2nd Home Resort

[SpaceMountain77]

Hi everyone,

Today, I need some advice with an add-on at a secondary home resort.

A few months ago, I went on the DVC waitlist for 54 points at the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian. Last week, the points came through, much earlier than I had anticipated. Initially, I was told it would take 6-9 months and the points came through in 2.5 months. Well, the documents have arrived and I am now rethinking the add-on.

Do you find it helpful to own at multiple resorts? Also, do you find it difficult to manage points at two different resorts? I am beginning to wonder if it is just easier to own at one.

To put this into perspective, here is some detail about me and my point use. Animal Kingdom Villas is my home resort and I currently have 146 points. During the course of my membership, I have made 9 visits to Walt Disney World, 7 of which were spent in a value or standard studio at Animal Kingdom Villas. I do own where I want to stay.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

 

[DannysMom]

Hi everyone,

Today, I need some advice with an add-on at a secondary home resort.

A few months ago, I went on the DVC waitlist for 54 points at the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian. Last week, the points came through, much earlier than I had anticipated. Initially, I was told it would take 6-9 months and the points came through in 2.5 months. Well, the documents have arrived and I am now rethinking the add-on.

Do you find it helpful to own at multiple resorts? Also, do you find it difficult to manage points at two different resorts? I am beginning to wonder if it is just easier to own at one.

To put this into perspective, here is some detail about me and my point use. Animal Kingdom Villas is my home resort and I currently have 146 points. During the course of my membership, I have made 9 visits to Walt Disney World, 7 of which were spent in a value or standard studio at Animal Kingdom Villas. I do own where I want to stay.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

If you want to stay at GCV, on any kind if regular basis, it is almost imperative to own there for the 11 month booking window. If you cannot book GCV until 7 months out, your success rate at getting what you want will likely be spotty. Sometimes you may score your ressie, sometimes you won't.

Since you are buying direct, I am assuming that they matched your current UY, if that is the case, I don't think that having 2 home resorts would be any more difficult to manage than 1. Having 2 separate UYs makes things a little bit trickier, since you would have 2 separate memberships.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards App, please excuse any typos or autocorrects!

 

[dvcterry]

Well congratulations on the add-on!

But it seems as though you were on the fence. Can I ask why you did a small add on at VGC?

We did our first small add-on at the same home resort. The booking window would be the same at 11 months for the resort.

Managing the points is not difficult. If having the small contract at VGC is to your advantage, then great. The VGC points cannot be combined with your 146 AKV at 11 months. At 7 months, the points can be combined and points are points.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Well congratulations on the add-on!

But it seems as though you were on the fence. Can I ask why you did a small add on at VGC?

We did our first small add-on at the same home resort. The booking window would be the same at 11 months for the resort.

Managing the points is not difficult. If having the small contract at VGC is to your advantage, then great. The VGC points cannot be combined with your 146 AKV at 11 months. At 7 months, the points can be combined and points are points.

I requested 54 points for several reasons. Mathematically, it brings my membership total to an even 200 points. Having lived in Los Angeles and visited the Disneyland Resort many times, I know that a 3 or 4 night stay would work well for me. Also, since I would likely go every other year, I could bank and use 108 points toward a studio.

While 100 points would give me more time and likely be easier to work with, I do worry about accumulating too many points.

 

[ITGirl50]

It's not hard to manage two resorts if they are in the same use year.

We own two. I use BLT points to get it at Christmas standard view or F&W. We own AKV because we like it there and at 11-months we have more of a chance to get concierge or value rooms if I really wanted them.

If you want to stay at VGC, then get the points there. If you don't want to stay there, just add-on at AKV. We have tried to stay at VGC a couple of times with no luck at exactly the 7-month window.

Is 54 points enough to get you the room you want when you want it at VGC?

As PP said, you can’t combine the points to book at either resort at 11-months. You can only book at 11-months with the points at that resort.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

It's not hard to manage two resorts if they are in the same use year.

We own two. I use BLT points to get it at Christmas standard view or F&W. We own AKV because we like it there and at 11-months we have more of a chance to get concierge or value rooms if I really wanted them.

If you want to stay at VGC, then get the points there. If you don't want to stay there, just add-on at AKV. We have tried to stay at VGC a couple of times with no luck at exactly the 7-month window.

Is 54 points enough to get you the room you want when you want it at VGC?

As PP said, you can’t combine the points to book at either resort at 11-months. You can only book at 11-months with the points at that resort.

Yes, the use year would be the same and I would receive both 2012 and 2013 points. The 54 points would give me 3 nights in September, Halloweentime, at the Disneyland Resort. This is one of my favorite times at the Disneyland Resort because The Haunted Mansion gets a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay and "poisoned" candy apples are sold on Main Street.

So, 54 points gets me 3 nights, Sunday through Wednesday, in a studio during one of my favorite months at the Disneyland Resort.

 

[dvcterry]

I requested 54 points for several reasons. Mathematically, it brings my membership total to an even 200 points. Having lived in Los Angeles and visited the Disneyland Resort many times, I know that a 3 or 4 night stay would work well for me. Also, since I would likely go every other year, I could bank and use 108 points toward a studio.

While 100 points would give me more time and likely be easier to work with, I do worry about accumulating too many points.

It's not too difficult to manage the banking/borrowing for the every other year trip. When you book trips online, you can easily manage your contracts to do that. If you call in, let MS know so they can manage your contracts when you reserve your trips.

VGC is a great resort. I'm so glad to hear you did not have too long. We are on the waitlist for VGC too. Again, congratulations and enjoy your new home resort!

 

[ITGirl50]

Yes, the use year would be the same and I would receive both 2012 and 2013 points. The 54 points would give me 3 nights in September, Halloweentime, at the Disneyland Resort. This is one of my favorite times at the Disneyland Resort because The Haunted Mansion gets a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay and "poisoned" candy apples are sold on Main Street.

So, 54 points gets me 3 nights, Sunday through Wednesday, in a studio during one of my favorite months at the Disneyland Resort.

Sounds like you made the right choice. Yes! Buy the add-on.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

I am so glad I posted on the board today because this discussion has really helped me remember why owning at VGC has been important to me.

Based on your experiences with both member services and the online reservation system, you all seem to agree that the only way to ensure every other year stays at the Disneyland Resort would be to own at VGC, right?

 

[ITGirl50]

I am so glad I posted on the board today because this discussion has really helped me remember why owning at VGC has been important to me.

Based on your experiences with both member services and the online reservation system, you all seem to agree that the only way to ensure every other year stays at the Disneyland Resort would be to own at VGC, right?

Yes, if you book at 11-months before the 7-month window opens for everyone else.

 

[momto3pirates]

We own at AKL and after our first trip to DL (paid cash to stay at GCH) I told my DH I wanted points to stay at GCH. We bought resale 160 points. We need a 1 bdr and want to go every year. I am very glad we added on and even though we have different use years, don't find it hard to manage.
Our resale was very easy, just took a little longer to wait for GCH to come available.

 

[lovin'fl]

We own at 2 resorts with 2 different UY. It hasn't been too much of a problem. We use the OKW to book OKW at 11 months out or other resorts at 7 months out...my MIL and FIL use our OKW points as well. We have used our HH points also to book at WDW at 7 months out. We are about to go and stay at BCV and I had to book the 1st night with 1 membership and the other 4 nights with the other membership and MS linked the 2 reservations...easy as pie. I only worry that they will make us move to a different room after that 1st night...but I was told that it's unlikely. I think it's nice to own at multiple resorts and I wish our 200 OKW points were 100 and 100 at BWV. We plan to do a HH trip in 2014 and I will be glad to have those points so I can book at 11 months out. I am on the wait list to add on (direct) 55 points at HH...but if that doesn't happen soon, I may go for a 75-100 point resale at AKV or BWV.

 

[disneynutz]

We own 5 resorts, same UY. Love being guaranteed availability at 11 months.

Bill

 

[lovin'fl]

Just made offer on a 3rd home resort. Fingers crossed. And thanks Bill, you are a wealth of knowledge.

 

[bltpoppins]

We just kick ourselves that we didn't buy when they were being offered at the Doorway to Dreams at Woodfield. Our DS1 had just moved there and we never ever thought he would really stay out there. Three years later he loves it and is now 20 minutes from DL. Oh how I wish we had had a crystal ball and knew this. I could have booked a birthday trip every year to GCV instead of paying hotel rates to go visit! Ugh!

It is so hard to get in at 7 months at GCV for a studio. We're sure hoping they build another DVC at DL!

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Thanks, everyone, for all of the help today.

Purchasing a 54-point add-on contract is the right move for me at this time and I plan to go forward with my paperwork tonight. Should my vacationing style change, I will simply add-on to my VGC membership at a later time. However, right now, 3-nights during Halloweentime is perfect.

Thank you again.

 

[lodge]

We own 5 resorts, same UY. Love being guaranteed availability at 11 months.

Bill

I'm not being snarky when I ask- why do people walk reservations then?

Thanks, everyone, for all of the help today.
Purchasing a 54-point add-on contract is the right move for me at this time and I plan to go forward with my paperwork tonight. Should my vacationing style change, I will simply add-on to my VGC membership at a later time. However, right now, 3-nights during Halloweentime is perfect.
Thank you again.

I hear the joy in your post! You made the right decision, based on that!! Congratulations!

 

[ITGirl50]

I'm not being snarky when I ask- why do people walk reservations then?

Because even at 11-months it is difficult to get some rooms. AKV concierge and value rooms for example. I tried to book 2-bedroom AKV Value or AKV 1-bedroom concierge this morning and they were taken. I've been looking at it for a few days and it looks like someone is walking. It is the week of Christmas.

I don't have the time or patience (or points) to walk. I will wait list or get something else.

 

[lodge]

I see! Thanks for explaining.