AKV or BLT: Decisons, decisions!

[Wingnut330]

Hello all,

We just returned from WDW yesterday and did the DVC tour at BLT before we left. We are interested in joining but are struggling with which resort to choose. We were offered a pretty good deal at AKV - $104 per point (220 points) plus a few other misc discounts. BLT on the other hand was the full $120 a point. Long story short, it was around a $6,000 difference between AKV and BLT.

We have a 2yr old and a 4yr old and stayed at the Contemporary last week and found it was nice to be on the monorail.

I like the BLT because it was on the monorail and connected to the Contemporary. The cost is the big detractor.

I like the AKV because they look fun and very kid friendly (vs the somewhat stale BLT) but if there was one thing that bothered me while we were there it was the bus traveling.

What are your thoughts on these two? Why did you choose the resort you did?

Other parts of the deal: April UY, and we get the 2011 points.

 

[Kidanifan08]

Welcome to the Disboards! We bought AKV in 2008. We could have bought BLT at that time, but for us, the theming of AKV was what pulled us towards buying there. Despite AKV being far from MK, I never find myself tapping my feet in anticipation of the bus ride being over. One really nice thing about the buses at AKV is that they are dedicated to that resort only, so there are only two stops -- Jambo and Kidani. If you stay at Kidani, the buses pick-up there first for the parks, so the buses are usually empty.

Buying direct from Disney allows you to buy a contract with all of the current member perks, which includes trading into DCL and Adventures By Disney. Many owners on these boards do not feel that those are a good value for the cost of the exchange. You also can finance the purchase with Disney, although the rates are quite high.

You may not be aware, but there is a resale market for DVC which can save you a significant amount of money over buying direct. You can google "DVC resale" and several companies will come up. You can also research threads about resale on these boards. Currently, BLT resales are selling in the $90-100/pt range and AKV in the $70-80/point range. If you can pay cash, you can get the same amount of points for quite a bit less. Additionally, you can purchase other DVC resorts besides AKV and BLT if you wish.

DVC has restricted resale purchases so they cannot be used for the concierge collection, Disney collection or adventurer collection. That would exclude ABD and DCL, as well as the deluxe resorts (Poly, Contemporary, Gr. Flo). Again, most do not feel that using points for those options is a good value.

We have never regretted our decision to buy into AKV in 2008. We did finance with DVC, but paid it off in about two years, which did reduce the amount of interest we paid. We have since added on two small contracts through the resale market.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[James Brandon]

I have thought about purchasing many times in the past. I lived in Florida and visited Walt Disney World four and sometimes upwards of six times each year. Now thatr I am living in Indiana I think that it would be a smart thing to do. Does anyone know if you stay with Disney, would they use the amount that you spent of the stay from the purchase? This would be grteat if they would. I am looking into staying at the Wilderness Lodge again, in the Month of June, 2012. I have always stayed with Disney and enjoy the Wilderness Lodge the most.

 

[Wingnut330]

Kidanifan08 - thanks for the thoughtful reply! It's inside knowledge like the bus routes and activity that I was looking for! We have looked at the resale market but this being our first toe in the timeshare water, I'd feel more comfortable going directly with DVC and I'm willing to pay the difference to do so. Also, DW would like to try a cruise and a few of the other places to stay.

James - They didn't offer us a full credit, but they did give us a little of a break since we were currently there are guests.

They also offered us 220 2011 points. Is that normal - to get points in the year you are purchasing? Seemed like a good deal to me.

 

[Sandisw]

Kidanifan08 - thanks for the thoughtful reply! It's inside knowledge like the bus routes and activity that I was looking for! We have looked at the resale market but this being our first toe in the timeshare water, I'd feel more comfortable going directly with DVC and I'm willing to pay the difference to do so. Also, DW would like to try a cruise and a few of the other places to stay.

James - They didn't offer us a full credit, but they did give us a little of a break since we were currently there are guests.

They also offered us 220 2011 points. Is that normal - to get points in the year you are purchasing? Seemed like a good deal to me.

When you buy direct from Disney, you get current UY points because you are buying them. You are currently in the April 2011 UY and thus the reason you are getting those points.

If you have not yet stayed at AKV or dealt with the bus system, I would caution buying without at least having a chance to check it out. DVC is a lot of money, especially if you have decided to go direct, and to buy a resort and then end up not liking it would be tough.

If you do go through with it, even though it might add a bit in closing costs, I would ask them to break up your 220 points into a few smaller contracts. Maybe 100 and 120. This way, if you find you ever want to sell, you can sell some without having to sell all.

Good luck!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Check out resales. You might save a bunch of money.

 

[mkburme]

We had the same dilemma when we bought.
We decided on BLT because we have many stroller visits in our near future, bringing grandkids.
Our first DVC stay was at AKV Kidani 2 Bed Savanna View and it was wonderful.The villas are warm and inviting, the kids (13yrs and 24yrs) had a great time at the pool and having giraffes and zebras right outside your room is something!
IMO since your kids will be out of strollers pretty soon my vote would be buy AKV and save the $6000.

 

[Wingnut330]

Well - a bit of clarification...

Turns out that there difference is more like this:

BLT
$140 per point - no other discounts. They expect it to sell out this month.

AKV
160 Pts: $112 per point
220 Pts: $104 per point

So it breaks down like this:

AKV 160 Pts = $17,920
AKV 220 Pts = $22,880
BLT 160 Pts = $22,400
BLT 220 Pts = $30,800

Ugh...

 

[mousefan1972]

Our kids were 4 and 6 when we bought last year, so a little older than yours. We bought BLT for $108 per point.

Having stayed at both AKV (Jambo House) and BLT, we much prefer BLT with the primary reason being location/transportation. Having to wait for, and travel on, crowded buses everytime you leave AKV was a huge detractor for us. Many a time upon leaving MK, we realized that we could have strolled home to BLT in the amount of time we spent waiting on an AKV bus. While we enjoyed the animals at AKV, after a couple of days it lost its novelty. We love, love BLT and have added on 3x since our initial purchase. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Vickis3js]

Another thing to look at is how far can your 220 pts go at both resorts. We looked at doing a 1bd lake view at BLT and it would have cost us more points then a 1bd SV at AKV. So I would compare point charts!

 

[JWG]

We bought BLT, but at the time, the price difference was quite what it is today. We had to buy direct because our use year is in limited supply at BLT (August). That was important because we already had that use year for BWV.

We chose BLT over AKV for the following reasons:

• Proximity to MK
• On the Monorail
• Proximity to MK bus depot (to get to other resorts for dining)
• Low maintenance fees*
• Ease to get to local MK resorts for dining favorites (Kona, Ohana, Chef Mickey's)
• CR is our favorite hotel resort
• 11 mos. booking window (we like standard view or MK view for Christmas)

* Some people will say the maintenance fee decision won't hold or that the higher # of points needed at BLT offsets any savings on lower maintenance fees. We chose to not follow that advice because 1) nothing in DVC history suggests BLT fees will rise faster than any other resort 2) being a single building with shared amenities their should be fewer costs than SSR/OKW with several out buildings 3) we won't always stay at BLT, so we won't always have high per night point costs (and, many trips to BLT will be in standard view rooms)

Most importantly, what booking advantages do you need? Do you want to guarantee you can get AKV value or concierge rooms? Then you should buy AKV. Do you want to guarantee BLT standard view or MK view during peak periods (like the holidays for Hallowishes or special Christmas decorations and fireworks)? Then you should buy BLT.

Buy were you are ok with having to stay (booking outside of home resort is not guaranteed and could be taken away in the future - even if unlikely).

 

[DisDad07]

As a lot of others have said, you may need to try both resorts before you buy. Both resorts are great in their own way. Decide what resort fits you and your family's needs for now and in the near future. You might sell some day, so buy for what you like now. If you can get them to break the contract up for two smaller ones, they do sell quicker, IMHO.

 

[wingkng]

Welcome to the boards. I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old now, and my wife and I can say that BLT is our home. We bought into DVC before we even got married, and since having children, our tastes have changed. I bought points at AKV when it first went on sale. We stayed at Jambo House in February, when my first child was 6 months old. She ended up getting sick, along with the rest of us. AKV may be nice and relaxing during the heat of the summer, but during the middle of the winter, being cooped up in the room, sick as a dog, it was rather dark and depressing to me. We have not stayed there again.

Shortly after DVC announced BLT, we were at WDW again. While we were riding the monorail, my wife mentioned how nice it would be to stay close to Magic Kingdom. Well, in no time, I purchased some Add-on points at BLT. Since then, we have stayed there twice, and we love it. We love the light, airy feel, the close proximity to MK, access to all the restaurants along the monorail line, the amenities at BLT... One thing that we really enjoyed was the nightly movie that they show at night outside, by the lake. It was such a nice relaxing thing for the family to do. Not to mention the fireworks at night.

Deep down, I still have a love of AKV as a resort (this was where I stayed the first time I stayed on property), but our family's true home is BLT. As long the kids are young, we plan to stay there every year. If we want to see some animals, we can make a trip to AKV, and hang around for a meal at Sanaa...

 

[Kidanifan08]

Kidanifan08 - thanks for the thoughtful reply! It's inside knowledge like the bus routes and activity that I was looking for! We have looked at the resale market but this being our first toe in the timeshare water, I'd feel more comfortable going directly with DVC and I'm willing to pay the difference to do so. Also, DW would like to try a cruise and a few of the other places to stay.

There tends to be fairly limited availability for DVC members to trade into DCL, so it does take considerable advanced planning to get those spots. When you look at the point chart and calculate the cost, it generally is a better value to do DCL on cash. That is our plan, anyway.

There is little risk to resale if you use one of the trusted resale companies, like the board sponsor The Timeshare Store. The main difference between buying resale versus direct is that there is an up to 30 day period that DVC could buy the contract from under you - right of first refusal (doesn't happen often in this economy, especially for AKV or BLT) and the process takes up to 60 days from offer to close. That seems to be shorter recently, as the ROFR time period is rather quick in the past couple of months.

TTS has a 220 point Dec UY AKV for $76/pt which is loaded with 2010 points, just like buying from Disney. That one is $16,720, and you should be able to get it for less. That's $6000 less than direct from Disney. There are some good contract for BLT as well. The DVC sales team will give you various reasons why buying direct is better, but they stand to profit greatly from your decision to do that. I like the PP's recommendations of breaking up the contract if you do buy direct. I wish we had done that with ours for the purposes of resale, even though we have no plans to sell.

It's a tough decision. It is a good idea to try the resorts that you are considering, but that is easier said than done. We did not have the luxury of doing that. You should choose the resort that feels right for you and your family. Since you saw those two resorts, you may already know which one that is. It is a long-term ownership, so go for what you really want and don't look back.

 

[alice99]

Hello all,

We just returned from WDW yesterday and did the DVC tour at BLT before we left. We are interested in joining but are struggling with which resort to choose. We were offered a pretty good deal at AKV - $104 per point (220 points) plus a few other misc discounts. BLT on the other hand was the full $120 a point. Long story short, it was around a $6,000 difference between AKV and BLT.

We have a 2yr old and a 4yr old and stayed at the Contemporary last week and found it was nice to be on the monorail.

I like the BLT because it was on the monorail and connected to the Contemporary. The cost is the big detractor.

I like the AKV because they look fun and very kid friendly (vs the somewhat stale BLT) but if there was one thing that bothered me while we were there it was the bus traveling.

What are your thoughts on these two? Why did you choose the resort you did?

Other parts of the deal: April UY, and we get the 2011 points.

We purchased at BLT when my kids were 9 and 11 years old. They are now 12 and 14 years old.

One of the main reasons I chose BLT was because of the location for my kids.... I wanted to be at a location that they could independently go to the parks, unsupervised, as they got older.

BLT, Boardwalk and Beach Club are all great for this reason..... Wilderness Lodge Villas, too I'm sure, though I haven't stayed there yet.

This past Summer I sent my daughter (and her friend) ahead to the park, it was easy for her to take the boat (from Boardwalk) to Hollywood Studios, and have a few hours of independence before I met her..... same with Epcot. She went shopping with her friend in the shops, they had a great time.
They are 12 years old, and my son is 14 years old..... times does fly as your kids grow, soon they will be 12 and 14 , like mine.

I really dislike the isolation of the AKL Villas. I love all the resorts and the theming is great.
We always rent a car, so the transportation is not an issue.... but the isolation of the AKL didn't have enough direct access to any park, and I REALLY wanted that for my kids.

If I were in your shoes I would buy BLT ..... RESALE. You will save a ton of $$.

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you will be happy!! Good luck

 

[dbs1228]

Could you buy a smaller contract say 120 point at AKV direct, stay on the 240 points (or 360 if you borrow) see how you like it, or do a split stay (BLT and AKV) check out the other resorts and possibly add on via resale at whatever other resort you like best once you test the waters? We are owners at BLT buying direct because we know we want to be on the monorail and walk to MK. We have stayed at AKV and LOVE that resort! AKV is a big resort and is easier to get at the 7 month mark. Maintenance fees are also higher at AKV. For us we purchased 1st contract direct (did not know any better) then bought 2 resales at SSR because we want the 11 month window for THV and plan every other year doing the opposite resort. Good luck

 

[ToddyLu]

We purchased AKV points in 2009. We love AKV for all the reasons others don't. We love the dark, cool decor, remote feel and location...we even like riding the buses. We didn't care about the MFs being more. BLT just did not appeal to us at all. That is what makes DVC so great. There are soooo many choices. There is a good sticky on this forum about picking a home resort.

We financed and haven't looked back buying direct from Disney. FI you can swing the resales there are some good savings out there.

 

[Wingnut330]

Thank you all so much for the replies! What a great online community you are.

So, I have read a few other threads and breaking them up seems like the way to go. So, if I were to do 100-120 pts per contract, do you recommend getting them at the same resort or mixing them up?

You also having me leaning towards resale (you guys really are influential).

 

[Kidanifan08]

Thank you all so much for the replies! What a great online community you are.

So, I have read a few other threads and breaking them up seems like the way to go. So, if I were to do 100-120 pts per contract, do you recommend getting them at the same resort or mixing them up?

You also having me leaning towards resale (you guys really are influential).

If you bought 100 at AKV and 120 at BLT, you could alternate years at each resort. That would give you 200 points at AKV one year and 240 at BLT the next. You should study the charts to see how many points you would need for the times of year you would most likely travel. You could argue for getting everything at BLT and using your points at AKV occasionally. AKV is a large resort and generally has good availability at 7 months during most of the year, with the exception of concierge and value category rooms. If those room categories do not interest you, then you may want to just get everything at BLT, and take your chance at getting AKV at the 7 month mark when you feel like trying something different.

Keep in mind, that the home resort advantage for booking is very important for the more limited room categories (AKV concierge and value, BLT - MK view and standard view) and popular times of the year for DVC owners. Now . . . if you cannot plan a Disney vacation 7 or more months in advance, then you are essentially giving up the home booking advantage and you might as well buy resale SSR, which is about the best deal out there.

 

[DizGirl20]

Hello,

We currently own at 2 resorts, one of which is AKV. AKV has several booking categories (concierge, value, savannah/standard) as does BLT (standard view, lake view, MK view). Make sure you have enough points to get the booking category you want. We recently added on with a second resort only after we had determined we had enough AKV points (through banking/borrowing) to book any room category. For us, one visit we might stay in a standard AKV room and the next a concierge room.

Our first contract was purchased direct for a fairly good price and we had the points in our account immediately to book at vacation. However, our subsequent two (2) contracts were purchased resale and we saved a bundle of money. If you have the time and the patience, you might want to consider resale.

Good Luck! These boards offer a wealth of information so feel free to ask lots of questions!

PS: Just wanted to add one additional comment. We love AKV for the quietness of the resort. Some people use the words "remote" and "far away" to describe AKV but for us it's the best place to unwind after a hectic day at the parks. My kids are now 11 & 14 and being close to the MK isn't as important as it used to be. Just remember your needs will change! The best thing about DVC is that there are so many options.