Did you stay at your home resort prior to purchase?

[disneynutz]

I am VERY new to DVC information, thus this question - When we sat down for this presentation at Disney back in 2009, the guy said it doesn't matter what resort you get a time share with, except that different resorts have different maintenance fees, points cost different amounts, and you get higher priority for booking if you book at your home resort? Why does it matter if you "like" the resort or not?

I enjoy staying at a resort that I like. If you don't care about where you stay I guess it doesn't matter.

Bill

 

[jekjones1558]

I am VERY new to DVC information, thus this question - When we sat down for this presentation at Disney back in 2009, the guy said it doesn't matter what resort you get a time share with, except that different resorts have different maintenance fees, points cost different amounts, and you get higher priority for booking if you book at your home resort? Why does it matter if you "like" the resort or not?

As DVC has grown, it seems to become more difficult to book some of the smaller resorts outside of the priority booking window. If you don't really mind staying at any DVC resort, then your home resort decision should probably be based on what is most cost effective in terms of initial price, maintenance fees and number of years on the contract. If there are resorts that would be a disappointment to you, then definitely do not buy those resorts.

 

[hjgaus]

DH and I have decided after much consideration and number crunching to buy a resale. Because of location, transportation to Epcot & DHS we are thinking BCV or BWV. DH also likes the idea of the restaurants/bars at BWV.
We have never stayed at or been to either of these resorts. We've done lots of research and seen lots of pictures online, but I'm still hesitant to buy into a resort that I have never actually been to! We are thinking of going down for a quick trip just to take a look at the resorts, but then that's money we are using for the trip and not for our resale purchase, so our purchase will be delayed a bit. But if we went down we could see if we had a preference BCV or BWV.

Did you have a stay at your home resort prior to purchase? If not, did you worry that you wouldn't like it (even though you'd have no reason to think you wouldn't!)

YES WE DID! 2005 we stayed @ Beach Club Resort hotel side then back again 2007 BUT this time in a BCV STUDIO which we paid for! That totally got us HOOKED! We bought 2 resale contracts @ BCV for total of 450 points back in 2008! Love being close to Epcot & DHS!!
The actual rooms COULD use some updating decor but we can over look it because of the location!!!

Since then we also bought into VGC direct with Disney in 2009 at 160 points by only seeing the MODELS but it was a no brainer to own there because we LIVE in Southern California! NO REGRETS!!!

 

[wcpamotm]

VWL: technically, no, but we've stayed in the main lodge a couple of times and knew this was where we most wanted to be.

BLT: yes, and we enjoyed the stay there a good bit more than we expected. Before that, we would have expected that if/when we added on, it would likely be at BCV or BWV. Beach Club would still likely attract our attention if we ever were to add on again, but that's not likely any time soon.

 

[Evita227]

As DVC has grown, it seems to become more difficult to book some of the smaller resorts outside of the priority booking window. If you don't really mind staying at any DVC resort, then your home resort decision should probably be based on what is most cost effective in terms of initial price, maintenance fees and number of years on the contract. If there are resorts that would be a disappointment to you, then definitely do not buy those resorts.

Thank you for helping me to understand this better!

 

[com_op_2000]

No just took the tour which was at OKW. The only resort that was the club. DW and I knew when we first heard of DVC that we would buy as soon as we could.
We were staying onsite at DL-AB, and they let us apply some of our reservation monies from that stay towards the down payment.

 

[kisly59@optonline.ne]

We never did. The only place we had stayed in before purchasing was Old Key West, which was terrific. We purchased a few years after that at the BWV when it was brand new. You really can't go wrong with any of them as they are all great accommodations. We love BWV and BCV because of their location to Epcot, however, we've stayed at several locations and they have all been great.

 

[Hunclemarco]

We toured SSR and then bought there. Our first stay was a split stay between BCV and SSR.

 

[CoffeeCup]

Before we bought DVC, we stayed at AKL in a standard view room on a fantastic deal...pay for 4 nights, get 3 free, I think. We were upgraded to a savanna room, and we bought DVC while we were there. It took only a few mornings on the balcony watching the animals to convince DH that he had to own there. We had eaten dinner there several years earlier, and he didn't like anything about the resort except the lobby. Staying there completely changed his opinion of the resort...the smells, the sounds, the great CMs, the experience of feeling we are in Africa. Since then we've added points twice, stayed at Jambo at least once a year, and love it more than ever. We wouldn't be DVC owners if we hadn't stayed there on a great PIN and gotten an upgraded room. AKL and HHI are the only DVC villas we really love, and we wouldn't buy without staying at a resort until I found the one right for us.

 

[disneychic]

Interestingly, we didn't stay at any of our 5 home resorts before purchasing points at any of them! Of course we have now stayed at each, and I wish I would have stayed at BLT before doing our add on there because its just not for me. BWV will always be my favorite because its our first home resort (purchased in 2000) I equally enjoy AKV, HHI and SSR. I just don't enjoy BLT as much as the others. If I was to ever sell (perish the thought) any of my contracts this would be the one.

 

[miprender]

We did. We had rented DVC points from a friend and stayed at AKL Jambo House.

That was all it took to convince DH to buy into DVC even though I had been bugging him for years.