BCV or VWL...which do I buy?

[disneydenisel]

So we are definitely trying to buy DVC points at BCV. But I'm thinking that the currrent contract may get taken by ROFR (it's 100 pts) so I'm wondering if I should buy at VWL (175 pts). Or just look for another BCV contract that's 150 or higher. I've heard that Disney tends to take the small contracts (<150) if someone is a first-timer. We'd need to use the 11-month window to try and book a school vacation week, so where I buy is important! Most likely we'd go during President's Week (February) or Thanksgiving (November).

We stayed at BCV in November with our 3 and 6 year olds. We loved the location and the bus service (never had to wait more than 10 minutes). Check-in was slow and our refrigerator was broken, but otherwise it was a fine stay. We only visited SAB for about an hour, but it seemed fun. It was a little too cool to swim much. We took the boat to EPCOT once and walked there twice. We went to AK twice and MK three times with the kids. We didn't get to visit WL, but from what I read, it's great!

I like the idea of being close to MK if we buy at VWL. It sounds like the pool area is nice, and that there are trails to walk through and nature to see. But when we want to visit EPCOT or AK, will it take forever to get there using Disney transporation?

Given the times of year that we will be going, do you have any suggestions on which resort might make more sense? I suppose the other option would be to buy at whichever one I can and then if I want to stay at the other one at the 11-month window, find another DVCer to trade with?! If you transfer points from another member, do the points keep the home resort priority of the original member, or does that get lost? In other words, if I was able to get someone to transfer me 300 pts at VWL and I owned at BCV, would those points have the 11-month VWL window?

 

[debbie in Seattle]

With the influx of Saratoga Springs being so large, buy where you want to stay. I think in the future, getting into other resorts at that 7 month or less window is going to get harder and harder. I own at BCV and love the location (but then our kids are grown) and couldn't imagine owning nor staying anywhere else.

 

[Wendy1953]

Don't ask me ....we bought both!

 

[highlander]

I agree that you should buy where you want to stay. I found that Disney was picking up VWL contracts since they have a line of people willing to pay $92 per point. I'd suggest offering a price close to what SSR is selling for instead of the asking price. Otherwise, you're going to go through ROFR many times.

 

[bicker]

Another vote for buying where you want to stay. We bought at BWV and then did an add-on at VWL to ensure that at least once every three years we could stay there.

 

[littlestar]

We bought points at VWL and BCV (also 55 at BWV, as we wanted to be able to pick up a standard view studio at times - less points).

We LOVE the theme of the VWL and Bay Lake and being close to the Magic Kingdom. I also LOVE BCV - the location (and the rooms in the regular Yacht and Beach Club hotels are VERY expensive on cash so points at BCV are worth a lot in my opinion).

If you do a transfer from another member, the points are supposed to keep their resort identity. We have an August use year and when we've received transfers I always try to get the points from another member with an August use year. And if I get BCV points, I have them transferred into my BCV contract to keep it simple. Likewise VWL points - I have them transferred into my VWL contract. Although, I have had OKW points transferred to me and they did keep their OKW identity (but DVC Member Services had to double check that before they would book OKW for me at the 8 month window).

I think the bus service at VWL is better to Epcot and Animal Kingdom than what the bus service from BCV or BWV is to the Magic Kingdom. Sometimes the BCV takes longer and may be more crowded because it shares a bus with the Swan and Dolphin. Of course, you can walk to Epcot from BCV very easily - so that is great.

Hopefully your 100 point contract will go through for BCV. If not, try for a larger one. I think BCV points may be worth more because of how much it costs to stay in the regular Yacht and Beach Club hotels. VWL is great, but it doesn't cost as much to stay in the regular Wilderness Lodge hotel on cash as it does to stay in the Yacht and Beach hotels. We are actually on a wait list with Disney for some more BCV points. That said, VWL is still my favorite of all because of the theming, Bay Lake, and being close to the Magic Kingdom. We have 200 points at VWL, 85 (hoping for more) at BCV, and 55 at BWV.

Here are some sites with pictures of BCV and VWL:

http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/g_bcv.htm
http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/g_wlv.htm
http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/g_wl.htm

Good luck!

P.S. I saw a post of yours where you said you own at Westin Kaanapali on Maui - wow, that place is amazing. We walked down the beach from the Mahana and looked at the Westin Kaanapali Villas last Spring and it was beautiful. I LOVE Maui. Even with a Starwood discount, that Westin for a studio still ran around $400 a night. It was gorgeous.

 

[disneydenisel]

Wow, it really sounds like I should just get the first contract at either one and then buy another contract at the other ! Now to find some money....if this current California storm was dropping dollars, I'd be rich! Part of our fence blew down yesterday (there goes more money!).

I really, really want to be a DVC member. It sounds like I can't go wrong with either, so I'll see which one I can get. Thanks, everyone!

P.S. Westin Ka'anapali is a very relaxing resort. Small, peaceful, our home away from home (we need one more with DVC!).

 

[littlestar]

Another thing to keep in mind is the size of the units you want to be able to book at the 11 month window. We've got 200 points at VWL and we like to book a one bedroom there using the 11 or 10 month window. The other lesser amounts of points we bought at BCV and BWV are used for studios (usually Sunday through Thursdays) and then if I want any weekends (Friday or Saturday at BCV or BWV) I can usually get those with some extra VWL points left over at the 7 month window or less. Sunday through Thursdays book up first at the 11 month window is what I'm trying to say (because they are less points than the weekends). Of course, holidays may be different. But we usually go in the off-season and this strategy has worked for us.

Some people bank and borrow and make that work for the 11 month window also.

P. S. Loved the beach for snorkeling in front of the Westin Kaanapali Villas. We saw turtles and lots of fish. That whole stretch of beach from the Mahana to the Westin is pretty much deserted and it has great snorkeling. I told my husband I wish DVC would build something on that stretch of beach. I've heard it called Airport Beach - don't know the exact name.

 

[DemoBri1]

At this stage it sounds as though you're more inclined to go to MK more than Epcot or MGM because your children are young, but...they will grow older and I think what you have to base your decision on is where you'd like to be located the majority of your vacations.

BCV is much more centrally located along with BWV. The VWL is a beautiful area. We just stayed there off points in the WL and thoroughly enjoyed our stay, however, I did miss the hustle and bustle of the Epcot/Boardwalk area. It's really neat that if you have some free time on an evening to either walk over to World Showcase, the Boardwalk, or hop a boat to MGM. At VWL, you're pretty much relegated to some sort of transportation option anywhere you want to go.

Another plus in my mind for BCV or BWV would be the many eatery choices that you have between the Boardwalk restaurants and the restaurants within the YC/BC resort complex. At VWL you basically have three choices: Whispering Canyon, Artist Pointe, and Roaring Forks which is basically counter service type of snack shop (although some of the food here isn't all that bad).

So...would you rather have a secluded wilderness area, or be a bit more centrally located and have various options on a given evening?

Brian

 

[jade1]

Don't ask me ....we bought both!

Same here. At least either one will be nice trade bait if you want to.