Considering Buying DVC

[Lisacope]

Hi All -

My DH and I are considering buying DVC - we took the SSR tour but I think we would prefer the Beach Club or Boardwalk Villas. Please feel free to point me to a FAQ if these questions have been asked a million times. A Couple of Questions:

1) I am confused about the home resort thing - If we buy into SSR does it take the same amount of points to stay at the Boardwalk? For Example, if we buy SSR it is 234 points to stay for 1 week in a 1 BR in June. If we bought SSR would it take 234 points to stay for 1 week in a 1 br in June at the Boardwalk? Is there an advantage to staying at your "home resort" as opposed to a different one?

2) If we decide it would be better to have Boardwalk be the home resort, what is the best way to buy into it given that they are selling SSR? Do you have to buy through a timeshare reseller or is there a way to buy through Disney?

3) How do you decide how many points to buy? I think I want enough points to stay in a 1 BR villa for an entire week once a year. Will I be happy with that amount or could I possibly find that to be too much or too little?

Thanks for all your input!!!

 

[Caskbill]

1) I am confused about the home resort thing - If we buy into SSR does it take the same amount of points to stay at the Boardwalk? For Example, if we buy SSR it is 234 points to stay for 1 week in a 1 BR in June. If we bought SSR would it take 234 points to stay for 1 week in a 1 br in June at the Boardwalk? Is there an advantage to staying at your "home resort" as opposed to a different one?

Point schedules are different. BWV Preferred View, VWL, and BCV share the same point schedule, and for the 2nd half of June, your week would be 270 points.

BWV standard view is 222 points

OKW is 218

And SSR is 243 (not 234)

The first 10 days in June are in Dream season so points are slightly lower for each resort. From June 10 to Aug 14th, all resorts are in Magic season.

Point schedules for VB and HH are different, and also follow different seasons.
Everyone pays the same amount of points for the resort they're staying in. It makes no difference whether that's your home resort or not. The only advantage of home resort is that you can reserve there 11-months ahead, while for non-home resorts, the reservation window is 7-months ahead.

2) If we decide it would be better to have Boardwalk be the home resort, what is the best way to buy into it given that they are selling SSR? Do you have to buy through a timeshare reseller or is there a way to buy through Disney?

You can buy through Disney but there is a waitlist in most cases. The number of points for a resort is fixed, so once a resort is sold out there are no more points available until someone decides to sell. Disney gets points back either by purchasing directly from someone selling or by ROFR.

Purchasing from a resale broker may be quicker, but you need to be aware of point status and a few other things.

3) How do you decide how many points to buy? I think I want enough points to stay in a 1 BR villa for an entire week once a year. Will I be happy with that amount or could I possibly find that to be too much or too little?

The number of points is a personal choice based on what you think your vacation habits will be, and your financial situation. Looking at point charts for different villas and different resorts and different times of the year can give you an idea of what number of points would be best for you. Also, you may find it helpful to download my DVC-Planner program which will show points for any vacation dates you check. It will also show the points in a table format for every combination of resort/villa for that same vacation timeframe.

Hope this helps

 

[JimMIA]

First of all, Bill's too modest. If you want the best tool to figure out the points needed for various vacations, and compare options, and about a thousand other things...click on the DVC Planner link on Caskbill's signature above and download his free, essential tool.

Secondly, here's a link to a thread that we started a little more than a year ago: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=778634

This thread starts with a discussion of "home resort," and covers many other topics. It's a long thread, but many knowledgeable posters have contributed over time, so I think the whole thing is worth scanning.

 

[byoung]

1) I am confused about the home resort thing - If we buy into SSR does it take the same amount of points to stay at the Boardwalk? For Example, if we buy SSR it is 234 points to stay for 1 week in a 1 BR in June. If we bought SSR would it take 234 points to stay for 1 week in a 1 br in June at the Boardwalk? Is there an advantage to staying at your "home resort" as opposed to a different one?

Each resorts have different point costs.

2) If we decide it would be better to have Boardwalk be the home resort, what is the best way to buy into it given that they are selling SSR? Do you have to buy through a timeshare reseller or is there a way to buy through Disney?

No, you can go on the waitlist to buy BWV. We got BWV last June with no waitlist.

3) How do you decide how many points to buy? I think I want enough points to stay in a 1 BR villa for an entire week once a year. Will I be happy with that amount or could I possibly find that to be too much or too little?


You will be happy to start with that amount.

 

[MissD]

You will be happy to start with that amount.


Ain't that the truth..'start' being the operative word

 

[mello]

Hi All -

1) I am confused about the home resort thing - If we buy into SSR does it take the same amount of points to stay at the Boardwalk? For Example, if we buy SSR it is 234 points to stay for 1 week in a 1 BR in June. If we bought SSR would it take 234 points to stay for 1 week in a 1 br in June at the Boardwalk? Is there an advantage to staying at your "home resort" as opposed to a different one?

Each resort has its own point structure, but everyone pays the same points for the resort they're staying at, regardless of which resort is their home. The home resort advantage is that you can book there earlier than you can at other resorts - 11 months out, as opposed to 7 months out. So some hard to get rooms or times of year (like Grand Villas at Old Key West, or most rooms at BCV and BWV during Food & Wine) will be very hard to secure if that isn't your home. In your case, if you MUST stay at BWV in October, then you'll probably want BWV as your home resort, and you'll want to book it before the 7 month window opens for other resort owners. If you're happy staying at BWV any time you can get it, or anywhere else that's available on shorter notice - less than 7 months - then you'll be fine owning at any other resort.

2) If we decide it would be better to have Boardwalk be the home resort, what is the best way to buy into it given that they are selling SSR? Do you have to buy through a timeshare reseller or is there a way to buy through Disney?

You can buy through the Timeshare Store, or just call Disney and tell them you'd like to be put on a waiting list for BWV. You could wait quite awhile for a larger contract through Disney, or for just the "right" contract through the Timeshare Store, so you might want to be flexible in your initial amount of points.

3) How do you decide how many points to buy? I think I want enough points to stay in a 1 BR villa for an entire week once a year. Will I be happy with that amount or could I possibly find that to be too much or too little?

Thanks for all your input!!!

Your way of deciding looks good. I think you'll be happy with that amount. Until you decide you need more points We were thrilled with our 160 points, until we decided we needed 30 more, which then turned into 60 more. It can get addicting.

 

[pilferk]

My wife and I are starting to consider the same thing....though we probably won't make a purchase til early next year ('07).

My question is this: I understand the 11/7 booking rule. But, if I were to purchase 2 contracts...say a 200 pt contract for SSR (through Dis) and a 50 pt contract for the BWV (through a reseller)...would I be correct in assuming that I now have 2 home resorts? And I could book in either one 11 months out, using the full 250 pts (assuming all were in "use")? I know the contracts would have different lengths and all that...but in looking at our options, if that assumption proves true...it might work out the best for us.

Thanks, in advance, for the insight.

 

[hoopsrob]

My wife and I are starting to consider the same thing....though we probably won't make a purchase til early next year ('07).

My question is this: I understand the 11/7 booking rule. But, if I were to purchase 2 contracts...say a 200 pt contract for SSR (through Dis) and a 50 pt contract for the BWV (through a reseller)...would I be correct in assuming that I now have 2 home resorts? And I could book in either one 11 months out, using the full 250 pts (assuming all were in "use")? I know the contracts would have different lengths and all that...but in looking at our options, if that assumption proves true...it might work out the best for us.

Thanks, in advance, for the insight.

As I understand it--

At the 11 month window, you can only book for the # of points you have at that specific resort. You can not combine points from 2 contracts at the 11 month window.

At 7 months you can combine points.

 

[pilferk]

As I understand it--

At the 11 month window, you can only book for the # of points you have at that specific resort. You can not combine points from 2 contracts at the 11 month window.

At 7 months you can combine points.

Thanks. Obviously not what I wanted to hear....but thanks!

I've now read (in another thread) a couple other people saying the same thing, so I'm quite sure you understand it right.

Now we just have to figure out which is more important to us: 12 extra years or getting first crack at the BWV's 2 BR Suites every year (with a possible GV stay at some point, borrowing and banking, so we can take my parents along). Given we're considering this mostly because we really want a 2 BR accomodation for our annual trips (we're soon to be a family of 5), and we have pretty young kids (4,2, and due on Sept 29th), the accomodations, theming and relative park proximity of the BWV is compelling.

On the flip side, being able to book an extra 12 trips is pretty compelling too. But the location of SSR and the "laid back" atmosphere isn't our cup of tea...nor does it seem very "stimulating" for the wee ones. Older ones, maybe.....

Hmmm....something to chew over the next several months I guess. I'd love to hear opinions and suggestions. Our "usual" travel dates are either late Sept or Early Jan, if it matters.

 

[JimMIA]

As I understand it--

At the 11 month window, you can only book for the # of points you have at that specific resort. You can not combine points from 2 contracts at the 11 month window.

At 7 months you can combine points.

hoopsrob understands that perfectly... That's exactly how it works.

 

[SFLTIGGER]

Just to add this for those now considering;

We just bought at SSR in May. We must have had a great guide, she explained everything very well to us (point charts, booking windows, etc).

As is stated many, many times on this site; "Buy where you want to stay" is a very good point, but IMHO should really be, "Buy where you won't be disappointed staying!".

SSR was our big concern about buying DVC, but after touring and with the discount offered. Not bad at all and someplace we could live with!

That being said, we called the first part of June to book our first trip home. At only 2 months away (granted we are going the last week in Aug.) we were able to get a 1BR at VWL for 8 nights. In fact the only property not available was BCV (only 4 of the 8 nights).

 

[MissD]

Maybe we're just extremely lucky, but in 8 years we have never had a problem getting the ressies we wanted at the 7 month window. We did have to be wait-listed for 1 night (of 6) at VB for Thanksgiving a few years back, but that came through in about 3 days anyway.

Of course, we don't stay during Spring Break or Christmas week, but I figure we're just making it a bit easier for someone else to do so. One less DVC-er trying for that 2 BR is a good thing, right??

As SSR grows, it may get more challenging...but so far, 7 months has never been a problem for us.

 

[Spine_DR]

We take fairly long vacations in July every Year 8 nights or more and in 2BR at the seven month window i havent had any problem getting BWV preferred or boardwalk view, Standard is usually not avail. I do know people that cant get into BWV or BCV during food and wine festival holidays, and other DVC popular tims. The BCV is one of the most poplular and is the smallest so evan home people have trouble during peak season, but atleast for right now the BWV is easy enough to get during the summer. The poplular thing to do right now is buy a resale contract at one of those resorts (BWV or BCV) but my problem with that is the contract for BWV and BCV would expire when I'am 62 compared to the 74 for the SSR contract that i have, but if thats not a prob for you and you want to make sure you will be at BWV or BCV esp during holiday, the best thing to do is buy resale.

 

[Slakk]

We take fairly long vacations in July every Year 8 nights or more and in 2BR at the seven month window i havent had any problem getting BWV preferred or boardwalk view, Standard is usually not avail. I do know people that cant get into BWV or BCV during food and wine festival holidays, and other DVC popular tims. The BCV is one of the most poplular and is the smallest so evan home people have trouble during peak season, but atleast for right now the BWV is easy enough to get during the summer. The poplular thing to do right now is buy a resale contract at one of those resorts (BWV or BCV) but my problem with that is the contract for BWV and BCV would expire when I'am 62 compared to the 74 for the SSR contract that i have, but if thats not a prob for you and you want to make sure you will be at BWV or BCV esp during holiday, the best thing to do is buy resale.

I have a main contract at SSR (which is my favorite) and two small contracts at BCV and VWL just so I can get in during peak times. I love the extra years of SSR but more than that I love SSR