Another newbie with questions

[BobBrazeal]

First let me say that from all my reading, this seems like a truly wonderful group and discussion board. I hope to be a member of the family in the not to distant future. Reading all the posts has been very helpful.

As with others, I'm struggling with the decision of buying from Disney at VWL or going for a resale at OKW. I'm not so much concerned about saving on the initial purchase. I like VWL but for the same length of stay at any given time of year I would need or use 20% more points at VWL over OKW. VWL is beautiful and I hope to stay there some but I really like the atmosphere at OKW and would prefer to stay there more often.

I would usually stay in a studio or perhaps a 1BR and would most often be there in the slow seasons (Adventure or Choice). Of course there could be other times that I want to visit.

What I'd like to hear from people about is the importance of the 11 month booking at your home resort over the 7 month for others. I understand the concept and know that if I buy from Disney that VWL will be my home resort and the only place that I can make ressies 11 months out and that the only way to get that previledge at OKW is through a resale.

Given the times that I usually visit and the size accomodations and that I will more often want to stay at OKW, is it important that I find a resale so as to make that my home resort? One thing that I've considered is finding a resale and then getting add-on points at VWL through Disney.

Any and all opinions are welcome. Hope that my second post to the board will be telling you that I've taken the plunge.

Thanks
Bob

 

[SusanSeng]

We also struggled with this. We loved Boardwalk but when we went to Disney, they could only sell us VWL. We initially purchased at Disney but when we got home and I found this site, I learned a great deal more. We ended up canceling our Disney contract and bought a resale. It was very very simple. We feel a lot more comfortable buying at the resort where we would like to stay because it does give us more flexability. It is a tough decision but you came to the right place. We got a little better deal buying resale (I'm talking a few hundred dollars) but we also got a whole lot more points that had been banked for a bonus! Good Luck.

 

[TnRobin]

hi Bob and Welcome to the DIS

You seem to have done your homework already. You are correct on the 11 mo window. As for its importance, that depends on how flexible you are. My family owns at BWV and has not had a problem (Yet) on getting what we want at OKW. We typically travel in early May or Sept. But my experiences are not a guarantee. Right now I believe that getting ressies at BWV even in early Dec is difficult if you don't have the 11 mo window.

If you really prefer OKW over the other resorts, I would look into a resale.

Good luck and keep us posted on your journey "Home"

Disney Vacation Club Board Co-Moderator
DVC and Cruise Chat Hostess
Cruise Board List Mistress

<font size=4 color=blue font face="Comic Sans MS">Robin

 

[leslieh]

Ok, we bought 190 points at okw in 92 have added 100 more since. We never have trouble getting rooms at okw, once at christmas week, I called daily to get 5 nights at a studio in OKW. Worked great. Just as long as you know a few months ahead you will be fine, if not they put you on a waitlist and everytime I got my ressies. We also love OKW the best, we toured VWL last week, and found our luck that our room would be at the far end like always, we got that ressie at the Boardwalk for New Years 1999. But we prefer OKW. I hope that helps.

 

[mikesmom]

You know, I think it depends some on what's going on in the parks. I've read all over this board about people not being able to get into a resort, particularly Boardwalk, once past the 11 month window. Others (including me) have made ressies all over the place, as long as they were flexible in choice of view, exact dates, and room size. I think we should remember that for the past 18 months or so Disney has had a very popular, VERY heavily advertised Millenium Celebration that appeared extremely effective in driving people to visit the parks in that time period. Since much of the celebration was at Epcot, it stand to reason that a lot of folks wanted BWV ressies. It will be interesting to see if things loosen up now that the millenium thing is over (at least until Walt's birthday).

My theory is that it's not just the resort, but what's going on closest to the resort that adds to the difficulty in making reservations.

If that's true, buying in at VWL shouldn't make a difference, particularly at the quieter times of year you usually travel. BUT, if some big event happens near OKW or BWV as the years go on, it probably will make it harder to get ressies at those locations at those times.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We love it there too. My advice would be to buy a resale at OKW and add-on points through Disney if you can't get the number you desire from resale. I like the 11 month booking window. I think that is most important if you are looking at a studio or grand villa, since those fill up fastest. I have never understood that, since the studio is my least favorite place to stay. The one advantage of OKW you didn't mention is that the rooms are so much larger. When we purchased, I expected to stay other places on site as well, but love OKW so much, we have never gotten around to staying elsewhere. We have done an exchange through II for next year, but that will be the first non home resort stay for us.

Disneydiane

 

[dthomas]

We recently bought at VWL. I too stuggled w/buying resale or through Disney. It bothers me that VWL takes as much points as preferred view at BWV, but yet price on cash reservations were less. I will personally be writing to DVC w/my concern on that matter(not that it will do any good). What made the difference for us was that we usually go to WDW around Christmas time every other year. And at those times I want to stay at the VWL. I don't have the exact number of units in front of me but VWL has only about 140 compared to 550 or so at OKW. So being able to get into VWL at Christmas time will be extremely difficult if you do not have points there. I think it will be easier to get reservations at OKW just because there are so many more units available. So I will spend the Christmas time at VWL, and when we visit during the summer I will be staying at OKW. Just my two cents!

[This message was edited by dthomas on 02-10-01 at 02:31 PM.]

[This message was edited by dthomas on 02-10-01 at 02:40 PM.]

 

[Dean]

If you will stay at OKW mostly and can find a reasonably priced resale for around the number of points you want, buy there. If you want to stay at WLV for a significant portion of the time, want a smaller (150-190) points contract or want to own at VB, HH or the upcoming BC as an add on, consider WLV. Obviously you can add on at the others even if you buy resale but some people buy 150 points at one location then add on at others. It will be much easier to get into OKW from WLV than the reverse for obvious reasons. Also remember the dues will be more at WLV, maybe $100 or more per year on 200 points

Dean

 

[BobBrazeal]

Thanks for all the great replies so far.

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that has dealt with this dilemma.