2 ?'s: Most difficult rooms to book, 1 or 2 contracts?

[Andrew015]

I'm curious to know what are the most difficult DVC rooms to book in terms of availability. I would venture a guess that 3 bedroom villas are the toughest due to low # of rooms available, but being the most expensive, demand probably isn't going through the roof. My question really pertains to studios. I'm sure they're the most plentiful, but being the cheapest, probably go rather quickly.

I'm going through the resale purchase process, and am interested in two resorts: BWV and WLV. WL is my favorite, and being the smallest of the DVC villas, is probably the hardest to get into 7 months out. Therefore, I want to make that my home resort. But I also enjoy BW, and could see myself doing WL in the Spring, and BW in the fall (close proximity to EPCOT for F&W).

Knowing that BW would probably be next to impossible to get a studio for a week during F&W 7 months out, I'm wondering if I might be better off getting two smaller contracts, BWV and WLV, which would allow me 11 month booking availability at each resort? Initially, I was looking at 200 WLV points, but the more I think about it, I might be better off doing 80 at BWV which would still get me one week in a standard view studio in September/October, and 120-130 WLV points.

Thoughts, Comments? How hard are studios to get 7 months out? My travel time would be value / off peak from a park standpoint, but I understand these are busy times for DVC. Am I overthinking this (as usual), or is the dual-property approach a sound strategy?

Ideally, I would like to do one week in the Spring, and one week in the fall at each resort, studio accomodations. Help me get my arms around this!

 

[chalee94]

i think your two-resort strategy is a good one, so long as you can book 11 months out.

BWV is popular during F&W. BWV has 2 categories that book up quickly: boardwalk view (one of the preferred view categories) and standard view (due to cheaper pt costs). BWV preferred view villas that are non-boardwalk view are probably your best bet to waitlist if you are trying to get in at 7 months. if you want BWV during the fall, i'd definitely own there.

IMO, the toughest rooms to book overall are probably concierge villas at AKV. there are 5 2BR lockoffs and that is it. so if someone books a studio and a 2BR, that would only leave 3 concierge studios.

i'm not sure if VWL in the spring is tough or not. VWL is smaller as you understand, but more popular in december. i'm not sure if it's as tough to get in the spring.

since you are young, you might want to consider a resort with a later expiration date. VWL would be a solid choice - if you love it, then owning it and booking at 11 months guarantees you'll be able to stay there. but if you don't mind getting stuck at AKV or SSR, you might find some good deals there and have a contract through 2057 or 2054 rather than only 2042 as with VWL. your call...

 

[DanenRox]

Well spoken, handsome and loves Disney....Andrew, I have a daughter for you!!!!
I say separate contracts allowing yourself extra points at each for future point chart changes. I love my DVC but don't like the anxiety associated with trying to get into a resort at the 7 month window. PLUS, you'll love the "cheap" rooms at BWV...a real point saver!
Welcome to the world of over thinking and over planning...welcome to the Wonderful World of Disney!

 

[disneynutz]

Hi Andrew

If you want to guarantee a certain type of room at your favorite resort(s) then you need to own there, period. That's why we own at 5 different resorts.

Bill

 

[spiceycat]

toughest to get

3-bedroom - but only in certain season
studios - all the time - generally out of first
2-bedroom
1-bedroom lock off (this is generally because the studio part is gone and it must be a 1-bedroom)

own at VWL (60 points), BWV (50) and BLT (170)

before BLT - vwl was very hard to get. It is the smallest at WDW and demand should be high. that say more people seem to want BLT.

with BWV it is basically the same - before BCV it was very, very hard to get - now - sometimes even in 7 month time you can get something (at times) even during F&W

love the standard rooms at BWV and almost always stay there. that say if epcot is your main park might go with BCV. of course since Disney is still paying BCV back - good luck. BCV is much closer to Epcot than BWV is.

bcv also has the shortcut under the bridge instead of over the bridge - that you must do with BWV. of course you are young - so either would probably work for you.

if you ever think you might want standard view at BLT - better buy BLT. the standard view at BLT sell out fairly quick. (BLT SV is only to the 5th floor)

 

[Andrew015]

Thank you both for your replies. I think this is helping to reaffirm the 2-contract approach!

Chalee - I have given some thoughts to the expiration dates, and while I would much prefer a longer deed, I really love WL and think it's important to have as my HR if I really want to spend time there. Also, WLV is running about 1/2 the point cost of BLT, so while it only goes 2/3 as long, my initial outlay is less than half the cost. Hopefully, by the time WL expires on me, I can pick up BLT (or the new flavor of the day) on the cheap! I've also given some thought to Saratoga Springs, which is a good compromise of value and extended contract, but the resort does nothing for me. To me, half of the magic of WDW lies within the resorts, and to me, WL and BW are pretty darn special.

Danen - Thanks for the compliments As luck would have it, I'm single and looking for someone special to share my love of WDW (and newly found DVC)! Tell your daughter not to miss out (provided she likes WLV and BWV)!!!

Seriously though, the idea of shelling out all this money, and being on pins and needles at 7 months hoping to get the resort of my choice, has me a little nervous. I think this strategy is a sound one to avoid the un-needed stress.

And yes, one of the major appeals to me of the BWV is the cheap point cost for standard view studios! One full week for 70 points is a bargain!

Thanks again!

 

[etemplet]

Andrew, be sure to look at the cost of the package, including maintenance fees. We really liked the BLT when we visited and after doing some calculations came up with BLT being the cheapest to own long term. I could have bought more points at BWV but the maint. fee is almost a buck fifty more per point. It all depends on where you want to stay though. Then BLT just fit us very well and the cost bonus made the choice simple. Even with that consideration, the BWV was a very close second choice. We'll end up with points there too. As an aside, I don't know if there is a bad place to own, LOL, they all have their attributes, and that's what makes it all fun !! Good Luck !!

 

[Andrew015]

Gene,

You are correct - factoring in the lower maintenance fees of BLT's does make it a compelling arguement over 50 years. To factor in "true total cost of ownership", you must not only calculate the initial buy-in, but also maintenance fees over the life of the contract, and come up with a true "dollar per point" factor over the life of the contract. But not only does that make my head hurt, it doesn't get me the resort of my choice. And the fact that the initial cash outlay is half of BLT, it sweetens the deal just a tad

For me, the decision is not so much a financial decision, but moreso an emotional decision. The feeling that I get when I walk through the doors of WL, when I see the TeePee chandaleers hanging from the towering lobby, and hear the bustling activity at Whispering Canyon Cafe, and the softly piped in sounds of my favorite Western music, and the.... I think I just sold myself on this idea all over again

 

[etemplet]

Gene,

For me, the decision is not so much a financial decision, but moreso an emotional decision. The feeling that I get when I walk through the doors of WL, when I see the TeePee chandaleers hanging from the towering lobby, and hear the bustling activity at Whispering Canyon Cafe, and the softly piped in sounds of my favorite Western music, and the.... I think I just sold myself on this idea all over again

That's what it's all about, what YOU want. You're talking me into a stay at WL man. LOL Good luck !!

 

[G'sMaman]

Hi there. We recently bought a mix of direct and resale contracts, and I found this calculator was a helpful tool:

http://www.dvcproplan.com/buy.php

We ended up buying 100 BCV direct and 150 VWL resale. We were leaning towards direct for VWL but got a deal that was too good to pass up. In your resale assessment you have to include closing costs and additional maintenance fees. Disney charges much less for closing and prorates your maintenance fees. These costs are all negotiable with any seller, but you need include them to do an apples to apples comparison, esp. if you're looking at a smaller contract. Good luck!

 

[DebbieB]

I bought 250 BWV points in 1999 and my only regret is that I didn't split it up 150/100. That would give me more options now. I would have sold the 100 and bought VGC.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We are a multi-resort owning family, and it works for us. I've also been lucky getting other family members into the choice resort for certain stays. I've moved studios from BWV to BCV over the 4th of July, for instance. There's no guarantee of always doing that. We own at BWV Primarily for the low cost standard view villas, which are wonderful for our New Years Eve stays?

Bobbo

 

[disneygrandma]

Spiceycat, what BCV shortcut under the bridge? That's something that really caught my eye.

To the OP, go with 2 contracts. You will be able to book where you want at 11 mos, instead of stressing about it until the 7 mos mark. Also, that way you will have 2 smaller contracts instead of 1 larger one. Our big regret, other than not buying DVC earlier, is that we have a 200 point contract at SSR that I wish would have been purchased as 2 - 100 point contracts. We have 2 smaller contracts at 2 other resorts, for a total of 3 home resorts. Sadly, none of them are VWL, which I absolutely love. So far we've been lucky in getting studios there at less than 7 mos. But that might not be the case on future trips.

 

[Andrew015]

Thanks to all who have replied I am firm in my decision to get two, smaller contracts. Now that I have this settled, this leads me to my next question: Use Year

From what I understand, if I end up buying two contracts with different home resorts, I want to keep the Use Year the same. The advantages being 1.) It's easier to remember banking/borrowing time frames and 2.) If I need to use points from both contracts for one stay, having the same use year allows the stay to be treated as "one reservation", and I wouldn't have to check-out / re-check in, as many have been posting about at BLT (this doesn't seem to be an issue at other resorts). Is this the case?

To give an example, say I have 100 pts at BWV and 100 pts at VWL, and I want to stay for one week at VWL requiring 120 points.... Can I book the entire week 11 months in advance, even though I'll need points from my BWV contract to do so, or would I need to book 100 points on my WL contract at 11 months, and book the remaining 20 points at the 7 month mark with my BWV contract?

I'm sure this is talked about in great detail, but this is the most complicated part of DVC for me to understand, and I just want to make sure I have my arms around everything.

Little disappointed right now, as I put a "low-ball" offer in on a 210 pt VWL contract, and the selller countered only $3 higher than my offer. I was extremely excited, but then started second guessing my decision to buy one larger contract. I learned yesterday from my broker that they accepted an offer from another buyer ($10 higher than my offer - they should have worked the system a little harder ) Oh well, there will be more, and this will work out better for me in the long run with two smaller contracts, giving me more flexibility.

 

[Sandisw]

Thank you both for your replies. I think this is helping to reaffirm the 2-contract approach!

Chalee - I have given some thoughts to the expiration dates, and while I would much prefer a longer deed, I really love WL and think it's important to have as my HR if I really want to spend time there. Also, WLV is running about 1/2 the point cost of BLT, so while it only goes 2/3 as long, my initial outlay is less than half the cost. Hopefully, by the time WL expires on me, I can pick up BLT (or the new flavor of the day) on the cheap! I've also given some thought to Saratoga Springs, which is a good compromise of value and extended contract, but the resort does nothing for me. To me, half of the magic of WDW lies within the resorts, and to me, WL and BW are pretty darn special.

Danen - Thanks for the compliments As luck would have it, I'm single and looking for someone special to share my love of WDW (and newly found DVC)! Tell your daughter not to miss out (provided she likes WLV and BWV)!!!

Seriously though, the idea of shelling out all this money, and being on pins and needles at 7 months hoping to get the resort of my choice, has me a little nervous. I think this strategy is a sound one to avoid the un-needed stress.

And yes, one of the major appeals to me of the BWV is the cheap point cost for standard view studios! One full week for 70 points is a bargain!

Thanks again!

Which is why I now own BLT and BWV. I bought BLT when it first went on sale because I did not, as you mention, want to be on pins and needles hoping that BLT would be available when I wanted to go. While many have great luck getting in to the resort at the 7 month mark, and I am happy for them, I could just not handle the stress of not knowing.

I just completed an add on at BWV for the same reason. It has become my 2nd favorite resort and bought for stays in the fall for Food and Wine.

I think you are wise to buy at the places that you want to me to ensure that you are happy. For some DVC members, where they stay is not a big deal and they are comfortable anywhere. For others, like me, my resort is my main priority. While I am going to be trying out some new ones next year, I know its going to be tough not staying at my favorites the whole time.

Good luck!

 

[chalee94]

From what I understand, if I end up buying two contracts with different home resorts, I want to keep the Use Year the same. The advantages being 1.) It's easier to remember banking/borrowing time frames and 2.) If I need to use points from both contracts for one stay, having the same use year allows the stay to be treated as "one reservation", and I wouldn't have to check-out / re-check in, as many have been posting about at BLT (this doesn't seem to be an issue at other resorts). Is this the case?

you need both contracts to be combined under one member number (#####.001 and #####.002).

in order for both contracts to be combined under one member number, they need to have the same use year month and be titled exactly the same.

just because they are the same UY month does not mean that they will be combined under one member number...you should let member accounting know that your second resale contract is coming.

if they are not under the same member number, you cannot pool pts together to book a single night (unless you transfer the pts from one contract to another). if you need an AKV studio for 12 pts and wanted to use 8 BWV pts + 4 VWL pts to book it, you would need to use up your once-per-year transfer for both contracts to do it. otherwise you could book 4 nights with BWV pts + 3 nights with VWL pts and ask MS to link the reservations (which risks having to check out and back in, as you said.)

To give an example, say I have 100 pts at BWV and 100 pts at VWL, and I want to stay for one week at VWL requiring 120 points.... Can I book the entire week 11 months in advance, even though I'll need points from my BWV contract to do so, or would I need to book 100 points on my WL contract at 11 months, and book the remaining 20 points at the 7 month mark with my BWV contract?

you can book VWL 11 months in advance using VWL pts and only VWL pts. you can use banked/current/borrowed VWL pts or VWL pts that you've transferred in from another VWL owner.

but your BWV pts cannot be used to book VWL until the 7 month window opens. doesn't matter how many you have. doesn't matter if they are transferred or under the same member number or whatever.

you need the right "currency" and VWL won't accept BWV pts at 11 months out. and vice-versa.

(it would be unfair for you to use BWV pts to jump in front of VWL owners during the 11 month window...so it's not an option under any circumstances.)

Use Year...

i assume you know that you should pick a use year where you travel early in the UY and rarely travel in the last few months of that UY?

for example, i have an oct UY and often travel in nov/dec - and i'd never want to travel to wdw in july/aug/sept - so that is an ideal UY for me.