Add-on-itis is a well-documented condition for DVC members. The original contract isn’t enough, so you start scoping out the resale sites to ‘add on’ a contract (or contracts) to get more points.
Arguably the most harrowing time in a DVC fans life is the period between making an offer on a contract and waiting to find out if Disney exercises their right of first refusal. I recently put in an offer on a 200 point Boardwalk contract with a February use year. It took about 2 1/2 weeks for me to get the dreaded email “Disney has exercised their right of first refusal on your contract”.
The reaction when I found out my contract was taken was exactly what I thought it would be:
So, the hunt began. I’d considered looking for backup contracts when I first placed my offer, but – since my previous contracts all passed without issue, I got complacent. My resale agent at the DVC store was great about giving me some options, but I wasn’t finding exactly what I wanted, so … the hunt.
I watched every new listing that got posted. What started as “I want Boardwalk in February with 200 points” quickly devolved into “I want”. I came across a Saratoga Springs 200 point contract with a February use year, that had 400 points available at closing, so I put an offer in on that.
Of course, as luck would have it, two days later a 200 point Boardwalk contract with a February use year (also with banked points) came available. And so I made an offer on that. Then the most adorable 65 point Bay Lake Tower contract showed up – and I made an offer on that. Both passed RofR. The struggle is real people. The struggle is real.
I had a brief scare with ROFR. The agent I worked through had either mis-read or mis-typed my $143pp offer on a BLT contract (with significant banked points) to a $140pp offer that the seller accepted. I was positive that Disney would take it; they didn’t. (Later I learned that Disney generally passes on foreign sellers.) The mis-communication saved me $840 but it was a tense month.
I’ve literally watched all the DVC stuff you have on DIS. All I want to do is add more points. I’m driving my girlfriend nuts. Thanks Pete for what you do. Live in Ohio and will be there this weekend. Love Disney!!!
I have had 3 pass ROFR and am waiting on a 4th. Add-on-itis is running rampant in my world right now!
Pete, I am shocked that you haven’t bought at Grand Californian yet! Maybe you have already but if not I would have forgone the Saratoga and Boardwalk contracts and just bought 250 at VGC. It is really so sweet and so generous that you are buying a lot of these contracts with the thought that you will be able to make reservations for your family and friends. You are deserving of all your success. Thanks for all you do.