Bonnet Creek has me questioning my DVC contract

[JimMIA]

Where is the property located, this would greatly appeal to us.

Also - just so you know - we bought Smoky Mountains for the low maintenance fees, not because we especially want to stay there.

 

[LimoFam5]

DVC points chart knows NO inflation. The points chart will always remain pretty much the same. The prices at these resorts over 50 years will for sure go up..........how much, not sure??????
I like that with Disney the points chart over 50 years will always mean the same to me. I can take the same vacation year after year.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Also - just so you know - we bought Smoky Mountains for the low maintenance fees, not because we especially want to stay there.

We don't have any other time share, but we love the Great Smoky Mountain NP and the area.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I do always drive, so transportation wouldn't be an issue but I have always used Disney transportation. I have only driven to a park twice in my 10 or so stays. Transportation is big issue for me and one of the reasons I love onsite.

I'm more thinking out loud here than anything and what better place in the world to get knowledgeable feedback! My MIL has Wyndham points that could be used there, actually she has more than she can use. I may at some point give it a try just to see how I like it. Even if I did like BC, I'd just rent since I don't have any interest in buying.

We don't like driving a lot once we get to Disney either. That is partly why we love staying at Epcot area resorts.

 

[Dean]

I was checking out a Bonnet Creek thread and can't believe how inexpensively you can stay there. I am planning for a trip next year during the first week of June. I own 180 points, a 2 BDR at SSR my home resort for 5 nights during that time is 215 points, if I decide to stay for an entire week it is 313 points.

If I can get a two bedroom at the 60 day mark at Bonnet Creek it is $120 per night. Seven nights for $840, my maintenance fees alone are $802 per year. The photos of the 2 bedrooms looks every bit as nice if not nicer than the DVC villas I've stayed at.

I guess the biggest question is whether the benefits of staying at DVC resorts is worth staying with. I obviously thought so when I first bought my contract. I do really my DVC stays and was probably as thrilled as anyone can be when we first joined. We've stayed at BWV, SSR, VWL and VB, enjoyed them all particularly BWV and VB.

The point reallocation really hit us pretty hard since we have a small contract and were planning on getting as much as we could going Sun-Thurs. I don't really feel disillusioned but my DVC contract just doesn't seem to have the same value that it once did. I am truly struggling with this and am trying to decide whether I should sell my contract. Anyone else feeling this way?

I like BC fine and it is a good alternative to an "on site" stay. However, I don't think the 2 BR units are quite as nice as the DVC ones (close though) though the 4 BR ones are nicer. IMO DVC is a high cost option but one that is worth it for many. Fortunately I've been able to have it both ways by trading in. Often I'll make a direct reservation then if I can trade in, I'll cancel and rent the points or just rent the direct reservation. Wyndham is a much better single option if you want to do WDW and other places both. A combo of a smaller DVC contract and some other timeshares can be a great fit. We're about 80/20% on property but 5/95% or less actually using our points for those Orlando stays.

 

[Sammie]

I like BC fine and it is a good alternative to an "on site" stay. However, I don't think the 2 BR units are quite as nice as the DVC ones (close though) though the 4 BR ones are nicer. IMO DVC is a high cost option but one that is worth it for many. Fortunately I've been able to have it both ways by trading in. Often I'll make a direct reservation then if I can trade in, I'll cancel and rent the points or just rent the direct reservation. Wyndham is a much better single option if you want to do WDW and other places both. A combo of a smaller DVC contract and some other timeshares can be a great fit. We're about 80/20% on property but 5/95% or less actually using our points for those Orlando stays.

Thanks, that is probably what we are going to aim for. Luckily our DVC contracts are small ones so we hopefully can sell.

 

[mkarizona]

Brian, thanks for posting the link to the resort directory. I spent most of Friday afternoon trying to figure out how to access it. If I hadn't printed out a page I would think I imagined it.

 

[tjkraz]

But I could certainly stomach a few days "off-site" (barely)

These are both examples of my bottom-line assessment: for some, there's Disney, and there's "not Disney." If that describes you, then it really doesn't matter that Wyndham is less expensive because, well, it's "not Disney."

Just to clarify my comment above to which you responded, I didn't actually intend to say that I could barely tolerate staying off-site, rather I meant to say that I could certainly tolerate a resort which was barely off site. Poor choice of words on my part.

If I have any disenchantment with DVC it's that I don't view being "on site" as being as beneficial as I once did. Having a car at WDW is almost a pre-requisite for us. I've stayed at the BoardWalk many times and have come to realize that the need to walk 15-20 minutes to a theme park often outweighs the value of being so close those parks.

A resort like the Grand Californian truly has a leg up on nearby competition with the ability to walk right into a park. But I don't feel the same about any Walt Disney World resort.

As I said, I wouldn't want to give up the DVC altogether. But Wyndham is an intriguing way to get economical One and Two Bedroom villas in other parts of the US, while having Bonnet Creek as a nice fallback if we decide to just add another Disney trip instead of going elsewhere.

Yes and no. They have "reservation credits."

You get a certain number free each year, depending on the number of points you own (1 per 77K points). One reservation credit covers all transactions you do in one day, so you can do multiple things (e.g. make a reservation, change a reservation, deposit points to RCI, etc) for one credit .

If you run out (which doesn't seem to be a problem for most if they plan well), you can buy more for $30 for online transactions or $59 for telephone transactions.

They have a similar system for housekeeping credits, but those don't seem to be a factor unless you take a lot of very short trips.

What happens if you have less than 77k points? No free reservation credits?

 

[Brian Noble]

Is your room there clean, does everything work, that is what I call service.

Generally, yes. Each resort is managed more or less separately, though, so it can vary.

I don't think the 2 BR units are quite as nice as the DVC ones (close though)

Interesting. I think the WBC units themselves are actually better configured for the most part. It really bugs me that most 2BRs anywhere in DVC's orlando resorts don't have a dining table that can fit more than four people, and that OKW is the only resort with ice makers. We just got back from our first stay at VWL in a 2BR. It worked great for our family of four. It would be tight with six. I can't imagine putting eight in one. A 2BR at BC would be pretty comfortable for six, and a squeeze but doable with eight. (Again, OKW is the exception here. Perhaps that's the reason why we like it so much there?)

What happens if you have less than 77k points? No free reservation credits?

Good question. I think everyone gets at least one; I could be wrong. But, it probably doesn't make sense to own such a small deed. It's not enough to book much of anything, and at that point level, closing costs and transfer costs would dominate, and you'd effectively own an albatross.

 

[Sammie]

Not at all true. Bonnet Creek is part of the "Club Wyndham Plus" timeshare program, a points-based program that in some ways has a setup similar to DVC. You have points deeded at a particular resort, with a home resort priority period, and also a period where you can use your points at *any* resort with availability. Wyndham has *more* options than DVC---with Club resorts in more than 40 different locations in the US.

Edited: here's a link to the resort directory. The Affiliate and Associate resorts have very little inventory in the system, and can be safely ignored, but that still leaves a large set of resorts to choose from.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wyndham/memberdirectory0910/

Thanks for the link, some fabulous places, many we are familar with like Magestic Sun in Destin.

 

[tjkraz]

Good question. I think everyone gets at least one; I could be wrong. But, it probably doesn't make sense to own such a small deed. It's not enough to book much of anything, and at that point level, closing costs and transfer costs would dominate, and you'd effectively own an albatross.

I only ask because I was just flipping through eBay listings and saw one for 70K points. Wouldn't go any smaller than that...80k - 100k is probably more realistic.

Not that I'm on the verge of placing a bid but it seems like we could do quite a bit with that if we bought for every-other-year use. It wouldn't get me to Hawaii, but even a 1B at Bonnet Creek starts at just 84k for a week.

 

[ems_mom]

Are BC sales for fixed weeks? My SIL can't swing DVC just yet but BC seems a good alternative. Just wondered if it offers the scheduling flexibility DVC does?

 

[Brian Noble]

Look carefully at the MF/K ratio as well, Tim. Some of those small-point deeds end up having *very* high per-point fees. It can vary by as much as a factor of two at resorts that were original sold as fixed weeks, and later converted to points. Edited to add: plus the costs to go from a 1BR to a 2BR are small. If you have kids---or, someday you might---there is no reason to skimp on a 1BR with Wyndham resale.

ems_mom: Bonnet is a UDI (undivided interest) resort, and is point-based. The Wyndham point system isn't quite as flexible as DVC's, but it isn't half bad. But, as I wrote earlier, if your only interest in Wyndham is Bonnet, you are probably better off renting from a mega-owner.

 

[drusba]

The only thing I've heard about Bonnet Creek is that they've got a great golf course, and since Disney is closing golf courses, not building new ones, DH is a little grumbly. And he hasn't figured out how you can play golf at Bonnet Creek unless you're staying there. Is their course just for the members?

The Waldorf Astoria owns the course not Wyndham. It is open to the public.

 

[gkrykewy]

I've stayed at the BoardWalk many times and have come to realize that the need to walk 15-20 minutes to a theme park often outweighs the value of being so close

Really? That's gotta be one of the nicest 15 minute walks in the country. If you hate that, you must really hate having to walk around the parks all day.

 

[JimMIA]

I only ask because I was just flipping through eBay listings and saw one for 70K points. Wouldn't go any smaller than that...80k - 100k is probably more realistic.

Not that I'm on the verge of placing a bid but it seems like we could do quite a bit with that if we bought for every-other-year use. It wouldn't get me to Hawaii, but even a 1B at Bonnet Creek starts at just 84k for a week.

Also be aware that there are some every-other-year (EOY) contracts...either Odd year or Even. You pay maintenance fees each month, but they are half and you only get points every other year. If you see a contract on eBay where it looks like the dues are $2-$3 per K, you're usually looking at either an EOY contract or a mistake.

A larger EOY contract might work better than a small annual contract you are planning on using EOY, because banking is quite different with Wyndham. You either "credit pool" before your UY starts (and then the points are good for TWO years) or you wait until near the end (usually last month) and deposit the points in usable chunks into RCI for exchanges over the following two years.

 

[JimMIA]

Not that I'm on the verge of placing a bid but...

Before you think about bidding, I'd do three things:

First, go to the TUG Wyndham forum and read the 10 Part Advice Articles (http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59141).

You'll have some difficulty wading through it (not as well-done as your DVC articles), but the series is pretty well done -- just a little wordy and long. When you finish that, you should have a pretty good idea of how the Wyndham points system works. You can't really decide how many points you need or where you want them without understanding the system first.

Second, lose the concept of home resort importance unless there is one special place where you really, really want to stay during a peak period (Daytona-race week, Nawlin's-Mardi Gras, etc). Except for really peak periods, the home resort is not really needed, so most people recommend the "Points is points" approach. If that's your objective, you are looking for low MFs rather than a specific location.

And finally, before you bid, set up some eBay searches for resorts you are interested in buying and watch the auctions for a while. I set up a search for each state that had a resort of interest so I hopefully would not miss anything. Those searches were key to our success.

One thing you'll see with eBay timeshare auctions is there is either no interest or the auction just goes nuts. If you watch a few, you'll be able to tell the difference. When the bidding is active, the issue is going to be decided in the last few seconds by automatic bid, so study up on that.

Also, be patient. If you don't get the contract you want, another will come along in a day or two.

 

[tjkraz]

Really? That's gotta be one of the nicest 15 minute walks in the country. If you hate that, you must really hate having to walk around the parks all day.

I'm not sure I would favorably compare a 20-minute walk alongside a canal (and under a major roadway) to a stroll down Main Street USA. The walk to Epcot is a little better due to the resort theming but when you get right down to it, it's still just a walk past a handful of stores and restaurants.

If I were the type to spend 75% of my vacation time hanging out in the World Showcase, then I would probably have a higher opinion of the resort's proximity. As it is, staying at BWV still means that 2/3 of my destinations (MK, AK, DTD, waterparks) are a bus or car ride away. And those 15-20 minute walks can be particularly grueling after spending 6 hours criss-crossing an enormous theme park.

The location of the Grand Californian is truly an on-site perk for Disneyland. As for the DVC's at WDW--not so much in my opinion. More than half of our WDW stays have been at OKW and SSR, and Bonnet Creek seems similar in many ways. We would lose some on-site perks but none are things that we would struggle to live without: early entry--rarely use it; DDP purchase--used once; package delivery--never use it; Magical Express--used once.

 

[cseca]

OP, thanks so much for posting this question.
I too had stumbled in to the BC thread and am extremely curious. But from what we've read unfortunately/fortunately for us the inconvinience of being "offsite" completely outweigh the cost right now.
I would love to hear more comparison reports from DVC owners who stays at BC.

 

[Brian Noble]

It's funny, Tim, because I think of DVC's "home court advantage" in Orlando to be much *stronger* than it is in Anaheim. Orlando has much clearer demarcation between "on" and "off", while the WorldMark Anaheim is just around the corner from the Esplanade, not even a one mile walk. The GC is right next door, but there are still visual intrusions from there---something that is rare in Orlando.

On the other hand, the strength of Orlando is also its weakness---nothing is close to everything, so a well-located non-Disney property can be just as convenient, provided you don't mind driving.