Close to DVC Purchase

[mdsd8700]

This is my first post but have been reading these boards forever. There is always a wealth of information and I enjoy reading it all. I have done lots of research as we have thought of purchasing DVC many times but somehow never took the leap. We are looking at some resale points, I want one of the longer contracts. So BLT or SSR look like the best fit in terms of years. Of course SSR is a lot cheaper so I can get more points for my money, but we wouldn't chose to stay there. So is it worth having the extra points if I am always going to be booking at the 7 month window? I am a vacation planner so booking 7 months out would not be a problem for us. We do like to change resorts with each trip. I would only be interested in staying BLT, BWV, BCV or WLV, how difficult would it be to get a studio 7 months out at each of these? We travel at various times of the year. Buying at BLT means that I would be able to book at 12 months, but we don't usually plan 12 months out. That leads me to ask, how difficult is it to book at your home resort between the 8-11 month;is the inventory still plentiful? I hope these questions make sense. Thanks so much for any thoughts and advice.

 

[mgroshans]

This is my first post but have been reading these boards forever. There is always a wealth of information and I enjoy reading it all. I have done lots of research as we have thought of purchasing DVC many times but somehow never took the leap. We are looking at some resale points, I want one of the longer contracts. So BLT or SSR look like the best fit in terms of years. Of course SSR is a lot cheaper so I can get more points for my money, but we wouldn't chose to stay there. So is it worth having the extra points if I am always going to be booking at the 7 month window? I am a vacation planner so booking 7 months out would not be a problem for us. We do like to change resorts with each trip. I would only be interested in staying BLT, BWV, BCV or WLV, how difficult would it be to get a studio 7 months out at each of these? We travel at various times of the year. Buying at BLT means that I would be able to book at 12 months, but we don't usually plan 12 months out. That leads me to ask, how difficult is it to book at your home resort between the 8-11 month;is the inventory still plentiful? I hope these questions make sense. Thanks so much for any thoughts and advice.

we booked our home resort (Kidani) at 11 months out last year for our most recent trip last week. We then changed and wanted BCV for last week, so we called in February to change it- we got 3 out of the 4 days and waitlisted for the 4th day. A week later, it came thru. So it just depends. We never thought we would get BCV 4 months out, especially early June, but we did.
We also wanted to stay an extra day at Kidani (last Friday night), so we called on Wednesday and asked for it and got it- 2 days out.
You can book at your home resort 11 months out, not 12.

 

[omalley1118]

W ebought at BLT, and I have no intention of staying there. I did, however, really like SSR. We just bought last year, and we are very glad that we did!!! Good luck with everything. We are actually thinking of buyin more, and SSR would be a possibility.

 

[chalee94]

Of course SSR is a lot cheaper so I can get more points for my money, but we wouldn't chose to stay there.

then don't buy there.

I would only be interested in staying BLT, BWV, BCV or WLV, how difficult would it be to get a studio 7 months out at each of these?

often you would be able to find something at the 7 month window. but sometimes you can't. BWV or BCV in october (during epcot's F&W) is a relatively tough get...as is most anything in early december.

if everything is booked up at 7 months, you can currently only request 2 waitlist options at a time - so if you were open to staying at BLT-standard view or BLT-lake view, that would use up all of your waitlist options.

the question is: if nothing comes through and you get "stuck" at SSR, how disappointed will you be? if you will still be happy to be at wdw and it's no big deal - save the money and buy SSR. if you'll spend the week wishing you were at another resort, buy one of those 4 resorts and book 10-11 months in advance.

That leads me to ask, how difficult is it to book at your home resort between the 8-11 month;is the inventory still plentiful?

depends on the time of year but booking 10-11 months in advance at your home resort is pretty easy unless there is unusually high demand (new year's) or unusually low supply (AKV concierge villas).

"buy where you want to stay" or else "buy where you don't mind staying." there are lots of people who bought SSR thinking they would never stay there. the math on that just doesn't work - maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones...or maybe not.

 

[katybugsmom]

This is my first post but have been reading these boards forever. There is always a wealth of information and I enjoy reading it all. I have done lots of research as we have thought of purchasing DVC many times but somehow never took the leap. We are looking at some resale points, I want one of the longer contracts. So BLT or SSR look like the best fit in terms of years. Of course SSR is a lot cheaper so I can get more points for my money, but we wouldn't chose to stay there. So is it worth having the extra points if I am always going to be booking at the 7 month window? I am a vacation planner so booking 7 months out would not be a problem for us. We do like to change resorts with each trip. I would only be interested in staying BLT, BWV, BCV or WLV, how difficult would it be to get a studio 7 months out at each of these? We travel at various times of the year. Buying at BLT means that I would be able to book at 12 months, but we don't usually plan 12 months out. That leads me to ask, how difficult is it to book at your home resort between the 8-11 month;is the inventory still plentiful? I hope these questions make sense. Thanks so much for any thoughts and advice.

Welcome to the club!

 

[mdsd8700]

I thought I posted a reply, but it didn't show up.....obviously a newbie here. Thanks so much to those who replied so quickly. It really helps to hear actually scenarios that you have experienced. Charles I like your point "will I be dissappointed" staying at SSR. That is ultimately the question, since it is likely that it will eventually happen. Thanks!

 

[mecllap]

SSR is a lovely resort -- wouldn't turn it down out of hand.
One of the first things that happens to DVC purchasers (not sure if it's before or after their first stay in one of the resorts) -- is addonitis. I agree with the "buy where you want to stay, or at least wouldn't mind staying" but getting as many points as you can reasonably afford now and in the future (those vacations all have a lot of other costs as well as annual MFs) is also something worth considering. There are lots of things to factor in -- remember that things do change with DVC; you'll need some flexibility in your expectations (a recent reallocation of points was hard for some people). Keep reading the threads with advice for people considering a purchase; good luck with your decision.

 

[lucyem]

Buy where you would want to stay, even if it is not your very first choice, but at least something on your list. One of the biggest reasons we went with resale other then saving money on the buy-in was that we could buy BCV. We plan to travel in the fall mostly and love the whole Epcot area. The last thing we wanted was to get stuck at AKV during food&wine for example. As more and more people join DVC the harder it may get to book at 7 months especially at the smaller resorts which BCV & WLV are.

 

[TomD]

2 hints of advice when considering buying DVC

1. Buy where you want to stay

2. Do not buy at a rsort you will not be happy staying at. This way you will never be disappointed.

 

[Disneypirate85]

MUST reiterate...BUY where YOU want to stay!....As they say Location location and yes LOCATION. SSR is a very nice Resort also very large.
Alot depends on when you want to visit the World. As stated F&W would be tuff at the Epcot resorts, Christmas is really hard for VWL and so on every Resort has its plus's and minus's...Good Luck, Shawn