent out the points that were going to expire.

I love my DVC points. It is about the best money that I have ever spent. I bought in 1994 when I was a single mom with a 12 year old son. I traveled with my son, my sister and her spouse, brother and his spouse. I originally figured that I would take my whole family to DVC every two years and that we would stay in a Grand Villa. I bought enough points for a 7 night stay every 2 years --- and the first few years, that was exactly how I used my points.

I got married. New husband came with 2 kids about the same age as my son and we started booking 2 2 bedrooms instead of a Grand Villa to make room for everyone. We went less often, but with banking and borrowing, it still worked for us.

Then the kids started college and were no longer interested in Disney, so DH and I traveled by ourselves. We made several trips per year and stayed in a studio or 1 bedroom if I decided to cook.

Now the kids are grown, married and we have grandkids. We have made a couple of trips with grandkids and the trips are the best ever. If you can afford to purchase points, do it! Look at Old Key West. The rooms are the largest in the DVC system. It is where I originally bought and although I have used the points at other resorts, we are happiest at OKW.

You can buy resell points more cheaply --- and if you are using them for Disney stays, who cares if you can't use them for Disney cruises or Adventures by Disney.

Best of luck to you