buy or vacation in a villa first

[Deesknee]

You remind me of my family. We stayed at BW studio @rack rates once. We stayed ot OKW 2bdrm @rack rates twice. (didn't know about this site or renting points). Our road block was the maintenance fees. We would go back and forth about buying. Finally, thankfully we bought. I wish so so much we had purchased before.

It is easy for me to say buy because I love it so much, but I understand your dilemia. Usually people shouldpurchase the resort they prefer to stay at, but if you buy and don't like that resort, chances are you are going to love one of them. Also, the nice thing about dvc unlike most timeshare they really don't go down in value. If you decide to sell hold on a few years then sell. At the least you should break even. At least that is what it seems to me, but I am not an expert! Like I say I wish I had bought the first stay in 1996.

As others have mentioned, there are things you may miss about paying rack rates. DVC doesn't offer free dining plan, full daily housekeeping, you may even miss that excitement of "do we stay on site or off", looking at those canceled checks from your bank that you use to pay for your hotel accomadations, etc. etc. Seriously though, do your homework if you haven't already.
Oh yah, and you may find one trip per year just isn't enough.

 

[spiceycat]

BCV - has some complaints - but that is because the people who sold BCV to them did not understand the theme.

all DVC resorts have a theme - just like WDW resorts.

the theme for the BCV is grandmother's cottage - so second hand stuff. It got a lot of complaints from guests thinking this stuff should be new. they didn't understand that it is new - it is worn to look old.

It is surpose to feel lived in.

now if you hate this idea - don't buy at BCV.

Disney doesn't change their theme.

BWV is an Atlantic BW resort along the beach. era - 1930's. (but with all new stuff again)

OKW is Key West - very relaxed.

VWL - is the place where the men stayed while they build WL - (now considering that VWL is a few years younger than WL - reality plays no part in a DVC theme....)

the swimming pool at BCV - SALB is the best. Eating at the resort plus BW plus all the Epcot restuarants is just a short walk.

but buy before you have seem them - have you been in any other timeshares?

DVC is different - but it helps if you have been in any timeshares.

 

[crisi]

We also bought sight unseen and are content... but agree you should know the difference between Deluxe resorts and DVC. I MUCH prefer the Deluxe resorts - if it my husband and I - enough to pay the difference. I MUCH prefer having my children sleeping in a seperate room on vacation - enough that DVC is a real value to us and as long as we do Disney with a family, we'll be using a one or two bedroom.