AKV on resale market for $94 pp ???

[chris4disney]

DH and I have debated about joining DVC for several years now. We've planned a trip for this October doing a split stay at BCV and BWV to help us decide between those two resorts for a home resort. We only want to buy probably 100-125 points to start with so we have to buy resale. Until now, BCV and BWV were the only two resorts that we would want as a home resort. Love the location and SAB! BUT... I've noticed that the Timeshare store has a couple AKV 100 point contracts for sale currently at $94.00 per point! I am quite surprised to see that price considering that the resort is so new and Disney is selling it direct at over $100 per point. If we were to buy at BCV I am expecting to pay around $94 per point or more, but now that AKV is at the same price range resale, I'm wondering if the extra 15 years we'd get at AKV is worth sacrificing our love for the Epcot resort area. Buying at AKV brings me two major concerns...

1. How difficult will it be to get into BCV or BWV at the 7 month mark? We do have two young children (DS5, DD2) so we've been lucky enough to always travel in the off season. But as our kids get older, that may not always be the case. I have no desire to go to WDW during Thanksgiving or Christmas. So we're probably talking about summer time, unless we take the kids out of school.

2. AKV is a large resort... just like SS. SS is not that old of a resort and yet the resale market is FLOODED with SS contracts for sale. Will this also happen to AKV? If it does and for some sad reason in the future we would need to sell our DVC, how difficult will it be to sell our contract if there are so many others for sale? BCV contracts (especially smaller ones) seem to sell like hot cakes!

TIA

 

[bobbiwoz]

Many, many people buy at other resorts but want to get into BCV at 7 months! It is possible to get into BCV during May, Summer months now, but it could be getting harder as more people become DVC members. Also, do you really want a dedicated 2 bedroom with 2 Q's in the second bedroom? That's what determined our decision to add on a total of 140 BCV points. When we go with the family, THAT's the accomodations we want, and they aren't frequently available at 7 months out.

Through the years, we have added on many times and are up to ".13" in our contract numbers. We have decided that we want book where we want to stay 11 months out.

If you truly like the Epcot resorts, I would buy there and take my chances to get AKV when it fully opens.

Regarding the SSR contracts on the resale market. DVC gave many "too good to pass up" promotions for selling SSR points. I think many people used the extra points, took the perks for buying and now are trying to get back the money they never really wanted to keep in DVC...just my opinion, of course!

Bobbi

 

[hellerjw]

Disney is currently selling AKV for $96/point ($104 - $8 incentive). So a resale at $94 really isn't going to save you much of anything. Plus you lose out on the other incentives Disney is offering on new sales.

However, since you mentioned only needing 100-120 points you are correct that resale is your only option at this point for a new contract with less than 160 points.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I agree with Bobbi.

AKV has had a price increase since their opening sales. People can still sell those contracts and pretty much get what they paid and enjoy the incentives.

I would not count on it always being like that, as the price increases through Disney, the resale price will increase or you will risk losing the contract to ROFR.

As for SSR contracts, they are plentiful on the resale market because DVC is actively selling SSR and they are offering 10 off per point plus a $500 GC. Many people that are purchasing SSR are purchasing through DVC. Once SSR sells out, and the incentives stop, the resales will be more attractive. SSR is also a larger resort. If 1% are selling at BCV and 1% are selling at SSR, then SSR will still have more contracts for sale because of its size.

You should really buy where you do not mind staying if you cant switch at 7 months. As DVC grows, the only way to guarantee you get what you want is to buy multiple resorts and book at 11 months. If you are going to be angry or upset because you have to stay at AKV or SSR or OKW, then you need to buy BCV or your other choice.

 

[ZekeKelso]

As of now, it's still fairly easy to BWV at the 7-month mark during the summer (with possible exception of July 4th - I can't comment on that). Standard view is hard, boardwalk view is usually available and preferred view is defiantly available.

 

[ktbugsmom]

ZekeKelso,
I am not sure I agree with your assessment that BWV is easy to book 7 months out - especially Boardwalk view and standard view.

I added a room onto a January reservation (slow time) at 8 months out - and still had to waitlist 3 of the 6 nights. They eventually came through - but it was not an automatic.

I think BWV is very popular when it comes to booking due to location (walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios). I think the same is true with BCV.

So - as most will say - buy where you want to stay and plan ahead. Booking at 11 months out has allowed me to get my boardwalk view every time! It is when family and friends decide later they want to come with us that it is a problem!

If you want Value rooms (smaller ones) at AKV or concierge rooms at AKV, you definitely want to own there as well and book exactly 11 months out.

 

[ZekeKelso]

ZekeKelso,
I am not sure I agree with your assessment that BWV is easy to book 7 months out - especially Boardwalk view and standard view.

Let me withdraw the general assessment, and just make it one person's experience. I looked at many different weekends for summer 2008 - both for BCV and BWV, calling a bit after the 7-month window. My family kept changing their mind and dates. In every case, there were BWV preferred/garden view rooms available. In about half of my scenarios, there were boardwalk-view rooms. BCV was only available in one scenario. And standard view was open only for 1-2 scattered nights.

 

[ktbugsmom]

ZekeKelso,
I stand corrected. You must have the "touch" as I have never been that lucky to find easy availability at BWV after 7 months...

But I will admit, I have not tried too often, since I am a big planner. My issues always come about when family decides they too want to come along - long after I have made my initial plans. I never seem to be able to have much luck at BWV or BCV. And - when I added the studio for January (8 months out), I wait listed Boardwalk view and that never came through - just preferred view - which was fine.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Do yourself a favor and buy where you want to stay.

 

[CarolMN]

ZekeKelso,
I stand corrected. You must have the "touch" as I have never been that lucky to find easy availability at BWV after 7 months...

But I will admit, I have not tried too often, since I am a big planner. My issues always come about when family decides they too want to come along - long after I have made my initial plans. I never seem to be able to have much luck at BWV or BCV. And - when I added the studio for January (8 months out), I wait listed Boardwalk view and that never came through - just preferred view - which was fine.

I think the key to ZekeKelso's success at getting BWV & BCV at 7 months is "summer weekends". With the exception of the Holiday weeks, the summer months are among the easier times to book the EPCOT resorts at 7 months, especially the weekend nights, since those are quite a bit more expensive than the Sunday - Thursday nights.

FWIW, I think your experience is the more common one.

 

[mikeandkarla]

One reason I think AKV may retain its price per point better vs. SSR is the value booking categories. They are really a bargain. You have to have the 11 month home resort booking ability to get one for a whole week. I know you loose a little sqaure footage of room space, but in a 1 or 2 BR it should still be plenty of room.

 

[rigsby25]

We jumped at the chance to add on at AKV. But we stayed in a 1BR in December and we were very disappointed at the hotel management in general and the cramped quarters, lack of the big tub, etc. We are waiting to see how Kidani is, otherwise, we might be selling our points too. Maybe that's why.

 

[ZekeKelso]

I think the key to ZekeKelso's success at getting BWV & BCV at 7 months is "summer weekends".

To clarify, I was looking at 3-4 day weekends that included both weekend and weeknights. The weekend nights had better availability, but there were always garden-view rooms at BWV for both weekend and weeknights. I ended up with the last boardwalk-view 2BR for an extended weekend in August (which went at about the 4-month mark.) For at least summer 2008, rooms weren't impossible to book the Epcot resorts.

In contrast, I called right at the 7-month mark for November (though not day-by-day) and the Epcot resorts were completely booked.