Blue Card decision for Poly, Copper Creek, or VDH?

[Makai]

I am planning to buy 150 direct points for the Blue Card around February 8, so I can see the next round of incentives, and before that price increase (planning to use the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey VISA for rewards & 12 month 0%). Would you wait for better incentives once LakeShore Lodge is close to opening? Most of the current Blue Card perks do not benefit me, but I also don’t want to be locked out of new and future resorts as a resale owner with the direction Disney is going, and some of my favorite resorts expire in 2042.

I am having trouble deciding between Polynesian, Copper Creek, or VDH. While I love the interior theming of the Polynesian Island Tower rooms, I strongly dislike the Tower exteriors of VDH and PIT, and high rise Marriott style hotels in general. The charm, detail, and high quality that made us all fall in love with the Disney brand, seems to be getting replaced by more boring modern style buildings. However I am still leaning more toward choosing the Polynesian because of the low annual dues, & those beautiful rooms, even if we don’t end up staying there as much. Polynesian was also our first WDW trip stay, so there is an emotional connection for me at that resort, along with Moana being my favorite Disney movie. My guide mentioned that the Tower rooms may be the one needing that 11 month window more so than CCV due to lower inventory of certain room types I would need. I can also get MB with the Poly 150 incentive right now. CCV and Poly are close to the same price until I factor in the MB.

Background:
I am a new DVC owner since July, and bought 60 points resale of Hilton Head Island (a frequent getaway for us being 5 hours away), and Aulani 160 subsidized points , which are my very favorite DVC resorts. We moved from California to the Southeast a few years ago, after living there our entire life, which is why we became owners at Hilton Head Island. I had strongly considered the Disneyland Hotel, where that resort and park was our home away from home as a family for 20 years. As a child it was my dream to stay in the Disneyland Hotel (my parents could not afford it), so our first trip as a family there was at Christmas in 2005.

Sadly though after a 2024 trip to stay at VDH our first time, we did not like the interior of the VDH rooms compared to the higher quality & magical theming of the DL hotel rooms, and they were already looking a little beat up on some areas. Also the DVC tower exterior does not match at all with the other hotel towers. Dues are not so great in comparison to Poly, & after the very disappointing VGC refurb, I am concerned about owning in California. We also don’t need a kitchen on Disneyland trips since we usually do just 2 or 3 days at the parks, & prefer dining out there. Disneyland will be more of a quick trip for us on the way to Hawaii, or visiting family now. We are happy to just pay cash for the Grand Californian or Disneyland Hotel rooms on special offers, but it does hurt a little to pass up this DVC opportunity at one of our favorite & most nostalgic hotels with all the memories there, and DisneylandForward expansion coming.

Factors to consider:
September UY. Cons for me on the Polynesian & VDH are the higher point charts, and how my adult children reacted after our tours. They felt the PIT and VDH rooms looked cheap in quality (although I was stunned by those Poly Island Tower rooms & absolutely LOVE the theming). So we did another DVC tour at the Wilderness Lodge, comparing Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek villas. We all fell in love with the Wilderness Lodge, and it reminds us of our past stays at the Grand Californian. However we all preferred Boulder Ridge to the Copper Creek rooms, and wish CCV was more cabin cozy & charming like Boulder Ridge. The Christmas season is our favorite time to visit WDW, so resort priority at Wilderness Lodge would be great.

My kids are all college age, with most living near us right now, but some could end up out West again in the next 10 years. We plan to move wherever those future grandchildren end up, and will gift them the contracts in our family trust. Currently as a family of 7, we will be staying in 2 bedroom villas the most on reunion trips, & some Grand Villa splurges sprinkled in.

Questions:
I am leaning strongly toward going with Polynesian for the lower dues, higher resale value, 11 month window possibly being more necessary than CCV for those 2 bedrooms, & monorail location. I could then buy a smaller Boulder Ridge resale contract instead of the CCV offer, since we prefer those villas more and bank/borrow points for those Christmas trips every few years. I am hoping they will offer 2042 owners a special rate to buy back in direct there, but wouldn’t buy with that expectation either……

• Am I crazy to pass over VDH with our history there, and continued California visits even though we now go to Florida more? Is there anything I am overlooking?
• What are the future plans or predictions for Wilderness Lodge once LakeShore Lodge opens? Do they plan to open up the walking path to Fort Wilderness from Wilderness Lodge? We love Fort Wilderness Campground so this would be a huge plus.
• Will CCV become more necessary than PIT with needing that 11 month home base priority?
• Should I wait for better incentives? I could use 90 points for an upcoming February/March trip at the Poly, but could also switch resort reservations from a 2 bedroom PIT villa to Boulder Ridge 2 bedroom with the current points I have left.
• I have also considered buying 100 CCV now, and waiting until the summer to buy 100 at Poly to own at both but would lose MB and not sure what to expect the discount incentives will be on 100 points as a member add on.
• With a September UY, when would you buy direct?

 

[davidhr]

From my experience, final price won’t get better with time, so the waiting game is dangerous. Buy when you need it. I don’t think LSL will bring better incentives to other resorts unless they find they have too much inventory.

If you’re comfortable with the point chart, Poly is a good choice.

I find CCV harder to book at 7 months than PIT, but that can change later. But I rarely book 2BRs, so your point might still be true.

My guess is they’ll open the walkway once LSL is done.

 

[Hubalorian]

I am planning to buy 150 direct points for the Blue Card around February 8, so I can see the next round of incentives, and before that price increase (planning to use the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey VISA for rewards & 12 month 0%). Would you wait for better incentives once LakeShore Lodge is close to opening? Most of the current Blue Card perks do not benefit me, but I also don’t want to be locked out of new and future resorts as a resale owner with the direction Disney is going, and some of my favorite resorts expire in 2042.

I am having trouble deciding between Polynesian, Copper Creek, or VDH. While I love the interior theming of the Polynesian Island Tower rooms, I strongly dislike the Tower exteriors of VDH and PIT, and high rise Marriott style hotels in general. The charm, detail, and high quality that made us all fall in love with the Disney brand, seems to be getting replaced by more boring modern style buildings. However I am still leaning more toward choosing the Polynesian because of the low annual dues, & those beautiful rooms, even if we don’t end up staying there as much. Polynesian was also our first WDW trip stay, so there is an emotional connection for me at that resort, along with Moana being my favorite Disney movie. My guide mentioned that the Tower rooms may be the one needing that 11 month window more so than CCV due to lower inventory of certain room types I would need. I can also get MB with the Poly 150 incentive right now. CCV and Poly are close to the same price until I factor in the MB.

Background:
I am a new DVC owner since July, and bought 60 points resale of Hilton Head Island (a frequent getaway for us being 5 hours away), and Aulani 160 subsidized points , which are my very favorite DVC resorts. We moved from California to the Southeast a few years ago, after living there our entire life, which is why we became owners at Hilton Head Island. I had strongly considered the Disneyland Hotel, where that resort and park was our home away from home as a family for 25 years. As a child it was my dream to stay in the Disneyland Hotel (my parents could not afford it), so our first trip as a family there was at Christmas in 2005. Sadly though, we did not like the interior of the VDH rooms compared to the higher quality & magical theming of the hotel rooms, and they were already looking a little beat up on my last visit. Also the DVC tower exterior does not match at all with the other hotel towers. Dues are not so great in comparison to Poly, & after the very disappointing VGC refurb, I am concerned about owning in California. We also don’t need a kitchen on Disneyland trips since we usually do just 2 or 3 days at the parks, & prefer dining out there. Disneyland will be more of a quick trip for us on the way to Hawaii, or visiting family now. We are happy to just pay cash for the Grand Californian or Disneyland Hotel rooms on special offers, but it does hurt a little to pass up this DVC opportunity at one of our favorite & most nostalgic hotels with all the memories there, and DisneylandForward expansion coming.

Factors to consider:
September UY. Cons for me on the Polynesian & VDH are the higher point charts, and how my adult children reacted after our tours. They felt the PIT and VDH rooms looked cheap in quality (although I was stunned by those Poly Island Tower rooms & absolutely LOVE the theming). So we did another DVC tour at the Wilderness Lodge, comparing Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek villas. We all fell in love with the Wilderness Lodge, and it reminds us of our past stays at the Grand Californian. However we all preferred Boulder Ridge to the Copper Creek rooms, and wish CCV was more cabin cozy & charming like Boulder Ridge. The Christmas season is our favorite time to visit WDW, so resort priority at Wilderness Lodge would be great.

My kids are all college age, with most living near us right now, but some could end up out West again in the next 10 years. We plan to move wherever those future grandchildren end up, and will gift them the contracts in our family trust. Currently as a family of 7, we will be staying in 2 bedroom villas the most on reunion trips, & some Grand Villa splurges sprinkled in.

Questions:
I am leaning strongly toward going with Polynesian for the lower dues, higher resale value, 11 month window possibly being more necessary than CCV for those 2 bedrooms, & monorail location. I could then buy a smaller Boulder Ridge resale contract instead of the CCV offer, since we prefer those villas more and bank/borrow points for those Christmas trips every few years. I am hoping they will offer 2042 owners a special rate to buy back in direct there, but wouldn’t buy with that expectation either……

• Am I crazy to pass over VDH with our history there, and continued California visits even though we now go to Florida more? Is there anything I am overlooking?
• What are the future plans or predictions for Wilderness Lodge once LakeShore Lodge opens? Do they plan to open up the walking path to Fort Wilderness from Wilderness Lodge? We love Fort Wilderness Campground so this would be a huge plus.
• Will CCV become more necessary than PIT with needing that 11 month home base priority?
• Should I wait for better incentives? I could use 90 points for an upcoming February/March trip at the Poly, but could also switch resort reservations from a 2 bedroom PIT villa to Boulder Ridge 2 bedroom with the current points I have left.
• I have also considered buying 100 CCV now, and waiting until the summer to buy 100 at Poly to own at both but would lose MB and not sure what to expect the discount incentives will be on 100 points as a member add on.
• With a September UY, when would you buy direct?

I would offer these thinking points:
- Magical Beginnings can be used up until late August for a September use year
- I would split the contracts up into 50 or 75 depending on how many points you buy. If you think any will be passed down, having them broken up helps and if you need to sale, they often get higer per point. Disney will allow up to three splits total per transaction. There is an additional fee of $250 per additional contract.
- CCV (2068) has longer expiration than Poly and waiting for LSL would likely give you a 2075 or 2077 expiration as compared to Polys 2066.
- CCV studios and 2bdr can be very difficult to book during Christmas season. If you want guaranteed access consider a fixed week (can not break up contracts)

 

[AstroBlasters]

I am planning to buy 150 direct points for the Blue Card around February 8, so I can see the next round of incentives, and before that price increase (planning to use the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey VISA for rewards & 12 month 0%). Would you wait for better incentives once LakeShore Lodge is close to opening? Most of the current Blue Card perks do not benefit me, but I also don’t want to be locked out of new and future resorts as a resale owner with the direction Disney is going, and some of my favorite resorts expire in 2042.

I am having trouble deciding between Polynesian, Copper Creek, or VDH. While I love the interior theming of the Polynesian Island Tower rooms, I strongly dislike the Tower exteriors of VDH and PIT, and high rise Marriott style hotels in general. The charm, detail, and high quality that made us all fall in love with the Disney brand, seems to be getting replaced by more boring modern style buildings. However I am still leaning more toward choosing the Polynesian because of the low annual dues, & those beautiful rooms, even if we don’t end up staying there as much. Polynesian was also our first WDW trip stay, so there is an emotional connection for me at that resort, along with Moana being my favorite Disney movie. My guide mentioned that the Tower rooms may be the one needing that 11 month window more so than CCV due to lower inventory of certain room types I would need. I can also get MB with the Poly 150 incentive right now. CCV and Poly are close to the same price until I factor in the MB.

Background:
I am a new DVC owner since July, and bought 60 points resale of Hilton Head Island (a frequent getaway for us being 5 hours away), and Aulani 160 subsidized points , which are my very favorite DVC resorts. We moved from California to the Southeast a few years ago, after living there our entire life, which is why we became owners at Hilton Head Island. I had strongly considered the Disneyland Hotel, where that resort and park was our home away from home as a family for 25 years. As a child it was my dream to stay in the Disneyland Hotel (my parents could not afford it), so our first trip as a family there was at Christmas in 2005. Sadly though, we did not like the interior of the VDH rooms compared to the higher quality & magical theming of the hotel rooms, and they were already looking a little beat up on my last visit. Also the DVC tower exterior does not match at all with the other hotel towers. Dues are not so great in comparison to Poly, & after the very disappointing VGC refurb, I am concerned about owning in California. We also don’t need a kitchen on Disneyland trips since we usually do just 2 or 3 days at the parks, & prefer dining out there. Disneyland will be more of a quick trip for us on the way to Hawaii, or visiting family now. We are happy to just pay cash for the Grand Californian or Disneyland Hotel rooms on special offers, but it does hurt a little to pass up this DVC opportunity at one of our favorite & most nostalgic hotels with all the memories there, and DisneylandForward expansion coming.

Factors to consider:
September UY. Cons for me on the Polynesian & VDH are the higher point charts, and how my adult children reacted after our tours. They felt the PIT and VDH rooms looked cheap in quality (although I was stunned by those Poly Island Tower rooms & absolutely LOVE the theming). So we did another DVC tour at the Wilderness Lodge, comparing Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek villas. We all fell in love with the Wilderness Lodge, and it reminds us of our past stays at the Grand Californian. However we all preferred Boulder Ridge to the Copper Creek rooms, and wish CCV was more cabin cozy & charming like Boulder Ridge. The Christmas season is our favorite time to visit WDW, so resort priority at Wilderness Lodge would be great.

My kids are all college age, with most living near us right now, but some could end up out West again in the next 10 years. We plan to move wherever those future grandchildren end up, and will gift them the contracts in our family trust. Currently as a family of 7, we will be staying in 2 bedroom villas the most on reunion trips, & some Grand Villa splurges sprinkled in.

Questions:
I am leaning strongly toward going with Polynesian for the lower dues, higher resale value, 11 month window possibly being more necessary than CCV for those 2 bedrooms, & monorail location. I could then buy a smaller Boulder Ridge resale contract instead of the CCV offer, since we prefer those villas more and bank/borrow points for those Christmas trips every few years. I am hoping they will offer 2042 owners a special rate to buy back in direct there, but wouldn’t buy with that expectation either……

• Am I crazy to pass over VDH with our history there, and continued California visits even though we now go to Florida more? Is there anything I am overlooking?
• What are the future plans or predictions for Wilderness Lodge once LakeShore Lodge opens? Do they plan to open up the walking path to Fort Wilderness from Wilderness Lodge? We love Fort Wilderness Campground so this would be a huge plus.
• Will CCV become more necessary than PIT with needing that 11 month home base priority?
• Should I wait for better incentives? I could use 90 points for an upcoming February/March trip at the Poly, but could also switch resort reservations from a 2 bedroom PIT villa to Boulder Ridge 2 bedroom with the current points I have left.
• I have also considered buying 100 CCV now, and waiting until the summer to buy 100 at Poly to own at both but would lose MB and not sure what to expect the discount incentives will be on 100 points as a member add on.
• With a September UY, when would you buy direct?

In this case, I would go Poly.

 

[Makai]

From my experience, final price won’t get better with time, so the waiting game is dangerous. Buy when you need it. I don’t think LSL will bring better incentives to other resorts unless they find they have too much inventory.

If you’re comfortable with the point chart, Poly is a good choice.

I find CCV harder to book at 7 months than PIT, but that can change later. But I rarely book 2BRs, so your point might still be true.

My guess is they’ll open the walkway once LSL is done.

The point chart there was shocking for me on this first trip to WDW as a DVC owner (especially after our Hilton Head low point stay in December), but thinking of more split stays with it. My upcoming stay I have booked in February was going to be split with Boulder Ridge to try out the new Poly Island Tower, but I only had enough points for one night there (for Princess Half Marathon Weekend). I can still do the whole stay at Boulder Ridge (unless my wait list goes through for Boardwalk).

Is it better to take the MB offer with Poly, and then borrow points from the 2026 UY for my February night? I am short 90 points for it.

I feel better knowing to just buy now vs waiting for summer deals, so I can get those points on this upcoming trip for an extra night at PIT.

 

[Brian Noble]

Most of the current Blue Card perks do not benefit me, but I also don’t want to be locked out of new and future resorts as a resale owner with the direction Disney is going, and some of my favorite resorts expire in 2042.

Do you need more points for your annual vacations? If not, I think you are trying to solve a problem you do not yet have. And if you don't yet have a problem to solve and you don't love any of the currently offered resorts, I don't think it makes sense to buy.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like Polynesian is a good choice. Those direct points will get you into a room in California if you aren't picky. It seems like LSL is going to be large enough that you won't need to buy to stay there. If you aren't in a rush, you could wait for it to go on sale, though.

 

[Makai]

I would offer these thinking points:
- Magical Beginnings can be used up until late August for a September use year
- I would split the contracts up into 50 or 75 depending on how many points you buy. If you think any will be passed down, having them broken up helps and if you need to sale, they often get higer per point. Disney will allow up to three splits total per transaction. There is an additional fee of $250 per additional contract.
- CCV (2068) has longer expiration than Poly and waiting for LSL would likely give you a 2075 or 2077 expiration as compared to Polys 2066.
- CCV studios and 2bdr can be very difficult to book during Christmas season. If you want guaranteed access consider a fixed week (can not break up contracts)

Great points! I had considered splitting into smaller contracts, but with the new $500 resale fee, wasn’t sure how much value the smaller ones will lose or be impacted by.

I don’t think we would buy at LSL because of how massive it is, along with the resale restrictions vs a legacy smaller resort, unless the price with incentives was much lower than current DVC blue card options. Seems unlikely I would need that 11 month window there. Also will the dues on it be higher than CCV in the Palmetto trust if they include the Fort Wilderness Cabins?

I have not considered a fixed week before and don’t know much about that option. How much extra cost is it? Is it worth doing that if we will not go every year to WDW as a family at Christmas time?

 

[VGCgroupie]

LSL will likely follow suit as far as materials used inside the rooms. Have you stayed any any newly refurbished rooms like BLT or SSR? Eventually all rooms will have the same materials and be somewhat copycats of one another. It seems AKV kept many of its previous items which will help it feel less cheap. I am totally with you on disliking Poly tower, cheap looking fake wood everywhere. Just not nice.

Poly tower 2 beds are very expensive keep that in mind.

Personally I could never pay cash to stay in CA while owning DVC that would just hurt too much. I paid $5500 to stay at VDH one month before buying DVC, I still think about how that $5500 could’ve went towards purchasing a DVC contract. Getting rooms in CA is hard at 7 months and requires just picking whatever days happen to be left so it’s very hard if you want to go for specific dates. VDH dues are more money than Poly yes but to me it’s worth it to have that guaranteed option to stay in CA.

 

[Makai]

Do you need more points for your annual vacations? If not, I think you are trying to solve a problem you do not yet have. And if you don't yet have a problem to solve and you don't love any of the currently offered resorts, I don't think it makes sense to buy.

I will definitely need more points as our family continues to grow with marriages, and grandchildren. I am currently low on points with our Hilton Head trip reserved for July 4th weekend, and the Princess half marathon at WDW. I am hoping to land somewhere around 400-500 points between direct and resale (have 220 in resale contracts right now).

 

[juliebee]

I'm in a similar choice, although in my case it's just my husband and I going to Disney and we stay in studios. Here are the calculations that I did for 150 pts direct using the current discounts mentioned in post 1 of this thread- https://www.disboards.com/threads/winter-dec-25-jan-26-direct-incentives.3976354/


Between Polynesian, Copper Creek, and Disneyland Hotel, you are looking basically at a $1 per point per year difference (for 150 pts). Sometimes the higher cost per point balances out with the lower dues, so consider both costs.
Something that has been heavy on my mind is where will I really use that home resort booking window. At 7 months, all the direct points play the same, so which vacations and which travel times will need the 11 month booking advantage?
Wish you well on your decision!

 

[airjay75]

https://dvcfieldguide.com/polynesian-resort-tour
https://dvcfieldguide.com/copper-creek-resort-tour

According to DVC Field Guide, PIT has 17 dedicated 2 BRs (2 of those are Penthouse). CCV has 56 dedicated 2 BRs. Lock-offs are going to be difficult to get at the 7-month mark at either resort, and dedicated 2 BRs aren't exactly easy either, but I'd say PIT is likely to be significantly harder at the 7-month mark given how few dedicated 2 BRs they have. I do think PIT in general isn't going to be as difficult to get into at the 7-month mark once it is fully declared, but with so few 2 dedicated 2 BRs, those may well remain difficult if you don't own there.

All that said, if 2 BRs are where you eventually see your family ending up, I would personally buy at the resort you see yourself staying at the most. I wouldn't want to own PVB or CCV with the hope of trading those points into a 2 BR at the other resort on a regular basis.

 

[Makai]

LSL will likely follow suit as far as materials used inside the rooms. Have you stayed any any newly refurbished rooms like BLT or SSR? Eventually all rooms will have the same materials and be somewhat copycats of one another. It seems AKV kept many of its previous items which will help it feel less cheap. I am totally with you on disliking Poly tower, cheap looking fake wood everywhere. Just not nice.

Poly tower 2 beds are very expensive keep that in mind.

Personally I could never pay cash to stay in CA while owning DVC that would just hurt too much. I paid $5500 to stay at VDH one month before buying DVC, I still think about how that $5500 could’ve went towards purchasing a DVC contract. Getting rooms in CA is hard at 7 months and requires just picking whatever days happen to be left so it’s very hard if you want to go for specific dates. VDH dues are more money than Poly yes but to me it’s worth it to have that guaranteed option to stay in CA.

I have never stayed at BLT, but I have stayed in the main Contemporary Resort before the refurb. Love the California Grill, and monorail going through there, but it wasn’t a good fit for us theming wise. I have stayed in the Deluxe Studio at SSR since the refurb, and absolutely love those villas! They are gorgeous, and Disney did them right! Animal Kingdom Lodge is in my top 3 favorite resorts, and Animal Kingdom is our favorite park, but they really missed by not having special access into the park from the resort. We loved our stay there in 2020 at a 2 bedroom Kidani Villa, and it’s a wonderful resort for just an escape. I almost bought resale there for our first home resort because we love it so much, but we don’t really need 11 month priority there like Boulder Ridge. I love pretty much all the 14 legacy resorts for different reasons.

I am willing to overlook the cheap fake wood in Poly because the theming was so beautiful, and it really wowed me when I toured it. But with VDH I did not like the castle headboard, and overall vibe of the room. The bathroom was pretty though. We actually prefer the theming of the older tower hotel rooms, with carpet, and beautiful headboards. The VDH lobby is stunning though, and loved the vibe walking around the Tower. I would likely never book VDH on cash, just the main hotel connecting rooms or suites in the Fantasy Tower, Adventure Tower, or Frontier Tower on a discounted rate, if I couldn’t get in at the 7 month mark at VDH. But you are right that having the guarantee there might make it worth those extra dues. I need to run the numbers again….

 

[VGCgroupie]

I have never stayed at BLT, but I have stayed in the main Contemporary Resort before the refurb. Love the California Grill, and monorail going through there, but it wasn’t a good fit for us theming wise. I have stayed in the Deluxe Studio at SSR since the refurb, and absolutely love those villas! They are gorgeous, and Disney did them right! Animal Kingdom Lodge is in my top 3 favorite resorts, and Animal Kingdom is our favorite park, but they really missed by not having special access into the park from the resort. We loved our stay there in 2020 at a 2 bedroom Kidani Villa, and it’s a wonderful resort for just an escape. I almost bought resale there for our first home resort because we love it so much, but we don’t really need 11 month priority there like Boulder Ridge. I love pretty much all the 14 legacy resorts for different reasons.

I am willing to overlook the cheap fake wood in Poly because the theming was so beautiful, and it really wowed me when I toured it. But with VDH I did not like the castle headboard, and overall vibe of the room. The bathroom was pretty though. We actually prefer the theming of the older tower hotel rooms, with carpet, and beautiful headboards. The VDH lobby is stunning though, and loved the vibe walking around the Tower. I would likely never book VDH on cash, just the main hotel connecting rooms or suites in the Fantasy Tower, Adventure Tower, or Frontier Tower on a discounted rate, if I couldn’t get in at the 7 month mark at VDH. But you are right that having the guarantee there might make it worth those extra dues. I need to run the numbers again….

Funny enough when I booked VDH in 2024 for cash w/discount it was cheaper than the normal Disneyland Hotel rooms were w/discount. (studios)

 

[Makai]

I'm in a similar choice, although in my case it's just my husband and I going to Disney and we stay in studios. Here are the calculations that I did for 150 pts direct using the current discounts mentioned in post 1 of this thread- https://www.disboards.com/threads/winter-dec-25-jan-26-direct-incentives.3976354/
View attachment 1035366

Between Polynesian, Copper Creek, and Disneyland Hotel, you are looking basically at a $1 per point per year difference (for 150 pts). Sometimes the higher cost per point balances out with the lower dues, so consider both costs.
Something that has been heavy on my mind is where will I really use that home resort booking window. At 7 months, all the direct points play the same, so which vacations and which travel times will need the 11 month booking advantage?
Wish you well on your decision!

Yep, we are in the same dilemma! Love your analysis here, and will take a look at that thread. I am in love with those beautiful new Polynesian 2 bedrooms (and low dues), but with my kids preferring Boulder Ridge, I worry they will be confused about why I bought the Poly over Wilderness Lodge since they likely will not get in the weeds on this like we do here about dues, resale value, etc. I need at least one of my kids to love the DVC world like I do and want to learn it all. I am 52, so the reality is the contracts will be in their hands. My guide believes the Poly will be the toughest to snag 2 bedroom villas at 7 months……

 

[Makai]

Funny enough when I booked VDH in 2024 for cash w/discount it was cheaper than the normal Disneyland Hotel rooms were w/discount. (studios)

I think my VDH stay in 2024 (November) was less cost than the main hotel too with the special offer! I forgot about that.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I think my VDH stay in 2024 (November) was less cost than the main hotel too with the special offer! I forgot about that.

But if I were paying cash I can say I would stay at the DLH and pay more. If they had only brought the same theming and the light up headboards to VDH

 

[MICKIMINI]

Reading between (your) lines I'd say go with 150 Poly! Location, location, location!

 

[Wedgeout]

Don’t make a decision on dues. Future dues amounts could be a complete opposite for any of the resorts. A Hero now, a Zero later on. Never know.

Don’t buy a sold out resort direct. Active sales will get you the best current pricing. (The point charts do come into play for how many points you buy. The minimum 150 might not be enough, in this current high end points chart era).

Don’t think you have enough connection to VDH for that choice. (Emotional, vacation pattern, and residence location). Will have plenty of 7 month planning options there.

Definitely true that access to most PIT tower room categories will required 11 month priority ownership. (Unless only doing short stays).

Only wait for LSL if you have a better connection with Fort Wilderness for your lodging location over PVB, a majority of your vacation trips.

PVB is my overall pick for your direct purchase.

 

[juliebee]

Yep, we are in the same dilemma! Love your analysis here, and will take a look at that thread. I am in love with those beautiful new Polynesian 2 bedrooms (and low dues), but with my kids preferring Boulder Ridge, I worry they will be confused about why I bought the Poly over Wilderness Lodge since they likely will not get in the weeds on this like we do here about dues, resale value, etc. I need at least one of my kids to love the DVC world like I do and want to learn it all. I am 52, so the reality is the contracts will be in their hands. My guide believes the Poly will be the toughest to snag 2 bedroom villas at 7 months……

I'm in my 50s also and Boulder Ridge is one of our favorites and where our current points are. My kids are adults but aren't big into Disney and don't travel with us, so I approach this without their input. Not that you want to totally disregard your kid's opinions, but when you pay- your opinion is what matters most.

For me, I think I will love LSL- but I don't want to own there if it's part of the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. Those dues are beyond high and concern me about how the dues will be for LSL. I also have zero interest in the cabins, so to me if they are combined that is a negative. Because of that, I've decided to not wait for LSL to go on sale. The common thought is there will be enough rooms that the home resort booking window won't be required.