BCV / BLT / OKW - Deciding on New Membership - Please help :)

[WeLoveAriel0505]

Hi all,

New to the board. My wife and I are deciding on membership and we were hoping fellow board members could help!

We're deciding between BCV, BLT and OKW. We normally travel the week after Thanksgiving. We like the location of BCV, the newness of BLT and the value of OKW (lower cost on resale).

Questions as follows......thanks for the help!:

1. How difficult is it to reserve at non-home resorts at the 7 month mark at BCV and OKW? ANy others that are very difficult?
2. We're looking at spending a set amount..........any thoughts on getting several more points through an OKW resale (so we have more to stay multiple times) versus a BCV resale....?
3. The fear is that if we go with OKW, that we'll always have to stay there and won't be able to get into BCV (which my wife really likes) at 7 month timeframe........any experiences?
4. MF on BLT........anybody heard anything about whether this will go up considerably in the future? It's attractive now as well as the 2060 expiration date.

Thanks everyone!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Hi all,

New to the board. My wife and I are deciding on membership and we were hoping fellow board members could help!

We're deciding between BCV, BLT and OKW. We normally travel the week after Thanksgiving. We like the location of BCV, the newness of BLT and the value of OKW (lower cost on resale).

Questions as follows......thanks for the help!:

1. How difficult is it to reserve at non-home resorts at the 7 month mark at BCV and OKW? ANy others that are very difficult?
2. We're looking at spending a set amount..........any thoughts on getting several more points through an OKW resale (so we have more to stay multiple times) versus a BCV resale....?
3. The fear is that if we go with OKW, that we'll always have to stay there and won't be able to get into BCV (which my wife really likes) at 7 month timeframe........any experiences?
4. MF on BLT........anybody heard anything about whether this will go up considerably in the future? It's attractive now as well as the 2060 expiration date.

Thanks everyone!

1. OKW is very easy to get into at 7 months during most seasons (it's a large resort). BCV is one of the smallest resorts, so much more difficult at 7 months than the larger resorts, but still possible as long as you aren't trying for Food and wine festival time or holiday time.

2. I'd always opt for more points whenever possible, and OKW historically has maintenance fees on the lower end of the spectrum, so that too could play a roll in your decision.

3. You certainly will be able to do BCV at 7 months, but maybe not at exactly the times you were hoping. As I stated above, the Food and Wine festival makes BCV difficult to get during that season at the 7 month mark.

4. Maintenance fees are usually low the first couple years a property is being sold because of subsidies until it is completely sold out. I would expect the BLT fees to rise in the future, but how much remains an unknown at this point. Each resort management seems to make this different for each location. One thing I've noticed is that the larger resorts tend to rise the least (historically). If the extra years are a draw, you might want to look at buying OKW direct from Disney. If you do that, you will have a contract that expires one year sooner than BLT, but 15 years longer than BCV.

 

[thepops]

First off, welcome! The advise you will see here is buy where you want to stay. As for switching, it really depends on when you plan to go. You mentioned that the week after Thanksgiving is a usual time for you. That time may be pretty difficult to swap to a different resort since ut runs into the beginning of December and 2 things are happening. First, most of the decorations are up and the points cost are lower. So those 2 things tend to make the DVC resorts busy. That being said, I was able to switch to the BVC for spring break last year from AKV. I did however, do it the morning my 7 month window opened. So it is possible.
Good luck with your decision. My only other advise would be to read as much of these forums as you can. There is a TON of information here.

 

[spiceycat]

OKW is not difficult.
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BCV can be tough - food/wine festavial - late Sept to early Nov
Dec
sometimes during the flower/garden - Late march to early june - but this time is also easy to get at times. summer can be hard because of that pool.

fairly easy
late Aug, early Sept, May, Jan (except for the holidays and marthon) are fairly easy.


---------
BLT has not opened so it demand time would be hard to see

would guess - Dec, summer (kids out of school), spring - it is on the monrail so since people don't have to drive it might be popular during the food/wine festavial - just don't know yet.
--------

the fees generally go up between 3% to 10% - 5% to 8% is generally it.

BLT is only worth it if you LOVE and I mean LOVE the MK.

I do - sold my OKW to get it. It cost twice as much as what I paid for OKW.
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[BillM]

Another consideration is whether you have a young family. BLT has the monorail to MK and also Epcot.
Another would you be flying or driving. We love OKW, the 1 and 2BR are great. Although the bus service is good its a lot better to do the things we want to do when we can drive. Renting a car is an option.
BCV with access to SAB is a big attraction for families and the proximity to the Boardwalk and walking to Epcot and boat ride to HS.
The best advice was given above and that is buy where you want to stay.

 

[sportsmom3279]

I had these same questions as my husband and I just bought into DVC. We decided on OKW due to the lower maintenance fees and the cheaper buy in. We were able to get more points than if we had bought into the Boardwalk or Beach Club, although we really like that area. We closed on 11/26 and we were in the system on 12/10, which was one week past my 7 month window. I called and was able to get a 2 bedroom and 3 studios for an extended family vacation in July at the Beach Club. It is possible. Good Luck with your decision.

 

[tamclan]

OKW represents great value. If you don't make reservations more than 7 months out owning somewhere else provides no benefit.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

Welcome,

I struggled with that same question when we decided to buy. In the end we ended up buying at the BWV due to the location even though it cost me more to do so. The cost of DVC varies due to the MF, length of contract, # of points needed at the resort and the price per point when you purchase it, so what seems like a good deal, may not be one in the end.

The BVC only has 33 years left on the contract, so buying into the BVC now is going to cost you more than buying into OKW or BLT (which have 49 & 50 years left)
If the price per point is $102 x 160 points divide by 33 years your price per point is $3.09 at the BCV & at Blt price is $112 x 160 /by 50 years = 2.24 per point. Blt will cost less because the contract is spread out over 17 more years.

Also, you need to factor in MF. Right now BLT is the cheapest at 3.67 per point. so with a buy in of $2.24 + 3.67 mf each point cost you $5.91 so at the BLT a room that cost 15 points will actually cost you 15points x 5.91=$89 per night. At the BCV the MF are higher (apprx 4.95 +3.09 buy in) so that same 15 point studio will actual cost $120 per night.

However, the most important reason of buying into DVC is that you must love the resort you are staying at and using it to meet your needs. If you have a need to spend more days at DW and want bigger rooms vs. the need to be near the parks, then OKW is for you. If you rather be near the parks and have a great pool and you love Epcot the most than BCV is for you. If you want a monorail DVC and that's important to you than BLT is it.

I just love the BWV and even though it did cost me more, being right next to Epcot is Priceless to me. Nothing beats being able to be back in my room within 10 minutes from the time I leave the parks. Another thing is that when we dine at World Showcase, it only takes us 10 minutes to get there from our hotel, so we can spend the afternoon relaxing in the pool and then walk to Epcot to the restaurant, watch illumination and then walk back home No waiting with 200 people for a bus, being crammed in the bus, smelling the bus fumes and then having to balance yourself on the bus so you don't fall into someones lap. (I can just walk or take the boat to BW or take a 5 minute monorail ride home to the BLT)

Location is the most important thing to me. BLT and BCV/BWV have the best location!!!

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Many member make a reservation at their home resort at 11 months out and then try to change to a different resort (if they have the inclination) at 7 months. Buy where you wouldn't mind staying if you couldn't change that reservation at 7 months.

We sold our BCV points and one of our OKW contracts. That leaves us with OKW and VWL. We're using these points in late May, early June at BCV. We had wanted to stay at Kidani Village but some of the days we needed were not available. Since that was the case, we tried to get BCV and had no problem getting that stay. There were other times, though, that we decided to stay at BCV (and we called less than 7 months out) and were unable to get a reservation for our dates. One thing, though, we usually go for a minimum of 8 or 9 nights and we don't move around. So to get that many nights in a row is a little more difficult than five nights.

 

[WeLoveAriel0505]

Does anybody who's responded here have problem getting 4, 7, 10 days in a row during the 11-7 month period at their own resort? Even in busy times (Spring break, Christmas, etc.)? I've heard some rumors on this board that it can even be hard to get your own resort right at the 11 month time frame..........unless you "walk" the reservation.....

Thoughts are appreciated

 

[dianeschlicht]

Does anybody who's responded here have problem getting 4, 7, 10 days in a row during the 11-7 month period at their own resort? Even in busy times (Spring break, Christmas, etc.)? I've heard some rumors on this board that it can even be hard to get your own resort right at the 11 month time frame..........unless you "walk" the reservation.....

Thoughts are appreciated

We have had no problems from OKW prior to the 7 month window EVER in 12 years of membership. We usually travel for 10 days or more.

BCV will be another story, since that is a very small resort, and while if you call RIGHT AT 11 months for high times (Christmas etc), you will likely get BCV, you might NOT get a 2 bedroom dedicated with 2 queen beds at that point. That's because those rooms are in short supply and high demand. The same might hold true for a GV at OKW during holiday times, but we have never had that issue. AKV concierge is going to be difficult even at 11 months for those holiday times as well. THere are only 5 2 bedroom lock offs in that catagory, so very short supply for high demand. The only ressie of all those that I would even CONSIDER walking is concierge. I think as long as you call at the 11 month window everything else should be availabe from the resorts you are considering. Now, if you had said BWV, the standard view room there will be difficult during holiday times unless you call right at 9 AM of your 11 month booking window.

No one can really say about BLT just yet, but I think as long as you don't HAVE to have MK view or any other specific view, you would be fine. I don't expect that to be continuous high demand.