Bought at Poly and stayed at Saratoga!?!

[DVC Doctor]

Just got back in May from our WDW trip. Offered a $100 giftcard to tour DVC while staying in Jambo House. I was curious and for 60 mins to get a $!00 gift card, I was game! Fast passes sweetened the Deal. Took the tour and loved what we saw. We go to Disney once to twice a year. Only thing Disney was selling was Aulani and Poly. Thought it was worth researching after tour so we didn't purchase there. Got home and decided that we would be small (75 points) to get in. My wife loves the Poly atmosphere and wanted to be on the monorail. I knew of resale but wanted the quick in to book for January so we could get the home resort advantage. Our next purchase will be resale and a different resort to get more points. The price was high but we didn't get many points. We can stay 5 or 6 nights and are good with that in the season we usually go in.

The cheapest DVC Poly studio rooms are 18 points per night and the average is around 21

75 points / 18 = 4.17 = 4 nights per year
75 points / 20 = 3.57 = 3 nights per year

 

[MrPTato]

Sorry...should have stated we are going to buy resale at the end of the year for something else. Poly is also 16 a night at the cheapest.

 

[southerngirl528]

MrPTato, just know that DVC Member snap up those lowest points/night season ressies like lightning. As a 22 year member myself, and I have stayed at the new Poly Villas, I think the studios there are a good value. Huge rooms, enormous split baths, and IMHO the very best DVC resort for families wanting to save points or stay longer by staying in a studio. Considerably bigger rooms than most DVC studios.

 

[DVC Doctor]

MrPTato, just know that DVC Member snap up those lowest points/night season ressies like lightning. As a 22 year member myself, and I have stayed at the new Poly Villas, I think the studios there are a good value. Huge rooms, enormous split baths, and IMHO the very best DVC resort for families wanting to save points or stay longer by staying in a studio. Considerably bigger rooms than most DVC studios.

Longer stays with a large family in a small studio defeats the Welcome Home purpose of ownership (In my opinion of course)

 

[keishashadow]

To each their own. I am not trying to judge. Like I said- I can't understand paying 165/point and turning around a renting a room that you could have bought points for 65/point. They were in a studio so I know they weren't going for a 1 or 2 bedroom. I think they were excited to use their points right away and saratoga was all that was available.

Really my main question I was trying to ask was if people think the majority of people buying Poly are really wanting to stay there or they were just ready to buy and that is what Disney DVC was selling.

jmho but I believe the majority of those buying the Poly want to stay at the Poly & fully expect to stay at their home resort.

It's my experience that guides don't share the information that many DVCrs switch over @ the 7 month window (including those who bought the $65 point resales at less popular properties, with intent to never stay there). Nor is it mentioned how difficult it can be to book peak times/categories even 11 months out at the more popular properties. Ah well, more resale opportunities to go around

 

[southerngirl528]

Longer stays with a large family in a small studio defeats the Welcome Home purpose of ownership (In my opinion of course)

While I certainly agree with you for me and my family, I can tell you for certain that there are lots of DVC families that have either bought very small membership point packages or want to stay longer on small memberships. I still think it is outrageous that DVC even offers new memberships at less than 100 points. When I bought a very, very long time ago, the minimum purchase was 230 points. While I understand that prices on DVC and everything else have gone up so it does make sense they would decrease the minimum purchase, selling a 50 point initial membership package just doesn't make much sense. What it does is make studios a very hot property and difficult to book. If you don't believe that, try booking a VGF studio if you don't own there….

 

[Gryhndmom]

When we were at the World last week my husband met a couple that just recently purchased at Poly. The first thing they did was schedule a trip and, since only SS was available, stayed there.

I still just can't wrap my head around spending 165/point to stay at SS. I know it's their money and people can do as they please but it's seems like such a waste.

Do you think a majority of Poly purchases are from people who just want to buy DVC and Poly was the one available when they decided to buy? I know this isn't the first time I have heard someone doing this so it makes me think people aren't buying b/c they love Poly- they are buying b/c that is what the salesmen are pushing.

DH and I bought May 2012 direct and are familiar with timeshare since we own Marriott Kauai. Our salesman did an excellent job of talking about all the resorts and explaining which ones disney was currently selling. We bought BLT since we wanted on the monorail and the fact I had to have a bathtub and we wanted two bathrooms in a 1bd villa. We bought at BLT and plan on just staying there but I do understand your thoughts on buying at a higher price per point for a resort and then staying at another DVC lower priced per point resort.

Agree with other posts that it might be hard to know what this thought process was when they bought and then booked for Saratoga.

Keep in mind that we are members of "The Disney Vacation Club." Our points give us access to the entire DVC system: All 13 DVC resorts, the Disney Collection, RCI, etc. For some people, they are want access to all those options.

I own points at BLT but I've used my points at SSR and BWV. Was it stupid of me to use my higher priced points at the lower priced SSR and BWV resorts? Personally, I don't think I'm wasting my points if I don't use my BLT points at BLT. Instead, I like the options and flexibility offered to me by being part of the 'Club.'

Is it "wrong" to book a Theme Park view villa at BLT when there is the much cheaper Standard view villa? Or to book a Lake View at VGF instead of a cheaper Standard View? Or to even want to stay at Aulani when I could stay in a villa at OKW for a lot fewer points? My opinion is no, its not wrong. Its my points so I can use them any way I want. Likewise, I know there is no way I can tell someone how best to use their points or, much more importantly, how their use of their points is "wrong."

Really like the posts ! how one person uses points may not be another's and we can only say what has worked for us.

 

[PinkTink63]

Knowing how you use your points now do you wish you had more points by buying resale for say- Saratoga? I guess that is my big question. It seems like a lot of people are saying they use their points for all the resorts. If that is the case why not buy the cheapest resorts with one of the lowest dues? Why pay 85-165/point when you could pay 65-80/point?

IMO it makes a difference when you want to travel! With DVC, it doesn't matter where you buy if you don't plan ahead you are probably not going to get where you want, especially if it is a smaller resort! If you travel during peak seasons and you only want to stay at a certain resort, than you better buy there!! I bought SSR direct from Disney 10 years ago. I got in on Friends & Family, rented out the previous years pts and applied it to my purchase. So my pts are still worth more than what I paid for them! I also paid no closing costs and my pts can be exchanged whereas buying resale now can't be. I totally AGREE $165 pp is Outrageous!...so I am out for buying direct again!!So thankful I bought when I did because I have stayed everywhere on my SSR pts except HH,VGF and PBV (which I have booked for right after Christmas!) The beauty of DVC is that there is something for everyone!! They are all of similar quality, in my opinion, and maybe others feel the same way!

 

[PinkTink63]

That is what I have to keep in mind. I think I can be a bit overzealous when trying to get the most bang for my buck. I think a lot of people are just happy not having to do the research and going straight to Disney and buying. They are not worried about "getting the most"- they are just happy for the ease of purchase and immediate use.

That could very well be the case! We used to only stay in studios because we felt like we got the "most bang for our buck" but things change! Once we stayed in a 1 bdrm , than a 2 bdrm and ONCE in a 3bdrm GV (Fluke! Rented really cheap!!) Kind of got a little spoiled!! Just booked a studio at PBV using up my next years pts, I might add! Not exactly the "most bang for my buck" but really wanted to try it!!

 

[MsMagical]

I think motivations for DVC purchases are so individual and varied, there is no way to qualify what makes it "worth it". For example, we bought 300 pts at SSR direct and I have never regretted it because my idea of vacation includes a washer/dryer and kitchen in unit and real bedrooms (as opposed to a studio). Even if I had known at the time about resale points, I would still have purchase direct at that time because I personally prefer the direct approach finding it usually less complicated. That is my preference in almost all transactions in my life and the premium paid is worth the ease, for me. Now that I have more DVC experience, I would certainly delve into the resale points market but as a first time buyer, simple would have been my preference (had I known there was a choice). And, to tell the truth, I don't really have trouble booking the resorts I want at the times I want because, in general, I'm pretty flexible. I, personally, would never purchase points for any DVC at $165 because I am not picky about where we stay but I see the point of doing so if Poly is your one and only happy place. And, if I were in the position of newly purchasing Poly points and having no availability and the choices were to book my vacation at SSR or to wait 11 months to take one - I know what I would pick.

 

[Dean]

I think motivations for DVC purchases are so individual and varied, there is no way to qualify what makes it "worth it". For example, we bought 300 pts at SSR direct and I have never regretted it because my idea of vacation includes a washer/dryer and kitchen in unit and real bedrooms (as opposed to a studio). Even if I had known at the time about resale points, I would still have purchase direct at that time because I personally prefer the direct approach finding it usually less complicated. That is my preference in almost all transactions in my life and the premium paid is worth the ease, for me. Now that I have more DVC experience, I would certainly delve into the resale points market but as a first time buyer, simple would have been my preference (had I known there was a choice). And, to tell the truth, I don't really have trouble booking the resorts I want at the times I want because, in general, I'm pretty flexible. I, personally, would never purchase points for any DVC at $165 because I am not picky about where we stay but I see the point of doing so if Poly is your one and only happy place. And, if I were in the position of newly purchasing Poly points and having no availability and the choices were to book my vacation at SSR or to wait 11 months to take one - I know what I would pick.

I would agree in part. However, IMO, DVC first needs to make sense financially before those other considerations would be appropriate to consider purchasing and I see that statement as an absolute. Of course then comes the variables of what goes into making sense financially. On the other hand DVC may not be appropriate for some even if the financial eval suggests otherwise.

 

[twinsouvenirs]

I think people buy into DVC with what is selling at the time. Unless you get all crazy (like I did) and do intense MF research, determine where you will stay more often than not, etc.... you probably just buy what is available. And honestly, until you join I don't think you really know how you will find your points are best used. Then you can reshuffle your deck. We want to stay at all the resorts, we have SSR and GFV points. We wouldn't have bought most likely if we thought we'd be stuck always going to SSR or GFV. In fact, if you want to have a 'budget' trip, those are what make splurge trips possible. I also think that your resort choices may change with the purpose of your trip. That flexibility is one of the main selling points of the membership.

So basically I don't view staying at SSR with Poly points as a bad idea. I also like SSR and am tempted to stay there often because it's so convenient to genuinely good dining and shopping (Disney Springs).

And we did a lot of analysis on where to buy but we did not buy our GFV points because we thought we'd stay there all the time. We bought because of the length of the contract, because of the higher rental value, and because that is what Disney was selling at the World (i.e. no interest in Aulani points). It so happens we LOVE the GFV but you can bet your points that we will still be trying to stay at 'cheaper' properties to go more often until the kids are older.

Sorry this is disorganized but I suppose my point is that some people buy what DVC is selling because:
a) it is the longest contract
b) they figure they will have an easy time renting the points and get top $ that way
c) they want to buy direct
d) they want to buy right away and not do a waitlist for another resort
e) the promotional buy in info is aimed towards that resort purchase, so it seems as good as any and better than most

... and then they start budgeting/using their points in ways that make sense to them (based on their work/school schedules, resort availability, resort cost, group size, etc)

 

[twinsouvenirs]

Knowing how you use your points now do you wish you had more points by buying resale for say- Saratoga? I guess that is my big question. It seems like a lot of people are saying they use their points for all the resorts. If that is the case why not buy the cheapest resorts with one of the lowest dues? Why pay 85-165/point when you could pay 65-80/point?

I think I would buy some at BWV or BCV, 50-80 pts for food and wine--that said we've never done food and wine so maybe I'd regret it! We do seem to really enjoy BWV's location. We're headed to BCV this trip and I'll have to see if we're bothered by that extra little distance to the Boardwalk fun/community hall. The upfront point cost is honestly such a SMALL part of the overall contract that it's shocking. Especially if you pay with cash.