Factors to Consider for DVC Add-Ons

Check your temperature. You’ve got Add-On-It is! And we all know how contagious it is. 

Still, you don’t want to rush into anything. After all, Disney Vacation Club contracts represent decades-long commitments. Before you get carried away, you should pause and think through your purchase. Here are a few factors to consider for DVC add-ons. 

Do You Need These Points?

When you buy more DVC Points, you’re not just spending money now. You’re also increasing the cost of your Annual Dues. This factor matters more each year as Annual Dues tend to increase. Plus, you’ll have more considerations to juggle when booking. We’ll discuss a specific one in just a bit. 

Before you go through these minor aggravations, you should ask yourself a simple question. Do you need these new DVC Points? Remember that you can rent DVC Points from DVC Rental Store as needed. So, you never face an onus to own more points. It’s entirely your choice to buy more. 

Of course, many DVC members – maybe even most – own multiple contracts. Therefore, the answer in many cases is, “Yes! I need these points!” Before you buy them, you should still think about a few other potential issues.

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Is This Your Final Add-On? 

Disney constantly updates its plans based on changing circumstances and consumer demands. So, that makes this particular question challenging. Are you buying your final add-on? 

If the answer is yes, the phrase “Go big, or go home!” applies. You should buy enough points to guarantee that you’ve got plenty for the rest of your life. If the answer is no, you should simply search for the contract that best fits your current needs. 

The tricky part is when your answer is maybe. In those instances, you must make an educated guess about how many DVC Points are enough for the next few years. Later on, you’ll determine whether you need more.

Disney may announce a new DVC resort where you really want to own. At that point, your decision will be made for you. One of the challenging parts of the DVC program is planning for now AND later. It’s especially hard since the future is unwritten. My suggestion is that you always plan as if your next DVC contract will be your last. This tactic simplifies your decision-making.

How Many Points Are Enough?

So, let’s say that you’ve determined that you need the DVC Points and you know that this is your final DVC add-on. The most pressing question becomes: How many DVC Points are enough?

Since you’ve settled on this contract (probably) being your last one, you now need to choose the best fit. I liken this process to clothes shopping in that you won’t know what you want until you see it. Still, a few generalities apply. 

You should know your general budget, how you intend to pay for the contract, and your purchasing timeline. As you know, many DVC contracts sell quickly on the resale market. Due to this reality, you should be prepared to place an offer when you identify the One True Listing. 

Until you’ve settled on your budget, that’s impossible to do. So, step one should focus on lining up your finances. Make sure you know how much you’re willing to spend, whether you’ll pay with cash or a loan. If you’re getting a loan, make sure you have your ducks in a row. 

Once you’ve checked those boxes, it’s time to go shopping. So, how many points do you need? The answer partially depends on how many points you already have and whether they’ve historically been enough. Only you can answer that.

Should you constantly feel short-changed and unable to book what you want, I’d look at mid- to large-sized contracts. If you’re generally happy with what you’ve got but want more, a smaller contract may work better. There’s no wrong answer here, but if you settle for something that makes you unhappy, you’ll experience regret for many years to come. Therefore, I’d encourage you to go a bit bigger just to be safe unless your primary concern is higher Annual Dues. 

Believe it or not, these three factors are only half the primary considerations for DVC add-ons. So, I’ll write a follow-up article with three more, including the Use Year decision. It’s a big one.

Access all available Disney Vacation Club resale listings, or learn more about buying and selling with DVC Resale Market.

If you’d like to make an offer or request a free consultation about buying or adding to your DVC contract, the DVC Resale Market team is here to help!