Buying DVC: AKL or BLT

[eticketplease]

Can standard view at BLT be booked easily even at 11 months? When we owned at BWV, we always had to book garden/pool for a 2 bdrm event at 11mos. I'm worried about running into that problem again as difference in points between lake view and standd is pretty significant.

Well it’s certainly easier than BWV as there are lock-off and dedicated 2 bedroom units. Obviously July 4th and around MNSSHP and the Christmas party are harder but not impossible. If you can’t get in do as @intamin suggested and use them at AKL-K so you are still getting 3 bathrooms and about the same price.

Remember that extra expense on the BLT contracts comes with 3 years of extra vacations over buying AKL.

 

[intamin]

Can standard view at BLT be booked easily even at 11 months? When we owned at BWV, we always had to book garden/pool for a 2 bdrm event at 11mos. I'm worried about running into that problem again as difference in points between lake view and standd is pretty significant.

Have you looked at the charts? The difference between lake view and standard is not that different, there's a big jump to theme park view but I think most of the time the jump from resort to lake view is closer to 10% which isn't that bad.

It's part of what made me okay with booking BLT at 7 months actually was the availability and relatively low cost of preferred view

 

[Genie+]

Cost wise BLT is more upfront but with dues factored in, a slightly better costs savings for the life of the contract. Kids are young now (10, 8, 3, 3) but we enjoy all the parks.

I’d also think about it from this angle:

Buying BLT is likely to bring your average point cost per night down because owning means you’re likely to get standard view more often than trading in from AKV. And even if it’s just 5 or 10% lower point cost per night over the years, that’s going to push the ‘slightly better cost savings’ even further.

 

[Genie+]

Have you looked at the charts? The difference between lake view and standard is not that different, there's a big jump to theme park view but I think most of the time the jump from resort to lake view is closer to 10% which isn't that bad.

It's part of what made me okay with booking BLT at 7 months actually was the availability and relatively low cost of preferred view

This is true. BLT’s point jump up from standard is not bad at all. Especially compared to most every where else.

But I think it does help push the savings a bit deeper if BLT is already working out to be most cost effective otherwise.

 

[Cfabar1]

Keep in mind AKV standard views are frequently available at 7 months...

I rather like BLT preferred view and AKV savannah view...

other than that, I'm pretty much a "cheapest view" kind of guy...

 

[Brian Noble]

The only advantage to AKV is being able to add AKV to your signature on here.

I think there is an argument if one strongly prefers Jambo to Kidani, but even then it is possible without owning there. I have a longish stay at 1BR-SAV in Jambo coming up later this month. I did have to get a night or two of that via waitlist, but it came through with lots of time to spare.

 

[aka Charles]

The only thing is this assumes you need AKV home resort priority to book there but you don't. The best value of course is going to be booking AKV with BLT points.

I was showing an overall cost comparison.
It had nothing to do with booking availability.
If the extra cost for BLT is not an issue, then buying there would be the most flexible choice.
The points required for a BLT 2BR Resort View would be enough for either a Resort View or Savana View at AKV.
Win-Win!
.

 

[aka Charles]

We go every other year so I'm leaning towards 160 points. Im just worried of running into trouble booking resort view at BLT even at 11mos. When we owned boardwalk we couldn't book standard view even at 11mos and always had to use more points than planned for garden/pool. I don't want to run into the same problem again. I know boardwalk is all lockoffs though, so that could have been the issue. Good to hear AKV Savanna view can still be booked at 7mos most of the year. That helps.

With going every other year I think your idea of getting a 160 point BLT contract is spot on.
There are many 160 point contracts available so finding one for the right price and a use year that works best for you should be fairly straight forward.
.

 

[intamin]

I think there is an argument if one strongly prefers Jambo to Kidani, but even then it is possible without owning there. I have a longish stay at 1BR-SAV in Jambo coming up later this month. I did have to get a night or two of that via waitlist, but it came through with lots of time to spare.

That was part of the reason we did purchase AKV as well, no endless hallways in Jambo House and the quick service. I am jealous of the lower rooms though because you can really get close up views of the animals