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Options for small number of expiring points?

Dean

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I hear you all. But as an enrolled owner on only 1 of my weeks I have yet to see the value for our travel needs. We don’t travel for 5 days. Shutter the thought personally. Minimum 1 week but our preference is 2 weeks at a time.

Maybe living in California is the problem. There are only 3 MVC properties in driving distance from us. Which I imagine might make a 5 day stay an option. But NCV is 20 minutes from my house so although I have heard wonderful things about it I will never stay there.

I get 2 weeks in II or a measly 2300(approximately) points. So maybe I could turn those points into 2, 5 day stays in off season. Still not the same value to me.

Not trying to hijack the thread. The advice on how to use a small amount of points was good for the OP and interesting and informative for me.
There are certainly variables as to what options to own and how to use them. And there has to be a balance of $$$ value and usage. I’m about as averse to wasting points or value as anyone, more than most, but if one is going to be miserable every time they don’t trade a studio for a Maui 2 BR, timeshares will drive them crazy so there has to be a balance, otherwise you only use points in Bronze Season for week days.

Specific to the points usage, one shouldn’t buy points planning to use for the exchange options whether it be II or cash type exchanges though there may be limited exceptions where it truly does make sense. And one should be able to plan in advance to stay out of the situation routinely as being discussed and if they can’t plan accordingly, they shouldn’t participate. But it is nice to have options if one gets caught for some reason through no fault of their own and sometimes life happens even when buying and usage was perfect when one made the decision to buy in. That comes around to a point I’ve made in other threads, risk management (debt, medical, job loss, etc), that can help avoid much of this even when changes happen on the home front.
 

turkel

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I would totally agree with you. Points absolutely is the best choice for some. Everyone’s idea of value is different.
 

Big Matt

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Turkel, I've done five nights on points, Sunday through Thursday, two nights on Bonvoy points or cash, and another 5 nights. You get 12 nights. I've done Myrtle Beach, Charleston (Residence Inn), Hilton Head once. Williamsburg, Savannah (Spring Hill Suites) and Hilton Head that way. I'm planning on doing Orlando that way next year. Something to consider.
 

turkel

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Turkel, I've done five nights on points, Sunday through Thursday, two nights on Bonvoy points or cash, and another 5 nights. You get 12 nights. I've done Myrtle Beach, Charleston (Residence Inn), Hilton Head once. Williamsburg, Savannah (Spring Hill Suites) and Hilton Head that way. I'm planning on doing Orlando that way next year. Something to consider.
Very interesting approach . Do you have to move each time?
 

Steve Fatula

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I hear you all. But as an enrolled owner on only 1 of my weeks I have yet to see the value for our travel needs. We don’t travel for 5 days. Shutter the thought personally. Minimum 1 week but our preference is 2 weeks at a time.

Maybe living in California is the problem. There are only 3 MVC properties in driving distance from us. Which I imagine might make a 5 day stay an option. But NCV is 20 minutes from my house so although I have heard wonderful things about it I will never stay there.

I get 2 weeks in II or a measly 2300(approximately) points. So maybe I could turn those points into 2, 5 day stays in off season. Still not the same value to me.

Not trying to hijack the thread. The advice on how to use a small amount of points was good for the OP and interesting and informative for me.

Ok, but, instead of 5 days, make it 12 days. When I stayed at DSV2 this Feb in a 1BR, my weeks MF was $1,062.21 allowing 2/3 of the annual MF for 1BR MF cost. I added on to that stay with weekday points, non weekend. Result was cost per night of:

$151.74 MF for my owned week
$86.08 cost at points MF for the added on nights in the same unit.

So, quite a bit cheaper for the points portion. We don't like staying ONLY a week. That is one value of points.
 

Big Matt

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Very interesting approach . Do you have to move each time?
Yes. Each example is three different cities. With Orlando, I'm thinking about staying at Cypress Harbour for 12 days and using Bonvoy points or paying cash for the Friday and Saturday night.
 

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Found a use for mine. Going to watch the leaves change color in Branson Mo in the Fall!
 

Dean

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Very interesting approach . Do you have to move each time?
I can't speak for Matt and I don't do weekdays on points and weekends otherwise but I do often mix weeks, points, exchanges and the like. Even overlapping exchanges at times. Because of unit type and other factors (view, overlapping exchanges, unit size) I know that at times I'll have to move and at other times I know it's a possibility I might have to move. I can't think of a time with any system when I should not have had to move but ended up needing to. We went to LV in Feb with an exchange bracketed by 3 nights total on DC points. I was careful to match up the unit type so as to have the potential not to move, I then requested not to move on the planning email and again at check in. It was perfect. I'd agree with Steve that a 10-12 night stay with one weekend is often the sweet spot for value and enjoyment. Sometimes with mixed reservation types you have to check in again in such a situation though usually they can combine the stays into one and make it so that you only have one check in as was the case for LV. With DVC you're more likely to have to treck back to the front desk to check in again even when staying in the same unit, in my experience.
 

turkel

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Really helpful information. I will have to start looking at the points chart more closely to determine if this is viable for us.
 

Dean

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Really helpful information. I will have to start looking at the points chart more closely to determine if this is viable for us.
A point I intended to make was this. Often people get bent out of shape about having to pay attention to the "cost" of such items. And I'd agree that having to continually micromanage every point could drive some people crazy. IMO once someone starts to pay attention to the "costs" for a period of time, it gets easier and more intuitive so it's not a big deal long term.
 

Big Matt

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Dean, I'm pretty cheap with my points, but I look for value and ways to leverage them the best I can. I didn't mention something you referenced. I absolutely use II to complement my points. I've found it very helpful. A real good tip is to book a Sunday to Thursday with points and then book a Friday to Friday with Interval for the same property. You will get your villa choice from the 5 nights on points, and they aren't going to move you just because your second week is with Interval. Of course a premium view the first five days may not translate, but it's worth a shot (I've never tried it).
 

Dean

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Dean, I'm pretty cheap with my points, but I look for value and ways to leverage them the best I can. I didn't mention something you referenced. I absolutely use II to complement my points. I've found it very helpful. A real good tip is to book a Sunday to Thursday with points and then book a Friday to Friday with Interval for the same property. You will get your villa choice from the 5 nights on points, and they aren't going to move you just because your second week is with Interval. Of course a premium view the first five days may not translate, but it's worth a shot (I've never tried it).
The last couple of years many if not most resorts will move you unless you have the same exact same villa type. Now whether they'd do so now with a wide open resort might vary Looking for value is the way I'm wired but I don't want to drive myself crazy doing so either. And of course value often varies with the person between unit size, view, time of year even choice of resort in some situations. Everyone has to make their own choices but I feel strongly that one can learn enough so that it's almost automatic thus one doesn't have to stress or put much effort every time.
 

Steve Fatula

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The last couple of years many if not most resorts will move you unless you have the same exact same villa type.

Yes, that's the key, make sure you have the same villa type. I have never once been moved when I had the same villa type, and I've always had the same villa type, except once.
 
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