Buying strategy - cheapest points or preferred location?

[Mtnman44]

Ok, so I have another question:

I'm trying to figure out the best choice for my home resort. I'm looking at anywhere from 125 to 200 points for now. At that level, the maint fees don't make much of a difference, about $50 to $100 per year. The extra 12 years at SSR does seem somewhat important as you get more equity in your purchase. However, I'll be 68 (assuming I live that long) in '42 and we'll have probably bought into a new, yet to be built DVC property by then anyway, so I'm thinking maybe it's no big deal about the lease periods.

So, I am wondering how much of a handicap the 7 month reservation window is. I only only go in the off season, January or maybe Feb. It's possible we may plan trips in Oct or the first half of Dec but never at any other time. Too Hot and Crowded for me. So is getting the room you want really a gamble during those times within the 7 month window?

I'm thinking of SSR to own at but I really like what I am reading about Boardwalk. Easy access to MGM and Epcot sounds great (I'd love to hear more details about this) and I love the look of the property! However I like the apparent quiet and remoteness of SSR plus all the dining and entertainment options right over at downtown disney (plus nightly fireworks shows at pleasure island?). The pool also looks great for my kids, but when fully built will this resort be too crowded? SSR does have an extra 12 years and is slightly cheaper annually but like I said earlier I now feel those are minor considerations, but do make nice "icing on the cake".

If we did buy at SSR, I'm thinking we would normally try to book into Wilderness Lodge or Boardwalk on most of our trips, Even though we would be totally happy (I think) at SSR. So to repeat my earlier question, Will it really be that much of a gamble booking at 7 months out for a non home resort if I only travel in the "low demand" season.

Thanks!

 

[tacomaranch]

HH and VB may sell cheaper but they have the highest fees so after 11.62 years you have paid equal to the SSR and then you are paying more in fees.

I am doing the exact same thing as you right now having to learn what will be best for our family.

So far I did learn the fees vs. lower cost don't work out well if you plan to keep your timeshare longer than 11 years.

The last question we have now is the value/price of the lenght of SSR from DVC vs. OKW on a resale. Once we have that answer we are going forward with either SSR or OKW.

Good luck and feel free to PM. I am working with Jerry at the timeshare store and he is helping with the math for me. He is great!

April

 

[RobDoc]

HH and VB may sell cheaper but they have the highest fees so after 11.62 years you have paid equal to the SSR and then you are paying more in fees.

Just to clarify, HH currently has the third lowest dues after SSR and OKW - followed by BCV, VWL and BWV with VB a distant 7th.

With any of the DVC resorts, over the lifetime of ownership the annual fees will be a greater expenditure than the original purchase price.

For 2006 dues at each resort are:

SSR - $3.98
OKW - $4.24
HH - $4.34
BCV - $4.48
VWL - $4.61
BWV - $4.69
VB - $ 5.27 (although early buyers who still have the developer subsidy pay only $4.12)

 

[SWVA BGSU Fan]

depends upon you.

if you want to do WDW Dec 1-14, or thanksgiving - then buy at WDW.

I happen to own at OKW and love it!!!


I think you will be very happy with OKW. Try it. go rent points at OKW and any others you are considering - then see which you can live with easier.

I also think that OKW is wonderful. The low cost/maintenance fees are why I purchased OKW yet I love it there. Stayed at BCV this summer and didn't like it as well as OKW. Either way, I don't think one would have a bad choice at any WDW DVC locations.

 

[LisaS]

So, I am wondering how much of a handicap the 7 month reservation window is. I only only go in the off season, January or maybe Feb. It's possible we may plan trips in Oct or the first half of Dec but never at any other time. Too Hot and Crowded for me. So is getting the room you want really a gamble during those times within the 7 month window?

Late January is not too busy. The first half of Dec is one of the busiest times for DVC due to low points, smaller park crowds and the holiday decorations. Oct is very busy for the Epcot resorts due to the Food & Wine festival at Epcot. So you'll be OK for your January trips but if you wanted to get into BWV or BCV in either Oct or Dec or VWL in Dec and you don't own there, you will probably end up on the waiting list for some or all of your nights.

What people typically do in that situation is book their home resort at 11 months and then try to change at the 7 month mark. You will almost certainly end up getting some nights but not all and have to waitlist for the rest of the nights. The problem then becomes, if the waitlisted nights in the middle of your stay don't come through, you could find yourself going back and forth between resorts during your stay. The only way to make it work cleanly is to have enough points to book two complete reservations: one at your home resort that you make at 11 months and another at your preferred resort at 7 months. When all of your waitlisted nights come through, then you cancel the home resort reservation.

I prefer to book where I want to stay 11 months out and be done with it. I definitely don't want to sweat it out while I hope that those last few nights in the middle of our stay will come through on the waitlist and I don't own enough points to hold two complete reservations while waiting for waitlisted nights to come through (which can be as late as 24 hours prior to check-in!)

We joined DVC specifically to be able to stay in the Epcot area so we bought at BWV. It cost us more, but it's worth it for the peace of mind and ease of booking. For our first stay (in late Jan) we spent 2 nights at VWL to check out that resort. We liked it so much we added on there, again so that we would be able to book 11 months out for those times we want to stay there. (Note: just to be clear, this allows me to use my BWV points at BWV at 11 months and my VWL points at VWL at 11 months. Owning at more than one resort does not mean you can use points from one resort at a different resort at 11 months -- you can only do that at 7 months.)

We also really like OKW but figured that we will most likely stay there in late Jan so we should have no problem getting in there at that time since it's one of the larger resorts.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Slakk]

OKW and SSR are near each other.
OKW is like an established neighborhood, and has bigger units. Great if you want to 'get away' from the parks.
From SSR, you can walk to DTD (lots of dining options), and the units are newer.
Good luck with your decision.

SSR also has a world class SPA

 

[Deb & Bill]

VWL is the smallest DVC resort. So if it looks like that's where you are going to want to stay the most, I'd buy there. Or at least get some points there. We like to stay at VWL, so we have 100 points there. That gets us at least 200 points with borrowing.