Brand New to DVC

[Sandisw]

Hi! Just returned from our 20th trip to Disney with our now grown-up kids. NOOOOO, still never purchased DVC due to DH skepticism for so many years.

Well, now adult DD's and myself are ready to make the move on our own. We have attended the tour at Saratoga Springs and we are pretty savvy as far as how it all works. I am on the email list for TTS and receive mail from them each day which I have been watching like a hawk. I also contacted a DVC rep last night for additional questions. Direct buy vs. resale type of thing. May I ask, if someone has points purchase with their "home " being Vero Beach or HH, does that bear any affect on booking a ressie at WDW? Are those points worth just the same as they would be at your "home" place. How slim are your chances at getting the ressie you want? Would appreciate any advice before we take this plunge.
Congrats to new members as well!

If your goal is to visit WDW, then I would choose one of those resorts. For one thing, the price difference between some of those options and HH or VB is not that great to offset the additional MF's you would be paying. Since MF's are a big part of the picture, eventually, those upfront savings will be gone.

When you own at one of the DVC resorts not at WDW, you are limited to ALWAYS booking 7 months in advance. You can never call prior to that time to get a reservation. While I think chances are good most times of the year getting something, you may find difficulty in finding what you want, at the resort you want, or even getting an entire stay at one resort.

Plus, the only thing guaranteed is the ability to book at your home resort. Disney can remove any of the resorts from the club and then those owners would be restricted to their home resorts. While I think something drastic would have to happen in order for them to do it, it is technically possible.

If you are flexible in where you stay, then choose a resort that you are okay with if nothing else comes through. At least owning at WDW, you can book your home resort during the home resort booking time and then change out at 7 months.

We own BLT and are in the process of buying BWV (closing docs came yesterday!!!) because we know we want to be at these resorts most of the time. We would be disappointed if we couldn't get BLT and BWV or BCV for each and every summer trip so we spent more to buy BLT in 2009 and just took the plunge with BWV because we got a great deal.

Good luck!

 

[nonnasally]

If your goal is to visit WDW, then I would choose one of those resorts. For one thing, the price difference between some of those options and HH or VB is not that great to offset the additional MF's you would be paying. Since MF's are a big part of the picture, eventually, those upfront savings will be gone.

When you own at one of the DVC resorts not at WDW, you are limited to ALWAYS booking 7 months in advance. You can never call prior to that time to get a reservation. While I think chances are good most times of the year getting something, you may find difficulty in finding what you want, at the resort you want, or even getting an entire stay at one resort.

Plus, the only thing guaranteed is the ability to book at your home resort. Disney can remove any of the resorts from the club and then those owners would be restricted to their home resorts. While I think something drastic would have to happen in order for them to do it, it is technically possible.

If you are flexible in where you stay, then choose a resort that you are okay with if nothing else comes through. At least owning at WDW, you can book your home resort during the home resort booking time and then change out at 7 months.

We own BLT and are in the process of buying BWV (closing docs came yesterday!!!) because we know we want to be at these resorts most of the time. We would be disappointed if we couldn't get BLT and BWV or BCV for each and every summer trip so we spent more to buy BLT in 2009 and just took the plunge with BWV because we got a great deal.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for sharing your situation. It is so much to think about especially when the other partner is a hard sell. I will just keep being vigilant and wait for a good deal.

 

[junglejoy]

Congratulations! I feel your excitement!

We bought in a year ago after years of looking into it. It took opening a resort at Disneyland because we are west coasters. We haven't looked back and are only more and more pleased as time goes on. No regrets, only wish we could have bought in sooner.