BLT Resale or VGF Direct

[Tymeece]

I am a 1st time buyer. I have done a bunch of research. Looking to buy 250-300 points. I can’t decide wether to go for a BLT resale for 159ish a point or VGF direct 150 pts then add on more VGF in resale. The current discount is appealing and not sure if I’ll want that blue card someday down the road. I like both resorts and would stay in either. I like VGF a tad better but points wise I like BLT and I am sure it will get a refurb in years to come.

 

[kilik64]

I'd do both. VGF direct to get 150 (or more) direct points that wont be restricted, and then if you were wanting BLT as a home resort (helps getting standard studios, otherwise you can generally find availability at 7 months for lake view studios or 1br etc), get the rest resale there.

If you are doing all VGF, I might just go full direct to not have to worry later about having enough qualified points to stay at new resorts that come along if that matters to you. With the current incentives the price gap is not so large if you put all your eggs in one basket at VGF and got 250 there. 189 per point direct is still a solid deal, VGF was going for that or more per point prior to the new offering.

edit: back of napkin quick math BLT 100 and vgf 150 combo is 45,750. All VGF direct 250 with incentives is 47,250. Yea VGF direct for all of it from a strictly total cost standpoint.

 

[RoseGold]

I agree with @kilik64 assuming you care about the priority at BLT, which is meaningful. If you don't, then I would go all VGF.

There is A LOT on the resale market right now, and you should be able to negotiate on BLT.

 

[KTownRaider]

I'll pile on and agree with others- I would (and did) do a split between VGF and BLT. I see value in owning both. BLT has the lowest point chart and (IMHO) best location on the monorail loop. BLT's Standard point stretching rooms can be challenge at 7 months if you're trying to string more than 1-2 nights together. I also think owning at VGF will increasingly become more necessary if you want to access to Standard point rooms in the original DVC building (includes all 1&2 BR units and deluxe studios w/kitchenette), especially during busy times of the year (Fall/Christmas/Spring Break).

For a 300 point plunge, I might do 125 BLT & 175 VGF (direct) if you want to account for VGF's more expensive chart (and incidentally qualify for the next tier of marginal incentives). Both are great properties with the low dues, long contracts, good rental market, and very different vibes. Depending on how often (and when) you go and what size accommodation you book, an alternating every other year VGF/BLT strategy using banking could work very nicely.

 

[RamblinWreck]

If you're going to go direct VGF, you might as well do all VGF to take advantage of the incentives.

However, if you have eyes on standard view rooms at BLT, you should own there. You will want to own there. It should continue to be easier to book into VGF with your BLT points than it will be to book standard view BLT with VGF points.

 

[Tymeece]

If you're going to go direct VGF, you might as well do all VGF to take advantage of the incentives.

However, if you have eyes on standard view rooms at BLT, you should own there. You will want to own there. It should continue to be easier to book into VGF with your BLT points than it will be to book standard view BLT with VGF points.

Are 1BR standard view BLT tough to get at the 7 month mark for peak times?

 

[Tymeece]

I'd do both. VGF direct to get 150 (or more) direct points that wont be restricted, and then if you were wanting BLT as a home resort (helps getting standard studios, otherwise you can generally find availability at 7 months for lake view studios or 1br etc), get the rest resale there.

If you are doing all VGF, I might just go full direct to not have to worry later about having enough qualified points to stay at new resorts that come along if that matters to you. With the current incentives the price gap is not so large if you put all your eggs in one basket at VGF and got 250 there. 189 per point direct is still a solid deal, VGF was going for that or more per point prior to the new offering.

edit: back of napkin quick math BLT 100 and vgf 150 combo is 45,750. All VGF direct 250 with incentives is 47,250. Yea VGF direct for all of it from a strictly total cost standpoint.

Really good thoughts here. Thanks!

 

[take36]

Which rooms for VGF "must" be booked at the 11 month mark?

 

[kilik64]

Which rooms for VGF "must" be booked at the 11 month mark?

No one knows right now. Its studio heavy now, but not fully sold and declared yet for the resorts. Some people will be fine with those, some will prefer the Deluxe studios. Could be the deluxe studios become super hard to get. Wont know for a while really I think.

 

[take36]

ok make sense, say I like a 1BR on the monorail, I should focus on a BLT contract?

 

[kilik64]

ok make sense, say I like a 1BR on the monorail, I should focus on a BLT contract?

I would, the point chart is significantly cheaper vs VGF. Owning BLT should mean you can easily get a 1BR standard at 11 months which is where the pricing difference has the most impact. Lake view 1br BLT is cheaper than standard 1br at VGF too.

Strictly from a points cost view, BLT is the clear winner for 1BR on the monorail.

 

[KTownRaider]

ok make sense, say I like a 1BR on the monorail, I should focus on a BLT contract?

I'll add- If you want general access to 1BR, BLT would be my focus (VGF/Poly for studios). BLT has a better chart and better availability (~140 1BRs vs VGF's 47). Also, VGF is in active sales and currently adding new owners without adding any 1BR inventory (only 'resort' studios). Some here believe this will make larger units harder to book as more owners are added. Others think some people will downgrade to studios and free up 1BRs. A simple search will reveal a TON of threads/posts if you want to read more on this topic.

The only other x factor I can see is the new Poly 2 Tower (expected late '24). No room breakdown has been provided, but it's widely believed it'll have a mix of studio/1BR/2BR units... Even then however, it hard for me to see anything beating BLT given it's inevitably favorable point chart.

 

[RamblinWreck]

ok make sense, say I like a 1BR on the monorail, I should focus on a BLT contract?

If you are looking to get the most nights in a 1 BR on the monorail, for the least amount of money, then yes a BLT contract is the way to go. That's the only way to reliably get the standard view 1 BR's.

If you don't care about standard view vs lake view, you can buy Saratoga Springs really. You're obviously safer owning one of the actual monorail resorts, because you can lock in at 11 months. But unless you are targeting one of the 3 or so most in demand weeks of the year, you shouldn't have an issue booking 1 bedrooms of some view category between VGF or BLT.

 

[Tymeece]

I don't know about "at the 11 month mark", specifically, but typically if you were looking at standard view studios you would want to be able to book them before the 7 month mark.

View attachment 674498



1 bedroom accommodations at Grand Floridian have typically been quite easy to come by at the 7 month window. Especially if you aren't married to a particular travel date. This may change (for better or for worse) with the new expansion to the resort.

View attachment 674500

Really good stuff thanks

 

[Sandisw]

i am just going to remind people that you must include a link to a business you want to discuss, If the site is blocked, please do not share info from that site, or include hints to find it.

Please refer to these rules.


Thread 'PLEASE post a link to any business or site you wish to mention or discuss'
https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-site-you-wish-to-mention-or-discuss.3821851/

 

[TCRAIG]

Are 1BR standard view BLT tough to get at the 7 month mark for peak times?

Yes - and not necessarily just at peak times - unless all you want is a day or 2 or willing to gamble on WL/stalking…

 

[sethschroeder]

I am swayed by disliking BLT anesthetics. I have toured those rooms during the pandemic when they had rooms at each resort and it was dead last of any room.

It does have have easier walking to MK over VGF but not some massive distance.

VGF do have the huge perks of having better pools, access to the 2nd best resort QS (Capt Cooks only behind Primo at RIV), and walking access over to the TTC so you don't need to change monorails to get to Epcot (which Epcot we go to many evenings because it has lots of food options and we never really rope drop it when stay at BWV or RIV).

Downside to VGF might be that long term 2BR might be harder to get simply because of the influx of studio points.

 

[sethschroeder]

If you don't care about standard view vs lake view, you can buy Saratoga Springs really.

Be prepared to not be able to easily stay anywhere other than SSR, OKW, and AKV come 2042 if you buy resale sleep around points.

I have done all the math and breakdowns of what is expiring in the past. You are losing a ton of rooms from close to the parks and those resorts further from parks that require bussing with take up a larger majority of rooms open to resale owners.

 

[Tymeece]

I am swayed by disliking BLT anesthetics. I have toured those rooms during the pandemic when they had rooms at each resort and it was dead last of any room.

It does have have easier walking to MK over VGF but not some massive distance.

VGF do have the huge perks of having better pools, access to the 2nd best resort QS (Capt Cooks only behind Primo at RIV), and walking access over to the TTC so you don't need to change monorails to get to Epcot (which Epcot we go to many evenings because it has lots of food options and we never really rope drop it when stay at BWV or RIV).

Downside to VGF might be that long term 2BR might be harder to get simply because of the influx of studio points.

Aesthetic isn’t the best at BLT and I am not a fan of studios there. I will mostly be using the 1BR there and that is where my problem lies. My family uses the washer/dryer. 1BR at VGF compared to BLT is drastically different. 7-11points different a night. On a 4 night stay your talking 28-44 points difference. A week stay 49-77 points. I have a fear that 1BR and/or even 2BR will be a challenge at VGF in the future. The BLT chart is where I keep coming back to at this point. I assume it will also get a refurbishment in the somewhat near future.

 

[sethschroeder]

I will mostly be using the 1BR there and that is where my problem lies.

Will you do that long term? Also are you dead set on walking to MK?

What about waiting on POLY info and possibly going resale there or waiting for direct as they will have 1BRs most likely from the sounds of it?

Alternatively what about going BWV which has fairly reasonable 1BRs? I know its Epcot/HS then but long term would your family grow in to it a little more? You possibly could still use your BWV points at times over at BLT in Lake View 1BRs.

Another option is what about going to CCV/BRV instead? That resort is amazing but you would just need to boat.

1BRs in general though are the worst "value" of all of DVC.