Am I the only one that think Home Resort does not matter that much?

[BEASLYBOO]

I have only been in DVC for about a year and went on 1 trip with another planned...my experience is that I can not book the resort and category I wanted at 11 months calling just at 9am and now at 7months calling at 9am...Wanted BLT standard studios, not available at 11 months so booked 3 lake view with 1 night on cash... then at 7 months-today- tried to move the cash/point reservation to BWV- any view, at 9am....only 3 of 5 days availble...so instead of staying at our home resort and BIL&SIL staying at Bwv, we are all staying in SV studios at AKV Kidani...

I understand that DVC is "exclusive" but is it really this "exclusive"? That you really can not reserve eve at 11 months at 9am?? So I would have to answer "no" it really does not matter your home resort...

thanks for just letting me vent...

I think the reason I've never had problems booking any resort, past the 7 month mark is because I always get 2 bedrooms. Anytime I've tried to add a studio to the existing reservation for last minutes guests, I've had to waitlist, sometimes I've gotten them sometimes not. Studios go very fast, I'm sure especially at BLT due to the high point structure.

 

[auntsue]

Home resort does matter to us. We love being able to walk to and from three of the parks and really like the hotel vibe of our home resorts BWV & BLT. We have also stayed once each at BCV, OKW, VWL and AKV and while we really liked each of them and enjoyed our stays there, we prefer our home resorts.

 

[xipetotec]

I really don't think home resort matters that much. I have favorite DVC's (BWV, BLT...) but mostly, I am just glad to be going to Disney. I see advantages in every DVC and disadvantages. I like staying in different DVC's every time I go.

I love SSR and OKW and there is usually availability there.

So other than owning at HH or Vero (which I love too), I really dont get the big deal of where you own.... If it is a busy time, I call at the 11 mo window and book where every I have points (we own at 4 DVC's AKL, SSR, BCV and BWV).

For me, the difference between my least fav DVC and most fav DVC is very so small, it just does not matter.

I don't get the big deal with where you own....Does anyone else agree? because there is some pretty big price differences based on something that maybe many people dont care about.

Well I'm split on this...

I agree I don't "care where we own"... But I LOVE the BCV ( which is where we own ) and feel weird when I don't stay here. It's not about owning there, but about just loving this resort and having grown on to it. That being said, I LOVE doing a split stay to experience the other DVC resorts. AKV were BEE-YOU-TI-FUL!!

 

[spiceycat]

That you really can not reserve eve at 11 months at 9am?? So I would have to answer "no" it really does not matter your home resort...

sorry you had problems.

the 9am is Eastern standard time - not central or pacific.

you have to call when it is 9am eastern time for you - for central that is 8 am.

always if everything else fails - you can start calling at 30 or 31 days before arrival. this is because the last day to cancel is 31 days before your arrival if they don't want the points to go into holding. you might find what you want then.

the standard views at both BLT and BWV are small part of their resorts. so if you want these views you need to move fast.

sorry you didn't get them this year.

 

[spiceycat]

However, I'll disagree with the above, emotion should be taken out as much as possible for one to make a rational decision.

in that case would have never brought BLT. brought it because waited 15 years for a DVC on the monrail. would have brought it regardless.

that was not a rational decision - definitely an emotional one.

sold OKW for it - plus had some problems with OKW in the last few years. If the DVC resort does not meet your expectation sell it and find anyone one.

yes it does cost money - but money is a small cost to pay when you would have been disappointed with every stay at your home resort.

 

[edk35]

Doesn't matter to us either. We have been able to stay at several DVC resorts and not even at the 7 month window. If I could only stay at SSR or OKW (home resorts are SSR/AKV) I would still have a GREAT TRIP.

 

[JaxDisneyFans]

We are split on this question. For our Fall trip we absolutely want to stay at BLT, so we purchased points there for the 11-month window. However for our longer spring/summer trip and weekends here and there, we prefer SSR or OKW, which happily for us are almost always available.

 

[thelionqueen]

in that case would have never brought BLT. brought it because waited 15 years for a DVC on the monrail. would have brought it regardless.

that was not a rational decision - definitely an emotional one.

sold OKW for it - plus had some problems with OKW in the last few years. If the DVC resort does not meet your expectation sell it and find anyone one.

yes it does cost money - but money is a small cost to pay when you would have been disappointed with every stay at your home resort.

ITA!

Rational decisions make sense on paper, but emotional decisions make sense in the heart. Even though BLT was clearly our choice for home (waited for several years), the dues and incentives made it even moreso. That being said, if we were offered better incentives for AKV at the time, even HUGE incentives (say double what we got) I would still not have bought at AKV.

I absolutely LOVE knowing that I am DVC owner @ BLT & GCV and it gives me a peace, happiness and serenity that no amount of money or rationale possibly could.

 

[crisi]

that was not a rational decision - definitely an emotional one.

If I were making rational decisions, I wouldn't vacation at WDW at all, much less vacation there regularly. There are more rational decisions that can be made to use my money.

 

[Inkmahm]

sorry you had problems.

the 9am is Eastern standard time - not central or pacific.

you have to call when it is 9am eastern time for you - for central that is 8 am.

always if everything else fails - you can start calling at 30 or 31 days before arrival. this is because the last day to cancel is 31 days before your arrival if they don't want the points to go into holding. you might find what you want then.

the standard views at both BLT and BWV are small part of their resorts. so if you want these views you need to move fast.

sorry you didn't get them this year.

My suggestion would be to walk the reservation if the poster wants a standard view and didn't get it this time at 9 am at 11 months.

 

[Blonde Princess]

It matters to us. BCV is our home resort. Being able to be have that location for F&W, and Flower, and the really insanely busy holidays is great. Location! Location! Location.

 

[Dean]

in that case would have never brought BLT. brought it because waited 15 years for a DVC on the monrail. would have brought it regardless.

that was not a rational decision - definitely an emotional one.

sold OKW for it - plus had some problems with OKW in the last few years. If the DVC resort does not meet your expectation sell it and find anyone one.

yes it does cost money - but money is a small cost to pay when you would have been disappointed with every stay at your home resort.

As long as you know it was an emotional decision and not a rational one Pat, your choice. And it is a different decision for one who owns already vs one who's buying in.

I was thinking about this issue on the way home and thought I'd post from a different direction, esp in terms of HH/VB/HI & VGC with the intent of using points only at WDW. IMO, the questions are what is the underlying value of the contract, basically how successful are you likely to be if you turn around and sell and what is the price difference (savings) and risks over other options. I was a "buy where you want to stay" person through and through but the price differences have grown such that the difference is worth the risk for many situations, but not all. With that thinking in mind, I feel the difference for SSR/?OKW over some of the others is NOW enough to justify the risk for many. I do not feel the difference between HH/VB is enough less than SSR/OKW to say the same, if the difference grows, then I will change my opinion at some price difference. The reality is that many people don't stay at their home resort enough to justify paying significantly extra, other than those that tend to own multiple home resorts for the 11 month window at all of them. There are certain options you will not get unless you own at a given resort and that must be factored for those that those options are important ROUTINELY. Those that know the system well and put a little work into it will be successful in most situations most of the time even for difficult options, with exceptions of course. Realize that even a home resort priority doesn't guarantee success even day 1 at 11 months out.

Pat in your case you could have done a significant add on for the money lost in the conversion. That issue should also be factored in by others looking to make a similar conversion..