Buying Strategy

[zavandor]

Can I specifically get some advice on this... Jumping in because I have a inner debate.

I wanted 50-90 points at BW because I just love the area and struggling pulling the trigger on RIV. Walking is huge for me and BLT gave me that but want a different area now. Banking so we can score 1-2 bedrooms for a few nights to split stay with my BLT stays. Studios for when we want to go cheap but family is growing and grandparents want to tag along.

We travel Jan-Feb and in the future want Sep-Early Oct. So specifically we are debating BW but don't like contract length, SSR is actually nice to us but park access with strollers is big ding but affordable for SAP, RIV is nice but falling in interest due to price and restrictions for us. So if I was to jump on a SSR contract with my current use year we get more for our money which means we could maybe spend more points for that 1-bedroom every trip for say 3 nights but nervous about Sept time at BW.

Availability at BW during September 7mos for: studio (know it's impossible), 1-bedroom, and 2 bedroom???

Trying to decide if I could just bank up points or score a few nights at BW in my usual seasons realistically or if I really need to keep looking for BW. I rather have the longer contract as my family is young but I do hate not having access to Epcot resorts ever as stroller access to two parks is why we wanted BLT originally. I know it's long but please give me your honest opinion as I see you often have good advice. Thank you

Be aware that at BWV all 2BR are lockoff, this makes them as difficult to get as studios. When someone books a studio at 11 months, a 2BR is gone too and a 1BR remains.
At other resorts, 2BR are usually a bit easier to get at 7 months, but not BWV.
1BR on the contrary, are very easy to get outside the pick times (late September to maratona week end in January), and with a bit of luck even at 7 months.
In general, if you plan on booking 1BR, then using SSR for sleeparound points is a very good idea.
Of you travel times, marathon week end in January and from the last week of Septemeber will be difficult.
Usual rule: would you be upset if you cannot get BWV every time? Then buy BWV.
Are you flexible to travel at slower times? Then SAP work really well for 1BR, less so for 2BR.

 

[hilltopper152]

Be aware that at BWV all 2BR are lockoff, this makes them as difficult to get as studios. When someone books a studio at 11 months, a 2BR is gone too and a 1BR remains.
At other resorts, 2BR are usually a bit easier to get at 7 months, but not BWV.
1BR on the contrary, are very easy to get outside the pick times (late September to maratona week end in January), and with a bit of luck even at 7 months.
In general, if you plan on booking 1BR, then using SSR for sleeparound points is a very good idea.
Of you travel times, marathon week end in January and from the last week of Septemeber will be difficult.
Usual rule: would you be upset if you cannot get BWV every time? Then buy BWV.
Are you flexible to travel at slower times? Then SAP work really well for 1BR, less so for 2BR.

We usually go mid Jan or basically just not marathon week but early year. We want to go at times closer to fall but out of summer which is why I say Sept. First week and half of month is bad every month for me due to job... Finance. We never stay at Epcot area except a few off rentals but want the chance to stay there more often. If that means banking points to get in more expensive rooms I am okay with that. 160 at BLT has given me a lot of play with studios for our week stays but know some trips we may want to save up for 2 bedrooms or simply find a cheap way to get a 1 bedroom. Hence why I need about 75ish points or less so I have wiggle room with our split stays. BW is just my preferred resort over BC and RIV is threw in there because contract length and similar access to things. I just didn't want to buy SSR with the intent of trying to find a couple nights of a studio or 1bed most years and always fail. If it does fail here or there then fine... Plenty of great resorts and after all SSR is enjoyable for a short stay in our opinion. Mid Sept to mid Oct is probably our definition of fall travel and just wanted to know there was a chance at 7 months of something for a couple nights. 2 bedroom won't be norm for us and honestly if I had to support that many people I would focus on cheapest rooms excluding OKW. In the past we always get what we want at 7 months in Jan and Feb but did notice studios at Epcot area packed up so I knew I would now need to afford points for 1beds probably to accommodate those extra 2-3 nights. Probably will move to every other year travel soon now I will have 2 kids and inflation ha

 

[zavandor]

I got 1 week at BWV this September in a garden view studio, for the first week. It's possible to get a studio, but not easy. Probably using WL and stalking you can also piece something together. But it's risky. 1BR were wide open.
However, the last week of September everything changes as fall frenzy starts. Don't buy SAP for the last week of September or October. Maybe a 1BR, but even that is hard.

 

[hilltopper152]

I got 1 week at BWV this September in a garden view studio, for the first week. It's possible to get a studio, but not easy. Probably using WL and stalking you can also piece something together. But it's risky. 1BR were wide open.
However, the last week of September everything changes as fall frenzy starts. Don't buy SAP for the last week of September or October. Maybe a 1BR, but even that is hard.

What triggers the last week where suddenly USA wants to come? Why do people just not come one week earlier? The festival is already happening there too by then. I mean I usually aim for mid month- third week. Sometimes will go first of the month but don't usually due to workload at my job. If I had to go last week I guess I would just own the situation and know I will be at monorail loop area or SSR

 

[hilltopper152]

I got 1 week at BWV this September in a garden view studio, for the first week. It's possible to get a studio, but not easy. Probably using WL and stalking you can also piece something together. But it's risky. 1BR were wide open.
However, the last week of September everything changes as fall frenzy starts. Don't buy SAP for the last week of September or October. Maybe a 1BR, but even that is hard.

I would consider BW points it's just that it's very hard to find my UY with say 65 points and I also feel the price is mentally hard to validate when that contract expires before my kid graduates college.

 

[zavandor]

I bought SSR for $50 when BWV was around $60. Sometime I feel I should have bought BWV because it's one of my favorites and I love to stay there. However, I have used my SSR points to stay at most DVC resorts and I would have used the BWV in a similar way. And SSR points were cheaper and have lower MF making it a much better deal.
So I understand the rational reason of wanting to buy a resort that offers a better deal.
But you say you want to stay at BWV most of the time, so I'm more reluctant to endorse buying SSR for that. You can make it work, but you're looking for reassurance that it'll always work for the dates you want, we cannot give those. I got one week at BWV this year, but the first week was the only available, I would have preferred the second one. So I had to slightly change plans to make it work.

The 4th week is the start of fall frenzy because the weather is slightly better, hurricanes slightly less probable and points are still cheaper. It's not on/off, it's a gradual increase as the month goes on, but in the last week it's noticeable.

 

[havoc315]

Thanks for the replies, for the the record my travel times would be Jan/Feb/early Fall. I'd be looking for a studio or one bedroom size unit. So are you saying that traveling to WDW at these times I would not have a good chance of finding a room at 7 months out as opposed to the 11 months? if so, wow, I have been away for a long time, ha ha.

Booking DVC is not the same as booking regular cash rooms. DVC is designed to always be at nearly 100% occupancy. A big part of the rationale is the “savings” is you’re getting a discount in exchange for very regimented scheduling.

1BR units cost a lot of points — nearly
double a studio.
The cheapest time for DVC is early fall — September. Combined with Food and Wine festival, it makes booking at 7 months nearly impossible at BWV. You may be a pool view 1 bedroom, but not a studio.

So 1 week in September in a BWV studio: 102 points. (So about $10,000 at $100 per point). A 1 BR is 188 points. So even if you got $80 per point at another resort, it would cost $15,000 to have enough points for a 1 br in September at 7 months.

February — anything around Mardis Gras or Presidents week books 11 months in advance. And even early Feb, points charts are much higher than Sep.

 

[tom1944]

I agree if “most” of the time you want to stay at a specific resort you should buy there.

Our vision prior to making our initial purchase is a rotation among 7 or 8 resorts.

We will be adding points over the next year so we may make that second purchase more in line with buy where you want to stay.

 

[bakerworld]

We initially purchased AKV but found transferring into other resorts at 7 months led to a lot of split stays. Frankly changing hotels on vacation is not our choice, even if the change is very easy (which at Disney it is very easy). We just changed our October BC vacation to Saratoga because we didn't want to do a split stay.

Although many are against financing, our memberships have all been financed because DH doesn't like to take his wallet out of his pocket - LOL. Financing changes the landscape.

 

[CrystalClear82]

So our situation is a 180 from yours.
We recently bought a couple small contracts for what is called "sleep around" points. Where we stay or if we have to do a split stay doesnt matter to us. We're just happy to be there.
From a price perspective, what we paid for our contracts, 1 trip will pay for itself.

Like the previous posters mentioned If you're committed to staying at the BWV or only in that area, then I would look at purchasing there.

 

[tom1944]

We initially purchased AKV but found transferring into other resorts at 7 months led to a lot of split stays. Frankly changing hotels on vacation is not our choice, even if the change is very easy (which at Disney it is very easy). We just changed our October BC vacation to Saratoga because we didn't want to do a split stay.

Although many are against financing, our memberships have all been financed because DH doesn't like to take his wallet out of his pocket - LOL. Financing changes the landscape.

I am hoping to do a split stay soon to see if we like it or not.

My thought is an 8-day trip with a 4/4 split.

 

[RuntheMouse]

I am hoping to do a split stay soon to see if we like it or not.

My thought is an 8-day trip with a 4/4 split.

I like a split stay, in fact we have one coming up in 2 weeks. I think the 4/4 is a good plan. I always try to have at least 3 nights in each hotel. We tailor our trips to where we are staying.

 

[hilltopper152]

I like a split stay, in fact we have one coming up in 2 weeks. I think the 4/4 is a good plan. I always try to have at least 3 nights in each hotel. We tailor our trips to where we are staying.

Split stays allow you to take advantage of different areas like a Epcot day or Hollywood studios day and the next part of trip maybe have closer access to monorail loop or fort wilderness activities. It's just nice being close to certain amenities. Like two mini trips.

 

[bakerworld]

I am hoping to do a split stay soon to see if we like it or not.

My thought is an 8-day trip with a 4/4 split.

I am hoping to do a split stay soon to see if we like it or not.

My thought is an 8-day trip with a 4/4 split.

We've tried everything from 1/3, 2/5, 3/3. Once we did 5n in AKJ/2n in Vero/1n BWV. When we cruise we'll do a 'cruise sandwich'. The nice part with split stays is you get to experience so many of the resorts. Some resorts I like but not the food so one or two night stay is optimal but I am constantly packing and unpacking, which is annoying. DH swears I'm mixing up his clean and dirty clothes and after a while, especially post cruise, he's right.

 

[tom1944]

I said this on another thread. I figure we would match up BLT/BWV or BCV with either AKV/CCV or BRV. So BLT and AKV one year and BWV and BRV the next.

We would also use SSR and OKW when we decide to do more resort stays/golf or water parks and off-site things like Sea World and Universal

 

[tom1944]

We've tried everything from 1/3, 2/5, 3/3. Once we did 5n in AKJ/2n in Vero/1n BWV. When we cruise we'll do a 'cruise sandwich'. The nice part with split stays is you get to experience so many of the resorts. Some resorts I like but not the food so one or two night stay is optimal but I am constantly packing and unpacking, which is annoying. DH swears I'm mixing up his clean and dirty clothes and after a while, especially post cruise, he's right.

I do not know if it works but I said to my wife if we do a split stay we pack 2 carry ones with stuff for both of us in each and only unpack 1. We figured if we need 4 day's worth of stuff the ability to do wash should enable to only pack for 2 days in each bag. Plus, what we wear on the flight.

 

[hilltopper152]

I do not know if it works but I said to my wife if we do a split stay we pack 2 carry ones with stuff for both of us in each and only unpack 1. We figured if we need 4 day's worth of stuff the ability to do wash should enable to only pack for 2 days in each bag. Plus, what we wear on the flight.

Bring a small duffle bag. Fill that up as week goes on and once bags are light enough you can pack back into it. We do this with all our clothes so we can split stay easier and keep laundry from being all over place.

 

[Sandisw]

What triggers the last week where suddenly USA wants to come? Why do people just not come one week earlier? The festival is already happening there too by then. I mean I usually aim for mid month- third week. Sometimes will go first of the month but don't usually due to workload at my job. If I had to go last week I guess I would just own the situation and know I will be at monorail loop area or SSR

There are schools who go back in August who may be getting a fall break end of September to early October.

But, I think end of September also starts it because of the weather beginning to wind down in heat and humidity levels.

It’s also only a month from Halloween so it’s easier to get u to thst spirit.

But, that time of year for staying in the Epcot area is going to be tough for SAP. Nothing is impossible but I think you could be frustrated more often than not in getting the one bedrooms.

Now, if you have flexibility in your dates..and can choose any over a several week timeframe you have more luck but I still think if that is what you want, I’d go with BWV if thee second closest Epcot options which is RIV direct is off the table for you.

 

[RoseGold]

Availability at BW during September 7mos for: studio (know it's impossible), 1-bedroom, and 2 bedroom???

Trying to decide if I could just bank up points or score a few nights at BW in my usual seasons realistically or if I really need to keep looking for BW. I rather have the longer contract as my family is young but I do hate not having access to Epcot resorts ever as stroller access to two parks is why we wanted BLT originally. I know it's long but please give me your honest opinion as I see you often have good advice. Thank you

Impossible to answer if you don't know what you are booking. 1BR at BW isn't that hard, I do it all the time, but I don't travel peak. Studios are a totally different thing. Studios and 1BRs are completely different products.

 

[hilltopper152]

There are schools who go back in August who may be getting a fall break end of September to early October.

But, I think end of September also starts it because of the weather beginning to wind down in heat and humidity levels.

It’s also only a month from Halloween so it’s easier to get u to thst spirit.

But, that time of year for staying in the Epcot area is going to be tough for SAP. Nothing is impossible but I think you could be frustrated more often than not in getting the one bedrooms.

Now, if you have flexibility in your dates..and can choose any over a several week timeframe you have more luck but I still think if that is what you want, I’d go with BWV if thee second closest Epcot options which is RIV direct is off the table for you.

My use year never seems to hit the market with under 100 point contracts so I weigh that too into decision as it is not as easy as just saying this contract and this many points works better. I am very flexible with dates and generally only travel when people don't want to be there. Food and wine is my least favorite festival but in general just do my best to not travel with a infant and toddler during summer. In the future things will change. Next fall is when I plan to try early fall again just for something different.

RIV direct was what got me looking again but nervous about the cost it would take and the point chart. 15 years from now I lean to the side of thinking it won't be as ideal. I rather own the new resort in boardwalk area or something different potentially. Lots of unknowns but cost is my number one consideration closely followed by location. I maybe would jump on BW contract but not much out there to keep true to my current use year. I saw a website posted by a member where it tracked availability and honestly it told a story of maybe some people being dramatic about early fall. 1 bedroom options in the area weren't as harsh but tight. I generally understand the gist that I probably will struggle and have to back out of plans a couple times. I plan right at my window, bend dates generally to make airlines ideal for my local airport, and I only need Maybe 3-4 days together. I have never not split stayed.
This morning I am pondering the wisdom you provided and others and just need to decide is waiting out a contract for BW worth the extra money, higher dues, and 12 year shorter contract vs SSR... Personal question for sure. Heart wants BW but I know deep down we love all the resorts mostly and saving money, having more vacations with daughters, and missing out one time is not the end of the world. You all help me understand what cost I give up and provide the therapy of DVC haha!