Which Resort Should I buy

[crisi]

No, I get the concept, frankly anyone who has owned for a while gets what you are trying to do, I just think you'll be disappointed in the reality. It's going to be harder to manage than you believe it to be. If you have a lot of time to dink around and manage points, and are smarter than the average bear, it might be worthwhile...but for most people, you are on a path to disappointment.

People who own multiple resorts tend to own many more points than your plan and travel much more often. That helps even out the management issues.

 

[BillyBuckner]

No, I get the concept, frankly anyone who has owned for a while gets what you are trying to do, I just think you'll be disappointed in the reality. It's going to be harder to manage than you believe it to be. If you have a lot of time to dink around and manage points, and are smarter than the average bear, it might be worthwhile...but for most people, you are on a path to disappointment.

People who own multiple resorts tend to own many more points than your plan and travel much more often. That helps even out the management issues.

Thanks for your comment. If I am good at only one thing, that thing is math; but I guess it really does me no to ponder how to USE "unobtanium" since there is no readily available source to PROCURE "unobtanium"

 

[BillyBuckner]

You guys (and gals) have convinced me that one contract (or maybe at most 2) is the way to go. My next question is how long will I need to wait to find the right BWV contract? I have been looking for two weeks so far and I have not seen any BWV contract with less than 170 points in a June, Aug, Sept, or Oct UY. (I did see one for April and one for Dec but those UY don't work well for me).

 

[bwvBound]

re: finding the perfect contract
Put in requests with the major resale groups.

FWIW, my initial purchase was in 2004. I was looking specifically for BWV, Dec UY, ~200 points. It took about 4 months to find and make offers on 3 contracts. All three eventually failed somewhere on the road to ROFR. (Two were accepted by the seller but they later changed their minds. One was never responded to -- likely outbid by other buyer.) Weary of the game, I went SSR/OCT direct. (At the time, SSR direct was only a few dollars more per point than BWV resale and offered the longer contract length.)

 

[crisi]

You guys (and gals) have convinced me that one contract (or maybe at most 2) is the way to go. My next question is how long will I need to wait to find the right BWV contract? I have been looking for two weeks so far and I have not seen any BWV contract with less than 170 points in a June, Aug, Sept, or Oct UY. (I did see one for April and one for Dec but those UY don't work well for me).

The more flexible you can be the easier it will be. There are multiple resellers. It early shouldn't take very long, I'm surprised something isn't out there right now for you, but resales look tight all over right now, and the isnt much at bw at all. There are usually lots of 150 point contacts.

You might want to let the resellers know what you are looking for, sometimes they can alert you when something comes up so you don't miss it.

 

[DizBub]

There should be more available soon. New year, MFs coming due usually means more contracts go on the resale market.

 

[BillyBuckner]

There should be more available soon. New year, MFs coming due usually means more contracts go on the resale market.

Does this translate into more motivated sellers and a better opportunity to get a good deal?

 

[DizBub]

Does this translate into more motivated sellers and a better opportunity to get a good deal?

I would think so. Some people tend to freak out a little when they get their dues bill. Especially when they have gone up.....after Christmas.

Last January there were tons. With the rumors of more resale restrictions coming they may go fast.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

If you would stay at BWV more than AKV then I would recommend buying at BWV. AKV is easier to get into at 7 months. It sounds like you're not generally traveling during high demand times though, so you'll likely be okay anyway. The resale prices for AKV have been amazing! Haven't checked them lately but we added on 160 points early this year at $55pp and there were even some banked points.
We own at BWV, BLT, and AKV. Good choices!

 

[TinkandGoofy'sMom]

Based on 2013 points charts you would need:
Nov1-Dec 15: AKV 181 points, BWV 166 points (1br)
Jan 1-31: AKV 162 points, BWV 154 points
Feb 1-15: AKV 200 points, BWV 206 points
All based on standard view, one week, 1 bedroom.

I would recommend getting 200 points. We own at AKV and absolutly love it. We stay in a one bedroom with our two kids and everyone has enough space. One child sleeps on the pull-out couch, the other on the pull-out chair, and hubby and I have the bedroom ALL TO OURSELVES. We love having the washer/dryer in the room, and the extra bathroom makes getting ready stress-free for everyone. We love the atmosphere of the resort, and the pool area is great. The splash area would be fun for your little one. access to Jambo House is very quick and easy (either walking or by shuttle) , and we like the underground parking. Bus service is usually great, and dedicated to AKV only (no multiple stops). We stayed this past summer for 5 nights in a studio at BWV and it was great too, but for us AKV is HOME SWEET HOME.

 

[joeyrose]

my 2cents - one contract at ssr..

 

[joelp]

Based on 2013 points charts you would need:
Nov1-Dec 15: AKV 181 points, BWV 166 points (1br)
Jan 1-31: AKV 162 points, BWV 154 points
Feb 1-15: AKV 200 points, BWV 206 points
All based on standard view, one week, 1 bedroom.

I would recommend getting 200 points. We own at AKV and absolutly love it. We love having the washer/dryer in the room, and the extra bathroom makes getting ready stress-free for everyone. We love the atmosphere of the resort, and the pool area is great. The splash area would be fun for your little one ... access to Jambo House is very quick and easy (either walking or by shuttle) , and we like the underground parking. Bus service is usually great, and dedicated to AKV only (no multiple stops) ... for us AKV is HOME SWEET HOME.

Although it looks like you're going for BWV - I'll second that ...

Some additional AKV plusses:

- the kids will LOVE the animals (and the related activities at the resort ...)
- you will LOVE having the Simba's Clubhouse option available on-site.
- 2 pools, 3 TS restuarants (including our favoite - Boma!), 1 CS restaurant.
- an on-site Spa ...

There's also the general opinion that your home resort should be the one where - if it comes to it - you would have no problem staying at for the next umpteen years ... For us, that was AKV ...

Good luck!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Although it looks like you're going for BWV - I'll second that ...

Go read the thread on BWV buses suck.

 

[BillyBuckner]

my 2cents - one contract at ssr..

Does this mean that you believe I would have no trouble booking my preferred resorts at the 7 month window?

 

[disneynutz]

I look at ownership this way. If you buy where you love to stay, you will be able to book at your favorite resort/room category 99.99% of the time. If you buy somewhere else and book at 7 months you will not always get what you want depending on the resort and time of year, so why not buy at your favorite resort?

We don't know what DVC rules and policies Disney will change in the future, most of us never thought that the changes during the last 3 years would ever happen but they did. Just another reason to buy at your favorite resort because home resort priority is contractually guaranteed.

One of the biggest challenges when buying and selecting a resort is not knowing what you are buying. Everyone has different tastes and likes and there is no way that reading on the internet and looking at pictures gives you the complete picture. You really need to stay at the different resorts to see for yourself what fits and what gives you the giddy feeling. Maybe you could rent points for your next stay and do a tour of each resort or buy at your best guess then start your extended search. Look at transportation, location, theming, resort layout, availability of food, entertainment, pools, and community center.

We own BWV, BCV, AKV, VWL, and BLT. The only resort that we bought before staying there was BLT and BLT has ended up being our least favorite of all of the DVC resorts.

Bill

 

[chalee94]

Does this mean that you believe I would have no trouble booking my preferred resorts at the 7 month window?

for nov/dec trips, i think that is crazy optimistic - that tends to be a busier period for DVC bookings. i'd buy at one of your preferred resorts if you have strong preferences...if you'd be happy to stay at SSR if BWV/BLT didn't work out, then buy SSR.

also remember that BWV expires in 2042, AKV expires in 2057 and BLT expires in 2060...might matter to you, might not. but if you want a longer contract and don't mind being "stuck" at AKV, that might be a good option.

but if the only place you wouldn't mind being stuck is BWV, i'd buy in there and book early.

 

[BillyBuckner]

for nov/dec trips, i think that is crazy optimistic - that tends to be a busier period for DVC bookings. i'd buy at one of your preferred resorts if you have strong preferences...if you'd be happy to stay at SSR if BWV/BLT didn't work out, then buy SSR.

I might try to stay at THV one time just for the novelty, but aside from that I can't see myself at SSR, so I think the idea of buying there is pretty crazy.

also remember that BWV expires in 2042, AKV expires in 2057 and BLT expires in 2060...might matter to you, might not. but if you want a longer contract and don't mind being "stuck" at AKV, that might be a good option.

In 2042 I will be 71 and kids will be 39,37,31. I doubt I will be going to Disney every year in 70s. Past 2040 I am probably evaluating residual value vs initial purchase vs dues for 30 (or 48) years.

but if the only place you wouldn't mind being stuck is BWV, i'd buy in there and book early.

In the short run I want to buy into DVC so that I can afford to stay in a resort that is close enough to parks that I don't spend have of my day on busses or waiting for busses or thinking about busses. We also like boardwalk entertainment. I loved CSR but can't stay there when baby turns 3 and I'm tired of all the transportation logistics when he needs a nap. If you count meals at resorts then some days we do 3 round trips on busses.

On our most recent trip all of our TS meals (except one) were in Epcot, Epcot resorts, magic kingdom, or magic kingdom resorts. This is why I want to be at BWV or BLT or maybe BCV as a backup. I slightly prefer BWV or BCV over BLT because we spend more evenings near that area, but I wouldn't cry if stuck at BLT.

In the long run I could also be happy at AKV some of the time especially when the naps for baby stop.

One of my crazier thoughts is that we could stay at an Epcot resort for 4 nights and use those days to visit Epcot And DHS, then move to either BLT or AKV for 4 nights and use those days to visit MK and AK. This plan doesn't eliminate busses but it greatly reduces them.

 

[DizBub]

In the short run I want to buy into DVC so that I can afford to stay in a resort that is close enough to parks that I don't spend have of my day on busses or waiting for busses or thinking about busses. We also like boardwalk entertainment. I loved CSR but can't stay there when baby turns 3 and I'm tired of all the transportation logistics when he needs a nap. If you count meals at resorts then some days we do 3 round trips on busses.


One of my crazier thoughts is that we could stay at an Epcot resort for 4 nights and use those days to visit Epcot And DHS, then move to either BLT or AKV for 4 nights and use those days to visit MK and AK. This plan doesn't eliminate busses but it greatly reduces them.

I have found that the buses just simply cannot be avoided unless you have a car. Also found that the trek in and out of the parking lots, especially MK makes the buses look inviting. That's just me.

With a small child I would venture a guess that you will be spending a lot more time in MK in the future. Believe me when I tell you that children are not usually big fans of Epcot. My kids acted like we were driving them into the 7 circles of hell when we went there, nothing for them to do. Well, nothing THEY wanted to do. Younger children, as a rule don't usually appreciate the dining options in World Showcase.

I like your idea of the split stay between BLT and BWV. That's what we did too since we own at BLT and BCV. That said, I've said it before and will say again that had we known how much we truly enjoyed SSR and OKW we might have bought there instead, taking our chances at 7 months and saving a ton of money. Tastes and travel habits change.

 

[lovin'fl]

We 1st bought in 2006...200 points at OKW because they were the cheapest resales. I wish we bought BWV, so that's where you should buy and I suggest 200 points. We love BWV and the proximity to Epcot. My SIL's family love SSR because their kids (teens) like to walk over to Downtown Dis a lot. They also like AKV and added on points there, but their kids grumble a little about staying there because there's not too much around that interests them. My MIL/FIL love OKW as it's peaceful and quaint (they use our points to book near hospitality house so they don't have to walk too far for anything). So, there are different reasons to like each resort and your preference will probably change as your kids get older. The times you like to go aren't too busy and getting what you want at 7 months out might not be an issue. I find Christmas to be tough at 7 months out and we've had trouble trying to get BCV for summer trips (finally got it for our upcoming Jan trip...yay!). And last minute trips (like a month or two out) will be tough no matter what. If I were you I'd get 200 or more at BWV.

And the split stay idea is a good one...we have done that. You could buy points at 2 places then.

 

[BillyBuckner]

I have found that the buses just simply cannot be avoided unless you have a car. Also found that the trek in and out of the parking lots, especially MK makes the buses look inviting. That's just me.
.

Just clarifying so there is no confusion. I'm not naive enough to believe I can remove all busses, I'm just looking to reduce them. And on those occasions where we had a car we only drove to MK once and I don't care to repeat that experience. Driving to AK and HS seem easy, MK not so much.

In the worst case scenario at a "bus-only" resort, I get on the bus to a park in morning, leave at lunch on a bus, come back on a bus around 3-4 take a bus to resort dinner at 7, then because dinner ran long I have to take a bus to DTD to get another one back to resort. Even when my wife took baby for nap and I kept older kids in park I foun myself constantly thinking about the logistics of reuniting later in the afternoon.

In my mind I like this plan better. Get up and WALK to Epcot. When nap is required one of us can WALK to BWV then return later. Then we can WALK to our dinner. So I cut out all the WAITING.


I don't mind being on the bus, but what bothers me is that when you include the waiting I bet that consumes 3 or more hours in a day.

If I can cut my transportation time by 60% I get an extra 2 hours of fun per day.