AK or BLT resale?

[charminnie]

Have been thinking of buying DVC for a while. Have been traveling with my sister who is an owner. I have stayed at both of these resorts and love them both. They are very different and provide completely different experiences. AK is cheaper but I am worried I won't be able to book at BLT. I know if I buy BLT there are usually rooms available at AK at the 7 month mark. Not sure what to do. I want to be able to experience both resorts because each provides a different vacation.

 

[supersnoop]

Unless you need to book the Club or Value rooms at AKV, buy BLT.

 

[disneynutz]

How does AKV and BLT stack up against the other DVC resorts that you have stayed at? Which is your favorite?

Bill

 

[suebeelin]

BLT currently has lower maint fee which even out or is even cheaper in the long run.

 

[disneynutz]

BLT currently has lower maint fee which even out or is even cheaper in the long run.

But BLT dues has been increasing around 6% each year.

Bill

 

[suebeelin]

But BLT dues has been increasing around 6% each year.

Bill

That's true . I just bought BLT and the % increase worries me. However, that being said, it's still one of the lowest. Perhaps it was artificially low and it's catching up?

AKL has one of the highest maint fees of the DW dvcs at $6.30! BWV used to be the highest back in 2011, and I worried buying it then, and considered AKL instead. I'm glad I ended up with BWV.​

 

[DVC Doctor]

Based on your limited info, I would definitely buy BLT

 

[charminnie]

Does anyone have trouble booking Bay Lake at 7 month window? It's not that i have to stay there all the time but sometimes would be nice! I would also love to try VGF and Poly!

 

[dizfan]

Does anyone have trouble booking Bay Lake at 7 month window? It's not that i have to stay there all the time but sometimes would be nice! I would also love to try VGF and Poly!

Depends on dates, view, and room type.
BLT standard view typically book first. Theme park second. Lake view is often available at 7 months, but often books fast at 7 months.

There are exceptions to this rule. For example, the last 3 months of the year are popular DVC times so rooms can be booked before the 7 month window. Not impossible, but more difficult. Similarly, there are slow DVC periods where it's not unheard of for someone to get a theme park view. Standard view remains difficult most times of the year.

Room type also changes the equation. Studios book the fastest. 2BR book second fastest. 1BRs book last. I have seen many people who book 1BR recommend buying cheap SSR resale points because they can often get into most resorts at 7 months. The only warning I give on this one is that Disney may be in the process of changing the room size equation. PVB (mostly studios) and some rumors indicate WL conversion will be all studios and cabins (which may be high points similar to the PVB bungalows). This may or may not happen.

PVB is too new for anyone to have a reasonable idea on how easy/difficult it is to book.

VGF is very tough to book. Small resort and most people who bought there did so exclusively to stay there. Unless (maybe until) Disney decides they could make a lot more money expanding at VGF, most expect this resort to be difficult to book at 7 months.

 

[DVC Doctor]

VGF studios will ALWAYS be the hardest to get at 7 months. Currently the Poly studios are next hardest, but that may change when the resort s 100% available to book (currently less than 505 or DVC studios are open).

 

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boo]

we are thinking of purchasing VGF or Poly a small listing of 50-60 points which do you think would be harder to book at 11 and 7 month mark studio...As we will only have enough points for 2-3 night stay in a studio.

 

[DVC Doctor]

VGF studios will ALWAYS be the hardest to get at 7 months. Currently the Poly studios are next hardest, but that may change when the resort s 100% available to book (currently less than 505 or DVC studios are open).

we are thinking of purchasing VGF or Poly a small listing of 50-60 points which do you think would be harder to book at 11 and 7 month mark studio...As we will only have enough points for 2-3 night stay in a studio.

See my answer above

 

[djohn06]

What size room is your preference and how many points do you think you need? I own at both, but it's just not cut and dry that BLT is the winner. I have been able to book BLT lake view studios with AKV points and HHI points over Christmas week. I think you can easily get BLT during slow DVC months for sure.

Figure out your most typical resort room type and when you are most likely to travel. Most BLT rooms require a minimum 20 percent increase in points to book (standard) vs AKV, and another 45 to 50 percent in initial purchase cost. If you get value rooms, the gap is even wider. BLT room can be at a 50 percent premium to book a week.

BLT for a week is 250 points during dream for a 1 bedroom (standard). At $115 pp, it will cost $28750.

AKV during the same week standard is 200 points. At $78 pp, will cost you $15,600.

Even if 200 AKV points cost $300 more in Maint fees per year than BLT, it will take 43 years for you to make up the difference.

I haven't even factored in the ability to book value rooms or the simple fact you came up with almost half as much money.

I think when BLT was in the 90's it was cheaper than AKV, but it's run into the 115 to 120 range makes AKV look all the more better.

 

[supersnoop]

What size room is your preference and how many points do you think you need? I own at both, but it's just not cut and dry that BLT is the winner. I have been able to book BLT lake view studios with AKV points and HHI points over Christmas week. I think you can easily get BLT during slow DVC months for sure.

Figure out your most typical resort room type and when you are most likely to travel. Most BLT rooms require a minimum 20 percent increase in points to book (standard) vs AKV, and another 45 to 50 percent in initial purchase cost. If you get value rooms, the gap is even wider. BLT room can be at a 50 percent premium to book a week.

BLT for a week is 250 points during dream for a 1 bedroom (standard). At $115 pp, it will cost $28750.

AKV during the same week standard is 200 points. At $78 pp, will cost you $15,600.

Even if 200 AKV points cost $300 more in Maint fees per year than BLT, it will take 43 years for you to make up the difference.

I haven't even factored in the ability to book value rooms or the simply fact you came up with almost half as much money.

I think when BLT was in the 90's it was cheaper than AKV, but it's run into the 115 to 120 range makes AKV look all the more better.

And AKV standard and savanna rooms are routinely available at 7 months, so you could just book those with the cheapest points. There are too many variables for that to be a valuable comparison.

 

[djohn06]

I actually provided the most conservative numbers possible when looking at a 7 day stay. I didn't even factor in that a person will not always get a standard room at BLT. I know this from experience trying to book 11 months in advance. In my same scenario, a person would need 25 additional points for a lake view 1 bedroom.

The point is from a financial perspective right now BLT costs twice as much as AKV upfront. Over the life time of the contract, AKV will cost slightly less as I am sure a person can book AKV value rooms at least 33 percent of the time with some degree of flexibility and that same person will not book a standard room at BLT with 100 percent success.