31 forum replies
I have used my direct points to stay at VDH at the 7-month mark, but it is no guarantee. This is particularly true during more popular time periods. Here is the current availability for a deluxe studio - preferred view. You could currently book the weekend of 12/12+, which is encouraging, but there is no availability p
I've also enjoyed following along in your journey and reading the perspectives of so many of our members. Purchasing DVC is a significant financial commitment but also a deeply personal one -- a decision that doesn't have one clear objectively "correct" answer. If stretching your points is a primary priority (and under
The Magical Beginnings is DVC effectively buying back points for the current use year at $20/point. For a 150-point contract, this would reduce your initial purchase price by $3,000. In my case, I finalized a direct purchase in July for a contract with a December use year (to match an existing resale contract). This lo
Yes, I misunderstood (I went straight to the Magical Beginning benefit). You're correct in your post.
Most members find it best to have the same use year across contracts. Doing so, for example, can allow you to blend your points together at the 7-month mark to book a single, extended reservation. I also find it easier to keep track of my point allotment and banking period to have my contracts aligned on the same use y
We started with a resale (Poly) contract, and I think resale is a nice way to dip your toe in the water of DVC at a slighlty more affordable price point than direct. And given you don’t envision using some of the cost-saving perks of direct ownership (e.g., the sorcer pass), buying direct is even less compelling. That
The optimal transportation choice depends on your location (closer to the GCH or closer to the TTC) and how early you want to head to MK for early entry. It has been our experience that the resort monorail starts running earlier than the TTC express momorail and the ferry boats. So, if you're looking to get to MK even
We have also done both land/sea and sea/land. If either option fits your travel schedule, I also much prefered the sea/land. It's so hard to go from a day at a fun port to disembarking the ship and flying back home all in a 24-hour span. Adding just a night or two on the back-end of a cruise definitly softens the blow.
I think it would be helpful in your decision-making process to determine what you prioritize more: owning direct, with the privileges and member benefits that come along with that decision, or stretching your points as far as they can go. If the first priority is direct ownership, then Poly direct would seem to clearly
We have 450 points spread over three home resorts (in order of purchase): 150 Poly (resale); 150 GF (direct during the fire sale in '23); 150 BWV (two resale contracts: 50 + 100) All of our contracts are December UY except for the 50-point BWV (April). That can create some challenges when planning trips and, for that r
We've been in similar spots as you've described when it comes to booking DVC stays - sometimes it's a Moonlight Magic event that pops up after original plans were set, other times it's been a pivot to a cruise as a capstone to a WDW trip. In these cases, I've tended to grab the current opportunity since it is more full
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