Deciding which resort to purchase-any advice/thoughts?

[jerseyjersey]

Finally ready to take the plunge and buy into DVC, but having a hard time deciding which resort. We have lots of favorites (love most MK and Epcot resorts), any of which we would be happy with. We ultimately hope to have more than one home resort, but want to start with 1 contract of 150 or so points. Struggling to balance length of contract, price, room sizes and types available, location, and ability to book the rooms we want at 11/7 months.

Here’s the debate so far:

- We love Epcot resorts for location esp in the fall (and like BWV for point value, BCV for SAB), but the 2042 expiration doesn’t seem to make sense for the price, from an investment perspective, and I am having a hard time getting past that. I do realize that they’ll likely be tough to book if we don’t own there (and even moreso in the next 2 years with the new lands), which is why they are still in the running.

We tend toward MK resorts (mainly Poly and Contemporary, also WL) in the summer, and the proximity to MK plus the monorail is a nice feature.

- Poly is amazing, but don’t like that it’s either studio or bungalow (don’t see us having enough points to spend a week in a bungalow in the foreseeable future). Like the time left on the contract.

- Contemporary/BLT is a favorite as well, but we’d be looking mostly at studios for the next few years, and the studios at BLT seem to be really tiny and not the most functional, which appears to be a complaint of many.

- Like the point values and options for value and concierge at AK, but don’t know it’s too remote to always stay there (so far, we’ve only stayed there for short visits when we’ve rented a car). It does seem generally easier to book AK rooms (aside from value and concierge) at 7 months, though.

-VWL would also be an option if it were available more readily at resale, but so far, there haven’t been any resale contracts worth pursuing.

We’d probably stay in mainly studios for the next few years (only 2 or 3 of us, possibly 4 for an occasional weekend) then larger units (1 and eventually maybe 2 bedrooms) as my kiddo gets older and we’ll hopefully also have more chances to bring family and friends along. Want to buy resale and likely add on 25-50 direct points shortly thereafter. Also hoping to add another 100-200 points in maybe 5 years or so. We normally have a rental car, but have opted not to have one on a trip or 2. We like MK and Epcot pretty equally, also excited about the new HS offerings, and AKL is a must for us every trip, as well, though it’s a 1 day park for us currently.

Any thoughts on which resort(s) make sense, in light of available room types,
contract length, location, etc? Any thoughts would be appreciated!!

 

[igrsod]

Reading your post, your logic follows our logic mostly when we were looking for our first contract. We looked for a well priced contract at AKL or BLT for our first one. We ended up with an excellent price on AKL. Logic here was that we love the resort itself, would stay there and not do parks even because it's just that awesome. We wanted the early booking window to get the low point rooms. We figure, now we will keep our eyes open for a good BC or BLT for the future add on. This gets us in the door.
I think a similar strategy will work for you too. Watch all the resorts you like, when one comes up at a good price, put an offer in and then add on the others at a later date. It's hard, you get inside your head thinking about all the ins and outs. The one thing that didn't sit well with me was the shorter length of contract at many of the resorts, for more money. I realize location is the factor, but still seemed too much compared to the price of AKL.

 

[Cyberc1978]

A lot people talk about the length of contract and for good reason because you are most likely going to own for a number of years.

I bought BWV last year and at the time I would get 24 years of use IF I kept the contract to the end. By the end i will be 64 years old. Honestly I don’t know if I will be going at that time. I don’t know if I will be going in 5 or 10 years I certainly hope I am but who knows maybe life happens and I won’t. If I only have the contract for 5 or 10 years heck even if I had it to the end I’d rather stay somewhere I love to stay than somewhere I only feel is okay.

Point is I’d rather pay a little more and stay where I love to be. With a contract ending in 2060 I would be more than 80 yo and by then I’m not going so that wouldn’t matter.

Furthermore DVC is not a traditional investment but it’s a luxury purchase, I don’t expect to get anything back if I do perfect. I bought DVC to “invest” in my family’s vacation time together how do you put a price on that.

So which resort should you choose? Well if you are going mostly between mid January-September then I would purchase ssr as it’s cheapest and most resorts are open at 7 months. That might change in the future with more members making it more difficult to book at 7 months. If one resort is more important than others then I would buy that and not look at contract length. Epcot resorts will increase with the new lands opening so have that in mind as well.

 

[Jelly563]

Reading your post, it sounds like you should buy Poly. You don't like just studios or bungalows... but for the next few years thats what u said you need. So you buy 150-200 Poly now and as your kid gets older add on. Then you can get the larger bung or bring friends. In the meantime, you can always use your poly pts at AKL if you want a 2br. With Poly you get MK location, monorail & a longer contract at an amazing resort (all your words). See you at T. Sams

 

[CarolMN]

.....(snip).......... We love Epcot resorts for location esp in the fall (and like BWV for point value, BCV for SAB), but the 2042 expiration doesn’t seem to make sense for the price, from an investment perspective, and I am having a hard time getting past that. I do realize that they’ll likely be tough to book if we don’t own there (and even more so in the next 2 years with the new lands), which is why they are still in the running. ...........

If you decide to buy BWV, be sure to buy enough points to (at least) book the Pool/Garden studios. Even if you book as soon as the window opens, getting a standard view studio in the fall is a challenge. There are lots of members who have purchased BWV for the express purpose of booking standard view studios during F& W and/or the first two weeks of December. If you are unable or unwilling to book by "walking your reservation", you will often find your desired dates sold out before your window even opens.

 

[lovin'fl]

When we first bought in, 2006, I would have suggested buying the best deal. And that would be SSR. Cheapest buy in, longer contract life and lower annual dues. But now I suggest buying where you want to stay most. It's just gotten so difficult to get other resorts at the 7 month mark...especially studios.

We started with OKW. It was the cheapest going resale for WDW home resorts in 2006. We have been lucky and used those points at every east coast DVC resort, even HH and VB, except VGF (haven't yet tried to book VGF) and CCV (but have stayed at VWL twice). But it has been getting more difficult over time. We now have to book split stays and stalk the resort availability tracker to grab better places.

After staying at HH one July, and having trouble getting the dates I wanted at 7 months...we added HH points. Then we added AKV points because SIL owned there and we'd do trips with all the in laws. Well after about two years of owning those we realized we could pretty much always book standard or savannah view rooms there at 7 months out with our OKW points...so we re sold those. We love AKV, one of our faves. But only need to stay there every once in a while.

In 2013 DH and I went to our first F&W. We loved it and now go every year. So we added on some BWV points for those trips. But we found we like to stay at BWV (or BCV...but if we can get standard view at BWV it saves us points) as often as possible. We love walking to two parks and Epcot is our fave park. MK is not a fave of ours, now with college kids. So we aren't wowed by the monorail resorts. We do love VWL and I would own some there if I could...for Xmas time trips when it's all decorated.

Anyway, we ended up adding BWV points four times for a grand total of 255 there (200 at OKW and 125 at HH). We aren't concerned with the end date. We will be 69. If we and our kids and grandkids still want to go, we can buy new....kids can buy new and treat us.

Three weeks from today we will be checking in to BWV...cannot wait!!! And we were just at Disney for NYE but we stayed at OKW, Poly and Coronado Springs...but sooooo sooooo missed our BWV.

 

[Ben E N]

It sounds to me like you are leaning towards BLT. Yes the studios are small, but they are still functional if it is all you can get into. BLT has the lowest buy in cost of the monorail resorts, plus the longer expiration that Epcot resorts do not currently have.
You can buy there with enough points for a 1 BR every other year or so, and then use those points to sleep around at Poly, BCV, and BWV whenever they become available.

 

[WALTSAGOD]

Reading your post, it sounds like you should buy Poly. You don't like just studios or bungalows... but for the next few years thats what u said you need. So you buy 150-200 Poly now and as your kid gets older add on. Then you can get the larger bung or bring friends. In the meantime, you can always use your poly pts at AKL if you want a 2br. With Poly you get MK location, monorail & a longer contract at an amazing resort (all your words). See you at T. Sams

You beat me to it!

 

[jerseyjersey]

Thanks so much for all the advice! The fact that it’s so varied, is making me feel a bit better about being so obsessive about this decision.

 

[Ben E N]

Thanks so much for all the advice! The fact that it’s so varied, is making me feel a bit better about being so obsessive about this decision.

Well you're buying into ownership in Disney World. It's very hard to make a wrong decision as long as you can afford it.

 

[ldo]

If you are doing studios, consider the points to book. Studios at newer resorts cost almost as many points as a 1 br at older resorts. If you are doing a bus resort, distance doesn’t really matter that much imho as wait for bus time is the main timing factor.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

My only advice would be to do your direct points at a resort with a longer end date. I recently bought BWV because it's where we want to stay and the end date doesn't really bother me (it did in the decision making stage, but now that it's done, I don't care at all). However, we intend to buy at BLT and/or CCV as well and ideally I would have bought those points direct not the BWV. It just didn't work out that way. I don't like the idea of losing direct status before our last contract ends so now I'm contemplating buying direct again. I'm buying in small "chunks" so the resale - vs - direct savings is smaller anyway, but still....ugh.

You could hold out for Riviera if you want an Epcot area resort (though I don't personally feel like it will be the same as a "walk to park" resort.)

I like the MK resort / Epcot resort combo if you're looking to own more than one. My feeling is you buy the "hard to gets" and can stay stay at SSR, OKW, and AKL whenever to change things up. Despite my cheapo nature, getting the best price / value took a backseat to being able to take the trips we want. We travel peak times. The opposite approach (buy cheapest points and use them wherever) was not likely to work for us.

Also, I have older kids. For many reasons, I see 2 or more studios working out better than 1 and 2 bedrooms for the longterm. So, I wouldn't rule out Poly based on that.

I find decision making easier if you break it down as much as possible. For us, it was like this...

Epcot:
BWV or BCV
Wait for Riv

MK:
VWL (CCV or BRV)
BLT
Poly
VGF

The rest:
SSR
OKW
AKL

Eliminated the last category completely for reasons explained above. So, it then becomes choose 1 from each category. So, never comparing BWV to BLT or whatever.

Decided Riv was not worth the wait
BWV vs BCV was kinda easy - we don't swim (SAB not a factor) but standard view was a big plus.

MK has been harder. We eliminated VGF first. Poly is most likely a no go due to the points chart, though I do like the resort.
That leaves us realistically deciding between BLT and VWL. I won't worry about choosing between CCV or BRV unless we eliminate BLT.

Good luck!

 

[ziravan]

Buy where you want to stay.

Don’t let the 2042 expiration bother you if that’s where you want to stay.

There’s a time value to money, but there’s also a time value to time. Enjoying where you want to stay for more than two decades now is worth far more than what will happen 23 yrs from now.

This is a luxury purchase. I wouldn’t compromise on the now for potential value/enjoyment when I’m in my 70’s. My kids won’t be kids in 23 yrs, etc etc.

We own three contracts, BCV, Poly, and AKV. If we could only keep one, it’d be BCV and that’s not even a debate.

If you still really love WDW and DVC in 23 years, you’ll have options. In the meantime, I wouldn’t sacrifice on a luxury purchase by not staying where you want to stay because of what might happen that far out.

There’s a time value to today.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

Buy where you want to stay.

Don’t let the 2042 expiration bother you if that’s where you want to stay.

There’s a time value to money, but there’s also a time value to time. Enjoying where you want to stay for more than two decades now is worth far more than what will happen 23 yrs from now.

This is a luxury purchase. I wouldn’t compromise on the now for potential value/enjoyment when I’m in my 70’s. My kids won’t be kids in 23 yrs, etc etc.

We own three contracts, BCV, Poly, and AKV. If we could only keep one, it’d be BCV and that’s not even a debate.

If you still really love WDW and DVC in 23 years, you’ll have options. In the meantime, I wouldn’t sacrifice on a luxury purchase by not staying where you want to stay because of what might happen that far out.

There’s a time value to today.

Yep.

Interestingly enough, as my friends and family are finding out I have recently joined DVC, they think 2042 is great and a really long time! They're like "Do you think you're really going to keep it that long?" Of course, they don't know the options and pricing. It's just funny how we tend to sometimes over-analyze things. (IMHO) And it is definitely a luxury purchase and not a financial investment. I always wonder if some people sit and calculate the time value of money when they splurge on a single trip to Europe or a new living room set complete with the latest and greatest TV or whatever. I know plenty that have dropped 10K on one "splurge" and that's what I spent on my DVC purchase, so.... whatever.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

First thing I'd think about is if all things were equal where would I want to stay if I couldn't trade out. Also, studios are more difficult to book so you may have some more options to get into larger villas once you move up to them but if going in the fall that inventory tightens up more and more each year.

Because of your preference for MK area I was thinking PVB might still make some sense although it's not the most economical if you end up using it to stay at other resorts. But you can request connecting studios which might cover some of your other trips you are thinking of 1BR's and they are the largest studios at WDW. And with the TTC in walking distance Epcot is just a monorail ride away giving you easy access to both MK and Epcot.

You also could make your purchase now about where you'd like to stay in studios and where the total points bought thru resale + the direct add on are enough for your expected studio stays for the next few years and then add on later when you figure out how DVC is working for you and if there's another resort you'd like to have home priority at.

 

[Pluto777]

Yep.

Interestingly enough, as my friends and family are finding out I have recently joined DVC, they think 2042 is great and a really long time! They're like "Do you think you're really going to keep it that long?" Of course, they don't know the options and pricing. It's just funny how we tend to sometimes over-analyze things. (IMHO) And it is definitely a luxury purchase and not a financial investment. I always wonder if some people sit and calculate the time value of money when they splurge on a single trip to Europe or a new living room set complete with the latest and greatest TV or whatever. I know plenty that have dropped 10K on one "splurge" and that's what I spent on my DVC purchase, so.... whatever.

2042 IS a long time from now, but will it SEEM that way in 9 years (2027)? I bought for two reasons, 1) to enjoy it of course, but ALSO 2) with a practical view as well. The argument of 'will I still be going, alive or 'too old to go' in 2042'? Was NOT the factor for the purchases I personally made (I own BLT and SSR). In my case my plan is that when I am no longer interested in using my contracts I plan to sell them - not keep them to the last day of expiration. Therefore, it is not necessarily a case of 'will I still be going/interested in going past 2042'?, but a case of will I be able to SELL THEM and hope fully recoup some/all or even MORE than what I paid for them? I could certainly be wrong, but in my opinion when I am ready to sell in the future I THINK 2054 and 2060 will sound further out than 2042 and hopefully this get me a higher sale price as time gets closer. Of course as I said, I had TWO reasons for buying, if you are a buyer thinking ONLY of reason #1 then the simple 'buy where you want to stay' seems best; for me factor 2 was equally important.

 

[amccu18007]

We too own at BWV and bought there last year.I would run the numbers but in reality, it costs the same per year to own at BWV as it does to own at a longer contract resort. Annual dues add up! We own at Poly(150) and BWV(200) and my parents own VGF(125) and BWV(50). I am waiting to see the cost per point at the Riviera before buying more but we love the Epcot area and wouldn't mind owning some at BC

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

2042 IS a long time from now, but will it SEEM that way in 9 years (2027)? I bought for two reasons, 1) to enjoy it of course, but ALSO 2) with a practical view as well. The argument of 'will I still be going, alive or 'too old to go' in 2042'? Was NOT the factor for the purchases I personally made (I own BLT and SSR). In my case my plan is that when I am no longer interested in using my contracts I plan to sell them - not keep them to the last day of expiration. Therefore, it is not necessarily a case of 'will I still be going/interested in going past 2042'?, but a case of will I be able to SELL THEM and hope fully recoup some/all or even MORE than what I paid for them? I could certainly be wrong, but in my opinion when I am ready to sell in the future I THINK 2054 and 2060 will sound further out than 2042 and hopefully this get me a higher sale price as time gets closer. Of course as I said, I had TWO reasons for buying, if you are a buyer thinking ONLY of reason #1 then the simple 'buy where you want to stay' seems best; for me factor 2 was equally important.

By the time you sell, someone will be saying, “yeah but BLT and SSR only have 24 years left.”

 

[Pluto777]

By the time you sell, someone will be saying, “yeah but BLT and SSR only have 24 years left.”

LOL... Okay fair enough, but then again in the case of SSR 24 years left would mean 2030, so in this example you have 12 years remaining with a 2042 expiration, or 24 years - which even with my poor math means DOUBLE the amount of time left with SSR; and with BLT you would have 6 more (30). How may folks think a 12 year expiration contract will compete in price with a 24 or 30 year one?

 

[Pluto777]

We too own at BWV and bought there last year.I would run the numbers but in reality, it costs the same per year to own at BWV as it does to own at a longer contract resort. Annual dues add up! We own at Poly(150) and BWV(200) and my parents own VGF(125) and BWV(50). I am waiting to see the cost per point at the Riviera before buying more but we love the Epcot area and wouldn't mind owning some at BC

Am I wrong? I saw the 2017 dues for BW at $6.5496 a point, while SSR was 5.8564 and BLT was 5.9226; clearly if this is the case BW is a decent amount MORE money in MF's..