Add-On-Itis® Among Disney Vacation Club Members

If you’re a prospective or new Member, you may have joined a few online groups to learn more about Disney Vacation Club from those with more experience. In these groups, you have seen a number of posts from Members announcing they have been stricken with a very specific kind of ailment – Add-on-itis®! This condition can happen to even the most budget-conscious of our Members, as they start to enjoy those years of magical vacations. We encourage you to read on, so that you too will know the signs of add-on-itis® when they appear to you!

What is Add-on-its®?

Add-on-itis® is the sudden realization that a Member needs to add more Disney Vacation Club points to their portfolio. This can happen at any point in the Membership, but it is usually experienced by Members who have been taking trips with their points for at least a year. As they begin to enjoy the different resorts, villa types, and seasons of Disney travel, they might start to feel that maybe their initial points purchase just isn’t going to cut it!

Why Do Members Buy More Points?

Most Members begin the process of adding on more points due to a change in their travel habits. Perhaps they’ve had children or grandchildren and need to book larger rooms than they’ve budgeted for with their current points. Maybe they’ve decided to take longer or more frequent trips each year. Or they got very lucky on one trip and scored a villa at the Riviera and now they’re hooked (author raises hand)! Whatever the reason, lots of Members that reach out to our team to add on more points say the same thing: “I thought I would be okay with [x] number of points! But I need more!”

Adding On: Why Does Your Home Resort Matter?

If you wish you had bigger pool of points to book with at 11 months, we highly recommend adding on at your current Home Resort. For example, a Member who owns 150 point at Old Key West and adds on another 75 at that resort through DVC Resale Market will now have 225 points accessible to them at the 11-month booking window.

Maybe you’ve fallen in love with a resort that is not your Home Resort, and you’re dreaming of staying there more often. If that’s the case, we recommend purchasing a contract at that resort so you can enjoy the 11-month booking advantage there! A Member who owns 150 points at Old Key West and adds on 75 points at Polynesian will not be able to combine these points at 11 months, but they can plan an epic split stay at two resorts!

Adding On: Why Does Your Use Year Matter?

If you’ve been a Member for some time, you have mastered the calendar that goes along with your Use Year. As you begin the process of adding on more points, you might be thinking, “Does my new contract’s Use Year really matter?” Yes…and no!

We advise most Members to search for contracts that share their current Use Year. This allows Members to pool their points under one Membership Number in Disney Vacation Club’s system. Members with multiple Use Years will have their contracts split among multiple Membership Numbers. In order to combine their points for bookings, they have to complete a Point Transfer with Member Services.

For other Members, having more than one Use Year (and Membership Number) is no big deal. For example, we have lots of Members who purchase Grand Californian contracts, regardless of the Use Year, because they only plan to use those points at that resort. If this sounds like you, Use Year may not really matter!

Have you been afflicted by add-on-itis®? The team at DVC Resale Market is here to help. Check our listings to find that perfect add-on contract for you and your family, or reach out to our team if you need help figuring that out!