Why We Caved Into Add-on-itis and Point-Gate

In the days leading up to September 17, rumors were flying on DISboards.com and the DVC Fan Facebook Group about the minimum points needed for perks being increased from 75 points to 100 points.  There was a sense of panic from those who were just starting to explore DVC and those who had been anticipating purchasing 75 points to add on to their resale points. However, my fiancé Timothy and I were in a slightly different situation.

We are already blue card members after having purchased this past spring, but with the BoardWalk Villas as our home resort, our direct contract and its perks end in 2042.  While we thought we would add a small contract with a later expiration date in the future, the increase in points needed for perks means that a small contract wouldn’t qualify for a blue card. I know not everyone will agree, but to us, it would be strange having our membership but not being eligible for any perks. This is how we jumped down the rabbit hole…

Timothy and I realized that we would most likely never add on 100 points, so we started asking ourselves: should we take the plunge now?  If so, where would we add on? We already knew that it didn’t make sense to add on at the BoardWalk. As much as we love it, we needed a resort with a later expiration date.  

Actively Selling Resorts

While Disney may be pushing Aulani and Riviera, we weren’t interested in Aulani since we primarily travel to Walt Disney World, and there were too many unknowns for us with Riviera.  I happen to think that the rooms at the Riviera are gorgeous, but between the resale restrictions and the inability to see the resort itself prior to purchasing, we just didn’t feel confident choosing it as a home resort.  

The Original 14 Resorts

We then thought about Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, and Animal Kingdom Lodge since they are a good value and have longer contracts.  However, I am still a big believer in buying where you want to stay and having that 11-month advantage, and I felt like those resorts have decent availability at the 7-month mark. 

We then considered the Villas at the Grand Floridian, Copper Creek, and Bay Lake Tower. The 11-month home resort advantage helps with these resorts.  As much as I love the Grand Floridian, I couldn’t justify the price per point, and the high point chart means that those pricey points don’t go very far.  Copper Creek nearly became our home resort when we purchased our first contract. We like Wilderness Lodge and the idea of having a resort near the Magic Kingdom since we are already walking distance from Epcot and Hollywood Studios with the BoardWalk Villas.  However, my hesitation with Copper Creek is the difficulty in getting studios, which is what we book most of the time.  

That left us with Bay Lake Tower.  Its price per point is higher than I’d like, but that location is amazing.  When we have a family, it will be so convenient to be able to walk back to our resort at the end of the day instead of waiting for a bus or any transportation at all.  Also, Bay Lake Tower does not have anything equivalent to the cabins at Copper Creek, so I don’t think it will be as difficult to get a studio if we are booking early enough.  As a bonus, we like Top of the World Lounge, the convenience of the Contemporary Resort’s restaurants, and easy access to the other resorts on the monorail loop.

Ultimately, we chose Bay Lake Tower and got our contract before September 17.  Was our decision a bit convoluted? Maybe. I certainly didn’t think we would add on this soon!  Will we enjoy Bay Lake Tower as our home resort? Absolutely!

Who else out there purchased 75 points before the September 17 deadline?  What made you decide to pull the trigger? Let me know in the comments below!