Buying into DVC...were you happy with 160 points?
About This Page: This is a discussion on Buying into DVC...were you happy with 160 points? within the Owning the Magic: Disney Vacation Club, part of the PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel; We have 175 points & it works well for us. We always have the option to borrow if we need ...

**Eeyore Tattoo** · 12-19-2010, 09:18 AM

We have 175 points & it works well for us. We always have the option to borrow if we need more..

**WDWJAMBA** · 12-19-2010, 06:04 PM

We initially purchased 225 at SSR in '05. We find the number to be okay for now. Although, we've stayed in a 1 bedroom in AKL in '09 and I think we were spoiled. Most of the time, we've stayed in Studios and wound up banking points multiple times.

**rescuesk** · 12-19-2010, 06:26 PM

We started with 250 and have added on twice. We have 375 and that works for us. Of course, we use our points for things like cruises and exchanges, too.

mickeycrazy · 12-20-2010, 10:53 AM

We bought in at 160 at recently just added on 100 more. We go once or twice a year. We had been fine in a studio w/just DH and I but last trip we stayed in a 1 bdrm for a couple of nights and now DH is spoiled with it so I am glad we have the extra points.

Timothy Mouse · 12-20-2010, 11:13 AM

We just bought 160 at BLT. Haven't made our first trip yet (will in June). Right now, we're happy with 160.

**LLaffinPlace** · 12-20-2010, 11:49 AM

I bought initially at BLT at 210 points after scrutinizing the points charts and projecting when I expected to visit. I added 100 resale points at VWL six months later for two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to have home resort booking there. Secondly, I am interested in cruises and tours. I also planned to add more.

I have actually only stayed at BLT once, but that's just how it worked out. After staying in studios and one bedroom villas at BWV and AKV, I reserved a two bedroom. Wow! Amazing amount of room. Also definitely happy to be in at BLT. But it did take some leftover banked points, all of this year's allocation and some of next's (using only from the 210 BLT contract) to do it.

fluffybunny · 12-20-2010, 12:14 PM

We bought 175 at SSR and just added on 25 at BCV. We don't really need the add on right now (DH won't let me go as often as I want). I'm looking to add on about 25 points every other year. My son is only 8 but I'm planning ahead for grandkids. Also every other year we take family so it's nice to have a little more than the minimum.

blondie · 12-20-2010, 03:11 PM

We bought 175 pts originally when 150 pts was the minimum. We have been very happy with our choice and have not needed any more points. However, the first year we banked our entire pts into the next use year and went on 2 trips that 2nd year, with points left to be banked again. We have been doing this for 6 years now and have never had to borrow points from a future year. We stay in either a studio or 1 bedroom for 4 of us. We are also able to minipulate our vacations/pts. because of our use year (September). For example, this year we stayed at AKV in August and bought an AP with our DVC discount. We then went in October (stayed off-site) and are going again in April for 12 days at BCV. Our excess points have already been banked into our next use year We will probably get in another short trip in early/mid August to take advantage of our AP one last time and use the AP discount for a hotel room. Then next year we will be going in early December and August again and will have points left over.

**disneygramma** · 12-21-2010, 10:04 PM

Began with a purchase of 200 points at SSR in 2007
Then purchased 125 at BLT in 2008.
Today we began papers with agent to add on 100 more at BLT.
This will give us 425 overall, BUT we are gonna list the 200 at SSR the first of the year, once we have closed at BLT.
So once we sell the SSR 200....hopefuly really quickly (but probably not quick as we would like by the looks of it)....we will be content with 225 at BLT wich will most likely take care of our needs quite well most of the time.

Since purchasing in 2007 we have stayed in a 2 bdrm at SSR for a week , stayed in a deluxe kingdom-view room for a week at Contemporary in 2009(just before BLT opened and you could do this), stayed at an RCI exchange in Palm Beach shores in 2009 for nights, sent m yparents for 3 days to a Wyndham REsort in Nashville for their anniversary in 2008, had a 2 bdrm lodge villa in Gatlinburg New Year's weekend 2009, and stayed 5 more nights at BLT studio with kingdom view in October 2009.
Yep we love our DVC!!!!!!
Hate to sell off those 200 SSR points, but monetarily it is gonna be necessary eventually,so we are gonna let it go.

**Cam22** · 12-22-2010, 03:31 PM

We started with 160 at SSR, but have added on twice since then as we just wanted to be able to stay longer than the 160 points would allow us.

Phil Down · 12-28-2010, 01:14 PM

160 Points can work depending on your Party size.
Quick Plug for Cheryls Book!
We started with 150 at Boardwalk in 1999 but have added 3 times since. We're hoping to do 1 more add on when I retire so that we can spend 6 weeks in the Florida Sun

Phil, Julia & Kyle

tjkraz · 12-28-2010, 03:20 PM

The number of points to buy is a personal decision. Most people would probably tell you that they would like to have more points than whatever they own now. But DVC is a pricey investment. If buying 200 points is going to put your budget in a tailspin, then obviously that isn't going to work out.

You need to find your own personal balance between what you would like to own and what you can afford to own.

And don't trivialize the additional costs involved with Disney vacations. Most people want park tickets for every trip. You have to get from your home to Florida--for some people that's a tank of gas, for others it's hundreds of dollars worth of plane tickets. You need to eat. You will probably be tempted by things like golf, spa services, boat rentals, surrey bikes, and so on.

Make sure that you are in a COMFORTABLE position to absorb the monthly costs of a DVC purchase, the annual dues and what (for most) are THOUSANDS of dollars worth of extra expenses you will have to pay year-after-year.

angiek1024 · 12-28-2010, 04:29 PM

We started with 160 and I believe we would have been ok to stay with that. However, we loved DVC so much and since we usually went on at least two, sometimes three trips to WDW a year before DVC, we quickly realized that for us we needed more points. We added on 200 points and now have 360. We usually use them all each year but again I believe we could have been fine with the 160. It would have given us a couple of weeks in a studio which would have been fine but we have been spoiled by the one bedrooms and usually choose that now.

I think it is just up to you, how you vacation, how often and what accomodations you prefer. You can also bank and borrow which makes it easier to do what you want each year.

moneyhappy · 12-29-2010, 11:31 AM

Tim is correct. You should buy the amount of points that you can afford and that works with your vacation needs.

I have a friend that has 160 pts and three kids (age 6 and under) and for now it works for her family. She is planning on buying more points in the future when more money is available to her.

As for my DH and myself we have the following points:
2004 - 300 pts SSR
2007 - 150 pts SSR
2009 - 50 pts BLT
2009 - 100 pts BLT

We have a 600 pts but we use them for cruises and tours, as well as Disney World and Disneyland. We also have enough vacation time (from work) to take several vacations a year.

Good luck with your decision

norm & linda · 01-02-2011, 08:44 PM

Tim's thoughts are all good. We purchased 150 resale to start. We have added on twice for a total of 270 and i would like to add 25 more. We typically spend 275 points a year for a week during spring break. Our dues on the points are about 125/month. Fortunately we were able to save up and pay for each purchase in cash.