Hi Cameron,
What a wonderful Christmas present! A Disney Vacation Club Membership is a gift that you can use for many years to come.
One of the best things about Disney Vacation Club is the many ways in which you can use your Vacation Points. The amount of points that you will need for a vacation will vary depending on the time of year that you go and the size of accommodation that you book. We like to maximize our Vacation Points by taking multiple trips per year, but typically in a deluxe studio or one-bedroom villa, and almost always during a season that requires less Vacation Points. Another way that we have found to maximize Vacation Points is to consider a bit of a split stay. Often, we arrive at Walt Disney World on a Saturday. Since Friday and Saturday night stays require more Vacation Points than weeknights, we will often spend that first night at another resort and pay with cash or a credit card for that first night. Then the next day we move to our Disney Vacation Club resort and have saved some Vacation Points.
I suggest that you set yourself up an account on the
Disney Vacation Club member website. From here, you can access so much information about Disney Vacation Club, including Vacation Point charts, the online booking tool, and information about current perks and discounts for Disney Vacation Club members.
Speaking of perks for Disney Vacation Club members, do be sure to familiarize yourself with these and take advantage of them! You can find information about them on the Disney Vacation Club website under "Membership Magic." Over the years, my family has taken advantage of discounted prices on Annual Passes, as well as the opportunity to purchase Tables in Wonderland, and so much more.
Have a great time exploring your new Disney Vacation Club membership and all that it has to offer, Cameron! Do let us know if you have any further questions.