Single person buying DVC - advice? worth it?

[DisneyGirlFlorida]

I'm a single person who LOVES Disney. I live 2 hours away from Orlando and just bought annual passes. In the past month (April to now), I've been to Disney 4 different times (3 night weekend trips each time), but that was with my sister and we did off-site stays (she's on a tight budget). I'm already booked for solo trips for September (MNSSHP) staying at GF club, and November (W&D RunDisney weekend, since I'm running in a 5k staying at SSR studio). I'm going in January for Marathon Weekend and planning to register for Princess Weekend in February but haven't booked my rooms yet for those trips.

That being said, I'm pretty sure I'll be going to Disney 4-5 times a year for RunDisney events.

In the past, I've stayed at GF Concierge (My favorite), AK Concierge, and Continental (not my favorite for the decor but loved the location). I've also stayed at Caribbean Beach (my very first adult trip many years ago), and visited and drove around Port Orleans (pretty! but I love the Deluxe resorts).

I booked a studio at SSR in November (only thing available at a RunDisney host resort) and I suspect it's probably a DVC studio, but not sure. I didn't know about renting points then, but I know now and may change my reservation.

With all that being said...here's my thought pattern.

Is buying DVC worth it as a single traveler?

I would buy DVC resale with cash. I'm leaning towards SSR or AKV since I like the added possibility to book club level at AKV if that's my home resort and this would be my first purchase. I would LOVE GF as my home resort, but the resale prices are out of my budget.

I'm pretty flexible with my travel dates, outside of RunDisney events, but even those I know about ahead of time to plan 7-11 months out. I could see myself doing spontaneous weekend trips between, and would not mind staying at another deluxe resort.

I've already done hours and hours of research on buying DVC, renting, etc. I saw two properties the other day I came "close" to putting an offer on, but something told me to just wait and keep researching, and see how my trips later this year goes.

Nevertheless, the one nagging thought is whether DVC is beneficial for a single person. On the one hand, I feel like it's overkill, but on the other hand, I feel like knowing how often I plan to visit Disney now and in the future, and the thought of not having to shell out a grand or more for a pre-planned weekend getaway (after the initial purchase of course), is rather nice.

I'm concerned about the availability. I don't want to buy DVC then find that I am must book 7-11 months out or else I end up paying cash or no place to stay. I want the ability to be able to spontaneously decide to go to Disney, and have a place to stay with my DVC (again, location is not a huge issue as long as it has Disney transportation to/from the parks).

So, thoughts...insight....advice...

 

[yaawgmoth]

DisneyGirl: My First contract was when I was single and just enjoyed going for a weekend getaway. That was in 2007.
I do live an hour from Disney and wanted the ability to stay away from home long enough to relax. What ended up happening was I took friends, family and myself on several weekend getaways.
I have since added more points with my wife and we have 2 very young children. She is a bigger Disney fan than I, so we stay every other month at least and when possible call for a random weekend (not picky for those)

My opinion, it is certainly viable if the money up front and the annual maintenance costs are affordable.

You also asked of availability. I had a December UY and was always able to book New Years (my preferance), and a few other weekends ahead of time. It can be done and enjoyed. Good luck in whichever direction you choose.

 

[com_op_2000]

Do you know that AKL-CL only has five two-bdrm lock-offs. These are the only CL-level rooms within the DVC system. They are some of the hardest rooms to book within the DVC system. You almost always have to own at AKL and try to always book at 11 months out to get one of the CL rooms.

 

[DisneyGirlFlorida]

Do you know that AKL-CL only has five two-bdrm lock-offs. These are the only CL-level rooms within the DVC system. They are some of the hardest rooms to book within the DVC system. You almost always have to own at AKL and try to always book at 11 months out to get one of the CL rooms.

Yes, I read about the difficulty getting CL at AKL and the limited number of rooms. With having the DVC and availability of a kitchenette, I'm not sure how much I would really use CL which opens my options for a home resort.

 

[disneynutz]

If you love the DVC accommodations and owning will save you money, then it makes sense to buy. If you do not care where you stay, buy SSR. If you have a favorite and will be booking between 7 and 11 months in advance then buy there.

Bill

 

[suebeelin]

If you spend $1k on accommodations 3-4 times a year (am I reading this right?!), then you will definitely save money using dvc!!

We bought after our 5 day stay was $2k. For a lousy hotel room, no kitchen no washer dryer! We decided that we would recoup our cost within 7-10 years, but stay in 1 or 2 bedrooms instead of a hotel room. We liked Disney enough to see ourselves going back yearly.

good luck!

 

[nalajms]

I'm concerned about the availability. I don't want to buy DVC then find that I am must book 7-11 months out or else I end up paying cash or no place to stay. I want the ability to be able to spontaneously decide to go to Disney, and have a place to stay with my DVC (again, location is not a huge issue as long as it has Disney transportation to/from the parks).

I really don't see how the fact that you're single matters in this decision. You should be able to book something right a 7m most of the time, with a few key holidays booking up fast. Disney Run dates have been very popular. You may not get the resort you want when booking at exactly 7m.

If you're ok with SSR or OKW for your spontaneous trips, then it'll work out. By spontaneous, it's likely at least a month out especially for a studio. By flexible travel schedule, do you mean you can got mid week? If only Tues and Wed is available next week, can you make the call right away?

As for AKV CL, I'm still not having any luck after owning for 3 years. We travel during school holidays, so it must be too much competition. I've tried the last 3 days at exactly 8:00 but someone always gets it before me!

 

[ColinBlair]

As a fellow single person currently waiting for ROFR to complete, by my calculations DVC makes even more sense for a single person than for a family. In general a single traveler pays proportionally more for their room then a couple or a family group. That is because everything else (airfare, park tickets, food, etc) is paid per-person. Since DVC makes the room more affordable, it has a much larger impact on the travel budget for us.

 

[disneyberry]

I don't want to buy DVC then find that I am must book 7-11 months out or else I end up paying cash or no place to stay. I want the ability to be able to spontaneously decide to go to Disney, and have a place to stay with my DVC

Again this is not the recommended way to use DVC. Right now yes, you probably have a good chance of getting a SSR 1bdrm at any moment except for holiday or special event dates. But that might change in the future as Disney continues selling DVC to more and more people.

As far as being single and owning DVC, that's fine. You won't need large accommodations, which will make your points cost more affordable.

 

[sleepydog25]

I'm concerned about the availability. I don't want to buy DVC then find that I am must book 7-11 months out or else I end up paying cash or no place to stay. I want the ability to be able to spontaneously decide to go to Disney, and have a place to stay with my DVC (again, location is not a huge issue as long as it has Disney transportation to/from the parks).

Others have provided you with good tips, and I agree being single has nothing to do with it. If you travel often enough (and it appears you do), then DVC can save you money. What I would think about long and hard is the availability issue. While there currently are often rooms available to be spontaneous, going forward as DVC continues to build unabated and add more buyers into the mix, you might--might--find yourself a bit frustrated. Certainly, there are rooms available at 7 months at some resort except during a special holiday or weekend, but counting on rooms being available, say, next weekend because a friend is coming to visit might wind up being a heartache (and headache). If you can live with the possibility of being shut out on occasion, then I say go for it. Otherwise, I would have reservations. Good luck with your decision!

 

[DisneyGirlFlorida]

Thank you for all the input and advice! After thinking about it, and thinking about my trips I made over the past 6 months (and upcoming trips) I doubt I'd be so spontaneous as to plan a trip within a week or two or even a month. Realistically, I can't see myself going any sooner than 3-4 months out at minimum. Even then, I'd be willing to sacrifice my favorite resorts in favor of the semi-spontaneous trips.

The decision I'm struggling with now is how many points to buy and where. I did some real rough (probably extreme) what if scenarios and point calculations based on my planned trips this year and next (until Feb) and estimated that I would “need” about 250 points per year if I wanted to stay at VGF studio every time for my planned trips between September this year and February 2016, assuming that I'm going to keep "roughly" the same travel schedule in following years (though that sounds really high to me). Realistically, I figure my point needs would be less if I chose to stay at SSR or other places (as I plan to since I like trying out different resorts and I like change when I travel). Then again, I just realized I'm not factoring in banking/borrowing OR buying a loaded contract NOW which may give me a head start with points.

Initially I was planning on spending max $10k or about 100 or so points, as a first buy-in through resale, leaning towards SSR. After doing more research, I’m not sure if that would be feasible or would leave me regretting my decision if I went too cheap and couldn’t get reservations for what I want within that 7 month window. Would I be wishing down the line that I bought BLT or VGF?

For example, I have a trip planned in Jan and Feb of 2016. If I had SSR as my home resort, what is the likelihood I could get VGF, BCV or BLT for Marathon weekend or Princess Half Weekend, at the start of the 7 month window? Then again, I'm thinking that if I have DVC and didn't have to shell out a several hundreds of dollars every few months that would probably change my opinion on where I stay thereby making staying at any resort more acceptable to me.

So, I’ve come up with two options:

Option A: Expand my budget which means waiting to buy so I can save up to buy a larger contract with VGF or BLT….but that means putting off buying for 6-8 months, and in the meantime, spending cash for any trips within the next 6-7 months and possibly thereafter. Not something I'm really in favor of.

Option B: Buy SSR now even though I never stayed there so I don’t how how much I would love/not love it. From pictures, layouts, proximity to DTD, and when I saw it a few weeks back from the DTD bridge, it looks like a resort I would enjoy.

I like the idea of a low MF and a low price per point. The expiration year is somewhat of a concern, but not a top priority. Cost is more a priority than resort expiration. I'm thinking with this option, I could use my points to stay at VGF, BCV, etc (assuming availability at the 7 month point) without as much up front costs. While I like the idea a lower MF’s (something I’ll be paying for the next 45-50 years or so vs. my up front fee to buy in), I’m also concerned with my purchase price now vs waiting just to be able to buy bigger.

However, if I go with Option B, I’m worried I won’t be able to get rooms at other villas such as the VGF or BLT if I book at the start of the 7 month window or that I won’t have enough points and will ultimately end up paying cash (or not going) which I fear would make me resent buying DVC if I can’t use it.

If I go with Option A, I’m not sure if I could (or want to) wait another 6-8 months since I feel like I’m losing money having to pay cash for future trips now (and losing the opportunity to book additional trips in 2016/2017).

One thought I had is to go with Option B and add points over time as needed, but is that a practical choice, with closing costs, etc, that would ultimately raise the average price per point? Wouldn’t it be better to just go big from the start then rent out extra? Then again, bigger contracts = bigger MF's and too much renting could raise red flags with DVC.

On the other hand, (and correct me if I'm wrong in my thinking), someone who buys BLT or VGF at roughly $125 per point is paying more for the same service than someone who buys SSR at $75 per point (all things being equal and not factoring in the 11 month booking advantage for monorail resorts). So the question I am also asking myself is whether it is worth it for me to pay more for the same exact thing I can get for less just to move closer to the front of the line or have priority booking if I'll have a fair shake at getting my desired resort anyway? I'm leaning towards paying less per point and foregoing the 11 month advantage at my "favorite" resorts thinking I could probably live with my decision much better in the long run knowing that with some long-range planning I can still stay at my favorite resorts at least once a year if not more.

Another thought I had is that I may possibly get burned out visiting Disney every other month (or more than 4-5 times per year) and once the initial “disney rush” subsides to a dull roar, I would only go 2-3 times a year with pre-planned trips ahead of time, thereby not needing a large point contract so maybe it is better to go with a smaller (100 pts or so) loaded contract.

I guess the bottom line is I’m afraid of making the wrong “buying” decision now, buying too little points or too much points, or spending more than I really need to and ultimately regretting or feeling like I backed myself into a corner. I know I want to buy into DVC, I just don’t know “how much” or where.

Thank you in advance for reading and your input! All comments, input, and opinions are welcome.

 

[sleepydog25]

You do well to put a lot of thought into this decision which many do not and then regret their decisions. I can only advise (and I use that term cautiously) you from my perspective of being an owner for a little more than a decade--others will undoubtedly chime in who have an entirely different outlook and more experience. Still, perhaps my thoughts will help. First, yes, the "Disney rush" will likely subside a bit in a few years, but it doesn't sound as if you'll give up Disney altogether, so that's a plus. Second, the most common mantra repeated on these boards is "buy where you want to stay." Another way to look at that is not to buy what is most convenient or necessarily cheapest. . .unless you know for certain you won't mind staying there. There are an increasing number of events and times during the year when booking as soon as possible around your 11-month window will be necessary including the Run Disney events, Food & Wine Festival, the holidays, and others. Unless you are absolutely convinced that staying at SSR (per your example) would be okay for most of your trips, then you might rethink this route. I'm a little concerned for anyone buying a resort sight unseen--what looks fine from a distance might not appeal to you up close. Generally speaking, while you can often get any given resort at the 7-month point with the exception of truly difficult finds (VWL at Christmas, BCV/BWV at Food & Wine, et. al.), there will be times when you can't. You might find yourself staying at a home resort that you don't actually enjoy. Third, your suggestion to buy a smaller contract first would be a good move--it would help you ease into DVC without as big of a financial commitment. It's easy to add-on with another smaller contract down the line, and if you are patient, you can match your Use Year. Fourth, while you don't mention it, there is a big resale market out there which offers much better pricing than that offered direct from Disney. Other than not being able to use the points for a cruise or trade out to another timeshare or Adventures by Disney (none of which is a good use of your points, anyway), there is no difference in ownership rights and privileges. Fifth, if there is any way possible to visit a few resorts before you buy, I most definitely would. Buying anything with the long-term cost of DVC begs one to make an informed decision. Finally, and as a way of concluding this piece, continue to do your research and figure out at which resort(s) you'd most like to stay. Consider buying a smaller contract via resale for that property, then if you feel right about taking the financial plunge, go for it. If after having enjoyed the benefits of DVC for a year or so and it's working for you, then you can purchase another. Good luck and good hunting!

 

[supersnoop]

For example, I have a trip planned in Jan and Feb of 2016. If I had SSR as my home resort, what is the likelihood I could get VGF, BCV or BLT for Marathon weekend or Princess Half Weekend, at the start of the 7 month window? Then again, I'm thinking that if I have DVC and didn't have to shell out a several hundreds of dollars every few months that would probably change my opinion on where I stay thereby making staying at any resort more acceptable to me.

I would expect the monorail resorts to be pretty full for the Princess half weekend. You might be able to get a one-bedroom, if you're lucky.

Option A: Expand my budget which means waiting to buy so I can save up to buy a larger contract with VGF or BLT….but that means putting off buying for 6-8 months, and in the meantime, spending cash for any trips within the next 6-7 months and possibly thereafter. Not something I'm really in favor of.

Note that it will take at least three months to complete the purchase of a contract, which will leave you few options for a trip 6-7 months from now. I do, however, frequently recommend BLT as a home resort. With the longer expiration and lower dues, I think it's second to SSR in terms of "value." Add the fact that it's a monorail resort, and I think it's the best deal available.

However, if I go with Option B, I’m worried I won’t be able to get rooms at other villas such as the VGF or BLT if I book at the start of the 7 month window or that I won’t have enough points and will ultimately end up paying cash (or not going) which I fear would make me resent buying DVC if I can’t use it.

Just remember, if you're always booking at 7 months, it doesn't matter where you own; every resort is equal at that point. Then it's just a matter of how many points each room costs, and what's available. Studios book up first (which means two-bedroom lock-offs turn into one-bedroom units). As a single person, I imagine you'd feel like a one-bedroom was a waste of points.

One thought I had is to go with Option B and add points over time as needed, but is that a practical choice, with closing costs, etc, that would ultimately raise the average price per point? Wouldn’t it be better to just go big from the start then rent out extra? Then again, bigger contracts = bigger MF's and too much renting could raise red flags with DVC.

Smaller contracts are more valuable. Yes, closing costs will raise the per-point cost, but they will be easier to sell, and will sell at a premium in the future.

On the other hand, (and correct me if I'm wrong in my thinking), someone who buys BLT or VGF at roughly $125 per point is paying more for the same service than someone who buys SSR at $75 per point (all things being equal and not factoring in the 11 month booking advantage for monorail resorts). So the question I am also asking myself is whether it is worth it for me to pay more for the same exact thing I can get for less just to move closer to the front of the line or have priority booking if I'll have a fair shake at getting my desired resort anyway? I'm leaning towards paying less per point and foregoing the 11 month advantage at my "favorite" resorts thinking I could probably live with my decision much better in the long run knowing that with some long-range planning I can still stay at my favorite resorts at least once a year if not more.

Exactly, everything is equal at 7 months. You're paying more for the benefit of booking earlier and paying dues at that resort.

Another thought I had is that I may possibly get burned out visiting Disney every other month (or more than 4-5 times per year) and once the initial “disney rush” subsides to a dull roar, I would only go 2-3 times a year with pre-planned trips ahead of time, thereby not needing a large point contract so maybe it is better to go with a smaller (100 pts or so) loaded contract.

I guess the bottom line is I’m afraid of making the wrong “buying” decision now, buying too little points or too much points, or spending more than I really need to and ultimately regretting or feeling like I backed myself into a corner. I know I want to buy into DVC, I just don’t know “how much” or where.

You can always rent out extra points. You can always sell a contract. You might lose a little bit of money. There's always risk with any real estate transaction, but there are ways to cut your losses if you make a mistake. This isn't a life-long decision.

 

[DisneyGirlFlorida]

I had a feeling the community here would be helpful!

I'm staying at a SSR villa in November for Wine and Dine and GF (regular room) in September. My plan (if I can be patient enough) is to visit a GF villa in September (if possible) and possibly BLT then really explore SSR in November. I'm also contemplating taking the DVC tour/sales pitch, though at this point with all the research I've done, I'm not sure if they can tell me something new. Still, it may be fun though.

I've stayed at the Continental before years ago, and while I wasn't overjoyed with the decor (the abstract patterns weren't my taste) I DID love the location and the "coolness" factor about it with the monorail and first Disney resort. If money wasn't an issue, my choice of home resorts would be VGF (I really really love GF) then BLT so what does that tell me? Someone once told me "If you can't make a decision on something, wait until the decision comes to you". I have so far found that to be true, and trying to tell myself that the same concept applies here. Those pesky emotions and excitement get in the way though!

My uncertainty about buying SSR because of its cost and not personal desirability is telling me that it may be better to take some time between now and the end of the year to save up more money and take advantage of my upcoming trips to look at the resorts through the eyes of a potential owner rather than a guest. That would also give me time to continue researching about DVC and, most importantly, watch the resale market to see any pricing trends and patterns. I've been considering resale since I first decided I wanted to buy DVC, which I agree, is much better than buying direct.

Keep the insight coming, it's very helpful!

 

[nalajms]

Option C: Buy a small SSR contract now. Get the feel of booking, how you travel, and which resorts you really MUST stay in at busy times.

Worst case, you sell it and buy somewhere else. Best scenario, it works out for you and later you add on a small VGF/BLT contract.

I think people lose sight of the big picture. Yes, smaller contracts costs more per point. But if you're buying a larger contract you're shelling out a lot more money. Does the unit cost matter if you're unsure about the product?

I own at 2 of my favorite resorts. Added on at SSR for 7m and last minute bookings.

 

[DVC Doctor]

I would buy a 100 point SSR contract for around $7,500 and then add on from there. You can always sell SSR in the future if you are not happy with it, so there is very little risk with this purchase.

One feature that has not been discussed is that once you are a member, you can transfer in points from VGF or BLT or any other resort (once per yer) and then you can use those points at those resorts for the 11 month booking window.

If you plan trips from 0-7 months, then SSR is a very cost effective option and you can almost always get SSR, OKW, AKV at the 7 month window. You will definately have a problem getting VGF studios at the 7 month window, and also popular dates are hard to get other resorts.

 

[supersnoop]

That's a really good idea; to buy a small SSR to get your feet wet. I own 120 BLT, 25 BWV, and 200 SSR points. That way, I can get BLT or BWV in advance, and use the SSR points for anything I book "short notice."

 

[freediverdude]

My concerns with this are, first, you seem to really like BCV and VGF. And if you wanted to stay at either of those, especially for Run Disney events or other event times of the year, you will have a difficult time getting a studio, (or for that matter any unit), at either of those resorts at 7 months. I really think you will end up being disappointed if you buy SSR and are expecting to often get into BCV and VGF for certain times of the year, especially VGF because it's so small and popular.

Second, just to gauge whether you're really a good candidate for DVC in general, how long have you been consistently visiting WDW and staying in the WDW hotels? Is this interest something that has sprung up mostly in the last year or two, because of the popularity of the Run Disney events, or have you been visiting WDW consistently and staying in the hotels at least once a year for 5 years or longer? I say this not as a requirement to judge you or anything, but trying to get an idea if you fit the profile of someone who would benefit from a long-term DVC contract. The benefits of DVC tend to come from long-term use, 10 years+, not a few years and then sell type of scenario.

 

[DisneyGirlFlorida]

My concerns with this are, first, you seem to really like BCV and VGF. And if you wanted to stay at either of those, especially for Run Disney events or other event times of the year, you will have a difficult time getting a studio, (or for that matter any unit), at either of those resorts at 7 months. I really think you will end up being disappointed if you buy SSR and are expecting to often get into BCV and VGF for certain times of the year, especially VGF because it's so small and popular.

Second, just to gauge whether you're really a good candidate for DVC in general, how long have you been consistently visiting WDW and staying in the WDW hotels? Is this interest something that has sprung up mostly in the last year or two, because of the popularity of the Run Disney events, or have you been visiting WDW consistently and staying in the hotels at least once a year for 5 years or longer? I say this not as a requirement to judge you or anything, but trying to get an idea if you fit the profile of someone who would benefit from a long-term DVC contract. The benefits of DVC tend to come from long-term use, 10 years+, not a few years and then sell type of scenario.

I appreciate your concerns and everyone else's input!

As for my travel history. I've visited Disney at least 4-5 times with my parents and sister when I was a kid and teenager, again in with just my sister when we were adults, and again 5 years later with just my parents. After that, I used to visit Disney about every two years with my ex. He was a first timer to Disney and fell in love with it on our first trip there when we stayed at Caribbean Beach. We visited two years later and stayed at the Grand Floridian, Club Level, then two years after that for a stay at the Continental and again in 2006 at Animal Kingdom Club Level.

Then life happened and threw a number of obstacles my way. My interest in Disney was rekindled after signing up for Expedition Everest with my sister back in November. We were planning our trip then, but due her budget, we stayed at off-Disney hotels. We got the Florida resident 4-park explore Disney pass and spread our visits across 3 consecutive weekends (one including the race). While she grew tired of the visits by the 3rd weekend, I was ready for more! I could see myself planning a weekend trip for special life events, or just to have something to look forward to and the thought of a planned weekend getaway at some point later in the year.

I forgot how much I simply loved Disney and I enjoyed every minute IN the parks. Outside the parks...not so much! While the hotel was nice (Clarion Inn on I-4), it's NOT Disney! LOL Using the hotel shuttle or our own car was a bit of a pain. I longed for staying at a Disney hotel with the ambiance, luxury, travel, and everything Disney that comes along with it. I also enjoyed the weekend getaway and realized the importance of taking a mini-vacation every now and then.

While on our last trip, I picked up and briefly chatted with a DVC sales person. I knew before the end of our trip I would be visiting again before the year was out and staying at a deluxe resort. Honestly, at first, I didn't think the DVC was for me and I threw out the brochure. It wasn't until I decided to go to MNSSHP in September and make going to Disney a regular thing for me (solo) that I realized maybe revisiting DVC wouldn't be a bad idea.

So, after the past few weeks of intensive research (about 10-15 hours per week, I think I did about 10 hours since Friday alone this week LOL), I've made a decision

Today I submitted an offer on VGF and I'm waiting to hear from the seller. The agent through the resale site said it should be accepted since my offer was competitive with the asking price. Fingers crossed!

Though the price was a little higher than I wanted to spend initially, I realized after some thought that buying into SSR was me wanting to buy something cheap just to "get something". I knew (when I removed my emotions) and really thought about it rationally, that buying SSR would lead to regret down the line. Regardless if I never do another RunDisney event, I KNOW I'd keep going to Disney just for the fun and vacation factor. When I really thought about SSR and the location, I suspected it wouldn't be long before I came to hate the transportation and distance from the parks (I remember how it felt when I was at AK vs. GF or Continental). So, in the long run, I decided that instead of being cheap, if I'm going to commit, commit to something I know I'll be 100% happy with - and for me, that's GF.

Perhaps it's also because I just happened to find a resale posting today that (to me) seemed like a good deal, within my budget, loaded contract, and had a fair amount of points. Whatever the reasons, and whatever the outcome (rejection by seller, rejection by Disney ROFR), once I submitted my offer, there was no question or doubt in my mind that buying VGF was right for me. If this sale falls through for whatever reason, at least my mind is made up for my home resort and what I'm absolutely willing to spend.

So, wish me luck on the offer that the seller accepts and it passes ROFR!! For now, I'm keeping my cash reservations for my trips later this year but hoping to have something to look forward to and reserve for next Spring!

 

[DisneyGirlFlorida]

My concerns with this are, first, you seem to really like BCV and VGF. And if you wanted to stay at either of those, especially for Run Disney events or other event times of the year, you will have a difficult time getting a studio, (or for that matter any unit), at either of those resorts at 7 months. I really think you will end up being disappointed if you buy SSR and are expecting to often get into BCV and VGF for certain times of the year, especially VGF because it's so small and popular.

Second, just to gauge whether you're really a good candidate for DVC in general, how long have you been consistently visiting WDW and staying in the WDW hotels? Is this interest something that has sprung up mostly in the last year or two, because of the popularity of the Run Disney events, or have you been visiting WDW consistently and staying in the hotels at least once a year for 5 years or longer? I say this not as a requirement to judge you or anything, but trying to get an idea if you fit the profile of someone who would benefit from a long-term DVC contract. The benefits of DVC tend to come from long-term use, 10 years+, not a few years and then sell type of scenario.