Addonitis - The Disease is Real

Addontitis can be more of a newbie disease. Once you drink the kool-aid, you can't help yourself. After a few years you level off, a few more years, you don't visit the parks as much and may cut back on the number of Disney vacations. Then they build the damn cabins and you have to buy again. :sad:

:earsboy: Bill

 
Addonitis is very very real. I think I have beaten it back, and then it sneaks up and bites me. We have 1300 pts and change, and I would buy more today if my DH would let me. We use every single point every year, frequently borrowing. And then they build the (gorgeous) cabins...:confused3
 
I have the disease too. Went from 200 to 650....own 9 contracts in 2 UY and 4 home resorts. And my DH is also not that difficult to convince. He will say we're done after an add on and then a year later he's right there with me discussing what to add next.
 
There are few people I know who love Disney more than me. Don't be mistaken, I absolutely love going to WDW. I may enjoy it more than our kids do. I'm probably the most disappointed that we're not going this year. I waited until the last possible minute to bank our points because I kept trying to figure out how to squeeze in a trip (unfortunately my new job has a crummy vacation policy, wheras my last one had unlimited time off, so that really meant things wouldn't work out).

But I also think there can be a line of doing things too much. Our kids are "Disney adults" now too, which means our next trip will cost more. Flying five people from NYC to MCO is between 2000-2500 (and I also hate flying, so we have started driving down). If we lived further south I could see us going more often...but multiple trips don't make sense for a lot of logistical reasons right now.

I guess what I see in a lot of descriptions of "addonitis" is mostly a lack of self control. Sometimes it's OK to say no to yourself.

Not sure where you are in NY area but Frontier flies out of Islip (Long Island) and you can get really cheap deals. Not the most amazing airline but out of Islip it’s fine since it’s a small airport.

Agree that there are other places to go. We always go somewhere else too. I was thrilled to take our first really big non Disney trip with our kiddos this year because they finally have passports but it’s a lot more work. It’s just so easy to go to Disney that it makes a good trip even for a long weekend. For that DVC is wonderful.
 


Addonitis has hit me hard!! We bought 200 points at CCV in late May (Dec UY) and immediately banked our 2017 UY points into the next year, which was a blessing because I run at least 1 RunDisney weekend every year and we also take an annual family vacation to WDW (annual daddy-daughter picture in front of the castle is a tradition of ours). The banked UY 2017 points are all booked up between those two trips for next year and we'll have about 90 points to bank into the 2019 UY for my RunDisney weekend but we're going to run out of extra points soon :(

We're going to need another contract so I can support my RunDisney habit!!!
 
We started out buying a lot of points to begin with. We bought 400 thinking surely that will be all we ever need. We won’t be those people! Not us, we plan ahead!

5 years later and we added 360 more. :) We probably are done now for real, but I still get the urge to buy more every now and then. Aulani calls to me with those low 80’s resale contracts, but so far I’ve been able to resist the urge, lol.
 
We started out buying a lot of points to begin with. We bought 400 thinking surely that will be all we ever need. We won’t be those people! Not us, we plan ahead!

5 years later and we added 360 more. :) We probably are done now for real, but I still get the urge to buy more every now and then. Aulani calls to me with those low 80’s resale contracts, but so far I’ve been able to resist the urge, lol.

I can relate! In 2011 we bought 480 AKL points direct, thinking hey, no worries, we will never run out of points! But we started to enjoy the bigger villas and after two trips to our new favourite place (Aulani) we added on 400 resale Aulani points this year :)

And after our first stay at VGC this year...I take a peak whenever those resale listings come up haha!
 


I can relate! In 2011 we bought 480 AKL points direct, thinking hey, no worries, we will never run out of points! But we started to enjoy the bigger villas and after two trips to our new favourite place (Aulani) we added on 400 resale Aulani points this year :)

And after our first stay at VGC this year...I take a peak whenever those resale listings come up haha!

Yes, VGC is tempting for me too to get some west coast points, I’m just too much of a bargain hunter for any VGC contracts ive ever seen!
 
We immediately banked our 2017 UY points into the next year, which was a blessing because I run at least 1 RunDisney weekend every year and we also take an annual family vacation to WDW (annual daddy-daughter picture in front of the castle is a tradition of ours).

We're going to need another contract so I can support my RunDisney habit!!!

OK! You gave me a great idea...my DD is a Run Disney fan so (of course) we are going to WDW and staying at SSR in November to host her and her friends in running the Food & Wine Half Marathon. I think this is the PERFECT reason to buy more points because it is an additional WDW trip!!! Do you think he will buy it? LOL!

I’m telling you...addonitis - it’s a disease. :rolleyes1
 
OK! You gave me a great idea...my DD is a Run Disney fan so (of course) we are going to WDW and staying at SSR in November to host her and her friends in running the Food & Wine Half Marathon. I think this is the PERFECT reason to buy more points because it is an additional WDW trip!!! Do you think he will buy it? LOL!

I’m telling you...addonitis - it’s a disease. :rolleyes1

I used the exact same line of reasoning with my husband and he's actually considering it!!! I'm actually thinking that SSR will be where we buy in for my RunDisney points. I don't do the parks when I'm down for a RunDisney weekend (running through them is enough for me, I spend the rest of my time relaxing at the resort or wandering Disney Springs) so proximity to the parks isn't a factor, and I love the idea of being a nice walk or boat ride away from DS. Add in that SSR is next on the list for a refurb and I'm really warming up to the idea :)

My goal is to eventually run every race that RunDisney has to offer at WDW (eventually DL as well, if those races ever come back) so I think we'll get good value for those points :D
 
I'm actually thinking that SSR will be where we buy in for my RunDisney points. I don't do the parks when I'm down for a RunDisney weekend (running through them is enough for me, I spend the rest of my time relaxing at the resort or wandering Disney Springs) so proximity to the parks isn't a factor, and I love the idea of being a nice walk or boat ride away from DS. Add in that SSR is next on the list for a refurb and I'm really warming up to the idea :)

My goal is to eventually run every race that RunDisney has to offer at WDW (eventually DL as well, if those races ever come back) so I think we'll get good value for those points :D

SSR is the perfect add-on resort! You will love it. Your DH will be supporting your healthy self at a very cost effective (yet beautiful) resort! DS is right there, and the Turf Club (which is one of our favorite restaurants in WDW)! Sounds like a plan...
 
I used the exact same line of reasoning with my husband and he's actually considering it!!! I'm actually thinking that SSR will be where we buy in for my RunDisney points. I don't do the parks when I'm down for a RunDisney weekend (running through them is enough for me, I spend the rest of my time relaxing at the resort or wandering Disney Springs) so proximity to the parks isn't a factor, and I love the idea of being a nice walk or boat ride away from DS. Add in that SSR is next on the list for a refurb and I'm really warming up to the idea :)

My goal is to eventually run every race that RunDisney has to offer at WDW (eventually DL as well, if those races ever come back) so I think we'll get good value for those points :D

If you completely take the parks out of the equation, SSR is my favorite resort. To me it’s the most complete of the dvc resorts I’ve stayed at. Lots of amenities and activities, good food (the turf club is one of our go to’s for a last minute reservation), and The boat or a short walk to Disney springs is a great way to spend an evening.

We almost bought our second set of points there, but then happened to find a good deal on an odd BLT contract that matched the UY year of our existing points and we got it for a great price.
 
we have 3 contracts and paid no more than $66, $68 and $72. back in 2003. Once it hit $80 a point my addonitis stopped
 
I think I'm sick.

When I initially went to buy, I was going to get about 200 points, but then, while I had our 'guide' on the phone, and she asked me "How many points do you want?" I found myself saying "325!" I don't know why. (Well, it is true that I paid for 300 and got 25 'for free.')

Next we went to Resale contracts. 270 points. 225 points. 260 points. Currently at a Total of 1080 points!!

I should add that my family doesn't really know. They knew I was going for the 270 point contract, but they don't know about the others. We have 3 large, MAJOR Disney World trips coming up in the next year, and I figured I'd surprise them.

And now, I find myself saying, "How can I squeeze out 1 more 'small' contract. Just one more. Just once."

Where do I go to get help?
 
This board is definitely an enabler! DH and I sat down in Feb and said we were only going to get a small contract to start with and see how it goes. Now we're already talking about getting another contract and squeezing in a trip late next year even though we already have our summer vacation planned!
 
Personally, I agree whole heartedly that there are other places in the world worth going to see before that extra trip to WDW. In fact, my wife has a deal in place that for every WDW trip we do, she gets one that requires a passport, but even she will readily admit that WDW makes vacationing sooooo easy.

WDW is a nice mindless few days of escapism. And given what life can throw at you, I have trouble faulting anyone for wanting to escape every now and then.

Totally agree - and it is such an easy vacation to plan. Just returned from a vacation to Paris with 2 young kids. Our 7yo really really wanted to go to Paris in part because of her exposure to the France pavilion at Epcot, and this time we took them up the real Eiffel Tower. Our 2yo - well, let's just say that on the overnight flight where I slept not a minute - I was missing the easy 2hr nonstops (almost hourly from NYC) to WDW.

Both of our kids have traveled internationally often since they were infants. But WDW is a nice easy bubble and still less $ and time than Europe or Hawaii, both of which we have traveled to with both kids.

We were lucky to have done a lot of traveling before children. A typical vacation pre-kids involved Gortex boots, cold weather gear, car hire, multiple flights, street clothes for hard to book restaurants, shows, museums and walking tours. Great memories.

The thought of such a vacation with 4 children? I'm exhausted and I haven't even finished packing yet. Not to mention the kids would grow out of their Gortex boots before the plane even lands, airlines lose my prams and car seats, Hertz fails to reserve the van I booked months prior, and countries that do not mandate disable access in public premises just can't be done with prams. We did manage Whistler when we only had two kids. But I needed a vacation after that trip!

Ha! That is me with 2 kids!! I can't even imagine with 4. DH and I were married for 17 years before having kids, and thought we would be childless by choice. (Then we changed our minds.) When we were younger (and with more limited vacation time), we'd usually take 1 cultural/city vacation, and one outdoorsy vacation (scuba diving, hiking, etc.) I wouldn't have traded that time for anything, but we recognize we are in a different phase now, and we'll enjoy it however long it lasts.
 
Started looking at DVC at the beginning of 2017; started to seriously look at it/consider it during the summer of 2017; started putting in offers in November 2017; closed on our first contract in Feb 2018; sneaked in under the wire for the 25 point direct add-on in Feb 2018. And now its Aug 2018 and we're adding on ANOTHER contract.

DH called me crazy a year ago when I said we'd want to add on eventually. That whatever we started with, it won't be enough "forever" b/c we'll want to stay in larger rooms, bring family/friends, etc. A year later? He's the one saying we need 25 more; no we need 50 more! Makes me want to say I told you so SO BADLY! :)

We bought our first resale contract about 18 months ago and are now up to 2 home resorts and 4 contracts.

I guess what I see in a lot of descriptions of "addonitis" is mostly a lack of self control. Sometimes it's OK to say no to yourself.

Or ... it could be called exercising restraint. Rather than spending a big chunk of change on a single contract, it could be a "let's try out this DVC thing without sinking a ton of $ into it." In our case, it was that plus changed circumstances. We started out thinking we'd go once a year in studios or 1BR. Decided we'd prefer 1BR and more than 1 home resort. Also realized: owning DVC changed our vacation style while we were at WDW (more relaxed, less park-commando), and in the last year, 2 of my kids' 4 grandparents have either passed away or are otherwise unable to travel, leaving the surviving spouses in a position to join us (and with a desire to join us) on at least some of our WDW trips. I'm not going to put my 76 yo dad (or my 82 yo MIL) on a pullout in the living room, nor am I going to ask them to pay their own way to join us on a WDW trip with their grandkids. So now we have effectively moved from staying in studios and 1BR, to studios, 1BR and the occasional 2BR.

(But I agree, this board is definitely an enabler. Luckily we are able to afford it, and have jobs where we can take the time.)
 
Addontitis can be more of a newbie disease. Once you drink the kool-aid, you can't help yourself. After a few years you level off, a few more years, you don't visit the parks as much and may cut back on the number of Disney vacations. Then they build the damn cabins and you have to buy again. :sad:

:earsboy: Bill

Agreed. Although for us, it is realizing that we may actually want to stay in a BLT GV someday in the not-so-distant future that has me thinking we may need more BLT points... :rolleyes1:dancer:
 
And now, I find myself saying, "How can I squeeze out 1 more 'small' contract. Just one more. Just once."

Where do I go to get help?

There's always room for one more :)

Totally agree - and it is such an easy vacation to plan. Just returned from a vacation to Paris with 2 young kids. Our 7yo really really wanted to go to Paris in part because of her exposure to the France pavilion at Epcot, and this time we took them up the real Eiffel Tower. Our 2yo - well, let's just say that on the overnight flight where I slept not a minute - I was missing the easy 2hr nonstops (almost hourly from NYC) to WDW.

Both of our kids have traveled internationally often since they were infants. But WDW is a nice easy bubble and still less $ and time than Europe or Hawaii, both of which we have traveled to with both kids.



Ha! That is me with 2 kids!! I can't even imagine with 4. DH and I were married for 17 years before having kids, and thought we would be childless by choice. (Then we changed our minds.) When we were younger (and with more limited vacation time), we'd usually take 1 cultural/city vacation, and one outdoorsy vacation (scuba diving, hiking, etc.) I wouldn't have traded that time for anything, but we recognize we are in a different phase now, and we'll enjoy it however long it lasts.

Kboo if your kids are car seat age, these are amazing:
https://ridesafertravelvest.com

We used them for the older kids and can't wait till the twins are big enough to fit them!
 
I just bought a small contract of 100 points at CCV direct with the intention of adding on 100 point contracts resale at various resorts (thinking BLT, Poly or AKV) But now I am nervous about owning at different places and trying to juggle the bookings (book at 11 months and combine at 7). I see so many people adding on points at different places so I know it is doable. Does anyone just add on to their original home resort?
 

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