Another "what would you do?"

[JackosinDIS]

Agreed, this is why I always recommend SAP+ over pure SAP. Sure the 2042 resorts at WDW never really had that much inventory, but they were also actually desirable locations to book for people who owned other valuable resorts. Especially the Crescent Lake area. Like I have no problems booking BCV/BWV with my RIV points but I sure as hell am not going to book SSR or OKW with them if I can help it. With those resorts going offline, if I'm a PVB or VGF owner, why would I let go of my home resort priority and swap? There's going to be less movement at 7 months especially with resale restrictions in place. I'd only recommend buying SSR if you truly are okay with staying there. I mean SSR is fantastic, especially Congress Park and the Springs, but if it's not for you and you own it, I'd consider swapping it for something else sooner rather than later.

I actually love SSR, and happy to stay there. I have booked a GV for next summer rather than using the points as SAP.
I do agree completely with your opinion of what is going to happen when the 2042 resorts go offline. Many more people are going to ‘stuck’ at SSR. The downside for me, and many other people is that someone is actually going to have to stay in Carousel!!

 

[intamin]

I actually love SSR, and happy to stay there. I have booked a GV for next summer rather than using the points as SAP.
I do agree completely with your opinion of what is going to happen when the 2042 resorts go offline. Many more people are going to ‘stuck’ at SSR. The downside for me, and many other people is that someone is actually going to have to stay in Carousel!!

Yeahh I'll never stay in a non preferred area of SSR because for me the main benefit of staying at SSR is you can take a bus from any resort to Disney Springs, pick up a snack at Amorettes and then walk back to your room. I really do enjoy SSR, it was the first resort I ever stayed in a 1BR and it's where I fell in love with Disney World. However, I'm still not going to burn direct points or points with a valuable home resort priority on it.

 

[JackosinDIS]

Yeahh I'll never stay in a non preferred area of SSR because for me the main benefit of staying at SSR is you can take a bus from any resort to Disney Springs, picking up a snack at Amorettes and then walk back to your room. I really do enjoy SSR, it was the first resort I ever stayed in a 1BR and it's where I fell in love with Disney World. However, I'm still not going to burn direct points or points with a valuable home resort priority on it.

I very much share your love of Amorettes!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Your camper gets you your fix at The Fort without buying a cabin. Hang on to it!

Rereading your post, I think your heart is at BWV. You were rejected which soured you for the moment. Yes, 2042 is a hard deadline, but you would enjoy it while your kids are with you and points charts are such an awesome deal! DVC isn't about being logical! If that is what you really want, keep making offers until you get a deal!! Perhaps you can buy a bigger contract 200-250 points, fully loaded with points and then sell the 50 point BWV. You can't get those years with your kids back ever. Ride into the sunset with no regrets!!

 

[jolynne28]

Your camper gets you your fix at The Fort without buying a cabin. Hang on to it!

Rereading your post, I think your heart is at BWV. You were rejected which soured you for the moment. Yes, 2042 is a hard deadline, but you would enjoy it while your kids are with you and points charts are such an awesome deal! DVC isn't about being logical! If that is what you really want, keep making offers until you get a deal!! Perhaps you can buy a bigger contract 200-250 points, fully loaded with points and then sell the 50 point BWV. You can't get those years with your kids back ever. Ride into the sunset with no regrets!!

I love your comment. I'll have to run the numbers with my husband to figure out the upkeep/insurance cost of it vs. just paying cash for a Halloween cabin stay. Campers are a lot of work/time, especially for people like us that really only use it once a year.

We do love BWV, I've been searching exclusively for a Feb UY to go with what we have, but you're right, I could just buy a larger contract and sell the smaller one. Not sure if that would be worth the closing costs/fees or not. I believe Feb is the most common UY too for BWV, which is part of the reason we chose it, so it might not make sense to pick a different one.

Something is pulling me towards RIV, but I guess I'll have to wait and see how our short stay goes. Although, we bought BWV on a total whim, having never stayed at Crescent Lake before, simply for the point chart. It worked out that we loved it, so I guess you could say our gamble paid off. It's actually funny when I think about it, my husband and I are typically very risk adverse. But when we moved to FL during Covid we bought our house without ever stepping inside of it until closing day. So, very rarely, we go big or go home, and maybe we just need to trust that instinct again.

 

[BamaGuy44]

I’ll just say this about RIV: That Skyliner line isn’t as long as you might think, since it continuously loads. The line keeps moving. Even a massive looking line is probably 10 minutes.

Same amount of ppl in line for buses of friendship boats would be a VERY different thing.

 

[Blerghityblergh]

I’ll just say this about RIV: That Skyliner line isn’t as long as you might think, since it continuously loads. The line keeps moving. Even a massive looking line is probably 10 minutes.

Same amount of ppl in line for buses of friendship boats would be a VERY different thing.

I was thinking this also. It moves so fast! I much prefer it to waiting at the bus line or even for the monorail.

 

[tom1944]

I love reading these types of threads. I purchased our first contract in spring 2023 and have continually thought about buying a second contract and these threads are great.

The only problem I have is I keep running a myriad of different ideas through my head.

We own at SSR and by 2042 I figure the number of times we have been to WDW and the age of our group will lead to SSR being a fine place to stay.

So far, we have had 3 trips and never stayed there, and it looks like we will not have to until at least 2042.

 

[jolynne28]

I love reading these types of threads. I purchased our first contract in spring 2023 and have continually thought about buying a second contract and these threads are great.

The only problem I have is I keep running a myriad of different ideas through my head.

We own at SSR and by 2042 I figure the number of times we have been to WDW and the age of our group will lead to SSR being a fine place to stay.

So far, we have had 3 trips and never stayed there, and it looks like we will not have to until at least 2042.

I think we bought around the same time, I remember you talking about a BLT stay. We don't have a problem with SSR itself, the resort and rooms are beautiful. But we do prefer the quick/easy park access that other resorts offer. We are still park warriors, I don't think the kids would have it any other way. The nice thing about Crescent Lake for us is that in a few years we'll feel comfortable sending the older 2 out to EPCOT on their own, probably even HS via skyliner.

 

[teamsamant]

Load up on more BWV. It's where you want to be and your worried about the "value" or the length. It's a DVC luxury purchase forget all that, buy and stay where you want to be. 2042 or whatever who cares. No one knows what's going to be going on in 2042 or 2066. Make yourself happy now. BWV 200 point contract let's go.

 

[Chili327]

It is a combination of the 2042 problem and the appeal that SSR seems to always have as the cheapest or best SAP.

The more members that buy SSR specifically looking to use them as SAP (and never actually stay there), the more stress it puts on the 7 month booking at the other original resorts. For each new contract bought for this SAP purpose, booking at SSR likely becomes easier, but booking 7 months at any other resort becomes harder and more competitive. If you love SSR, a contract there would probably mean easy booking from now until expiration.

But as the number of SAP members grow, if/when the owners at other resorts notice that they cannot ever seem to get anything good at 7 months, more members may be driven to planning further ahead and booking in the 7-11 month window at their home resort to make sure they have a room they like. This would further reduce the rooms available at 7 months and also make booking anything besides SSR with those SSR SAP points even harder.

Then, in 2042, many of the original resorts will close. There will be far fewer options for those owning resale SSR (and resale at other original resorts too) to trade their points out at. But all of those SSR SAP points will still be there, still looking to book at the remaining resorts. It will most likely be a major bottleneck for those SAP owners. They will either have to be okay with staying at SSR at that point or sell their contracts, and a glut of sellers all at once may drop the resale value significantly for those owners as well. Just seems like a ticking time bomb to me because of these (likely to me) possibilities.

This is why I didn't buy SAP but SAP+ (points that I would use at my home resort often, but that I can still use to stay at other resorts when available)

I actually love SSR, and happy to stay there. I have booked a GV for next summer rather than using the points as SAP.
I do agree completely with your opinion of what is going to happen when the 2042 resorts go offline. Many more people are going to ‘stuck’ at SSR. The downside for me, and many other people is that someone is actually going to have to stay in Carousel!!

You guys don’t think the amount of “other” points leaving the system will more than compensate for the lack of choices in 2042?
I feel like the 1000’s of members that will no longer be in the system will make a much bigger impact than the ones that are left. Plus all the new resorts that those 2042 people will be buying if they still go to WDW.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

I can see loading up on more BWV. It's a great resort, and the prices are economical!

Your family is young, but 2042 is another 17 years, which gets your youngest to 23 and oldest to 28. On one hand, if you are all Disney'd out by then, no harm, no foul. You'll have had a great run of vacations and points you can easily rent out on any off years where the kids' schedules or interest don't mesh with going. It might be nice to be done with dues before retirement is looming. My only drawback to BWV is the 2B only comes as a lockoff. I know they make sense when traveling with grandparents or adult couple children, etc., but with three school-aged kids, I want them under one roof with me on vacation. IDK if that's a thing for you, just throwing it out there.

The other thing is IF you like Riviera, their studios are gorgeous for squeezing in the five of you for another couple of years, and that Sorcerer AP IS a cost savings X5. We just stayed at PIT studio (sleeps only 4,) and they're laid out really well, but the point chart is brutal, even for a standard view. Doesn't sound like Poly is your vibe anyway, and at $235?pp, that's too much to not be in love. Riviera's point chart looks like SAP+ to me now compared to PIT! (We also don't do studios. This was a couple-only trip for V-Day.)

While you're at Riviera in June, pop over to the cabins and check on the progress of LSL. While FW is totally not my scene, the cabins are really nice! I'd be nervous to buy there without confirmation of it being bundled into LSL, I DO think it'll probably happen, and the press leak yesterday of the super pools and lazy river they're adding to LSL makes it very appealing. I'm glad we have direct points to eventually swap in over there to try it out. Buying a fixed week there for Halloween and ditching your camper sounds ideal to me if you end up liking it. They're doing tours for existing members between 12:30-1:30 at Poly and CFW, and I'm assuming RR.

If you dislike Riviera but really like the CFW/FW area/LSL potential, maybe wait another year to pounce on any good incentives over there? You have points to use now to try out the OG14 to tide you over until then.

Basically, I'd wait until you get to stay at Riviera in June before you do anything. We own Riviera and love it, the Skyliner, calm lobby, quiet grounds, and wonderful transportation -- including our buses! We have our own dedicated buses, and my mind was blown when I discovered VGF and Poly SHARE buses. ***?!? (I also was VERY impressed at the bus service at AKK/AKJ, but that's a sideline.) Basically, don't fear the Skyliner lines. They're constantly moving, and the shutdowns for weather have barely affected us in eight trips, four of which were peak hurricane season.

 

[tom1944]

I think we bought around the same time, I remember you talking about a BLT stay. We don't have a problem with SSR itself, the resort and rooms are beautiful. But we do prefer the quick/easy park access that other resorts offer. We are still park warriors, I don't think the kids would have it any other way. The nice thing about Crescent Lake for us is that in a few years we'll feel comfortable sending the older 2 out to EPCOT on their own, probably even HS via skyliner.

Yes, our first and second visits were at BLT and BLT/BWV. This stay will be at Kidani SV and then we head on a cruise. I think the ability to buy SAP points really depends on the period of time you plan to vacation and the type of room you are willing to book.


Right now, we travel in August and so far, availability has been consistent. I would like to go in January which also seems fine for availability but with a teacher and grade school student in the group that will not happen for at least 12+ years. I never expect to go during the peak times of school vacations.

I actually bid on several second contracts, but my offers were not accepted and after this third trip my daughter asked to vacation somewhere else next year and do Disney every other so in 2026, we will skip and return in 2027. If we make that our plan, I have no need for more points until after 2027. If we decide to permanently go every other year, I never need the second contract. We would have enough points for 9- or 10-day trips in a one bedroom every other year.

I do all the booking and want to try all the non-restricted resorts at least once. Some would be available for the full 9/10 days and others would need to be part of a split stay because of either the points needed or availability.

 

[Instagramhusband]

You bought the best SAP with SSR. We bought two contracts totaling 255.

My wife loves Riviera, she has stayed there on a half dozen girls trips since it opened. I bought a resale at 116 pp(200 points), knowing that in the end she would be happy staying just there.

I have stayed at the cabins and I just not impressed enough by them to pay that high of a MF. May have had the most uncomfortable beds in all the rooms I have ever stayed at Disney.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Why buy at a resort you don’t love? Buy where you actually want to stay…. and enjoy that low point chart and dues for the next 16 years. At which point the kids will have launched and you can evaluate priorities.

Family of 5…. that’s going to need at least 2 bathrooms in the future…. at BW that’s going to be the 2BD lockoffs and at BC the dedicated 2BD…. that’s going to take home resort priority.

 

[Tatebeck]

You guys don’t think the amount of “other” points leaving the system will more than compensate for the lack of choices in 2042?
I feel like the 1000’s of members that will no longer be in the system will make a much bigger impact than the ones that are left. Plus all the new resorts that those 2042 people will be buying if they still go to WDW.

A bunch of those points that are leaving are the points that the SSR SAP owners are looking to exchange for at 7 months! So I do not think there will be relief, based on the resorts that are expiring in 2042.

Mostly they are premium locations or off site

Premium locations (compared to SSR)
BCV, BWV, BRV
-These locations most likely have very few members that are using their "premium" points at SSR at 7 months, but there are a ton of SSR members who would love to use their points here at 7 months. Losing these will lower the amount of good options for SSR SAP owners.

Off Site:
HHI, VB
-These locations are off site so it is hard to compare what they are doing at 7 months. If they decide that they want to go to WDW they are just taking what is leftover. Though I am sure they try to use their points at a premium location if available. These expirations may provide a little relief. But some of these locations may also tempt members that hold points at premium locations to use their points here. They may want a beach vacation instead of WDW for example and choose to use their premium points here, while like in the last example they would be less likely to use them at somewhere like SSR. So these may end up being a wash and no help to SSR SAP owners.

Non-premium location:
OKW
-This one is the one you think would provide the most relief, with members at OKW often wanting to trade their points out at better resorts. But because they have shifted to 2057 closing for members that extended or buy direct now (and people are unsure what will actually happen for the members who didn't sign quit claim deeds), it won't provide as much relief as it could have.

So with the resorts closing, we have 3 resorts that will hurt SSR SAP options, 2 that are offsite that will likely be a wash, and 1/2 of one that may provide relief. So effectively 2.5 resorts in the negative for premium resorts for SSR SAP users. And a general reduction in the number of options as well.

Basically it boils down to the same number of SSR points (and an increasing number of "SAP" points as prices drop) competing for a shrinking number of premium sites.

 

[Disdreaming479]

My SSR points are serving us very well so far as SAP in 2 bdrm. When we lose the 2042 resorts, I’ll be turning 68 yrs old so who knows what will be happening at wdw by then but the resort is a peaceful place to be. We stayed one night in Carousel (NYE) and never heard or saw anyone. I highly doubt my 400 points there will get many days in newer resorts anyhow. But at SSR, I will be having some extended stays in January for sure!

 

[tom1944]

My SSR points are serving us very well so far as SAP in 2 bdrm. When we lose the 2042 resorts, I’ll be turning 68 yrs old so who knows what will be happening at wdw by then but the resort is a peaceful place to be. We stayed one night in Carousel (NYE) and never heard or saw anyone. I highly doubt my 400 points there will get many days in newer resorts anyhow. But at SSR, I will be having some extended stays in January for sure!

I will be 84 and my youngest travel buddy will be 23 and have gone to WDW at least 15 times. Having to stay at SSR would not be the end of the world for either of us.

 

[Disdreaming479]

I will be 84 and my youngest travel buddy will be 23 and have gone to WDW at least 15 times. Having to stay at SSR would not be the end of the world for either of us.

plus, my husband may have convinced me to give golf a try by then

 

[Tatebeck]

Yeah if you like staying at SSR then points there are a great deal. But I just couldn't bring myself to purchase there thinking that I would sometimes have to stay at that resort when I personally don't want to instead of places like BWV, BCV, RIV, Poly, VGF, BLT, CCV, etc.

I said it before in a different thread before, but I am not putting down DVC levels of money to be disappointed when staying on site. It's a fun purchase and I want to make sure that I can use it to have fun.