Justify spending more points to stay somewhere else?

I say you’ve got 25-50 years worth of points. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Bank, borrow, steal and take the trips to the max!

We’re taking 23 family members in 3 VGF 2bed this Oct. Sure, it sucks to be topped out but the memories will be worth it. Well, they better be anyway ; )

#gobigorstayhome
 
I say you’ve got 25-50 years worth of points. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Bank, borrow, steal and take the trips to the max!

We’re taking 23 family members in 3 VGF 2bed this Oct. Sure, it sucks to be topped out but the memories will be worth it. Well, they better be anyway ; )

#gobigorstayhome
Awesome! we will be banking and borrowing to go in july of 2020 getting 2 2 bed at akv becuase I dont have ton of points and thats our best option!! BUt, the family getting to go are thrilled!! I am totally kicking myself.. two nights came up at GF yesterday and I should have grabbed them! I didn't becuase I have a wait list at BR... but I should have grabbed and worried later, could have cancelled.. I am still learning the system.. now I see grab and think later!!
 
Awesome! we will be banking and borrowing to go in july of 2020 getting 2 2 bed at akv becuase I dont have ton of points and thats our best option!! BUt, the family getting to go are thrilled!! I am totally kicking myself.. two nights came up at GF yesterday and I should have grabbed them! I didn't becuase I have a wait list at BR... but I should have grabbed and worried later, could have cancelled.. I am still learning the system.. now I see grab and think later!!
Keep looking! VGF has such good light and a nice energy. When we go their for dinner and we are staying somewhere else or pass it on the monorail everyone in the fam gets sad.
 
Keep looking! VGF has such good light and a nice energy. When we go their for dinner and we are staying somewhere else or pass it on the monorail everyone in the fam gets sad.
Awesome! we will be banking and borrowing to go in july of 2020 getting 2 2 bed at akv becuase I dont have ton of points and thats our best option!! BUt, the family getting to go are thrilled!! I am totally kicking myself.. two nights came up at GF yesterday and I should have grabbed them! I didn't becuase I have a wait list at BR... but I should have grabbed and worried later, could have cancelled.. I am still learning the system.. now I see grab and think later!!
But AK for a family trip is perfect! I only did VGF becuase it’s our home but if I had the for sure option I would have considered AKV. A definite crowd pleaser!!
 


But AK for a family trip is perfect! I only did VGF becuase it’s our home but if I had the for sure option I would have considered AKV. A definite crowd pleaser!!
I don't have enought points for gf for our big trip! Well I guess if we all cram into studios vs. 2 2 bedrooms I may... never thought about it, just figured 2 bedroom be so nice to have!!
 
What we have discovered is the longer we have owned, the less likely we need all those nights or all those trips. We can do everything we want with a four or five night stay now - and are fine with every few years. We don't have little kids who need naps or pool time. We don't wait in line for things we don't enjoy enough to wait for - and can work the system and lines so we don't wait. We don't wait for characters. And we don't need to do Disney all the time (there are other places to vacation). And that has freed us up to spend points differently than we we wanted to maximize nights. We've had four in a Grand Villa to use up points. We invite friends to use up points. And it isn't like we've ever had a ton of points. However, we own at Boardwalk and really like it, so its also not terribly tempting for us to try something new. We've done BCV and VAKL on points. The Poly and BLT are on the list for sometime. I love WL - pre-DVC we did a cash stay, so we might try that at a future point - but it wouldn't surprise me if we didn't bother with any of that.

So I'd encourage you to look long term, past the "as many nights as Disney as feasible" point. Its likely that at some point you'll prioritize the Poly over an extra night because an extra park day doesn't deliver that much reward. We've always said "when we don't have kids traveling with us....we will" - my youngest leaves for college in August.

Plus without kids, we don't need to work around school schedules - and live in Minnesota - so mid- January through February, when crowds are manageable and point costs are lower works fine for us. And it also wouldn't surprise me if at some point we said "one bedroom at OKW will maximize points for the longest possible snowbird stay while retaining a kitchen"
 
What we have discovered is the longer we have owned, the less likely we need all those nights or all those trips. We can do everything we want with a four or five night stay now - and are fine with every few years. We don't have little kids who need naps or pool time. We don't wait in line for things we don't enjoy enough to wait for - and can work the system and lines so we don't wait. We don't wait for characters. And we don't need to do Disney all the time (there are other places to vacation). And that has freed us up to spend points differently than we we wanted to maximize nights. We've had four in a Grand Villa to use up points. We invite friends to use up points. And it isn't like we've ever had a ton of points. However, we own at Boardwalk and really like it, so its also not terribly tempting for us to try something new. We've done BCV and VAKL on points. The Poly and BLT are on the list for sometime. I love WL - pre-DVC we did a cash stay, so we might try that at a future point - but it wouldn't surprise me if we didn't bother with any of that.

So I'd encourage you to look long term, past the "as many nights as Disney as feasible" point. Its likely that at some point you'll prioritize the Poly over an extra night because an extra park day doesn't deliver that much reward. We've always said "when we don't have kids traveling with us....we will" - my youngest leaves for college in August.

Plus without kids, we don't need to work around school schedules - and live in Minnesota - so mid- January through February, when crowds are manageable and point costs are lower works fine for us. And it also wouldn't surprise me if at some point we said "one bedroom at OKW will maximize points for the longest possible snowbird stay while retaining a kitchen"
I can see that! I can also see me getting a little disneyed out so to speak going so much 2018 x2 2019 possible and 2020 but after that will have a break for sure!!! Right now I am excited new owner that wants to experience differnt places when possible and staying at different locations keeps in exciting and new every time. I only have 180 points...so not too many...
 


I can see that! I can also see me getting a little disneyed out so to speak going so much 2018 x2 2019 possible and 2020 but after that will have a break for sure!!! Right now I am excited new owner that wants to experience differnt places when possible and staying at different locations keeps in exciting and new every time. I only have 180 points...so not too many...

That's more than we have. But then, we were never "go all the time" people - when we bought it was for every other year because we knew we wanted to travel to other places and wanted to avoid getting Disney'd-out.
 
I really want to try out other resorts! I have 3 nights booked at the poly to use 75 extra points I have and I am so excited about staying there... but then I see that I could stay more nights and make my trip longer by booking my home resort that I just got home from AKV or SSR etc.

I also really want to stay at BLT etc... just wondering if its hard for others to splurge so to speak for the different experience?

I could have a savannah studio for one more night as an example!!

Everyone's different! If you don't have a strong preference for a certain resort then sure, it makes all the sense in the world to maximize your nights. For us personally, we'll always spend a few more points to stay at BLT or BWV. We just always enjoy ourselves so much more when staying there compared to a place like SSR. Nothing wrong with SSR by any means, just not our favorite. To us the extra points are well worth it to be where we wanna be. We love the convenience of BLT and BWV, can't beat it! They're where we truly feel "home". We start to look at the points when it comes down to staying at like Poly or VGF compared to BLT or BWV. Poly and VGF are significantly more points and we prefer BLT or BWV anyway, so we wouldn't spend more points in that scenario.
 
Everyone's different! If you don't have a strong preference for a certain resort then sure, it makes all the sense in the world to maximize your nights. For us personally, we'll always spend a few more points to stay at BLT or BWV. We just always enjoy ourselves so much more when staying there compared to a place like SSR. Nothing wrong with SSR by any means, just not our favorite. To us the extra points are well worth it to be where we wanna be. We love the convenience of BLT and BWV, can't beat it! They're where we truly feel "home". We start to look at the points when it comes down to staying at like Poly or VGF compared to BLT or BWV. Poly and VGF are significantly more points and we prefer BLT or BWV anyway, so we wouldn't spend more points in that scenario.
Those are on my list for sure! Can't wait to stay at BLT for sure for that convenience!! I really wanted to own BLT but I went for AKV for value.... and I do LOVE the resort!!
 
I say you’ve got 25-50 years worth of points. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Bank, borrow, steal and take the trips to the max!

We’re taking 23 family members in 3 VGF 2bed this Oct. Sure, it sucks to be topped out but the memories will be worth it. Well, they better be anyway ; )

#gobigorstayhome
I forgot to comment on your comment regarding tomorrow isn't guaranteed! That is my motto... I have lost all of my immediate family, mom, dad, brother and I am only 47... so I get it... thats one reason I bought dvc ... live life now, no one knows what the future holds... I had no idea this would happen to me and I still can't really believe it, but I am not waiting to live.. live now!!
 
I forgot to comment on your comment regarding tomorrow isn't guaranteed! That is my motto... I have lost all of my immediate family, mom, dad, brother and I am only 47... so I get it... thats one reason I bought dvc ... live life now, no one knows what the future holds... I had no idea this would happen to me and I still can't really believe it, but I am not waiting to live.. live now!!
WOW. So much loss. I am so sorry!! And you’re attitude in the face of it inspires me. XOXO
 
WOW. So much loss. I am so sorry!! And you’re attitude in the face of it inspires me. XOXO
Well.. there is no alternative!! One foot in front of the other and make the best of it.. And there is always someone in a worse situation... sadly enough. I am very fortunate to have my husband and son and other cousins and family and friends that love me and support me!! But, thanks so much for the kind words.. super sweet.
 
I always book standard view at BWV to begin with and then look to do a split stay at some of the other resorts. My preference is VGF or BLT for as MK resort. And while I love staying at those resorts it does hurt to pay the extra points.

This summer will be the first time with no split stay, just BWV. I got so busy at a new job, I forgot to book at 7 months. Yay for saving points, boo for not getting a different resort.
 
Our home resort is BLT. We have owned since 2010 and been there twice. It takes a lot of points to stay there but it’s a great resort. We have stayed at AKL, SSR and OKW, but BLT is our favorite.

This summer we are giving VGF a try, lots of points too, but I think the monorail resort are worth it.

The beauty of DVC is we have choices and have new experience each vacation.

So, go for it, experience BLT and walk to Magic Kingdom. Ride the monorail and take a boat to WL. You can dinner at a different Deluxe Resort every night!

Good luck.
 
Our home resort is BLT. We have owned since 2010 and been there twice. It takes a lot of points to stay there but it’s a great resort. We have stayed at AKL, SSR and OKW, but BLT is our favorite.

This summer we are giving VGF a try, lots of points too, but I think the monorail resort are worth it.

The beauty of DVC is we have choices and have new experience each vacation.

So, go for it, experience BLT and walk to Magic Kingdom. Ride the monorail and take a boat to WL. You can dinner at a different Deluxe Resort every night!

Good luck.
I agree.. that is the beauty of DVC... each time feels like a new experience if staying at a different resort or maybe just bringing new friends along!
 
There are five of us and AKV is our home resort. We chose it primarily because you can "officially" sleep 5 in a 1 BR. We have stayed at OKW as well when booking inside the 7 month window simply because it's so large and it's usually easy to get a room there (and the 1BRs also sleep 5).

We're taking this year off from Disney so we'll have 500 points next year. We'll probably do a few days at a universal hotel first since our kids will be old enough for it, but since we have the points we'll then be looking at a 12 or 13 day stay at DVC after Universal. Since we'll have a lot of points to play with we're definitely going to take a look at other resorts, although it might be pretty tough to book that many days 7 months out. I'll definitely be reserving our home resort at 11 months, but will take a look at what is still available at 7 months out when the time comes.
 
I’ve tried them all at least once (except Boulder ?), though I only own at OKW. I love OKW but I also enjoy staying at Kidani and BLT. I satisfied my curiosity with stays at the other resorts but I focus on those 3, and SSR for last minute stays.
 

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