DVC and the campground

[gillenkl]

OK, if you own DVC and have used it for a campsite - can you explain to me in easy beginner language how this works with regards to the campground. Today while talking to my rep they quoted me that Saratoga Springs would be my home (by the way, I have no desire to stay there) but I could use it for a campsite and it would be less. Less what? Please don't send me to the DVC board because it's totally overwhelming me. I just want to know how to use DVC for a campsite. Is it worthwhile to get a DVC and use it for a campsite?

 

[dblr]

the point useage is alot less per night then @ a DVC resort but you are only getting a site not a condo. We have tried to use our points to stay @ Fort Wilderness but they have a small amount of sites for DVC members so it might be hard to get a site thru DVC. Some members rent their points and just pay cash to camp but not everyone wants to go thru that hasssel.

 

[jimmytammy]

It can be done. For ex., points used for 1
Sunday night in a cabin in January would be 32 points. All the same scenario above for prefferred campsite would be 7 points. A premium campsite would be 8 points.

The same night at Villas of Wilderness Lodge, a studio, which sleeps 4, would be 13 points. The same scenario in a 1 bedroom which still sleeps 4 would be 26 points. And the same scenario in a 2 bedroom which sleeps 8, would be 34 points.


I think you have to weigh out the costs of what price per point is vs. what one of the campsites would cost per night, and then decide for yourself.

If Saratoga isnt what you want, you can buy on the resale market, and in most cases price per point is a lot less. We purchased direct from Disney, so I have no experience in the resale end, but there are 3 reputable companies that you can deal with, one being a sponsor of the DIS. I would ask on the DVC forums who has bought resale and find out who they dealt with.

You sound like a Wilderness Lodge kind of person to me. We love the proximity of the campground to Wilderness Lodge. We eat at Trails End often, take the boat over or walk the path. We like the horseback rides, too.

Many folks on both sides of the fence will argue like there should be some line drawn in the sand as to where the campground/Lodge is, but to me, I like sharing.

Good luck in your decision. I know it may seem a bit overwhelming at first trying to learn how DVC works, it was for us, and after owning for almost 10 yrs., every so often I still learn something I didnt know. But dont let the DVC folks intimidate you. For the most part, you will run across a very helpful bunch on the DVC forums. If someone does come across brash, dont feel bad, cause they probably treat everyone else the same too.

 

[Fort LaPalma]

We are currently staying at the Fort on our DVC points. We used 92 points to stay 8 nights on a Premium Site.

Your points go a lot further at the Fort than they would staying at a DVC property. I however would not suggest buying at Saratoga Springs. The annual dues at Saratoga are est. $4.46 per point. This means that if you buy 200 points at Saratoga your annual dues would be $892.00. I would suggest buying at Bay Lake Tower (the lowest annual dues of any DVC resort). The annual dues are est. $3.78 per point... annual dues would be $756.00. If you don't plan on using the points at a DVC property it doesn't really matter where your "Home" resort is so you might as well be "Home" at the lowest annual dues property.

We bought into DVC with the intentions of using the bulk of our points at the Fort. We also plan on taking a Disney Cruise. We are not advance planners either. The "Home" resort gives you the advantage of booking your stay at your "Home" resort before other DVC members. If you plan on using the bulk of your points at the Fort, the earlier booking advantage doesn't matter to you either.

If I can help you in any other way just let me know. I would suggest talking to Gibb... a DVC Guide. He has been with DVC a long time and is very knowledgeable.

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

If you are going to use your points regularly at the Fort, it is very important to choose a Use Year for your points that will work with the times that you plan to vacation. When you use your points at the Fort, it is considered an exchange. One of the rules of an exchange is that your arrival date can't be within the last four months of your use year. Here's an example:
My use year is April, and every February I get a one week vacation (I work for the school system). I will never be able to use my points for the Fort in February because it is within my last four months of my use year.

Also, lets say that I book a trip using points at the Fort for October and then something comes up and I can't go. I can cancel, but I have to be able to reschedule that trip with an arrival date that is no later than the end of November (due to the rule I mentioned above). If there aren't any sites available before then, I can't use those points for a DVC resort because they are now "exchange" points. I also can't bank them to the next year because they are "exchange" points. It's a lot to consider.

I love our DVC, but now that we like to camp at the Fort, it has become more difficult to schedule our trips since I am bound by the school system schedule.

If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.