Does resort home matter?

[minniesfriend]

In my earlier post, DH and I were debating between DVC and another timeshare co. Well, you all gave great feedback and we are going to become DCV ers. We are so excited!! Thank you all for helping us make this choice.

Now, does resort home matter? It is my understanding that within 7 months of vacation, all points become equal. No matter which resort is your home resort. I do have the option to book 11 months earlier in my home resort, otherwise I must wait until the 7 month time frame. Right?

Do certain resorts have a higher trade value outside of DVC?

Will I have a difficult time getting a resort that is not my home? For example, if I purchase VB will it be difficult for me to get BW? (We do not travel peak season-too crowded!)

Thanks for the great information. We look forward to joining your ranks in the next few weeks.

 

[ZerasPride]

I am sure others will respond to your question who have much more DVC experience than I do but the one universal truth on this board seems to be "buy where you plan to stay the most".

 

[Deb & Bill]

Home resort is very important if you plan to book your vacations at busy times such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Spring Break, or other holiday times. If you want something special like a Grand Villa, you may need the 11 month advantage.

All DVC points are the same outside of DVC.

You could always purchase a resale and get the resort you want or buy from Disney and get BCV or, later on, Saratoga Springs. If you buy from Disney there are no closing costs. If you buy resale, you will have at least $500 for closing costs, but you can pay less per point.

We have used our points at the 7 month point to get VB and BWV. But we also bought points at BCV and VWL to make sure we could get our reservations there when we needed them.

 

[robinb]

You never know if you'll be able to get into another resort at the 7 month mark. I always consider myself lucky when I do . As for busy times v/s non-busy times you would be surprsied at the times of the year that fill up quickly. The first week of December, for example.

I am also a proponent of "Buy Where You Want To Stay.". We own at OKW and at BWV. The BWV resale was just purchased this year for the express purpose of staying at BWV during a time where the 7 month window does not work.

Also, if you really want to stay at BWV in a standard view room you will need to book at 11 months out as they go very quickly.

 

[CarolMN]

Home resort matters because of the 11 month booking window. That is why the most frequently given advice on this board is to "buy where you plan to stay the most".



Keep in mind that peak season for WDW does not necessarily match up with peak season for DVC. As an example, the first two weeks in December (very low season for WDW) are difficult to book DVC accomodations at WDW. Low points, DVC annual meetings and Christmas activities/decorations have made this time very popular with DVC members. If you want a standard view at BWV, you absolutely need the 11 month window to ensure getting what you want.

OTOH, if you usually book less than 7 months ahead of time, home resort won't matter. Home resort doesn't matter at all when you trade outside of DVC, because of the way MS handles trades.

VB is a lovely resort and you will need the 11 month window if you ever want to stay in one of the beautiful Beach Cottages. If you plan to stay mostly at WDW, you may want to reconsider buying VB. Dues there are the highest of all the DVC resorts and due to the high cost of maintaining beach front property are likely to continue to rise (JMHO. YMMV). That could eat up any up front savings in a few years.

Good luck with your decision. Hope to welcome you home soon.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I'll say it as well - buy where you want to stay.

Yes, you can be successful in obtaining reservations within 7 months during non DVC peak times - but there are no guarantees.

I say non DVC peak times, as they may be different than peak crowd times at Disney. For example, early December is a slow time for Disney, but is one of the busiest for DVC. The 11 month reservation priority can make a big difference depending on when you go.

If you can be flexible about when you travel, and don't care where you stay, you will have very good success getting ressies inside of 7 months. However, if you need certain dates, or want to stay in BW, BC, or VWL as opposed to OKW, the 11 month window is very helpful. Also, 11 months makes a big difference if you own BWV and want to save points by getting a standard view room - these go very quickly and are rarely available at 7 months.

For us, the 11 month window is very important. Right now we travel in early December and May. In a few years we will move to summer trips (once our DD is in school). Without the 11 month window DVC reservations would be very difficult for us given our travel plans.

Think it through carefully and good luck with your decision. Congrats on the most important decision - to become DVC members!!!!

 

[crisi]

Also keep in mind that you don't travel in peak season now, but may need to in the future. If you have kids, their school schedules or policies may change. If your kids are beyond that, you may want to take grandkids on their break. If you don't ever plan on having to worry about school schedules, you may still decide that the lure of Christmas decorations is too much, change jobs, or do something else in the next 40 years that changes when you'll travel.

(And I'll say it a different way, buy where you won't be disappointed if you end up staying there. I wouldn't be disappointed to stay at any of the on site WDW resorts, but I'd have to explain a lot to my kids if we couldn't switch to an onsite DVC resort at seven months and they spent their "Disney" vacation at Vero)

 

[Granny]

One more vote for "buy where you want to stay the most".

crisi makes some great points....over the next 39 years, your vacation patterns could change dramatically. So what is true now might not be true in 20 years.

One other unlikely but somewhat ominous point. DVD is not obligated to allow its members to book at non-home resorts. While it is not likely that this could happen, I tend to look at worst-case scenarios when making big purchase decisions like this.

So, conceivably, the answer might be...."buy where you would be happy for the next 39 years". [similar to other more traditional time shares]

 

[spiceycat]

summertime (to my knowledge) is not difficult - I have gotten July in May for example - however spring break and (as had been say) December are very difficult. Thanksgiving can also be difficult.

I think the first two or three weeks of June are hard to get - after that summer is not that difficult - however the summers in Orlando can be bad - 90 degree is not uncommon. (one summer in August, we were in Epcot it got to 110 degree - we left - too hot to enjoy anything)

It just depends upon when you want to travel.

If you like decorations then the first two weeks in December are great - low crowds at the parks - but the parks are so beautiful and so are the resorts - WL/VWL is particluar is outstanding.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Good points from everyone here.
Excellent point Granny, as that may be the most overlooked reason of them all. I agree that it is unlikely, but I'm with you, as I too like to look at the worst case scenario.

minniesfriend, I would only recommend buying at Vero Beach if that is where you want to stay most. The mtc fees are high, and if you can't get a different resort at 7 months, you won't be going to WDW.

We own points at VB strictly for use at VB.

Good luck.....

PS- If you do want to stay at VB most, then I would not buy on-site DVC. As more on-site DVCs are built, it will get harder and harder to book VB at the 7 month window.

 

[erikthewise]

Home resort doesn't matter if you don't care where you stay.
If you DO care where you stay, then see above.

I wouldn't worry too much about the "Doomsday Scenario" of only being allowed to book at your home resort. While it is true that Disney reserves that right in the contract, they have also sold these timeshares on the basis of allowing reservations at any DVC resort. They'd have a revolt on their hands if they revoked this right, and plenty of lawsuits, viable or not.

My uneducated guess is that clause exists to cover the case of a offsite resort such as Vero Beach being sold out to people who never actually go to Vero Beach but instead flood the onsite resorts with their points. In that case DVC's only recourse would be to restrict the reservation rights of the owners at the offending resort. I think there is essentially zero chance that this would happen to an onsite resort.

 

[crisi]

I always figured it was there in case DVC wanted to get out of the offsite timeshare business and sold Vero and/or Hilton Head.

 

[DeeP]

Your DVC home resort only matters if you are going to book between 11-7 months ahead and you have a preference of which DVC resort you will stay at. Once the 7 month mark has passed your home resort is a mute point. Unfortunately, I know this quite well from a lot of first hand experience. I go to FL every 3-4 months and most times combine business trips with a vacation following. Due to the business portion of my trips I rarely can book trips 11-7 months in advance. I did buy where I want to stay which is BWV but due to the fact that BWV is such a hard resort to get into on short notice many times I have had to either change my vacation part of the trip or take a DVC resort I do not care for. I was hoping the situation would change somewhat once BCV opened up but that does not seem to be the case.
I sincerely doubt DVC will change in that members can only book their home resort but I certainly would not be upset if they did. Or maybe change it so that you can only book a non home DVC resort 3 months in advance vs 7 months. I bought where I want to stay, I gladly pay the higher dues and it is very frustrating not to be able to get into my home resort!

 

[minniesfriend]

Deep-

Sounds like we may be in the same boat. We're thinking of buying at BWV since that is our favorite location. At least 2xs a year we go down with my husband's work. He works while we enjoy the parks during the day, then he joins us that evening. As you say, it is often last minute. We were buying extra points to cover these last minute trips. Will we have difficulty finding availability with only a few days advance notice? It will be frustrating not to get into our "home" after paying for it. have you ever been unable to book any onsite DVC? For these short trips, we woud probably prefer to stay in a studio.

 

[Beth]

Everyone's points here are valid - just wanted to add my 2 cents...

We've been members for 6 years - and the only ressies we've been unable to make at 7 months are BWV in early December. The first few years of our membership - it was no problem but, since BWV sold out - it hasn't happened...

Also. You asked about the difference in trade value between the resorts when trading <i>outside</i> of DVC. Everyone here is correct - when you're using MS to make your trade.

But, if you pursue a "direct exchange," i.e. from a classified ad on TUG - I see "Want BWV's" ads more than for any other DVC resorts.. FWIW...

Best of luck with your decision.

 

[DeeP]

Sounds like we may be in the same boat. We're thinking of buying at BWV since that is our favorite location. At least 2xs a year we go down with my husband's work. He works while we enjoy the parks during the day, then he joins us that evening. As you say, it is often last minute. We were buying extra points to cover these last minute trips. Will we have difficulty finding availability with only a few days advance notice? It will be frustrating not to get into our "home" after paying for it. have you ever been unable to book any onsite DVC? For these short trips, we woud probably prefer to stay in a studio.

Unfortunately the only DVC resort that I have ever been able to book with short notice is OKW. OKW has always been available on very short notice so if you don't mind staying at OKW you should be ok. It is very frustrating not to be able to get into your home resort though!

 

[Dean]

I'd agree, buy where you want to stay. If you're pretty flexible but want to mostly stay at WDW, buy OKW as it's the cheapest to buy and yearly fees. Do not buy VB with the idea of staying at WDW unless you're pretty sure you will stay at VB at least 40-50% of the time or unless a Beach Cottage at VB is important to you on a recurring need.

 

[Granny]

Originally posted by erikthewise
I wouldn't worry too much about the "Doomsday Scenario" of only being allowed to book at your home resort. While it is true that Disney reserves that right in the contract, they have also sold these timeshares on the basis of allowing reservations at any DVC resort. They'd have a revolt on their hands if they revoked this right, and plenty of lawsuits, viable or not.

For what it's worth, I also would not worry too much about the "Doomsday Scenario" that I described. (Feel like we're in a Ludlum novel!).

I don't think it's likely, but on the other hand, I don't think Disney would worry much about a revolt. It's not contractually guaranteed...it's a perk really.

My guide talked to me about pool hopping to SAB when I stayed at VWL. Now we don't have that perk anymore. No big deal...like I said, I just look at worst case scenarios.


If I have to stay at VWL and BWV (my "homes") for the next 39 years, I'll just have to make do!

 

[crisi]

But a doomsday scenario would be more troubling if you'd bought VB because the points were cheap and intended on taking WDW vacations.

 

[RLevy29]

I sincerely hope that it never happens that you can only book your home resort. As much as we enjoy OKW, we did not buy the OKW club, but we bought the DVC with the only advantage of your home resort being able to book at 11 months. There are so many factors of why some people are able to book what they want when they want, but DVC gives you so many advantages (and they are growing) that it is well worth it no matter what resort you buy into. I hope that that never changes.