Booking outside of your home resort questions??

[DisneyDotts]

Hey Everyone,

So I'm still in the process of trying to decide which home resort to choose from. It's between Poly, Beach Club or Bay Lake. If we had to stay at 1 resort every time it's a toss up between Poly or BC. The max# of points I want is 100. So we plan to go every year or every other year. We also have another FL timeshare that we can stay at during non-Disney stays or if we run out of points via banking / borrowing. My question is, if we like going in May ( higher points ) or Sept ( lower points ) is booking another resort other then our home resort relatively easy within the 7 months? Looking for advice on either studios or 1 beds as I have read that sometimes booking 1 beds are easier. Also are higher point weeks easier to book @ non-home resorts? Oh we aren't set on only going during May / Sept, we just like the crowd levels during these times.

Thanks
Dorothy

 

[Louis morrell]

Here is what you are looking for
https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-studios-1-bedrooms-june-2018-update.3689931/

 

[DisneyDotts]

Hey again, So I just found the charts for the 2018 year for booking patterns. So if any input on the above ?? is still appreciated if you want to give it, but if not I understand since I have found the great chart now.

 

[DisneyDotts]

Here is what you are looking for
https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-studios-1-bedrooms-june-2018-update.3689931/

thanks so much!! Like I literally just found the chart after I posted it.

 

[Frederic Civish]

My question is, if we like going in May ( higher points ) or Sept ( lower points ) is booking another resort other then our home resort relatively easy within the 7 months?
Dorothy

Points are higher in May, and it is relatively busy, but less busy than April or June, so should be able to find SOMETHING to book.

September is very popular with DVC members. Points are lower. However, it is also at the beginning of the Food and Wine Festival and pretty much EVERYTHING in the park will eventually fill up for September. If you book right at 7 month window, you will probably have good availability in the early weeks of September and decreasing availability in later September.

 

[Deb & Bill]

May isn't too hard to book at seven months out. September is getting harder. October through January after the marathon and any other RunDisney event is difficult at seven months out.

I have booked a one bedroom at GFV for May exactly at seven months out twice. Studios were a no go.

 

[BillPA]

Poly only has studios, no 1 or 2 BR units, BCV is harder to get than BLT as BCV has less units. BCV expire in 2042, BLT is 2060 if time remaining matters to you.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Beach Club is getting harder in every season if you don't own there.

 

[CraigInPA]

The best advice I can give you is to buy where you want to stay if you are planning on studios. With a purchase of only 100 points, that sounds like the case.

You may want to look at the points charts. Points don't go as far at the Poly as the other two resorts.

 

[zavandor]

I bought into DVC because I like the idea of visiting different resorts in different years. Until now I've got good luck and staying at VGF, BCV and AKV this September: the split stay is by design, that's what I like, but it also helped to segment the stay in 4 nights max per resort to have higher chance to find availability.
But:
- i like to go in January and September which are both low points cost and slow(-ish) times for DVC
- I am flexible with where I stay and I'm perfectly happy with OKW and SSR. Actually, for my two stays for the marathon week end (one of the hardest times to book, if not the hardest) I stayed there and I liked both a lot and I would not hesitate to stay there again
- I have some extra points to "play with", I have enough points to book the more costly views (BLT lake, AKV savannah, BWV garden), if needed, which tend to have more availability
- I know how to play the system: book right at 7 months at 8:00.00 and if there is no availability waitlist immediately. Plan the vacation when there is historically more availability, waitlist fewer night at a time, stalk the website. Staying in all resorts requires some effort
- I discovered I like split stays

If you really love a resort and you would be disappointed if you couldn't stay there most if not all the times, then buy there. An higher price or a lower end date shouldn't deter you. You're spending a lot of money and it's wise to do so that you're happy.
But with the right amount of flexibility, it is possible to stay everywhere. The "buy where you want to stay" mantra is often repeated here on the Disboards, and it's right for some, but not right for others. If I had to stay at the same resort every time, I would probably sell, regardless of which resort it is.

 

[NewbieMom]

In addition to studying the availability chart, you should look at the resorts' point charts required for the different seasons and room types. We bought 150pt at BLT with the intention of staying in 1br. (We need the kitchen access since my DD has lots of food allergies.) With your 100pts, if you plan to stay in 1br, you would need 3 years worth of points plus/minus a few, which means you can go only every 3 years or so.

 

[Frederic Civish]

The best advice I can give you is to buy where you want to stay if you are planning on studios. With a purchase of only 100 points, that sounds like the case.

You may want to look at the points charts. Points don't go as far at the Poly as the other two resorts.

If you are interested in Studios, and you only have 100 points available (not counting banking and borrowing), then I can agree to purchase where you MOST want to stay, since Studios are getting harder and harder to get, at 7 months. BLT might be a good choice, since it is near the Magic Kingdom, has the Monorail, has the lake and boats, and has Chef Mickey's character breakfast.

But then, one thing to keep in mind is that the Studios at BLT only hold 4 people, whereas the Studios at Poly and Beach Club hold 5 people. That only matters if you will be traveling with 5 people.

Beach Club costs a bit more than some others, to purchase, and the Contract is going to expire in about 24 years, compared to over 40 years for Poly and BLT, but you REALLY won't be able to get into a Studio at Beach Club, with any kind of consistency, unless you own there.

I think Poly is great. Kids love it. There is always something going on. But the point cost for Studios at Poly is a bit more. Not 'deal killer' more, but a bit more.

I own at BLT and Poly and AKV. And I think AKV is my favorite (but the studios there also only hold 4).

 

[DisneyDotts]

Thanks everyone for the input, it's really appreciated!!

 

[DisneyDotts]

Guess I will have to look at the point charts more and lay them out yearly to see how I can move my 100pts around. I know this is the amount I initially want to go with, or maybe 150. I know 150 would be more ideal for the 1 beds, and I can get a studio every year in May at BC. I guess I just don't want to get more points then I need, hence why I'm hesitant to get 150. All 3 resorts are still in the air. I'll be back at Disney in 4 days so I'll walk around the resorts some more to get a feel of the areas again

Thanks again for all the input.

 

[kboo]

Another thing to consider is that smaller contracts (<100pts) *tend* to list for more $ per point. So the incremental cost to buy 50 more points likely won't be half of the cost to buy a 100 point contract.

 

[CraigInPA]

Most locations will cost you more than 100 points for a week in a studio, unless you snag a value category at your home resort. e.g. Beach Club ranges from 107 (adventure season) to 181 points (premier season) for a studio. Poly ranges from 118 (adventure season) to 227 (premier season) for a studio.

For a one bedroom, you'd be looking at an every-other-year trip using banking/borrowing on your 100 point purchase. Depending upon when you are planning on going, you might be able to slip in under 200 points for a week for a one bedroom. Note that Poly is the only resort that does not have one bedroom units.

You'd have greater selection of contracts if you started with a desire to buy 150 points. Also, you'll find that once you have a DVC membership, you'll start looking for more points to upgrade from every-other-year to every year in a one bedroom...

 

[Dean]

Hey again, So I just found the charts for the 2018 year for booking patterns. So if any input on the above ?? is still appreciated if you want to give it, but if not I understand since I have found the great chart now.

I'd spend some time but IMO you'll need at least a 20% cushion in points over what you calculate even ignoring cheaper views at BLT. I generally recommend 150 points minimum in this situation. BLT will be the best value of these by far. Spend some time so you understand what you're getting into. You'll need to book at 11 months out for many of the trips esp looking at BC or BLT standard view.