Add-on-itis has hit- now what? (LONG)

[amandaC]

My DH said no add-on until we stayed at or home (SSR) just once. Well, we did and he loved the 1 BR life! Now, the dilemma: where to add on?

1. SSR: we loved our home and the 130 pt deal with the discount and 2 APs is calling my name. But, we weren't really planning on this big of an add-on (Thinking 50 to 65pts).

2. BCV: we went to B&C and loved it. My DSs 4 and 6 thought SAB looked really cool. They want this to be our next stay. Also liked the boardwalk accross the way. We also love MGM and dinner at Epcot. Everyone says how small BCV is and am a little concerned about not being able to stay there at 7 month window.

3. HHI: Stayed there once 3 years ago before joining DVC. Loved it. It's only 4 hours away from home. With schoolage kids we would be going from 6/1 to mid-August- impossible to get a studio or 1 BR. But then, the points between a 1 br and 2 br are not that different. Maybe we should add-on somewhere else and suck it up and go to a 2 br.

I have been torturing myself for a month now! I no the best solution is to add-on at all three but DH says ALL of our vacations can't be to DW!

Thanks for your advice- it's nice to be able to sound off to other obsessed people! - Amanda

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Originally posted by amandaC
2. BCV: we went to B&C and loved it. My DSs 4 and 6 thought SAB looked really cool. They want this to be our next stay.....Everyone says how small BCV is and am a little concerned about not being able to stay there at 7 month window.

IMHO if you don't buy at the BCV you will just need to be prepared at the 7 month window to make the reservations. Being that the BCV is so small, when the 7 month window opens there will be a lot more competition for rooms. You may have to call day by day but I don't think you will be shut out entirely. Things shoudln't change from the way they are now from 11 months until 7 months.

SAB is a great reason to add on at the BCV. Your kids will love that pool, even as they get into their teenage years, it will hold their attention.

HBC

 

[eporter66]

I also have thought about an add on, and Disney did send a new offer about SSR.

But- I think if we were to add on, it would be at another resort if I understand how that works. Then I would be able to use the 11 month window at 2 different places.

As it is - I think we have enough points to enjoy many great Disney trips. The only issue will be when we cant stay at the resorts we want to. Even then, we are happy to be able to just have a Disney vacation. If I have to stay at SSR for every vacation - that is fine with me. It is a top notch resort, and we loved our stay. The point of DVC to us was to be able to enjoy WDW and stay in a beautiful luxury resort. Any one will do in my book - but we plan to try them all.

Good luck with your decision
Eric

 

[BeckyV]

Hi Amanda,

I see you are also from SC. I sent you a pm.

Becky

 

[MichelleB]

We have points at HH, VB, and OKW. We have stayed at OKW one time in the 5 years we've owned points. We have used our points at VWL twice and also twice at BCV. We have never had a problem getting what we wanted at the 7 month window. I just call the first day possible and add on a day each day. We were able to reserve a 2bdrm. at BCV at the 7 month for this past July (4th of July week) without any problems. We bought OKW sight-unseen and I do agree to purchase where you think you'll use your points the most. However, and please OKW lovers don't take this wrong, OKW is not our favorite resort after staying at some of the others but we've not had any trouble getting ressies anywhere else and got a great deal on our OKW points. Does this mean we never want to stay at OKW? No, it's just not our first choice, but we'd never be upset to be at any of the DVC properties so we usually ask about one and have a backup in mind in case it's not available. I don't know if this helps, but thought I'd post our experiences.

 

[gopherit]

Hmmm.

I don't know how big your original DVC SSR contract is, but with just a 50 pt add-on, I'd have to say just keep your eggs all in one basket. THe benefit (of BCV pts) would only be realized wtih careful banking / borrowing, every other year or so at best. But then, maybe that's just me -- we usually go in the summer and stay for 2 weeks in a 2br, so our trips take about 420 pts each! But even half as long for half as much would be more than a 50 pt add-on would allow, unless you're thinking studio...

For 100 pts or more -- I'd go BCV or HH. Much less than that -- stick with SSR.

Also -- in terms of price per point -- to do a resale, you will come out better if you get 100 pts or so. Small contracts -- once you add on the fees and such -- aren't quite as bargainable, unless they have lots of saved pts, etc. And they are harder to come by, it seems. A small pt add-on at SSR would be so painless in terms of time / effort, it's amazing. ANd with your main contract being SSR -- are you sure you want to invest in a small contract that's 12 yrs shorter in duration than your "main" contract?

We too looked at the SSR offering (we own at BWV). However, I am trying to get family to try HHI for a vacation; in our case, I think our $$ would be better spent on pts there. I'm thinking if I can get them to vacation there this coming summer, we could consider a resale then. Cheaper maint. fees, and a nice change of pace from WDW, yet we could still use the pts at WDW if we wanted. (And FWIW, we have stayed at VWL, BCV, OKW and SSR -- all with our BWV pts, no problemo!)